Biography
Beth Brint completed her BSc (Hons) in Biochemistry at the University of Sussex, England. She subsequently undertook a PhD in the Biochemistry Department, Trinity College Dublin investigating molecular regulation of inflammation. She developed her expertise in regulation of immune signalling by performing postdoctoral studies jointly between Trinity College Dublin and Xoma Ltd, a San Francisco based pharmaceutical company. From there she moved to University College Cork to take up a senior postdoctoral position at the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre (APC) where she maintained her interest in control of the immune system focusing on immune activation in the gastrointestinal tract in both health and disease. She successfully obtained a postdoctoral research grant from the Health Research Board, Ireland for this work. In 2008 she competitively obtained a tenured position at UCC as a Lecturer in Pathology where she now teaches pathology to undergraduate and graduate medical students and biomedical scientists. Her research program investigating immune regulation and its role in inflammatory diseases and cancer is based within the APC, where she is a Funded Investigator, and in the Department of Pathology where her work is supported by a grant from Science Foundation Ireland.
Research Interests
My lab’s broad field of interest relates to regulation of the immune system in both health and disease and in particular the role played by pathogen recognition receptors such as Toll-Like Receptors (TLRs). One major focus of our research centres on regulation of TLRs in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Both epithelial and immune cells of the GI tract have to strike a fine balance between remaining predominantly unresponsive to the presence of the intestinal microflora and yet being able to mount a response against pathogenic organisms. We investigate the role of TLRs in tailoring this response and the molecular mechanisms involved in regulating TLRs in the intestine. role played by TLRs in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. We are also currently investigating novel immune mechanisms of detection of enteric pathogens such as Listeria Monocytogenes in the gut. In collaboration with Dr. Aileen Houston (Dept. of Medicine, UCC), we are examining the cross-talk between TLR signalling and the death receptor Fas in the intestine, focussing on how these two pathways interact to modulate the inflammatory response and the effect of this interaction on both intestinal homeostasis and on colon cancer.
Lab members
Ms. Caitriona Lyons BSc. (PhD student)
Ms. Philana Fernandes BSc, MSc (PhD student)
Ms. Charlotte O'Donnell
Dr. A.Mahmoud
Mr. Declan White
Research Funding
My research is supported in part by Science Foundation Ireland
Publications
Peer Reviewed Journals
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2014) | 'Intestinal expression of Fas and Fas Ligand is upregulated by bacterial signalling through Toll-Like Receptors (TLR) 4 and TLR5, with activation of Fas modulating intestinal TLR-mediated inflammation' Fernandes P, Regan T, Lyons C, Brint E and Houston A (2014) 'Intestinal expression of Fas and Fas Ligand is upregulated by bacterial signalling through Toll-Like Receptors (TLR) 4 and TLR5, with activation of Fas modulating intestinal TLR-mediated inflammation'. Journal of Immunology, 193 (12):6103-6113 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2014) | 'Microbiota-host interactions in irritable bowel syndrome: epithelial barrier, immune regulation and brain-gut interactions' Hyland NP, Quigley EM, Brint E (2014) 'Microbiota-host interactions in irritable bowel syndrome: epithelial barrier, immune regulation and brain-gut interactions'. World journal of gastroenterology : WJG, 20 (27):8859-8866 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2014) | 'Tracing innate immune defences along the path of Listeria monocytogenes