Dr. Tony Mc Elligott
Assistant Prof in Molecular Haematology, Haematology
Assistant Prof in Molecular Haematology, Molecular Medicine Ireland
Biography
Tony McElligott is the Bone Marrow for Leukaemia Trust Assistant Professor in Molecular Haematology at the Discipline of Haematology in the School of Medicine since 2016. He is Principal Investigator and Scientific Lead of the John Durkan Leukaemia Laboratories in the Trinity Translational Medicine Institute focusing his research efforts on the role of the tumour microenvironment in blood cancers with the aim of developing novel drug therapies and immunotherapies. Dr. McElligott has over 20 years" experience working in this area, through the design of in vitro models, development of biorepositories of clinical material and data (biobanks), defining new predictive biomarkers, and development of novel therapeutic approaches suitable for commercial development. His research programme is closely aligned with the Department of Haematology, Cancer Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory and Stem Cell Laboratories in St James"s Hospital and is positioned at the intersection of basic, translational, and clinical research in blood cancers in the Trinity St James Cancer Institute with a network of national and international collaborators. He in an Investigator with Blood Cancer Network Ireland and is an Executive Committee member of the newly formed Irish Multiple Myeloma Society. He has served as the Scientific Secretary of the Haematology Association of Ireland. He is Review Editor with Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences and Frontiers in Immunology. He is a recent recipient of a University of South Australia Visiting Research Fellowship and his research has been supported by the Irish Cancer Society, Science Foundation Ireland and Enterprise Ireland as well as from industrial partners. He has supervised or co-supervised numerous PhD and MSc students and is involved in teaching in several undergraduate and post graduate courses across College Faculties. Dr McElligott is actively involved in College life. He is a College Tutor and contributes to the University Biological Safety Workshop. He has served on the Board of Trinity College as well as the Research Committee and HR committee and was the chairperson of the Trinity Research Staff Association.
Publications and Further Research Outputs
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Rebecca Amet, Viola Previtali, Helene B. Mihigo, Emily Sheridan, Sarah Brophy , Nadhim Kamil Hante, Maria Jose Santos-Martinez, Patrick J. Hayden, Paul V. Browne, Isabel Rozas, Anthony M. McElligott , Daniela M. Zisterer , A novel aryl-guanidinium derivative, VP79s, targets the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 signaling pathway, downregulates myeloid cell leukaemia-1 and exhibits preclinical activity against multiple myeloma , Life Sciences, 290, 2022
AMET, REBECCA, Evaluation of the anti-cancer effects of a novel guanidinium-based compound, VP79s, in multiple myeloma, 2020
McElligott, AM, Maginn, EN, Greene, LM, McGuckin, S, Hayat, A, Browne, PV, Butini, S, Campiani, G, Catherwood, MA, Vandenberghe, E, Williams, DC, Zisterer, DM, Lawler, M, The Novel Tubulin-Targeting Agent Pyrrolo-1,5-Benzoxazepine-15 Induces Apoptosis in Poor Prognostic Subgroups of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia., Cancer Research, 69, (21), 2009, p8366 - 8375
Isolation and Cryopreservation of Mononuclear Cells from Peripheral Blood and Bone Marrow of Blood Cancer Patients in, editor(s)Movia, D., Prina-Mello, A. , Cancer Cell Culture, New York, NY, Humana, 2023, pp179"187 , [Brophy, S., Amet, R., Foy-Stones, H., Gardiner, N., McElligott, A.M.]
