Dr. Martin Barr

Research Description:

Dr. Martin Barr is a Clinical Scientist in the Thoracic Oncology Research Group at the Trinity St James Cancer Institute (TSJCI) and a Clinical Senior Lecturer & Principal Investigator in Trinity College Dublin (TCD). With a specialist interest in translational lung cancer research, Dr Barr is involved in several active research programmes; elucidating molecular mechanisms and therapeutic targets in chemotherapy-resistant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the role of cancer stem cells & DNA damage/repair in drug-resistant phenotypes; repurposing old drugs for new indications in lung cancer; biomarker discovery & validation; developing & implementing the use of liquid biopsy for monitoring treatment response and emerging resistance mutations in advanced stage NSCLC patients. Many of these research programmes have been made possible through his extensive collaborations with other academic institutions and industry partners, in addition to the Lung Cancer Biobank at the TSJCI which he co-manages. This unique bio-resource of samples from consented patients has significantly enhanced the translation of his research findings at the bench to the clinic, and back again. Dr Barr is a Co-Lead of the TSJCI biobank activities & strategic planning. He is Secretary of the Trinity St James’s Biobank Network (TSBN) and Secretary/Council Member of the Irish Association of Clinical Scientists (IACS). Dr Barr is also a member of a number of professional bodies and organisations including; the Irish Lung Cancer Alliance (ILCA), Clinical Trials Ireland (CTI), Irish Association for Cancer Research (IACR), Irish Thoracic Society (ITS), Academy of Clinical Science & Laboratory Medicine (ACSLM), International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC), European Respiratory Society (ERS) & the European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EFLM). He is an Ambassador of the European Association for Cancer Research (EACR), a Fellow of the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS, UK) and a registered Chartered Scientist (Science Council, UK). He sits on the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) Mirror Committee for Biobanking Standards (ISO 20387). Dr Barr has been largely involved in the teaching and supervision of students pursuing undergraduate (BSc.) and postgraduate (MSc., MD., PhD.) degree programmes in the School of Medicine at TCD and has been a College Tutor since 2021. He has published his research findings in international peer-reviewed journals and has been successful in acquiring research funding of more than €1m from national and European funding agencies. Dr Barr holds appointments on Editorial & Reviewer Boards for numerous international peer-reviewed science and medical journals and is a member of the international expert panel for a number of European funding agencies.