infection' Regan T, Macsharry J, Brint E (2014) 'Tracing innate immune defences along the path of Listeria monocytogenes infection'. Immunology And Cell Biology, [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2013) | 'Identification of TLR10 as a key mediator of the inflammatory response to Listeria monocytogenes in intestinal epithelial cells and macrophages' Regan, T.,Nally, K.,Carmody, R.,Houston, A.,Shanahan, F.,Macsharry, J.,Brint, E. (2013) 'Identification of TLR10 as a key mediator of the inflammatory response to Listeria monocytogenes in intestinal epithelial cells and macrophages'. Journal of Immunology, 191 (1212):6084-92 [Details] | |
| (2013) | 'Life in the Fas lane: Differential Outcomes of Fas Signalling' Brint E, O'Callaghan G and Houston A (2013) 'Life in the Fas lane: Differential Outcomes of Fas Signalling'. Cellular and molecular life sciences : CMLS, [CORA Link] [Details] | |
| (2013) | 'Bcl-deficiency protects against dextran-sodium sulphate-induced colitis in the mouse' O'Carroll, C.,Moloney, G.,Hurley, G.,Melgar, S.,Brint, E.,Nally, K.,Nibbs, R. J.,Shanahan, F.,Carmody, R. J. (2013) 'Bcl-deficiency protects against dextran-sodium sulphate-induced colitis in the mouse'. Clin Exp Immunol, 173 (22):332-342332 [Details] | |
| (2011) | 'Differential expression of toll-like receptors in patients with irritable bowel syndrome' Brint EK, MacSharry J, Fanning A, Shanahan F, Quigley EM (2011) 'Differential expression of toll-like receptors in patients with irritable bowel syndrome'. The American Journal of Gastroenterology, 106 (2):329-336 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2009) | 'Control of Toll-Like Receptor (TLR) Signalling in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): Differential Expression of Key Regulators of TLRS in Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and Crohn's Disease (CD)' Brint, E.,Quigley, E. M.,Shanahan, F. (2009) 'Control of Toll-Like Receptor (TLR) Signalling in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): Differential Expression of Key Regulators of TLRS in Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and Crohn's Disease (CD)'. Gastroenterology, 136 (55) [Details] | |
| (2009) | 'Toll-Like Receptor mRNA Expression Is Selectively Increased in the Colonic Mucosa of Two Animal Models Relevant to Irritable Bowel Syndrome' McKernan, DP,Nolan, A,Brint, EK,O'Mahony, SM,Hyland, NP,Cryan, JF,Dinan, TG; (2009) 'Toll-Like Receptor mRNA Expression Is Selectively Increased in the Colonic Mucosa of Two Animal Models Relevant to Irritable Bowel Syndrome'. Plos One, 4 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2006) | 'Trif-related adapter molecule is phosphorylated by PKC{epsilon} during Toll-like receptor 4 signaling' McGettrick AF, Brint EK, Palsson-McDermott EM, Rowe DC, Golenbock DT, Gay NJ, Fitzgerald KA, O'Neill LA (2006) 'Trif-related adapter molecule is phosphorylated by PKC{epsilon} during Toll-like receptor 4 signaling'. Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences of The United States of America, 103 (24):9196-9201 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2005) | 'Negative regulation of toll-like receptor-mediated immune responses' Liew FY, Xu D, Brint EK, O'Neill LA (2005) 'Negative regulation of toll-like receptor-mediated immune responses'. Nature reviews. Immunology, 5 (6):446-458 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2004) | 'ST2 is an inhibitor of interleukin 1 receptor and Toll-like receptor 4 signaling and maintains endotoxin tolerance' Brint EK, Xu D, Liu H, Dunne A, McKenzie AN, O'Neill LA, Liew FY (2004) 'ST2 is an inhibitor of interleukin 1 receptor and Toll-like receptor 4 signaling and maintains endotoxin tolerance'. Nature immunology, 5 (4):373-379 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2004) | 'Crystal structure of the Toll/interleukin-1 receptor domain of human IL-1RAPL' Khan JA, Brint EK, O'Neill LA, Tong L (2004) 'Crystal structure of the Toll/interleukin-1 receptor domain of human IL-1RAPL'. The Journal of Biological Chemistry, 279 (30):31664-31670 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2004) | 'Mal interacts with tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor (TRAF)-6 to mediate NF-kappaB activation by toll-like receptor (TLR)-2 and TLR4' Mansell A, Brint E, Gould JA, O'Neill LA, Hertzog PJ (2004) 'Mal interacts with tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor (TRAF)-6 to mediate NF-kappaB activation by toll-like receptor (TLR)-2 and TLR4'. The Journal of Biological Chemistry, 279 (36):37227-37230 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2003) | 'Bruton's tyrosine kinase is a Toll/interleukin-1 receptor domain-binding protein that participates in nuclear factor kappaB activation by Toll-like receptor 4' Jefferies CA, Doyle S, Brunner C, Dunne A, Brint E, Wietek C, Walch E, Wirth T, O'Neill LA (2003) 'Bruton's tyrosine kinase is a Toll/interleukin-1 receptor domain-binding protein that participates in nuclear factor kappaB activation by Toll-like receptor 4'. The Journal of Biological Chemistry, 278 (28):26258-26264 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2002) | 'Characterization of signaling pathways activated by the interleukin 1 (IL-1) receptor homologue T1/ST2. A role for Jun N-terminal kinase in IL-4 induction' Brint EK, Fitzgerald KA, Smith P, Coyle AJ, Gutierrez-Ramos JC, Fallon PG, O'Neill LA (2002) 'Characterization of signaling pathways activated by the interleukin 1 (IL-1) receptor homologue T1/ST2. A role for Jun N-terminal kinase in IL-4 induction'. The Journal of Biological Chemistry, 277 (51):49205-49211 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2001) | 'Mal (MyD88-adapter-like) is required for Toll-like receptor-4 signal transduction' Fitzgerald KA, Palsson-McDermott EM, Bowie AG, Jefferies CA, Mansell AS, Brady G, Brint E, Dunne A, Gray P, Harte MT, McMurray D, Smith DE, Sims JE, Bird TA, O'Neill LA (2001) 'Mal (MyD88-adapter-like) is required for Toll-like receptor-4 signal transduction'. Nature, 413 (6851):78-83 [DOI] [Details] |
Books
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2005) | Toll-like Receptors in Inflammation. E Brint and LAJ O'Neill (2005) Toll-like Receptors in Inflammation. Switzerland: Birkhauser. [Details] |
Book Chapters
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2005) | 'Endogenous regulation of Toll-Like Receptors' EK Brint (2005) 'Endogenous regulation of Toll-Like Receptors' In: Toll-Like Receptors in Inflammation. Switzerland: Birkhauser. [Details] |
Conference Publications
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2014) | Digestive Disease Week Charlotte O'Donnell, Amr Mahmoud, Michael Bennett, Fergus Shanahan, Elizabeth Brint, Aileen Houston (2014) Role of ST2 and Its Ligand, IL-33, in Colon Cancer Digestive Disease Week [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2013) | Immunology 2013 Regan, T.,Nally, K.,Brint, E.,MacSharry, J. (2013) Toll-like receptor 10 mediates the inflammatory response to Listeria monocytogenes infection Immunology 2013 [Details] | |
| (2010) | Gastroenterology 138:5 (Suppl1) Brint, EK., O'Callaghan, G., Regan, T., Shanahan, F., Houston, A.; (2010) Synergy between Fas and TLR4 in promoting pro-inflammatory cytokine synthesis in macrophages and intestinal epithelial cells ¿ relevance to IBD Gastroenterology 138:5 (Suppl1) Digestive Diseases Week, New Orleans, [Details] | |
| (2009) | Digestive Disease Week McKernan DP, Nolan A, O'Mahony SM, Hyland NP, Brint E, Dinan TG, Cryan JF.; (2009) Toll-Like Receptor mRNA Expression Is Selectively Increased in the Colonic Mucosa of Two Animal Models of Chronic Stress: Relevance to Irritable Bowel Syndrome Digestive Disease Week [Details] |
Professional Activities
Honours and Awards