Maginn EN, Browne PV, Hayden P, Vandenberghe E, McDonagh B, Evans P, Goodyer M, Tewari P, Campiani G, Butini S, Williams DC, Zisterer DM, Lawler MP, McElligott AM., PBOX-15, a novel microtubule targeting agent, induces apoptosis, upregulates death receptors, and potentiates TRAIL-mediated apoptosis in multiple myeloma cells., British Journal of Cancer, 104, (2), 2011, p281 - 289
Lysaght J, Verma NK, Maginn EN, Ryan JM, Campiani G, Zisterer DM, Williams DC, Browne PV, Lawler MP, McElligott AM., The microtubule targeting agent PBOX-15 inhibits integrin-mediated cell adhesion and induces apoptosis in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia cells, International Journal of Oncology, 42, (1), 2013, p239 - 249
Sarah Brophy , Fiona M Quinn, David O'Brien, Paul Browne, Elisabeth A. Vandenberghe , Anthony M. McElligott, The Regulation of STAT3 and Its Role in the Adhesion and Migration of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia Cells, Blood, American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA, USA, 3-6, December, 201, 128, (22), American Society of Hematology, 2016, pp4347-
Viola Previtali , Helene B Mihigo , Rebecca Amet, Anthony M McElligott , Daniela M Zisterer , Isabel Rozas , Exploring the Anti-Cancer Mechanism of Novel 3,4'-Substituted Diaryl Guanidinium Derivatives, Pharmaceuticals (Basel), 13, (12), 2020, p485
Laura Christine Kickham, Anthony M McElligott, Adriele Prina-Mello, Elisabeth A Vandenberghe, Yuri Volkov, Paul Browne, Interrogating the Interaction of CD52 Functionalised Metallic Nanoparticles with Malignant B Lymphocytes, 126, (23), 2015
Anthony M McElligott , Eamon P Breen , Ruth Cleary , Sarah Brophy, Fiona McCarthy , Emma Heffernan , Vincent O'Mahony , Nicola Gardiner , Derek G Doherty, Bridgette Byrne , Paul V Browne , Catherine M Flynn,, Characterisation of Naive Immunological Profile of Umbilical Cord Blood: The Role of Mucosal-Associated Invariant T Cells and Functional Defects of T Cells and Natural Killer Cells, Blood, American Society of Hematology, San Diego, CA, USA, 1-4 Dec, 2018, 130, (1), American Society of Hematology, 2017, pp3590-
Ghnewa YG, O'Reilly VP, Vandenberghe E, Browne PV, McElligott AM, Doherty DG, Retinoic acid induction of CD1d expression primes chronic lymphocytic leukemia B cells for killing by CD8+ invariant natural killer T cells, Clinical Immunology, 183, 2017, p91 - 98
Rebecca Amet, Viola Previtali, Helene Mihigo, Emily Sheridan, Sarah Brophy, Patrick J. Hayden, Paul V. Browne, Isabel Rozas, Daniela Zisterer, and Anthony M. McElligott., A Novel Aryl-Guanidinium Based Compound Targets the STAT3 Signalling Pathway, Downregulates MCL-1 Expression and Induces Anti-Myeloma Activity., Blood, American Society of Hematology, 4 -8 December 2020, 136, 2021
S A Bright, A M McElligott, J W O'Connell, L O'Connor, P Carroll, G Campiani, M W Deininger, E Conneally, M Lawler, D C Williams, and D.M Zisterer, Novel pyrrolo-1,5-benzoxazepine compounds display significant activity against resistant chronic myeloid leukaemia cells in vitro, in ex vivo patient samples and in vivo , British Journal of Cancer, 102, 2010, p1474 - 1482
Greene LM, Nathwani SM, Bright SA, Fayne D, Croke A, Gargliardi M, Mc Elligott AM, O'Connor L, Carr M, Keely NO, O'Boyle NM, Carroll P, Sarkadi B, Conneally E, Lloyd DG, Lawler M, Meegan MJ, Zisterer DM, The vascular targeting agent Combretastatin-A4 and a novel cis-restricted {beta}-lactam analogue CA-432 induce apoptosis in human chronic myeloid leukemia cells and in ex vivo patient samples including those displaying multidrug resistance., The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 335, (2), 2010, p302 - 313
Langabeer SE, Quinn F, O'Brien D, McElligott AM, Kelly J, Browne PV, Vandenberghe E, Incidence of the BRAF V600E mutation in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and prolymphocytic leukaemia, Leukemia Research, 36, (4), 2012, p483 - 484
Langabeer S, O'Brien D, McElligott AM, Lavin M, Browne P, BRAF V600E-negative hairy cell leukaemia, Case Reports in Hematology, 2013
Verma, NK, Dempsey, E, Conroy, J, Olwell, P, McElligott, AM, Davies, AM, Kelleher, D, Butini, S, Campiani, G, Williams, DC, Zisterer, DM, Lawler, M, Volkov, Y, A new microtubule-targeting compound PBOX-15 inhibits T-cell migration via post-translational modifications of tubulin., Journal of Molecular Medicine, 86, (4), 2008, p457- 469
Cunningham, O, McElligott, AM, Carroll, AM, Breen, E, Reguenga, C, Oliveira, ME, Azevedo, JE, Porter, RK, Selective detection of UCP 3 expression in skeletal muscle: effect of thyroid status and temperature acclimation., Biochimica et biophysica acta, 1604, (3), 2003
