Biography
Stephen Maher graduated from RCSI in 2004 with a PhD in Oncology. Having spent 3 years as a visiting fellow at the National Cancer Institute in the USA, in 2007 he returned to Ireland and the Department of Surgery at Trinity College Dublin, St. James's Hospital as a research fellow. In 2010 he established his own research group before moving to the University of Hull and Hull York Medical School in 2012 as a Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor, where he set up and led the Cancer Biology and Therapeutics lab. During his time at Hull he gained substantial teaching experience and qualifications, and is a fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy. Subsequently he developed and directed the MSc in Translational Oncology at Hull. Additionally, he acquired funding for and established an optical imaging and radiotherapy core. He has successfully supervised 9 PhD students and has mentored several postdoctoral researchers. In 2016 Stephen returned to TCD as the Ussher Assistant Professor in Translational Oncology, Radiation Therapy and Chemotherapy. Here he leads national and international collaborative programmes in translational oesophageal and pancreatic cancer research, focusing on IPMN biology and patient risk stratification, radiobiology, and radiotherapy and chemotherapy resistance. He has established and runs unique hypoxia and radiotherapy research cores at the Trinity Translational Medicine Institute. He has secured in excess of €4.5m in competitive research funding, is well published in the field of microRNAs, GI cancer and therapeutics research, and has won numerous national and international research awards. Stephen delivers oncology teaching at both the UG and PG level at TCD and is on the teaching advisory board for the Trinity St. James Cancer Institute. In 2020 he was promoted to Associate Professor and is currently the Director of Postgraduate Studies for the School of Medicine. Stephen was elected to fellow of TCD in 2024.
Publications and Further Research Outputs
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Cannon, A. and Maher, S.G. and Lynam-Lennon, N., Generation and Characterization of an Isogenic Cell Line Model of Radioresistant Esophageal Adenocarcinoma, Methods in Molecular Biology, 2645, 2023, p139-152
Donlon, N.E. and Davern, M. and Sheppard, A. and O'Connell, F. and Moran, B. and Nugent, T.S. and Heeran, A. and Phelan, J.J. and Bhardwaj, A. and Butler, C. and Ravi, N. and Donohoe, C.L. and Lynam-Lennon, N. and Maher, S. and Reynolds, J.V. and Lysaght, J., Potential of damage associated molecular patterns in synergising radiation and the immune response in oesophageal cancer, World Journal of Gastrointestinal Oncology, 15, (8), 2023, p1349-1365
Davern, M. and Gaughan, C. and Oâ Connell, F. and Moran, B. and Mylod, E. and Sheppard, A.D. and Ramjit, S. and Yun-Tong Kung, J. and Phelan, J.J. and Davey, M.G. and Ryan, E.J. and Butler, C. and Quinn, L. and Howard, C. and Tone, E. and Phoenix, E. and Butt, W.T. and Lynam-Lennon, N. and Maher, S.G. and Ravi, N. and Donohoe, C.L. and Reynolds, J.V. and Lysaght, J. and Donlon, N.E., PD-1 blockade attenuates surgery-mediated immunosuppression and boosts Th1 immunity perioperatively in oesophagogastric junctional adenocarcinoma, Frontiers in Immunology, 14, (1150754), 2023
Donlon NE, Davern M, O'Connell F, Sheppard A, Heeran A, Bhardwaj A, Butler C, Narayanasamy R, Donohoe C, Phelan JJ, Lynam-Lennon N, Dunne MR, Maher S, O'Sullivan J, Reynolds JV, Lysaght J., Impact of radiotherapy on the immune landscape in oesophageal adenocarcinoma, World Journal of Gastroenterology, 2022
