Title Name Research Institution Email

Title
Prof.
Dr.
Dr.
Prof.
Name
Lorraine O’Driscoll
Juliette Hussey
Graham Pidgeon
Noel Lowndes
Research Institution
Director of Research, School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Panoz
Institute & Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute (http://www.tcd.ie/biosciences/),
Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin
Trinity College Dublin, School of Medicine
Centre for Chromosome Biology, NUI Galway
Email
odrisc@tcd.ie
Research Interests
Link To Biography
• Understanding exosomes and other vesicles that carry information in the
bloodstream and contribute to cancer spread/”metastasis” and drug
resistance; exploring proteins in cells that have potential as new anticancer targets for drugs; improved ways of testing drugs in the laboratory
to increase their success in patients;
http://www.pharmacy.tcd.ie/research/
• Finding ways of matching the right anti-cancer drugs to the right patients
for most benefit and least side-effects;
• Pancreatic, colon, lung, ovarian cancers
• [These studies would include laboratory, translational and clinical
research] http://www.mehad-cost.eu/index.php/contact-details (EU
Consortium led by LOD)
jmhussey@tcd.ie
The aim of my research programme is improving exercise prescription to
optimise therapeutic responses to interventions in patients with cancer.
While there is strong evidence at an epidemiological level for the benefit of
exercise in the prevention and treatment of disease, much remains to be
discovered regarding dose response. The current activities include: fitness
http://people.tcd.ie/jmhussey
and activity in breast cancer survivors and the relationship with insulin
resistance, lipids and inflammatory markers, modifiable risk factors in
unaffected BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 gene carriers, exercise interventions and
physical performance measures in patients after chemotherapy, and
preoperatively for those with oesophageal cancer.
pidgeong@tcd.ie
Dr. Pidgeon's group have a particular interest in the molecular pathways
activated in cancer cells following culture with human adipose tissue,
including the activation of immune cell subsets in visceral adipose tissue,
alterations in tumour metabolism and how obesity drives the EMT process
in solid malignancies. Other areas of interest include the role of bioactive
https://medicine.tcd.ie/surgery/research/research-staff-profiles.php
lipid enzymes, including cyclooxygenases and lipoxygenases, in tumour
metabolism, angiogenesis and metastasis of oesophageal, colorectal , lung
and breast cancer. Through national and international collaborations, the
group are investigating the potential of novel pharmacological and
naturally occurring small molecules (some of which target LOX) as antiangiogenic and anti-cancer agents.
noel.lowndes@nuigalway.ie
Professor Lowndes began his career as a cancer biologist at the Beatson
Institute for Cancer Research, Glasgow studying the H-ras oncogene.
Moving to London his interest in cellular proliferation were expanded first
at the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) and subsequently at
Cancer Research UK’s Clare Hall laboratories. In 2001 he returned to
Ireland to take up the Chair of Biochemistry at NUI Galway where he works
http://www.nuigalway.ie/our-research/people/natural-sciences/noellowndes/
to elucidate the mechanisms of action of tumour suppressor genes
required for maintenance of genome stability. Among his current research
interest are DNA double strand break repair, transcription associated
genome instability and the role of RNA in the DNA damage response (see
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=lowndes+n for recent
publications).
My key interest is in optimal decison-making in paediatric oncology. This
includes children's and parents’ participation in diagnosis, clinical trials,
treatment, palliative care, end-of-life decisions.
I am interested in developing on-line interventions to promote optimal
decision-making and the impact on quality of care and health outcomes.
Other broader research interests include: psychosocial care of children
http://people.tcd.ie/Profile?Username=coynei
with cancer, experiences of survivors; needs and expectations of long-term
follow up care; children & young people’s transition to adult services,
parents’ role in delivery of technological care at home.
I have expertise in both qualitative and quantitative research methods and
systematic reviews.
Prof.
Imelda Coyne
Trinity College Dublin
coynei@tcd.ie
Prof.