| Year | Title | Awarding Body | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Health Research Board Ireland – Postdoctoral Career DeveopmentFellowship Award | Health Research Board | |
| 2003 | Outstanding Scholor award | Biochemical Society | |
| 2001 | Sheldon Woolfe Prize | International Cytokine Society |
Professional Associations
| Association | Function | From / To | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Irish Society for Immunology | Committee member | / | |
| Biochemical Society | Member | / | |
| American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) | Member | / |
Conference Contributions
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2014) | EMBO Symposium- Tumour Microenvironment and Signalling, O’Donnell C, Mahmoud A, Bennett MW, Brint E and Houston A (2014) Characterisation of the Role of ST2 and its Ligand, IL-33, in Colon Cancer. [Poster Presentation], EMBO Symposium- Tumour Microenvironment and Signalling, Heidelberg, Germany . [Details] | |
| (2014) | Irish Society of Immunology, O' Donnell C, Houston A and Brint E (2014) Characterisation of the Role of ST2/IL-33 in Colon Carcinogenesis. [Oral Presentation], Irish Society of Immunology, Galway . [Details] | |
| (2014) | Irish Association for Cancer Research, O’Donnell C, Mahmoud A, Bennett MW, Brint E and Houston A (2014) Investigation of the Role of ST2 and its ligand, IL-33, in Colon Cancer. [Poster Presentation], Irish Association for Cancer Research, Galway . [Details] | |
| (2014) | Irish Society of Immunology, Lyons C, Moran R, Fanning L, Houston A and Brint E (2014) Double-stranded RNA-induced inflammatory responses in macrophages are modified by Fas Signalling. [Poster Presentation], Irish Society of Immunology, Dublin . [Details] | |
| (2014) | Irish Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting, Fernandes P, Lyons C, Brint E and Houston A (2014) Fas modulates intestinal TLR-mediated inflammation and suppression of Fas in colon cancer cells reduces tumour growth in vivo. [Oral Presentation], Irish Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting, Galway . [Details] | |
| (2014) | EMBO Symposium - Cellular signalling and cancer therapy, Fernandes P, Lyons C, Brint E and Houston A (2014) Fas modulates intestinal TLR-mediated inflammation and suppression of Fas in colon cancer cells reduces tumour growth in vivo. [Poster Presentation], EMBO Symposium - Cellular signalling and cancer therapy, Croatia . [Details] | |
| (2013) | ICI 2013 – 15th International Congress of Immunology, Lyons C, Moran R, Houston A and Brint E (2013) Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-induced IP-10/CXCL-10 production is augmented by Fas activation. [Poster Presentation], ICI 2013 – 15th International Congress of Immunology, Milan, Italy . [Details] | |
| (2013) | Irish Society of Immunology, Lyons C, Moran R, Houston A and Brint E. (2013) Fas activation augments double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-induced IP-10/CXCL-10 production. [Poster Presentation], Irish Society of Immunology, Dublin . [Details] | |
| (2013) | Irish Society of Immunology, O’Donnell C, Houston A and Brint E (2013) The Potential role of ST2 and its ligand IL-33 in colon carcinogenesis. [Poster Presentation], Irish Society of Immunology, Dublin . [Details] | |
| (2012) | Irish Society of Immunology, Lyons, C., Moran, R., Houston, A., Brint, E. (2012) Double stranded RNA (dsRNA) requires Fas (CD95) for optimal IP-10/CXCL10 production. [Poster Presentation], Irish Society of Immunology, Dublin , 20-SEP-12 - 21-SEP-12. [Details] | |
| (2012) | Keystone Symposium - Innate Immunity: Sensing the Microbes and Damage Signals, Fernandes, P; Houston, A; Brint, EK (2012) TLRs 4 and 5 upregulate Fas and FasL expression in intestinal epithelial cells resulting in increased cytokine production. [Poster Presentation], Keystone Symposium - Innate Immunity: Sensing the Microbes and Damage Signals, Colorado, USA , 04-MAR-12 - 09-MAR-12. [Details] | |