Mylod E, McKenna E, Davern M, Barr MP, Donlon NE, Bibby BA, Bhardwaj A, Reynolds JV, Lysaght J, Maher SG, Conroy MJ., Investigating the susceptibility of treatment-resistant oesophageal tumours to natural killer cell-mediated responses, Clinical and Experimental Medicine, 2022
Davern M, Donlon NE, Sheppard AS, Majcher KD, Connell FO, Heeran AB, Grant M, Farrell RA, Hayes C, Bracken-Clarke D, Conroy MJ, Foley E, Toole DO, Bhardwaj A, Ravi N, Reynolds JV, Maher SG, Sullivan JO, Lysaght J., FLOT and CROSS chemotherapy regimens alter the frequency of CD27+ and CD69+ T cells in oesophagogastric adenocarcinomas: implications for combination with immunotherapy, Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology, 2022
Kane LE, Mellotte GS, Mylod E, O'Brien RM, O'Connell F, Buckley CE, Arlow J, Nguyen K, Mockler D, Meade AD, Ryan BM, Maher SG, Diagnostic accuracy of blood-based biomarkers for pancreatic cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis, Gastroenterology, 2022
Davern, M. and Donlon, N.E. and Oâ Connell, F. and Sheppard, A.D. and Hayes, C. and King, R. and Temperley, H. and Butler, C. and Bhardwaj, A. and Moore, J. and Bracken-Clarke, D. and Donohoe, C. and Ravi, N. and Reynolds, J.V. and Maher, S.G. and Conroy, M.J. and Lysaght, J., Cooperation between chemotherapy and immune checkpoint blockade to enhance anti-tumour T cell immunity in oesophageal adenocarcinoma, Translational Oncology, 20, (101406), 2022
McGrath J, Kane LE, Lowery ME, Maher SG, The influence of microRNA-31 on oxidative stress and radiosensitivity in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2022
Davern M, Fitzgerald MC, Buckley CE, Heeran AB, Donlon NE, McGrath J, O'Connell F, Deshpande MR, Hayes C, MacDonald J, Sheppard AD, Reynolds JV, Maher SG, Lynam-Lennon N, Murphy B, Lysaght J, PD-1 and TIGIT blockade differentially affect tumour cell survival under hypoxia and glucose deprived conditions in oesophageal adenocarcinoma; implications for overcoming resistance to PD-1 blockade in hypoxic tumours, Cancer Letters, 2022
McGrath, J. and Kane, L.E. and Maher, S.G., The Influence of MicroRNA-31 on Oxidative Stress and Radiosensitivity in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma, Cells, 11, (15), 2022
Davern, M. and Oâ Brien, R.M. and McGrath, J. and Donlon, N.E. and Melo, A.M. and Buckley, C.E. and Sheppard, A.D. and Reynolds, J.V. and Lynam-Lennon, N. and Maher, S.G. and Lysaght, J., PD-1 blockade enhances chemotherapy toxicity in oesophageal adenocarcinoma, Scientific Reports, 12, (1), 2022
Kane LE, Ryan BM, Maher SG, Diagnostic accuracy of blood-based biomarkers for pancreatic cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis, AACR Pancreatic Cancer Special Conference, 2021, 2021
Edge SD, Renard I, Pyne E, Li C, Moody H, Roy R, Beavis AW, Archibald SJ, Cawthorne CJ, Maher SG, Pires IM., PI3K inhibition as a novel therapeutic strategy for neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy resistant oesophageal adenocarcinoma., The British journal of radiology, 94, (1119), 2021, p20201191
Kane LE, Ryan BM, Maher SG, Multi-omic profiling of pancreatic cyst fluid for the identification of a novel biomarker panel of patient cancer risk, Irish Society of Gastroenterology Winter Meeting, 2021
Davern M, Donlon NE, Sheppard A, Connell FO, Hayes C, Bhardwaj A, Foley E, Toole DO, Lynam-Lennon N, Ravi N, Reynolds JV, Maher SG, Lysaght J., Chemotherapy regimens induce inhibitory immune checkpoint protein expression on stem-like and senescent-like oesophageal adenocarcinoma cells., Translational oncology, 14, (6), 2021, p101062
