ProfessorWilliam Gallagher

A major focus of the Cancer Biology and Therapeutics (CBT) Lab, led by Prof. Gallagher, is the identification and validation of molecular determinants of tumour progression in breast cancer and melanoma (www.cbtlab.ie ). We also have a particular interest in the identification and validation of candidate prognostic and predictive biomarkers in oncology, with emphasis on the translation of transcriptomic and proteomic datasets into clinically relevant assays. In addition, our team utilises lentiviral-based approaches to investigate the functional relevance of candidate tumour progression associated genes at both in vitro and in vivo levels, as well as engage in preclinical evaluation of novel anti-cancer agents.

In this respect, we currently co-ordinate an advanced Molecular Imaging Facility, comprised of state-of-the-art optical (IVIS Spectrum) and radionuclide (PET/CT and SPECT/CT) in vivo imaging systems. The CBT Lab participates in the national cancer research initiative: The Irish Cancer Society Collaborative Cancer Research Centre BREAST-PREDICT, of which Prof. Gallagher is Director. The translational activities within the Centre owe their origins in significant part to two Science Foundation Ireland-funded programmes, namely Molecular Therapeutics for Cancer Ireland ( www.mtci.ie ) with Prof. Gallagher as a co-PI and Deputy Co-ordinator, and Systems Biology Ireland ( www.ucd.ie/sbi ) led by Prof. Walter Kolch.

Our team also co-ordinated an FP7 Collaborative Research programme, RATHER ( www.ratherproject.com ), which focused on providing rationalised therapy options for difficult-to-treat breast cancer subtypes, namely triple negative (TN) breast cancer and invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC). This collaborative project involved eight academic and industrial partners across five EU countries, centres on detailed molecular analysis of kinome alterations at multiple levels (gene sequence mutations, copy number variation, mRNA expression, phosphorylation status) in these two subtypes of breast cancer. Together with functional interrogation of lead kinase targets identified from this molecular analysis, the research programme involved the development and utilisation of novel companion diagnostic assays in a clinical trials context.

The CBT lab under the direction of Prof Gallagher, co-ordinated an FP7 Marie Curie Industry-Academia Partnership and Pathways (IAPP) Programme under FP7 SYS-MEL (www.sysmel.com ), which focused on developing prognostic and predictive tests for melanoma, the most aggressive form of skin cancer. This programme involved six partners (four academic/two industrial) across three EU countries and ran from 2013-2017. The SYS-MEL Consortium was a follow-up from the successful Target-Melanoma project that was completed in June 2013.