Forde JC., Maginn EN., McNamara G., Martin LM., Campiani GC. , Williams DC, Zisterer D.M, McElligott AM., Lawler M, , Lynch TH, Hollywood D., Marignol L, Microtubule-Targeting-Compound PBOX-15 Radiosensitizes Cancer Cells In Vitro , Cancer Biology and Therapy, 11, (4), 2011, p6 - 13
Reid, HM, McElligott, AM, McGlynn, H, Phenotypic alterations in Caki-1 cells as a consequence of TIMP-1 overexpression., Cancer letters, 169, (2), 2001
Bright S.A, Byrne A.J, Vandenberghe E, Browne P.V, McElligott A.M, Meegan M.J, Williams D.C, Selected nitrostyrene compounds demonstrate potent activity in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia cells, including those with poor prognostic markers, Oncology Reports, 41, (5), 2019, p3127 - 3136
AM McElligott et al, Matrix metalloproteinase and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase regulation of the invasive potential of a metastatic renal cell line, Biochemical Society Transactions, 25, 1997, p147-
A. M. McElligot, tA. H. Baker, H. McGlynn, Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase Expression, Gene Therapy of Cancer. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, Boston, MA, USA, edited by Walden P., Trefzer U., Sterry W., Farzaneh F., Zambon P. , Springer, 1998, pp73 - 77
Anthony Davies, Anthony McElligott, Graham Pidgeon, Anthony Ryan, Ruth Foley, Cancer Biology where do we go next?, European Pharmaceutical Review, (1), 2010
Brophy S et al, Microenvironmental-Mediated Regulation of L-Selectin in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia, Blood, American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL, USA, 5-8 December, 2015, 126, (23), American Society of Hematology, 2015, pp4133 - 4133
Carmel Waldron,David O'Brien,Sarah Brophy,Kanthi Perera,Gerard M. Crotty,Eoghan Dunlea,Aileen Walsh,Michelle Connolly,Ruth Clifford,Hilary O'Leary,Ashique Khan,Greg Lee,Emer Atkinson,Giao Le,Alexander Gillett,Christopher L. Bacon,Anthony M. McElligott,Fiona Quinn,Elisabeth Vandenberghe, Epidemiology of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia in an Irish subpopulation with total case ascertainment: an additional tool for health economic planning, British Journal of Haematology, 2021
Anthony M. McElligott, Elaina N. Maginn, Lisa M. Greene, Elizabeth Vandenberghe, Amjad Hayat, Margaret M. McGee, Giuseppe Campiani, Paul V. Browne, D. Clive Williams, Daniela M. Zisterer and Mark P. Lawler, Pyrrolo-1,5-benzoxazepines induce apoptosis in chronic B-lymphoid malignancies, Cancer Research, 97th AACR Annual Meeting, Washington DC, USA, 1-5 April, 2006, 66, (8), AACR, 2006, pp899 - 899
James Patrick McKeown, Andrew J Byrne, Sandra A Bright, Clara E Charleton, Shubhangi Kandwal, Ivan "melo, Brendan Twamley, Anthony M McElligott, Darren Fayne, Niamh M O"Boyle, D.Clive Williams, Mary Jane Meegan, Synthesis and Biochemical evaluation of Ethanoanthracenes and Related Compounds: Antiproliferative and Pro-apoptotic Effects in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL), Pharmaceuticals, 2024
Byrne A.J., Bright S.A., McKeown J.P., Bergin A., Twamley B., McElligott A.M., Noorani S., Kandwal S., Fayne D., O'Boyle N.M., Williams D.C., Meegan M.J., Synthesis and Pro-Apoptotic Effects of Nitrovinylanthracenes and Related Compounds in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL) and Burkitt's Lymphoma (BL), Molecules, 28, (24), 2023
Smyth Elizabeth , Kelly Aidan , O' Brien David , Waldron Deirdre , Brophy Sarah , Atkinson Emer , Perera Kanthi , Gerard M Crotty , Walsh Aileen , Connolly Michelle , Clifford Ruth , O'Leary Hilary , Khan Ashique , Christopher L Bacon , Smyth Emily , Anthony M McElligott , Quinn Fiona , Vandenberghe Elisabeth , Waldron Carmel, Low CD49d expression in newly diagnosed chronic lymphocytic leukaemia may be associated with high-risk features and reduced treatment-free-intervals, European Journal of Haematology, 109, (5), 2022, p441 - 446
Foy-Stones H, Bacon CL, Doherty DG, Kilgallon A, McElligott A, Hervig T, Armstrong C, Orfali N, Vandenberghe E, Henderson R, Higgins E, Gardiner N., Elevation of PD-1 expression on circulating CD19 CAR T-cells in patients with persistent disease., BlooDHit Conference, Dublin, Nov 20224, 2024
Foy-Stones H, Bacon CL, Doherty DG, Kilgallon A, McElligott A, Hervig T, Armstrong C, Orfali N, Vandenberghe E, Henderson R, Higgins E, Gardiner N., Dynamics of Immune Reconstitution Following Cellular Therapy and its Association with Clinical Outcomes, BlooDHit, 2024
Sarah Brophy, The role of STAT3 in the pathogenesis of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, University of Ulster, 2018