Kane LE, Lyons R, Mellotte G, Ryan BM, Maher SG, Profiling the immune component of pancreatic cyst fluid to identify novel biomarkers of patient cancer risk, British Society of Immunology Congress, 2021, 2021
Kane LE, Ryan BM, Maher SG, Investigating the role of pancreatic cyst fluid in the development of pancreatic cancer, IACR Annual Meeting, 2021, 2021
Alhusaini A, Cannon A, Maher SG, Reynolds JV, Lynam-Lennon N., Therapeutic Potential of PARP Inhibitors in the Treatment of Gastrointestinal Cancers., Biomedicines, 9, (8), 2021
Kane LE, Ryan BM, Maher SG, Multi-omic profiling of pancreatic cyst fluid for the identification of a novel biomarker panel of patient cancer risk, AACR Pancreatic Cancer Special Conference, 2021, 2021
Kane LE, Ryan BM, Maher SG, Diagnostic accuracy of blood-based biomarkers for pancreatic cancer, 2021, 2021
Kane LE, Ryan BM, Maher SG, Multi-omic profiling of pancreatic cyst fluid for the identification of a novel biomarker panel of patient cancer risk, Cancer Research, 2021, 81, (22), 2021, pp7 - 8
Kane LE, Ryan BM, Maher SG, Investigating the role of pancreatic cyst fluid in the development of pancreatic cancer, IACR Annual Meeting, 2021, 2021
Kane LE, Mellotte GS, Conlon KC, Ryan BM, Maher SG., Multi-Omic Biomarkers as Potential Tools for the Characterisation of Pancreatic Cystic Lesions and Cancer: Innovative Patient Data Integration., Cancers, 13, (4), 2021
Melo AM, Maher SG, O'Leary SM, Doherty DG, Lysaght J, Selective effects of radiotherapy on viability and function of invariant natural killer T cells in vitro, Radiotherapy and Oncology, 145, 2020, p128 - 136
Heavey S, Lynam-Lennon N, Quinn J, Sommerville G, Simpson BS, Reynolds JV, Maher SG, miR-153 and two members of the miR-17/92 cluster are upregulated in a stem-like subpopulation of radioresistant esopahgeal cancer cells, targeting genes involved in EMT, radioresistance and stemness, Journal of Molecular Medicine, 2020
Amy Buckley, Becky Bibby, Margaret Dunne, Susan Kennedy, Maria Davern, Breandan Kennedy, Stephen Maher, Jacintha O'Sullivan, Characterisation of an isogenic model of cisplatin resistance in oesophageal adenocarcinoma cells, Pharmaceuticals, 2019
Buckley AM, Dunne MR, Lynam-Lennon N, Kennedy SA, Cannon A, Reynolds AL, Maher SG, Reynolds JV, Kennedy BN, O'Sullivan J., Pyrazinib (P3), [(E)-2-(2-Pyrazin-2-yl-vinyl)-phenol], a small molecule pyrazine compound enhances radiosensitivity in oesophageal adenocarcinoma., Cancer letters, 447, 2019, p115-129
Bibby BA, Miranda CS, Reynolds JV, Cawthorne CJ, Maher SG, Silencing microRNA-330-5p increases MMP1 expression and promotes an invasive phenotype in oesophageal adenocarcinoma, BMC Cancer, 19, 2019, p784-
Buckley A, Lynam-Lennon N, Kennedy S, Cannon A, O'Toole D, Maher SG, Reynolds JV, Ravi N, Kennedy B, O'Sullivan J, The action of a novel radio sensitiser within the oesophageal adenocarcinoma tumour microenvironment, Diseases of the Esophagus, 31, 2018, pp171-
Heavey S, Dowling P, Moore G, Barr MP, Kelly N, Maher SG, Cuffe S, Finn SP, O'Byrne KJ, Gately K., Development and characterisation of a panel of phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase - mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor resistant lung cancer cell lines., Scientific Reports, 8, (1), 2018, p1652-
Conroy MJ, Maher SG, Melo AM, Doyle SL, Foley E, Reynolds JV, Long A, Lysaght J., Identifying a Novel Role for Fractalkine (CX3CL1) in Memory CD8+ T Cell Accumulation in the Omentum of Obesity-Associated Cancer Patients., Frontiers in immunology, 9, 2018, p1867