| (2012) | European Association for Cancer Research, Fernandes, P., Brint, E., Houston, A. (2012) Fas (CD95) signalling and inflammation in colon cancer. [Poster Presentation], European Association for Cancer Research, Dublin , 17-SEP-12 - 19-SEP-12. [Details] | |
| (2012) | Irish Society of Immunology, Fernandes, P., Brint, E., Houston, A. (2012) Fas (CD95) Signalling and Inflammation in Colon Cancer. [Oral Presentation], Irish Society of Immunology, Dublin , 20-SEP-12 - 21-SEP-12. [Details] | |
| (2010) | Digestive Diseases Week, 2010, Brint E., O'Callaghan GP., Regan T., Shanahan F., Houston A.; (2010) Synergy between Fas and TLR4 in promoting pro-inflammatory cytokine synthesis in macrophages and intestinal epithelial cells - relevance to IBD. [Poster Presentation], Digestive Diseases Week, 2010, New Orleans , 02-MAY-10 - 05-MAY-10. [Details] | |
| (2010) | Keystone Symposium: Innate Immunity: Mechanisms Linking with Adaptive Immunity, Houston, A., Regan, T., O'Callaghan, G., Shanahan, F., Brint, EK.; (2010) Interplay between Fas and TLR signalling- regulation of inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract ?. [Poster Presentation], Keystone Symposium: Innate Immunity: Mechanisms Linking with Adaptive Immunity, Dublin , 07-JUN-10 - 12-JUN-10. [Details] |
Committees
| Committee | Function | From / To | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biomedical Science BSc board of studies | / | ||
| Departmental graduate studies committee | / | ||
| Irish Society for Immunology | / | ||
| Graduate Entry to Medicine (GEM)Teaching and Oversight Committee | / |
Employment
| Employer | Position | From / To | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pathology Department, University College Cork | Lecturer | 09-OCT-08 / |
Education
| Year | Institution | Qualification | Subject | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Trinity College Dublin | PHD | Biochemisty | |
| 1999 | University of Sussex | BSC | Biochemistry |
Outreach Activities
| Description | |
|---|---|
Participates in primary and secondary schools visits, public awareness of science presentations, Clinical relevant patient outreach presentations, Young Scientist exhibitions. |
Journal Activities
| Journal | Role | To / From | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cellular Immunology | Referee | - | |
| European Journal Of Immunologyeuropean Journal Of Immunology | Referee | - | |
| Biochemistry Biophys Research Communication | Referee | - | |
| Journal Of Immunology | Referee | - | |
| Cellular And Molecular Immunology | Referee | - | |
| Cellular And Molecular Life Sciences | Referee | - |
Teaching Activities
Teaching Interests
Module co-ordinator - GM2001
Modules Contributed to:
Undergraduate:
FM2004: Foundations of Medicine: Mechanisms of Disease
FM3004: Foundations of Medicine: Manifestations of Disease
PM3009: Manifestations of Systemic and Oral Pathology
BM4007: Cellular Pathology II
BM4013: Biomedical Science Research Project
Postgraduate
Graduate Entry to Medicine:
GM1001: Fundamentals of Medicine I
GM1002: Fundamentals of Medicine II
GM1003: Fundamentals of Medicine III
GM2001: (Fundamentals of Medicine IV
MSc in Biomedical Sciences
BM5003
Research Information
Internal Collaborators
| Name | Institute | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| John MacSharry | University College Cork | IRELAND | |
| Fergus Shanahan | University Cellege Cork | IRELAND | |
| Aileen Houston | University College Cork | IRELAND | |
| Liam Fanning | University College Cork | IRELAND |
External Collaborators
| Name | Organisation / Institute | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Padraic Fallon | Trinity College Dublin | IRELAND | |
| Pat Walsh | National Childrens Research Centre | IRELAND |
Contact details
- Beth Brint
Lecturer - e.brint@@ucc.ie
- Pathology
University College Cork
Ireland - 00-353-21-4205045
- Lecturer
- e.brint@ucc.ie
- Pathology
University College Cork
Cork
Ireland - +353-21-490-3000