KICKHAM, LAURA CHRISTINE, Development of a novel CD52 functionalised nanoparticle for the targeting of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia, 2019
Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, TTMI Conference 2024, 22 March, 2024, 2024, Dublin
Haematology Association of Ireland, HAI annual meeting 2019, 11-12 Oct 2019, 2019, Galway
Brophy Sarah, Quinn Fiona M, O'Brien David, Browne Paul, Vandenberghe Elisabeth A, McElligott Anthony M, The regulation of STAT3 and its role in the adhesion and migration of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia cells , Blood , 128 , (22 ), 2016, p4347 -
Blood Cancer Network Ireland, BCNI Symposium 2023, 8th Oct 2023, 2023, Dublin
Blood Cancer Network Ireland, BCNI Symposium, 24th May 2024, 2024, Galway
Sarah Brophy, Paul Browne, Elisabeth A Vandenberghe, David O'Brien, Anthony M McElligott, Microenvironmental-Mediated Regulation of L-Selectin in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia, Blood, 126, (23), 2015, p4133-
Laura Christine Kickham, Anthony M McElligott, Adriele Prina-Mello, Elisabeth A Vandenberghe, Yuri Volkov, Paul Browne, Interrogating the Interaction of CD52 Functionalised Metallic Nanoparticles with Malignant B Lymphocytes, Blood, 126, (23), 2015, p4437-
Non-Peer-Reviewed Publications
ELAINA MAGINN, Investigations into Pyrrolo-1,5-Benzoxazepine-15-induced apoptosis of chronic B-cell malignancies, University of Dublin, 2009
Anthony M McElligott, Eamon P Breen, Ruth Cleary, Sarah Brophy, Fiona McCarthy, Emma Heffernan, Vincent O'Mahony, Nicola Gardiner, Derek G Doherty, Bridgette Byrne, Paul V Browne, Catherine M Flynn, Characterisation of Naive Immunological Profile of Umbilical Cord Blood: The Role of Mucosal-Associated Invariant T Cells and Functional Defects of T Cells and Natural Killer Cells, Blood, 130, 2017, p3590-
Research Expertise
Description
The tumour microenvironment regulates cancer cell survival, promotes cancer cell function and plays an important role in resistance to therapies. My research programme seeks to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the relationship between blood cancer cells and the tumour microenvironment to uncover clinically exploitable sensitivities that can be targeted by new drug and cellular therapies. I lead the Discipline of Haematology's translational research program within the Trinity Translational Medicine Institute (TTMI) and the Trinity St James's Cancer Institute (TSJCI). Since my appointment I have positioned my research at the crossroads of basic, translational, and clinical research in blood cancers in Trinity College and TSJCI. My research has made significant contributions in defining new predictive markers, therapeutic targets and new therapies suitable for commercial development and clinical trial interventions that could improve cancer patient outcome. This aligns with Trinity's research mission of `addressing the global challenge of developing better cancer treatments". I am the only scientific PI in Trinity to focus specifically on blood cancers. I have used my expertise in this area, and more specifically the role of the tumour microenvironment in influencing the response to therapies, to leverage the huge potential of the clinical programme in blood cancers and cellular therapies in my Discipline of Haeamtology. I established the Trinity St James's Blood Cancer Biobank which contains over 750 patient samples with associated clinical and molecular data to advance collaborative research with research groups in Trinity, nationally and internationally. I co-founded the Blood Cancer Network Ireland Biobank which supports a national blood cancer registry and clinical trial programme. I have focused on building industry partnerships, especially in the Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT) sector. I established the Trinity St. James's Cellular Therapy Research Group harnessing the unique expertise in St James's Hospital in stem cell transplantation and CAR-T cellular therapy to advance research opportunities through funded collaborative links with the Irish Blood Transfusion Service and industry partners. My research is internationally recognised leading to invitations to present at international conferences. I have also been invited to review grant applications and scientific articles for high-impact journals, including serving as a Review Editor for Frontiers journals. Additionally, I have acted as an External Examiner for several PhD theses and was honoured with a Visiting Fellowship at the University of South Australia. I have published articles in highly ranked international journals including British Journal of Cancer, Cancer Research & Life Sciences. I have secured over €1.6 million in funding from a variety of funding bodies and industry sources since my appointment demonstrating the impact and sustainability of my research programme.Projects