Lynam-Lennon N, Heavey S, Sommerville G, Bibby BA, Ffrench B, Quinn J, Gasch C, O'Leary JJ, Gallagher MF, Reynolds JV, Maher SG, MicroRNA-17 is downregulated in esophageal adenocarcinoma cancer stem-like cells and promotes a radioresistant phenotype, Oncotarget, 8, (7), 2017, p11400 - 11413
Moody HL, Lind MJ, Maher SG., MicroRNA-31 Regulates Chemosensitivity in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma., Molecular therapy. Nucleic acids, 8, 2017, p317-329
Moore C, Wood T, Cawthorne C, Hilton K, Maher SG, Saunderson J, Archibald SJ, Beavis AW, A method to calibrate the RS2000 X-ray biological irradiator for radiobiological flank irradiation of mice, Biomedical Physics and Engineering Express, 2, 2016, p037001
Lynam-Lennon N., Bibby B., Mongan A., Marignol L., Paxton C., Geiersbach K., Geiersbach K., Bronner M., Bronner M., O"Sullivan J., Reynolds J., Maher S., Maher S., Low MiR-187 expression promotes resistance to chemoradiation therapy in vitro and correlates with treatment failure in patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma, Molecular Medicine, 22, 2016, p388-397
Mongan A.M, Lynam-Lennon N, Casey R, Maher S, Pidgeon G, Reynolds J.V, Oâ Sullivan J, Erratum to: Visceral obesity stimulates anaphase bridge formation and spindle assembly checkpoint dysregulation in radioresistant oesophageal adenocarcinoma (Clin Transl Oncol, 10.1007/s12094-015-1411-y), Clinical and Translational Oncology, 18, (6), 2016, p651-
Moody HL, Lind MJ, Maher SG, MicroRNA-31 regulates chemrsensitivity in malignant pleural mesothelioma via altered intracellular drug localisation, European Journal of Cancer, 61, 2016, ppS140-
Mongan AM, Lynam-Lennon N, Casey R, Maher SG, Pidgeon GP, Reynolds JV, O'Sullivan J, Visceral obesity stimulates anaphase bridge formation and spindle assembly checkpoint dysregulation in radioresistant oesophageal adenocarcinoma, Clinical Translational Oncology, 18, 2016, p632 - 640
Bibby BAS, Cawthorne C, Reynolds JV, Maher SG, MicroRNA-330-5p downregulation in oesophageal adenocarcinoma is a potential therapeutic target for enhancing chemoradiation sensitivity in patients, European Journal on Cancer, 61, 2016, ppS158-
Argyle SD, Bibby BAS, Lynam-Lennon N, Reynolds JV, Cawthorne C, Maher SG, Investigating the role of miR-187 as a modulator of chen-radiation sensitivity in oesophageal adenocarcinoma, European Journal on Cancer, 61, 2016, ppS158 - S159
Bibby B.A.S, Reynolds J.V, Maher S.G, MicroRNA-330-5p as a putative modulator of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy sensitivity in oesophageal adenocarcinoma, PLoS ONE, 10, (7), 2015, p013418-
MicroRNA and cancer in, editor(s)Steven G Gray , Epigenetic cancer therapy, London, Elsevier, 2015, pp67 - 90, [Maher SG, Bibby B, Moody H, Reid G]
Moody HL, Lind MJ, Maher SG, MicroRNA-31 expression mediates chen-resistance in malignant pleural mesothelioma, Lung Cancer, 87, 2015, ppS1 - S2
Lynam-Lennon N, Maher SG, Maguire A, Phelan J, Reynolds JV, O'Sullivan J, Dysfunctional mitochondria and enhanced metabolic plasticity is associated with a radioresistant phenotype in oesophageal adenocarcinoma, PLoS ONE, 9, 2014, pe100738
Lynam-Lennon, N., Maher, S.G., Maguire, A., (...), Reynolds, J.V., O'Sullivan, J., Altered mitochondrial function and energy metabolism is associated with a radioresistant phenotype in oesophageal adenocarcinoma, PLoS ONE , 9, (6), 2014, pe100738-
CMcCrory, Clinical pain perception, Faculty of Pain Medicine, 2013
microRNA in Oncogenesis in, editor(s)Trygve Tollefsbol , Epigenetics in Human Disease, Elsevier, 2012, pp89 - 110, [Niamh Lynam-Lennon, Steven G. Gray, Stephen G. Maher]