Therese Kinsella
University College Dublin
Therese.Kinsella@ucd.ie
There is overwhelming evidence that Aspirin reduces the risk of many
cancers. While Aspirin acts by inhibiting thromboxane biosynthesis, how it
reduces cancer risk is unknown. Through ground breaking ICS-funded
http://www.ucd.ie/sbbs/sbbsstaff/academicstaff/tkinsella/
research, we recently established that the thromboxane receptor is
upregulated in prostate cancer and identified a mechanism whereby
thromboxane promotes prostate cancer progression and metastasis.
Dr.
Eva Szegezdi
NUI, Galway
Eva.szegezdi@nuigalway.ie
Dr. Szegezdi is a lecturer in Biochemistry and the director of the MSc
programme in Cancer Research at NUI, Galway. Her area of research is
signal transduction pathways in cancer cells and how these pathways can
be exploited to design novel therapies. Current projects focus on (1)
identifying novel drugs for acute leukemia targeting the microenvironmenthttp://www.apoptosis.ie/eva.html
of the tumour cells and synthetic lethality. (2) Maximise the tumoricidal
effect of the cell death-inducing cytokine, TRAIL using computational
protein engineering and developing protein-protein interaction inhibitor.
(3) Predict tumour drug response using omits and machine learning/
bioinformatical methods to identify co-acting gene clusters.
Prof.
Stephen Pennington
School of Medicine and Medical Science, UCD Conway Institute (in collaboration
with Dana Farber Cancer Centre).
stephen.pennington@ucd.ie
Investigating cross-talk and signalling in the prostate tumour
microenvironment to reveal mechanisms of epithelial: stroma interactions http://www.ucd.ie/research/people/medicinemedicalscience/professorstephenr
that contribute to tumour progression: combined RNAseq and
oypennington/
proteomic analysis.
martinsj@tcd.ie
My laboratory is interested in all aspects of Cell Death control, especially
Apoptosis and Programmed necrosis. The ultimate goal of all cancer
therapies is to kill unwanted cancerous We use multidisciplinary
approaches to explore how transformed cells resist anti-cancer drug
treatments and are one of the most highly cited laboratories, worldwide, in
the area of cell death control. See some of our recent papers for more
information: tissue while sparing healthy untransformed cells. Carroll, R.,
Hollville, E. and S.J. Martin (2014) Cell Reports, in press., Hollville, E.,
https://www.tcd.ie/Genetics/research/martin.php
Carroll, R. and S.J. Martin (2014) Molecular Cell 55, 451-466 Cullen, S.P.,
Henry, C.M., Kearney, C.J., Logue, S.E., Feoktistova, M., Tynan, G.A.,
Lavelle, E.C., Leverkus, M. and S. J. Martin (2013) Molecular Cell 49, 103448., Martin, S.J., Henry, C.M., and Cullen, S.P. (2012). Molecular Cell 46,
387-397. Elgendy, M., Sheridan, C., Brumatti, G. & S.J. Martin (2011)
Molecular Cell 42:23-35. Afonina, I.A., Tynan, G.A., Logue, S.E., Cullen,
S.P., Bots, M., Lüthi, A.U., Reeves, E.P., McElvaney, N.G., Medema, J.P.,
Lavelle, E.C. & S.J. Martin (2011) Molecular Cell 44, 265-278.
Prof.
Dr.
Seamus J. Martin
Research Institution: Dept. of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin
Amanda McCann
UCD Conway Institute Of Biomolecular And Biomedical Research And UCD School
Of Medicine And Medical Science (UCD SMMS), University College Dublin
amanda.mccann@ucd.ie
• Chemoresistance mechanisms in Ovarian cancer and Triple Negative
Breast Cancer (TNBC)
• Therapeutic induced cellular senescence (TIS) and the implcations of this
viable cellular fate on chemoresistance.
http://www.ucd.ie/research/people/medicinemedicalscience/dramandamccann
• Hypoxia induced exosome profiling, exosome recipient cell uptake and
/
exosomal functional impact on propagating chemoresistance.
Epigenetic signatures of chemoresistance
Dr.