- Title
- Assessing the functional impact of NOTCH1 mutations in chronic B-cell malignancies
- Summary
- Chronic Lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is an incurable B-lymphoid malignancy accounting for 38% of leukaemias in the western world. CLL has a variable clinical course due differences in underlying genetic lesions, degree of clonal evolution, activated signalling pathways and interaction with the microenvironment within lymph nodes and the bone marrow. The aim of this project is to assess the functional impact of NOTCH1 mutations in CLL by utilizing in vitro micro-environment models to analyse aberrant signalling pathways in NOTCH1 mutated cells, allowing the determination of potential 'precision medicine' strategies for these patients.
- Funding Agency
- Wellcome Trust
- Date From
- 01/10/2016
- Date To
- 30/09/2021
- Title
- Establishing 3D tumour platforms for validation of pipeline programs
- Summary
- This collaborative study between Trinity, St James's Hospital and Legend Biotech is to utilize blood cancer patient samples for the purpose of building 3D ex-vivo modelling platforms suitable for validation of anti-cancer therapeutics, including cellular therapies. Single cell genetic profiling will determine the critical factors of the tumour microenvironment that hinder therapies. This project will identify tumour-specific targets that are most likely to be successful in a clinical setting and will assist in the validation of tumour targets by utilising the 3D platforms to screen therapies.
- Funding Agency
- Enterprise Ireland
- Title
- 'STAT3 signalling as a therapeutic target in multiple myeloma'
- Summary
- Multiple myeloma is a plasma cell malignancy that accounts for around 10% of all haematological cancers. It remains generally incurable, with most patients experiencing relapse after first-line treatment. In the EU, MM incidence is projected to increase from 35,000 new cases per annum to over 43,000 by 2030 whilst deaths due to MM are also projected to increase. Therefore new drugs are urgently required to improve the anti-myeloma arsenal. Aberrant activation of a number of oncogenic signalling pathways in myeloma leads to cell growth and survival, as well as to angiogenesis and to the development of drug resistance. Targeting one or more of these pathways is therefore a promising anti-MM strategy. We have recently designed and synthesized novel guanidinium compounds which have demonstrated anti-tumour activity in myeloma. A lead compound VP79s has been identified and its ability to induce apoptosis and to target oncogenic signalling pathways in MM including the STAT3 pathway has been examined. VP79s potently reduced the viability of drug resistant and sensitive MM cell lines through induction of apoptosis. Importantly, VP79s rapidly inhibited both constitutive and IL-6 induced STAT3 activation and, consequently, decreased expression of STAT3-mediated anti-apoptotic gene products, Mcl-1 and survivin. In conclusion, the novel compound VP79s can target dysregulated STAT3 activation and induce apoptosis in myeloma cells in vitro, suggesting its potential as a novel anti-cancer therapeutic which can overcome tumour microenvironment induced resistance. Identification and development of novel drugs that can target STAT3 remains an important scientific and clinical challenge.
- Funding Agency
- Trinity College
- Date From
- 01/10/2016
- Date To
- 31/03/2020
- Title
- Blood Cancer Network Ireland
- Summary
- Blood Cancer Network Ireland (BCNI) is a national clinical research network that benefits blood cancer patients in Ireland. BCNI offers early stage clinical trials to blood cancer patients, a biobank of blood cancer patient material and a blood cancer registry. This biobank of clinically and molecularly annotated patient material (RNA, DNA and cryopreserved cells) allows us to perform high quality clinical and translational research and allows us to collaborate with groups investigating novel therapeutic agents and immunotherapy strategies.
- Funding Agency
- SFI/Irish Cancer Society
- Date From
- 01/06/2015
- Date To
- 31/05/2020
- Title
- Investigation of the therapeutic potential of secondary metabolites produced by Rasamsonia emersonii.