Niamh Lynam-Lennon, John V. Reynolds, Laure Marignol, Orla M Sheils, Graham P. Pidgeon, Stephen G. Maher, microRNA-31 modulates tumor sensitivity to radiation in esophageal cancer through the regulation of DNA repair genes, Journal of Molecular Medicine, 90, 2012, p1449 - 1458
Picardo SL, Maher SG, O'Sullivan JN, Reynolds JV, Barrett's to oesophageal cancer sequence: a model of inflammatory-driven upper gastrointestinal cancer., Digestive surgery, 29, (3), 2012, p251-60
Lynam-Lennon N, Reynolds JV, Marignol L, Sheils OM, Pidgeon GP, Maher SG, MicroRNA-31 modulates tumour sensitivity to radiation in oesophageal adenocarcinoma., Journal of molecular medicine (Berlin, Germany), 2012
Gijsbert J. Hotte, Niamh Lynam-Lennon, John V. Reynolds, Stephen G. Maher, Radiation sensitivity of oesophageal adenocarcinoma: The contribution of the RNA-binding protein RNPC1 and p21-mediated cell cycle arrest to radioresistance, Radiation Research, 177, (3), 2012, p272 - 279
Stephen G. Maher, Dermot T. McDowell, Ben C. Collins, Cian Muldoon, William M. Gallagher, John V. Reynolds, Serum proteomic profiling reveals that pre-treatment complement protein levels are predictive of esophageal cancer patient response to neo-adjuvant chemoradiation, Annals of Surgery, 254, (5), 2011, p809 - 817
Basic concepts of inflammation and its role in carcinogenesis in, editor(s)Janusz A. Jankowski , Inflammation and Gastrointestinal Carcinogenesis, Springer, 2011, pp1 - 34, [Stephen G. Maher, John V. Reynolds]
Maher SG, Reynolds JV, Basic concepts of inflammation and its role in carcinogenesis., Recent results in cancer research. Fortschritte der Krebsforschung. Progrès dans les recherches sur le cancer, 185, 2011, p1-34
Miriam Byrne, John V. Reynolds, James S. O'Donnell, Mary Keogan, Barry White, Mary Byrne, Seamas Murphy, Stephen G. Maher, Graham P. Pidgeon, Activation of the procoagulant response following neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy, and long-term activation following major cancer surgery., British Journal of Cancer, 102, (1), 2010, p73 - 79
Lynam-Lennon N, Reynolds JV, Pidgeon GP, Lysaght J, Marignol L, Maher SG, Alterations in DNA repair efficiency are involved in the radioresistance of esophageal adenocarcinoma., Radiation research, 174, (6), 2010, p703 - 711
Byrne M, Reynolds JV, O'Donnell JS, Keogan M, White B, Byrne M, Murphy S, Maher SG, Pidgeon GP, Long-term activation of the pro-coagulant response after neoadjuvant chemoradiation and major cancer surgery., British Journal of Cancer, 102, (1), 2010, p73-9
Stephen G. Maher, Charles M. Gillham, Shane P. Duggan, Paul C. Smyth, Nicola Miller, Cian Muldoon, Kenneth J. O'Byrne, Orla M. Sheils, Donal Hollywood, John V. Reynolds, Gene expression microarray analysis of diagnostic biopsies predicts pathological response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy of oesophageal cancer, Annals of Surgery, 250, (5), 2009, p729 - 737
Dermot T. McDowell, Fraser M. Smith, John V. Reynolds, Stephen G. Maher, C. Adida, P. Crotty, Eoin F. Gaffney, Donal Hollywood, B. Mehigan, R. B. Stephens, Michael J. Kennedy., Increased spontaneous apoptosis, but not survivin expression, is associated with histomorphologic response to neoadjuvant chemoradiation in rectal cancer., International Journal of Colorectal Disease, 24, (11), 2009, p1261 - 1269
Catriona H. Miller, Stephen G. Maher, Howard A. Young, Cytokine therapies: clinical applications of interferon-gamma, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1182, 2009, p69 - 79
