The focus of my Oncobiology and Molecular Therapeutics Group is exploring the creation and development of the next generation of targeted cancer research therapeutics, breast cancer biomarker discovery, and dysregulation of genome stability mechanisms in cancer. My groups fundamental research explores new roles for lysine acetyltransferase Tip60 dependent signalling (focusing on the DNA double strand break response). Our translational projects focus on pre-clinical validation of the in vivo mechanisms of action of our targeted Tip60 inhibitor, and the discovery and validation of breast cancer biomarkers (including the use of AI-based analysis and AI-driven digital pathology).

My passion is teaching students to understand cellular function through molecular biology in the 21st century, using online bioinformatic tools/platforms/databases (e.g. PubMed, The Cancer Genome Atlas, etc) to engage with and answer research-led questions in undergraduate student-led research-based projects (using blended learning and small group techniques). I was awarded the Individual Excellence in Teaching Award (Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Limerick) in 2023.As a (breast) cancer researcher, I intuitively teach cancer focused molecular biology, spanning the range from fundamental molecular process to the clinical use of anti-cancer drugs (see peer observation report). I believe that students must both understand how fundamental research/knowledge is actively created (though reviewing research papers) and converted/used to provide real societal impact (e.g. clinical trials). Students must know how to critically evaluate relevant evidence and, most importantly be able to clearly and concisely communicate their findings to any audience (demonstrating their knowledge/understanding). My experience (including feedback from students and external course evaluators) and my own pedagogic research has shown me that research-led teaching engages students as it contextualises fundamental principle, and demonstrates how molecular discoveries are made, and applied to meet/solve clinical diseases/needs.

I was educated in Australia, receiving my BSc, MSc and PhD from the Queensland University of Technology, with my doctoral work undertaken at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR). I received postdoctoral training at the National University of Ireland, where I became a faculty member. I then joined the Biological Sciences Department at the University of Limerick as a Lecturer in Cell Biology and Cancer, where I currently lead my Oncobiology and Molecular Therapeutics Group. Additionally, I have an MA (in Academic Practice) and a MSc Business (in Leadership Development), with publications in each of these fields. My groups translational work focuses on validating our small molecule lysine acetylation inhibitors (KATi) targeting Tip60. Investigating and validating new breast cancer biomarkers, allows improved patient stratification and enriched understanding of tumour (and subtype specific), molecular changes. Our fundamental research focus is using KATi to revealing the molecular mechanisms (underpinning breast cancer) regulated by acetyltransferases (Tip60 centric) in genome protection and epigenetic modifications. I have a strong research record and I was awarded the prestigious European Association for Cancer Research award (2015) by the Irish association for Cancer Research (IACR), an award for an outstanding young individual based scientific track record, and for my developing a novel compound that preferentially targets breast cancer (Gao et al, Sci Rep. 2014). I have guided my postgraduate students (PhD, MD) to achieve multiple publications, and they have won a number of awards and grants. I served on the IACR Senior Council (2017-2020), previously serving at the first Chair of the IACR Junior Council. I am co-Chair of our Bronze awarded (2021) Athena Swan Departmental Self-Assessment Committee. I sit on the Limerick Cancer Research Centre (LCRC) Development Committee and serve as the Cancer Genome theme leader for University of Limerick Cancer Centre (ULCaN). I am an academic editor for PLOS One, BAMBEd and lead editor a special issue for Frontiers in Cell Biology (Mechanisms Guarding the Genome).