Recent/Currently Funded Projects

IMPROVER: Involving Men with PROstate cancer in Engaged Research

IMPROVER: Involving Men with PROstate cancer in Engaged Research on improved cancer detection

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Evaluating the efficacy of a novel targeted treatment strategy for platinum-resistant Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer causes around 266 women to lose their lives from this disease each year in Ireland. This project will investigate chemotherapy resistance in ovarian cancer

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Developing personalised therapies for Uveal Melanoma: Understanding disease process and validation of therapeutic targets

Aim is to further understand personalised disease mechanisms and treatment in Uveal melanoma (UM)

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Effect of bacterial membrane vesicles (BMVs) released by human gut microbiota on cancer.

The gut microbiota impacts health, and its disruption is potentially related to multiple diseases, including cancer. This project will generate knowledge on the impact of gut microbiota on cancer

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Precision Oncology Ireland

Precision Oncology Ireland is a consortium of 5 Irish Universities, 6 Irish Charities, and 10 companies aiming to develop new diagnostics and therapeutics for the personalised treatment of cancer.

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Investigation of new biomarkers of treatment response in glioblastoma multiforme (an aggressive brain cancer)

To investigate the role of cancer-related genes among patients with Glioblastoma multiforme, who are and are not extreme responders to chemotherapy; to improve understanding the disease

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Women’s Cancer Survivorship: Supporting and Innovating for Change

To develop and coordinate a multi-disciplinary nurse-led survivorship clinic and symptom management pathway which integrates hospital and community services.

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Measuring genetic markers in the blood of patients with small cell lung cancer

This research will analyse blood samples from patients with newly diagnosed small cell lung cancer to risk stratify patients and potentially identify new targeted treatments.

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Investigation into the role of autophagy in the recurrence of Ovarian Cancer

Investigating a novel aspect of cancer biology with the potential to improve ovarian patient outcomes. A major challenge in the clinical management of Ovarian Cancer is the high rate of reoccurrence.

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Electroporation for Skin Cancer Treatment

Prof Merete Haedersdal in collaboration with Dr Soden are working to develop a more effective method for treating skin cancers, using electroporation.

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Investigator Led Trials on the Horizon for Pancreatic Cancer

Breakthrough/Charlie Fell Fellowship recipient's pre-clinical work instrumental in 3 Investigator initiated trials opening soon for pancreatic cancer in Willmott Cancer Institute.

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Radiation Response in Oesophageal Cancer: the role of visceral fat tissue in controlling response through immune-metabolic regulation

Fiona O'Connell was awarded the Musgrave PhD Scholarship for her project: Radiation Response in Oesophageal Cancer: the role of visceral fat tissue in controlling response through immune-meta

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Epigenetic modulating compounds as potential adjunct therapeutic agents for treatment of drug-resistant oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Roisin Cassidy was awarded a Breakthrough PhD Scholarship for her project: Chemosensitisation of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma using epigenetic modifiers and cytotoxic drug polytherapy.

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Harnessing the power of the immune system to fight obesity associated cancer

Eimear Mylod was awarded a Breakthrough PhD Scholarship for her project: Harnessing the power of the immune system to fight obesity associated cancer. This research, is under the supervision

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Effect of a novel drug and electroporation on melanoma and intratumoural immune cells on cell viability and function

This project is investigating how effective non-toxic compounds in combination with electrochemotherapy are against melanoma, and it is working to understand their effect on a cellular level

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Enhancing electroporation delivery for pancreatic cancer

Overcoming pancreatic cancer resistance by using electroporation.

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Evaluation of a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction programme on the quality of life of survivors living with secondary cancer

Investigation of the impact of a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) programme on the quality of life of people living with secondary cancer.

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Nutrition and cancer: investigating the information experience?

In Ireland there is a shortage of dietitians, cancer patients need expert nutritional advice and treatment. Often people with cancer to seek out information themselves.

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Contribution of diet and lifestyle factors and metabolic phenotype to cancer risk in the Irish population: an investigation in middle- to older-aged adults.

Lifestyle factors including diet, physical inactivity, smoking and alcohol consumption and high body mass index (BMI) are known to contribute to cancer risk. 42-45% of cancers could be prevented.

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Evaluation of the role of MxA and ISGylation in chemosensitivity in oesophageal cancer

The aim of this project is to identify new ways of targeting resistant cancers, so that chemotherapeutic regimes can be improved and recurrent disease eliminated in cancer patients.

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Combining electrochemotherapy with a Toll Like receptor agonist for the treatment of lung cancer

We will examine the use of electric pulses to aid in the delivery to drugs to tumour tissue. Short electric pulses have been demonstrated to make tissue temporarily more porous.

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Gold-drug: Targeting a novel dual inhibitor drug with gold nanoparticles for improving radiation response in oesophageal cancer

Our work will position our drug along a pathway where it could eventually be given to oesophageal patients alongside standard CRT to make tumours respond and result in better outcomes for these ca

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The role of diet, nutritional assessment and intervention in the prevention of cancer and the treatment of cancer-related malnutrition.

The development of evidence based resources for cancer patients to help with improving their oral intake during treatment and supporting patient recovery in the survival stage.

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Epigenetic modulating compounds as potential therapeutic agents for oesophageal cancer management.

Epigenetic therapy is being studied as a way to alter cancer cell growth, migration, and increased sensitivity to cytotoxic drugs for the treatment of oesophageal cancer.

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The EVeCanS Study

EValuation of the impact of emotional, nutritional & physical exercise support interventions delivered by a volunteer-led Cancer Support centre, on unmet needs & health related QOL of cancer patients.

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Osteosarcoma – Combination of Electroporation of Metabolic Modulators with Low dose chemotherapy

This project proposes to expand upon treatment regimens of poor prognosis cancers by developing the electroporation treatment of osteosarcoma cancer.

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Pancreatic cancer – Stemness and Resistance to Treatments such as Electroporation/Electrochemotherapy

This project evaluates the effect of stemness and resistance to electroporation delivered treatments in relation to pancreatic cancer

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Role of Autophagy in Differentiation Therapy in AML

A novel treatment regime, which could lead to the induction of both autophagy and differentiation in cells derived from Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML)has been identified

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Role of Autophagy in Progression of Oesophageal Cancer

Investigating resistance mechanisms in oesophageal cancer cells has shown that a recycling process within cancer cells (called Autophagy) can help cells recover from chemotherapy.

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Bacteria in Human Tumours

Deeper understanding of the bacteria that live in our body is enabling identification of i) potential causes of and ii) potential treatments for disease.

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Ovarian Research Fellowship Announced

Due to the poor survival of women with recurrent, chemoresistant ovarian cancer, Breakthrough believe that a greater understanding of the mechanisms which contribute to this resistance is urgent.

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