Stephen G. Maher, Charles M. Gillham, Shane P. Duggan, Paul C. Smyth, Nicola Miller, Cian Muldoon, Kenneth J. O'Byrne, Orla M. Sheils, Donal Hollywood, John V. Reynolds, Gene expression analysis of diagnostic biopsies predicts pathological response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy of esophageal cancer., Annals of surgery, 250, (5), 2009, p729-37
Lynam-Lennon N, Maher SG, Reynolds JV, The roles of microRNA in cancer and apoptosis., Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, 84, (1), 2009, p55-71
Niamh Lynam-Lennon, Stephen G. Maher, John V. Reynolds, The Roles of microRNA in Cancer and Apoptosis, Biological Reviews, 84, (1), 2009, p55 - 71
Maher, S.G. and Sheikh, F. and Scarzello, A.J. and Romero-Weaver, A.L. and Baker, D.P. and Donnelly, R.P. and Gamero, A.M., IFNα and IFNλ differ in their antiproliferative effects and duration of JAK/STAT signaling activity, Cancer Biology and Therapy, 7, (7), 2008, p1109-1115
Stephen G. Maher, Faruk Sheikh, Anthony J. Scarzello, Ana L. Romero-Weaver, Darren P. Baker, Raymond P. Donnelly, Ana M. Gamero, IFN-alpha and IFN-lambda differ in their antiproliferative effects and duration of JAK/STAT signaling activity, Cancer Biology and Therapy, 7, (7), 2008, p1109 - 1115
Interferon-gamma in, editor(s)Alexander Zdanov , Class II Cytokines, Kerala, India, Transworld Research Network, Research Signpost, 2008, pp51 - 106, [Howard A. Young, Ana L. Romero-Weaver, Ram Savan, Stephen G. Maher, Jonathan M. Weiss]
Stephen G. Maher, Ana L. Romero-Weaver, Anthony J. Scarzello, Ana M. Gamero, Interferon: Cellular Executioner or White Knight?, Current Medicinal Chemistry, 14, 2007, p1279 - 1289
Anthony J. Scarzello, Ana L. Romero-Weaver, Stephen G. Maher, Timothy D. Veenstra, Ming Zhou, Angel Qin, Raymond P. Donnelly, Faruk Sheikh, Ana M. Gamero, A Mutation in the SH2 Domain of STAT2 Prolongs Tyrosine Phosphorylation of STAT1 and Promotes Type-I IFN-induced Apoptosis, Molecular Biology of the Cell, 18, 2007, p2455 - 2462
Scarzello, A.J. and Romero-Weaver, A.L. and Maher, S.G. and Veenstra, T.D. and Zhou, M. and Qin, A. and Donnelly, R.P. and Sheikh, F. and Gamero, A.M., A mutation in the SH2 domain of STAT2 prolongs tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT1 and promotes type I IFN-induced apoptosis, Molecular Biology of the Cell, 18, (7), 2007, p2455-2462
Stephen G. Maher, Claire M. Condron, David J. Bouchier-Hayes, Deirdre M. Toomey, Taurine attenuates CD3/Interleukin-2-induced T cell Apoptosis in an in vitro model of Activation-Induced Cell Death (AICD), Clinical and Experimental Immunology, 139, 2005, p279 - 286
Stephen G. Maher, Deirdre M. Toomey, Claire M. Condron, David J. Bouchier-Hayes, Activation-induced Cell Death: The Controversial Role of Fas and Fas Ligand in Immune Privilege and Tumour Counterattack, Immunology and Cell Biology, 80, 2002, p131 - 137
Non-Peer-Reviewed Publications
Maher SG, Point-of-care testing versus lab-based testing - striking a balance, Konstanz, Germany, 2021, BioLago
Kane LE, Mellotte GS, Mylod E, O'Brien RM, O'Connell F, Buckley CE, Arlow J, Nguyen K, Mockler D, Meade AD, Ryan BM, Maher SG, Diagnostic accuracy of blood-based biomarkers for pancreatic cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis, Cancer Research, 2021, 2021, pp6 - 7
Maher SG, Modelling radioresistance in vitro, The role of radiotherapy in a stratified approach to the treatment of oesophageal cancer, London - Cambridge University, 10 June 2019, 2019
Stephen Maher, Cancer - The Patient Journey, 60th London International Youth Science Forum, London, UK, 2018, 2018