Peter O'Gorman
Mater Institute for Research and Therapy
pogorman@mater.ie
In 2008 Dr O’Gorman in collaboration with Prof Ken Anderson and Prof
Paul Richardson of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston established
the MIRT Ireland-DFCI post-graduate MD-PhD program. The goal of the
program is in the short term to expose trainees to working in a worldleading Multiple Myeloma centre, complete a research thesis and produce www.mirtireland.com
peer-reviewed publications. In the long term the program will train a new
generation of Scientists who will raise clinical and research standards in
Irish Haematology and continue to develop collaborations with leading
world centres in clinical and scientific research into the future.
http://www.dcu.ie/info/staff_member.php?id_no=1465
http://www.ucd.ie/sbbs/sbbsstaff/academicstaff/bkennedy/
Dr.
Robert O'Connor
National Institute for Cellular Biotechnology, Dublin City University
robert.oconnor@dcu.ie
My research focusses on Cancer Pharmacology. Specific areas include;
methods of individualising cancer treatment, advancing treatment of
malignancies especially breast and pancreatic cancer, analytical cancer
pharmacology (measurement of cancer drug levels in cell, tissues and
blood), cancer drug resistance, development of xenograft tumour models,
translating cancer research into patient treatment advances and
development of markers for rapid identification of tumour response to
treatment. http://www.nicb.dcu.ie/staff_robert_o_connor.html
Dr.
Breandán N. Kennedy
University College Dublin
brendan.kennedy@ucd.ie
Our group is interested in the discovery and development of novel small
molecule drugs that improve the treatment of cancer. Using the zebrafish
model, we perform unbiased phenotype-based drug screens to identify
novel inhibitors of angiogenesis. Validated hit drugs and analogs are
progressed through anti-angiogenic efficacy, safety and mechanism of
action studies in mammalian models.
Dr.
Dr.
Dr.
Dr.
Ken Nally
Paula Meleady
Radka Fahey (Saldova),
Martin Barr
School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, University College Cork
Dublin City University, National Institute for Cellular Biotechnology
NIBRT (National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training)
St James’s Hospital & Trinity College Dublin
k.nally@ucc.ie
paula.meleady@dcu.ie
radka.fahey@nibrt.ie
Host-Microbe Interaction, Inflammation, and Cancer Biology (1) HostMicrobe interactions in health, inflammatory disease and colon cancer
(2) Immunopathology in inflammatory disease and colon cancer
(3) Mechanisms underpinning cross-talk and synergism between
inflammatory signalling pathways
(4) Specific focus on Interferon (IFN) and Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)
signalling pathways
(5) Crosstalk between inflammatory and oncogenic receptor tyrosine
http://publish.ucc.ie/profiles/C012/knally
kinase (RTK) signalling pathways
(6) Epigenetic mechanisms underpinning regulation of inflammatory, antiviral and oncogenic (RTK) gene expression
(7) Functional genomics analysis of inflammatory, cell survival and cell
death pathways
(8) Discovery of cancer cell intrinsic tumour suppressor mechanisms
underpinning immune-mediated suppression of cancer
Clinical Membrane Proteomics: proteomic analysis of membrane proteins
in uveal (ocular) melanoma and multiple myeloma disease progression in
order to identify cell surface targets that may be amenable to therapeutic
intervention, e.g. with monoclonal antibody and/or antibody drug
conjugate (ADC) therapies. Strong clinical collaborations have been set up
with clinicians at the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital, Dublin to
understand uveal melanoma metastatic disease, and with haematologists
at the Mater Hospital, Dublin to study multiple myeloma disease
progression.
http://www.dcu.ie/info/staff_member.php?id_no=1300
Epigenetic regulation of glycosylation and the impact on chemoresistance
in cancer
Disease biomarker discovery in various cancers including - ovarian, breast,
lung, prostate, uveal, skin, colorectal and pancreatic and other diseases
(AAT deficiency, CDG, Rhematoid Arthritis)
http://www.nibrt.ie/cat_principal_investigators.jsp?i=241
Development and utilisation of high-throughput technologies for N-glycan
analysis
Glycan analysis (glycans from serum, cells and isolated glycoproteins)
mbarr@stjames.ie
With a keen interest in Translational Biology, Dr Barr has a number of key
research interests in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). These include
projects investigating the role of VEGF and its receptors in lung cancer cell
signalling, miRNA profiling and gene signatures as potential markers in the
treatment of lung cancer patients and the effects of the hypoxic
http://www.medicine.tcd.ie/research/researchers/martin-barr.php
microenvironment on cell survival signalling pathways. In addition, Dr Barr
has played a major role in establishing a Lung Cancer Biobank and in
initiating a research programme relating to chemoresistance and cancer
stem cells (Barr et al., PLoS One, 2013). barrma@tcd.ie
Prof.
