Universidade Nacional da Irlanda em Galway -- Ciência sem Fronteiras
PhD Project Template
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Use one form per project
Please complete & submit to international@nuigalway.ie as soon as possible, and by 27/11/2012
In your email, begin the subject line with [SWB] (be sure to use square brackets) to ensure that
your email is filed correctly. Emails will be automatically filed
PI name & contact
details:
Emer Bourke, Ph.D.,
Lecturer,
Discipline of Pathology, School of Medicine,
Clinical Science Institute, Costello Road,
National University of Ireland,
Galway, Co. Galway,
Ireland.
Email:emer.bourke@nuigalway.ie
Tel: +353 (0) 91 893709
School:
Medicine
Has project been agreed
with head (or nominee)
of proposed registration
school?
Research Centre /
group affiliation:
http://www.nuigalway.ie/pathology/
Research group /
centre website:
PI website / link to
CV:
http://www.nuigalway.ie/faculties_departments/pathology/research.html
Brief summary of PI research / research group / centre activity (2 or 3 lines max):
The focus of my research group is to characterise the dysregulation of genomic integrity in the
development of breast cancer. Using a combination of cell lines and patient samples, we examine
how the various intrinsic subtypes of breast cancer respond to DNA damage and regulate
centrosome function in a genetically unstable background.
Title & brief description of PhD project (suitable for publication on web):
“To investigate if basal-like breast tumours have a distinct pattern of DNA damage response or
centrosome biology that can predict patient outcome and response to treatment.”
Breast Cancer exemplifies several biological entities, which vary dramatically in cellular morphology,
molecular profile and clinical outcome. Improving patient outcome requires accurate classification
of the disease. The system of molecular expression profiling shows the most promise in this regard
having identified 4 intrinsic subtypes; two estrogen receptor (ER)+ (Luminal A and B) and two ERgroups (HER2, Basal-like (BL)). BL tumours account for 15% of breast cancers and display much more
aggressive clinical behaviour with poor clinical outcome. Unlike luminal and HER2 subtypes, the
Universidade Nacional da Irlanda em Galway -- Ciência sem Fronteiras
majority of BL tumours lack hormone receptor and HER2 overexpression and fall into the category
of “triple-negative” breast cancers (TNBCs). While effective receptor-targeted strategies have been
developed for hormone receptor and HER2-positive tumours, basal-like tumours are notoriously
difficult to treat as they lack a specific receptor target, leaving conventional chemotherapy the only
mode of management. Elucidation of the pathogenic mechanisms underlying the phenotypes is
necessary to identify potential prognostic and therapeutic targets and improve the outlook for BL
subtype.
As part of a larger research team, the PhD fellow will test the hypothesis that luminal and BL
subtypes of breast cancer can be distinguished by DNA damage response (DDR) patterns and/or
genomic instability markers like centrosomal anomalies. The interplay of chemotherapeutic agents
and irradiation exposure with these mechanisms will also be determined. The proposed study has
the potential to determine whether BL tumours, currently considered a disparate group, have a
distinct pattern of molecular mechanisms involving DDR and/or centrosome biology that may be
employed to predict disease outcome and susceptibility to treatment.
Unique selling points of PhD project in NUI Galway:
The host site, the Clinical Sciences Institute NUIG (CSI), contains all of the required infrastructure for
the completion of this project. These include the basics like tissue culture facilities (hoods,
incubators and liquid nitrogen storage facilities), dark room and fluorescence microscopes.
Collaborations with the Centre for Chromosome Biology (CCB) provides us with the use of a highresolution microscope (DELTA vision) which is capable of live cell imaging and there is also access to
a high throughput automated microscope system for concurrent screening of multiple drugs and cell
lines. Throughout NUIG, there is access to multiple confocal imaging facilities (a spinning disc
confocal in the Anatomy department, and 2 confocal microscopes in National Centre for Biomedical
Engineering Science). Furthermore, the location of CSI within the hospital allows us to benefit from
clinical collaborations facilitating exchange of ideas between medics and scientists (vital to the
future of medical research) and providing easy access to patient samples for study. For the proposed
PhD project, our collaborators pathologist Prof. Grace Callagy, oncologist Dr. Maccon Keane and
surgeon Prof. Michael Kerin will provide both medical expertise and a breast cancer biobank of
patient samples (West of Ireland series) accompanied by patient data and clinical follow-up
information.
Name & contact details for project queries, if different from PI named above:
Please indicate the graduates of which disciplines that should apply:
Graduates with a background in Biology-based subjects
Ciência sem Fronteiras / Science Without Borders Priority Area:
Please indicate the specific programme priority area under which the proposed PhD project fits- choose only
one (tick box):
Engineering and other technological areas
Pure and Natural Sciences (e.g. mathematics, physics, chemistry)
Health and Biomedical Sciences
X
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs)
Aerospace
Pharmaceuticals
Universidade Nacional da Irlanda em Galway -- Ciência sem Fronteiras
Oil, Gas and Coal
Renewable Energy
Minerals
Biotechnology
Nanotechnology and New Materials
Technology of prevention and remediation of natural disasters
Biodiversity and Bioprospection
Marine Sciences
Creative Industry
New technologies in constructive engineering
Please indicate which of the following applies to this project (referring to Science Without Borders
arrangements):
Suitable only as a Full PhD (Y/N): _ ____
Available to candidates seeking a Sandwich PhD arrangement (Y/N): _____
Suitable for either/Don’t know: __X___