Cawthorne C, Maher SG, Ahmed N, Beavis AW, Improving the application of PET to radiotherapy via preclinical research: status and potential, RAD Magazine, 42, (492), 2016, p29 - 30
Stephen Maher, MicroRNAs as modulators of therapeutic sensitivity, MicroRNA Europe Annual Conference, Cambridge, UK, 2016, 2016
Maher SG, Reynolds JV, Oesophageal cancer: The potential of modern molecular tools in treatment, Cancer Professional, 6, 2012, p21 - 25
Research Expertise
Description
Stephen has always been interested in cancer and its treatment. Having completed a PhD that examined T cell biology and interleukin-2 therapy for melanoma and renal cell carcinoma, he moved the the National Cancer Institute in the USA to pursue postdoctoral studies in the anti-tumour potential of a newly discovered cytokine, interferon-lambda (IL-29). Over the past 15 years his research interests have largely focused on understanding and predicting tumour response and resistance to more conventional, broadly applicable, cancer treatments, specifically chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Stephen's group examines the influence of the microRNA compartment, DNA damage response and, more recently hypoxia, on regulating cellular sensitivity to chemotherapy and radiotherapy in oesophageal and mesothelial tumours. His team is internationally recognised as leaders in translational radiotherapy research. More recently he initiated and leads an award-winning pancreatic cancer research programme. Being a member of the department of surgery at TTMI, based at St. James's Hospital in Dublin, his work is highly patient centric.Projects
- Title
- The role of microRNA and random mitochondrial DNA mutations in a novel clinically-relevant isogenic model of radioresistance in oesophageal adenocarcinoma
- Funding Agency
- Health Research Board
- Date From
- 2011
- Date To
- 2013
- Title
- Tissue and Serum microRNA signatures for predicting response to chemoradiotherapy for oesophageal adenocarcinoma
- Funding Agency
- Irish Cancer Society
- Date From
- 2010
- Date To
- 2013
- Title
- The role of the chemokine CCL28 (MEC) in oesophageal adenocarcinoma progression: interaction between the immune system and the tumour
- Funding Agency
- Irish Cancer Society
- Date From
- 2010
- Date To
- 2013
- Title
- The role of a cancer stem-like cells in an isogenic model of radioresistance in oesphageal adenocarcinoma
- Funding Agency
- Health Research Board
- Date From
- 2012
- Date To
- 2016
- Title
- The role of miR-330 and miR-187 in regulating sensitivity to chemoradiation in oeosphageal adenocarcinoma
- Funding Agency
- Cancer and Polio Research Fund UK
- Date From
- 2013
- Date To
- 2015
- Title
- Hull York Medical School PhD Project stimulus
- Funding Agency
- Hull York Medical School
- Date From
- 2013
- Date To
- 2016
- Title
- Development of translational radiotherapy research in the East Yorkshire region
- Funding Agency
- Help for Health UK and Castle Hill Hospital Cancer Trust Fund
- Date From
- 2014
- Date To
- 2019
- Title
- The role of miR-187 as a radiosensitiser in oesophageal cancer
- Funding Agency
- University of Hull
- Date From
- 2015
- Date To
- 2019
- Title
- The role of miR-187 as a radiosensitiser in oesophageal cancer
- Funding Agency
- Cancer and Polio Research Fund UK
- Date From
- 2016
- Date To
- 2019
- Title
- Mechanisms underpinning miR-31 mediated chemoresistance in MPM
- Funding Agency
- Kazan McClane Partners
- Date From
- 2017
- Date To
- 2018
- Title
- Development of a novel bioscaffold for radiosensitising microRNA delivery in cancer
- Funding Agency
- Wellcome Trust-HRB-SFI
- Date From
- 2017
- Date To
- 2018
- Title