Ciaran Morrison
National University of Ireland Galway
Ciaran.morrison@nuigalway.ie
Our projects use genome engineering, cell biology, advanced microscopy
and biochemistry to dissect how DNA damage affects centrosomes,
organelles that organise the cytoskeleton and the mitotic spindle
apparatus. Centrosome abnormalities are implicated in cell cycle
dysregulation, mitotic aberrations, problems in chromosome segregration,
http://www.nuigalway.ie/biochemistry/staff/morrison/index.html
aneuploidy and genomic instability, all of which contribute to
tumorigenesis. Furthermore, changes in centrosome number alter the
invasive capacity of cancer cells. Students interested in molecular
mechanisms of cellular transformation are encouraged to apply.
http://www.chromosome.ie/researchers/morrison/
Prof.
Pamela Gallagher
Dublin City University
pamela.gallagher@dcu.ie
Survivorship: Psychosocial adjustment to and impact of cancer; Living with
http://www.dcu.ie/info/staff_member.php?id_no=697
the effects of cancer (e.g. prostheses, lymphoedema); Self-management
Patrick.Kiely@ul.ie
The research emphasis in our laboratory is on deciphering the localized
and transient signalling events which occur in cells during migration. We
have a specific interest in defining the signaling pathways regulating cell
migration in breast cancer and colon cancer. We are using a series of
complimentary and synergistic cellular and molecular approaches and
http://cancerresearchul.com/
novel technologies to investigate how protein complexes are assembled in
signalling pathways during this process. Understanding the molecular
mechanisms that regulate cell migration is of important intellectual and
clinical interest, and we believe this work may reveal fresh approaches to
target cancer.
Dr.
Patrick A. Kiely
University of Limerick
Dr.
Margaret Mc Gee
UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, Conway Institute, University
College Dublin
margaret.mcgee@ucd.ie
Mitotic Catastrophe (MC) is an innate oncosuppressive mechanism for the
prevention of genome instability and thus tumourigenesis. MC senses
mitotic defects and communicates with the mitotic checkpoint machinery,
and the cell death and senescence machinery to prevent the continued
proliferation of genomically unstable cells. Current anti-cancer therapies
such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy act by inducing MC in tumour
cells. Thus, failed MC represents a major gateway to both tumour onset
and the development of drug resistant subtypes. Despite its critical
importance in tumour prevention, the molecular mechanism of MC
http://www.ucd.ie/conway/research/researchers/conwayfellowsaremains poorly understood and there are currently no mechanistic
z/drmargaretmcgee/
biomarkers to aid drug development programmes and/or predict patient
response to current drugs. Our laboratory is focused on understanding the
molecular mechanism underlying MC in a range of tumours including
glioblastoma and neuroblastoma, with a particular focus in dissecting the
molecular signals that connect the mitotic and cell death machinery, with
the view to revealing new strategies to exploit the process for therapeutic
benefit as well as identify novel mechanistic biomarkers that will inform
clinical administration of currently available therapies.
Prof.
Brendan Murphy
School of Mathematical Sciences, University College Dublin
brendan.murphy@ucd.ie
Classification, clustering, medical decision making, prostate cancer,
multivariate analysis, biomarker discovery.
http://www.ucd.ie/mathsciences/ourpeople/academicstaff/profbrendanmurphy
/
pancreatic cancer; lung cancer;uveal and cutaneous melanoma;multiple
myeloma.
Prof.
Martin Clynes
NICB, Dublin City University
martin.clynes@dcu.ie
biomarker and ADC target discovery - proteins and miRNAs
in vitro models for chemo- and radio-resistance
http://www.nicb.dcu.ie/
Dr.
Dr.