- Summary
- Fungal secondary metabolites represent a diverse array of natural products, and bioactive compounds from these organisms have yielded some of the most important natural products for the pharmaceutical industry. Genome sequencing projects have revealed that fungi are rich in biosynthethic clusters that direct the synthesis of these secondary metabolites. R. emersonii is a thermophilic ascomycete that represents a reservoir of undiscovered bioactive compounds. This project seeks to investigate the therapeutic potential of secondary metabolites isolated from R. emersonii. A two-pronged approach will be adopted, employing functional genomics and a laboratory scale screening programme. Initially, the project is designed as a two year master's programme. However, given the huge diversity and structural types of known fungal secondary metabolites and the fact that more and more are continually being discovered, it is highly likely that R. emersonii will produce an array of secondary metabolite products. Thus, the potential for this project to continue to a PhD programme is extremely promising.
- Funding Agency
- IT Sligo
- Date From
- 01/10/2019
- Date To
- 30/09/2021
- Title
- Cancer Biobanking Awareness: Improving Research & Healthcare
- Summary
- In recent years, as part of engaging with patients and the public, it has become clear that patients want to know more about the research their samples were used for. Our cancer research community in Trinity College and St. James's Hospital are keen to inform and educate patients who have donated to the biobanks about the research conducted as well as informing cancer patients and the public about the benefits of participation in research, making them more likely to participate in the future. Our proposal is to unite our local biobanks to organise a novel annual cancer biobank awareness day. We are in the process of updating biobank patient information leaflets (PIL) and intend to include a web address for biobank updates and details of ongoing studies as well as details of the annual event. Details about the day will also be advertised in the hospital and an information desk will be set up in the main campus in the weeks running up to the event. Currently we are part of a national biobanking working group and it is hoped to expand this event to a national event in the future. This Project won Non-Pharmaceutical Eduaction Project of the Year at the 2021 Irish Healthcare Awards.
- Funding Agency
- Irish Cancer Society
- Date From
- 01/01/2020
- Date To
- 31/12/2020
- Title
- Development of a Bioanalytic Platform to monitor immune reconstitution after Allogeneic Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation and CAR T cell therapy.
- Summary
- Allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is the most established and often only curative approach for patients with high-risk haematologic malignancy. Through over 60 years of international clinical practice and research, incremental improvements in donor selection, conditioning therapy and peri-transplant immunosuppression have reduced transplant-associated morbidity and mortality. However, disease relapse continues to occur in over 30% of patients, while many other patients struggle with or succumb to complications of graft versus host disease (GVHD) and infection. There is a recognized need amongst the international transplant community to better understand and optimise donor-derived immune reconstitution after HSCT. Optimal immune recovery maximises graft versus tumour effects and confers the transplant recipient with some ability to fight infection, while minimising GVHD. For patients who are not potential candidates for Stem Cell Transplant, Chimeric Antigen Receptor [CAR-T] cell therapy is a new exciting treatment option. The initial exceptional clinical responses to CAR-T therapy resulted in an exponential increase in the generation of CAR-T products for clinical trial. To date, St James Hospital is the designated CAR T therapy site for adults because of the cellular therapy experience and success of the Allogeneic stem cell transplant programme. This study will determine the cellular kinetics and functionality of the immune subsets in patients who have been treated with these cellular therapies and develop coordinated immunobiology assays for monitoring of patients post stem cell transplant and CAR T therapy with direct linkage to donor selection, graft content, treatment post therapy and patient outcome.
- Funding Agency
- Irish Blood Transfusion Service / St James's Hospital
- Date From
- 01/01/2022
- Date To
- 31/12/2024
Recognition
Representations
Scientific Secretary of the Irish Multiple Myeloma Society
Scientific Secretary of the Haematology Association of Ireland.
MSc External examiner - NUI Galway
MSc External examiner - NUI Galway
PhD External Examiner - Atlantic Technological University
PhD External Examiner - University of Maynooth
PhD External Examiner - University of Ulster
Review Editor with Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences and Frontiers in Immunology.
Awards and Honours
University of South Australia Visiting Research Fellowship
Irish Heathcare Awards -Education Project of the Year
Haematology Association of Ireland Research Award (Mentor)
Memberships
Irish Multiple Myeloma Society
Irish Association for Cancer Research
Haematology Association of Ireland
American Association for Cancer Research
European Association for Cancer Research