- Development of a hydrogel system for delivery microRNA in vivo
- Funding Agency
- Trinity College Dublin
- Date From
- 2017
- Date To
- 2018
- Title
- Upgrade and installation of a new radiotherapy and radiobiology core
- Funding Agency
- Science Foundation Ireland
- Date From
- 2017
- Date To
- 2022
- Title
- The role of microRNA-31 in regulating therapeutic sensitivity in pancreatic adenocarcinoma
- Funding Agency
- Trinity College Dublin
- Date From
- 2018
- Date To
- 2022
- Title
- Validation of a panel of novel radiosensitising agents for cancer
- Funding Agency
- Science Foundation Ireland
- Date From
- 2019
- Date To
- 2020
- Title
- The use of liquid biopsy in patients with pancreatic cystic lesions
- Funding Agency
- Meath Foundation
- Date From
- 2019
- Date To
- 2022
- Title
- A MicroRNA-based replacement therapy for chemoradiosensitising oesophageal cancer
- Funding Agency
- Enterprise Ireland
- Date From
- 2020
- Date To
- 2021
- Title
- Targeting IL-6 in the obese tumour microenvironment to overcome chemotherapy and radiotherapy resistance in oesophageal adenocarcinoma
- Funding Agency
- HRCI/HRB
- Date From
- 2020
- Date To
- 2023
- Title
- Investigating novel cancer immunotherapies in upper gastrointestinal cancers and the impact of combination chemotherapy
- Funding Agency
- Irish Research Council
- Date From
- 2017
- Date To
- 2021
Recognition
Representations
Editorial Board, Frontiers in Oncology - Associate Editor - Molecular and Cellular Oncology
Editorial Board, Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology - Associate Editor
Awards and Honours
1st prize - best basic science paper - iCHAMS international conference (supervisor)
1st prize - best scientific paper - Irish Society of Gastroenterology (supervisor)
Patrick G. Johnston Award - Irish Association of Cancer Research (supervisor)
Irish Lab Awards - Research Lab of the Year
1st prize - best poster - TSJCI 11th International Cancer Conference (supervisor)
Association of Radiation Research (ARR) SIT bursary (supervisor)
iMig Young Investigator Award (Supervisor)
Researcher of the Year, Hull York Medical School (Supervisor)
NCRI Hamilton-Fairley Young Investigator Awards (double-shortlisting) (Supervisor)
1st Prize, Best Research Paper, 12th Annual International Medical Postgraduate Conference, Charles University in Prague (Supervisor)
1st Prize, Best Poster, UK Radiation Oncology (UKRO) Annual Meeting (Supervisor)
1st Prize, Best Research Paper, 11th Annual International Medical Postgraduate Conference, Charles University in Prague (Supervisor)
Biochemical Society Summer Studentship (Supervisor)
Researcher of the Year, Irish Cancer Society
Patey Prize, SARS Annual Meeting
Fellowship, Irish Cancer Society
Roche Researcher of the Year, TCD (Supervisor)
Poster Prize, 7th International Cancer Conference (Dublin)
1st Prize, TCD Molecular Medicine Entrepreneurship Course
Travel Award, St. James's Hospital Dublin
Donald Weir Medal for Research, Trinity College Dublin
Oncology Scholars Travel Award, Irish Cancer Society
Fellowship, National Cancer Institute (USA)
Irish Representative at 39th LIYSF
Memberships
Irish Association of Radiation Research (IRRS)
Association of Radiation Research (UK)
Mesothelioma Research Network (MRN)
Biochemical Society UK
Clinical Trials Ireland (formerly ICORG)
British Association of Cancer Research (BACR)
European Association of Cancer Research (EACR)
Irish Association of Cancer Research (IACR)
American Association of Cancer Research (AACR): Associate Member
British Lung Foundation
International Society for Interferon and Cytokine Research (ISICR)