Kathy Gately
Laure Marignol
Trinity College Dublin
Trinity College Dublin
kgately@stjames.ie
Marignol@tcd.ie
The focus of my translational research is the identification of new
prognostic/predictive biomarkers and therapeutic targets to improve
patient treatment options. Ongoing projects include elucidating
mechanisms of resistance to (i) chemotherapy and (ii) targeted therapies.
We have recently identified a novel targetable kinase which plays a key
role in the emergence of resistance to both PI3K and EGFR targeted
therapies in NSCLC and are currently investigating dual inhibition
strategies. Clinical studies comparing cfDNA, CTCs and biopsy tissue for
detection of multiple gene mutations by next-generation
sequencing (IonTorrent) technology highlight the importance of the liquid
biopsy in cancer diagnosis and treatment.
https://www.tcd.ie/IMM/thoracic-oncology/profiles/kathy-gately.php
Following a prostate cancer diagnosis, approximately 50 percent of men
will receive radiation therapy. Despite sophisticated treatment approaches,
some patients will not be cured. Our ability to determine which patients
are at greater risk of recurrence is currently inadequate, and at the same
time novel treatment approaches are needed to prevent the tumour from
evolving further in these men. My research aims to address both of these http://www.medicine.tcd.ie/research/researchers/laure-marignol.php
challenges.
My main project, funded by the Irish Cancer Society, investigates novel
genetic markers, called miRNAs, whose presence may be associated with a
greater risk of prostate cancer recurring after radiotherapy.
Inflammation and Breast and Prostate Cancer
Chronic inflammation and infection are major mediators of cancer
initiation and cancer progression. Key mediators of inflammation-induced
cancer include NFkB, reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, inflammatory
cytokines, prostaglandins and specific microRNAs, which in turn exert their
effects though changes in cell proliferation, apoptosis, cellular senescence,
DNA mutation rates, DNA methylation, cell invasiveness and angiogenesis.
Together these species present the ideal targets for early detection,
diagnosis, prediction of outcome and also therapeutic targets.
The Prostate Cancer - Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells Parahttp://www.nuigalway.ie/our-research/people/medicine/sharonglynn/
endocrine Axis in the metastatic tumor microenvironment
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are multipotent stem cells that can
differentiate into osteoblasts, chondrocytes, adipocytes, myocytes and
neurons. In recent studies it has been shown that MSC can also home to
tumour sites and contribute to tumour growth and progression. MSC have
been shown to increase the metastatic potential of tumour cells by
promoting their migration and invasion as well as having a role in the
development of a metastatic niche at the secondary site.
Dr.
Sharon Glynn
National University of Ireland Galway
sharon.glynn@nuigalway.ie
Dr.
Naomi Walsh
Dublin City University
naomi.walshflanagan@gmail.com
Dr.
Norma O’Donovan
Dublin City University
Norma.odonovan@dcu.ie
Molecularly targeted therapies for cancer; Kinases and signalling pathways
in cancer; HER2 positive breast cancer; Triple negative breast cancer;
http://www.nicb.dcu.ie/staff_norma_o_donavan.html
Malignant melanoma
byrnea13@tcd.ie
Protein trafficking and secretion and fundamental processes critical for cell
function. These processes are impaired or altered in cancer, allowing the
cancer cells to switch on pro-tumouigenic properties such as cell survival,
invasion and metastasis. My research is focused on understanding how
proteins are processed trafficked and secreted in cancer. This research has
lead to the identification of novel mechanisms of cancer progression and
http://ie.linkedin.com/pub/anne-marie-byrne/22/663/a12
biomarkers capable of identifying patients with cancer. Being part of a
multi-disciplinary team, including research scientists and clinicians, allows
for translation of our research from bench to bedside.
http://www.cancer.ie/research/our-research/funded-researchers/annemarie-byrne
Dr.
Anne-Marie Byrne
Trinity College Dublin
Cancer Biomarkers -development of prognostic/predictive classifiers to
stratify for individualized therapies.
Response and resistance of chemotherapy and molecular targeted
therapies
Cancer chemoprevention clinical trials
www.linkedin.com/pub/naomi-walsh/42/531/883/