A translational research aim is to discover new ways of targeting residual cancer cells by developing surgical adjuvants, to rebalance and harness the perioperative immune response, improving cancer cell elimination. Another translational research aim is to identify novel diagnostic biomarkers of dysregulated immune responses and wound healing, prognostic biomarkers of cancer recurrence and predictive/immune monitoring biomarkers of surgical adjuvant treatments. Liquid biopsies are a non invasive approach to facilitate earlier detection of cancer recurrence and treatment responses by molecular and cellular characterisation of cell free (cf)DNA and immune cell biomarkers in blood using technologies such as Next Generation Sequencing and Flow Cytometry.
Supervise and examine undergraduate research projects and literature reviews for the Biomedical Science Programme (MT871), Module BM4013 and undergraduate research projects for the Medical Degree Programme (CK701), Modules MX3020 and MX4091.
Post-graduate teaching
MCh in Surgical Science (MCHSC) - contributed to the development of the Module SY6001 Essentials in Surgery 1 - Infection Prevention and Management including Antibiotic Stewardship, Wound Management and Healing. Module coordinator and lecturer on the Module SY6004 Surgical Immunology.
https://ucc-ie-public.courseleaf.com/modules/?details&srcdb=2023&code=SY6004
Biography
Cathriona Foley joined the Department of Surgery in 2022 as a Lecturer. She holds a BSc. in Biochemistry from University College Cork (UCC) and a PhD in Immunology from Trinity College Dublin (TCD). Research experience was gained as a Research Officer on an EU FP7 project coordinated by Teagsac and in academia as a Postdoctoral Researcher between the School of Biochemistry and Immunology in TCD, Ireland and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Institutes of Medicine, Boston. Returning to Cork in 2019 she lectured in the Department of Biological Sciences in Munster Technological University. Since joining the Department of Surgery in UCC she has established her research in UCCs Clinical Sciences Building at Cork University Hospital to focus on Surgical Immunology and Oncology during the perioperative period.
Research Interests
Our research focus is to understand the impact of surgically induced inflammation and subsequent immunosuppression on innate lymphocytes, such as γδ T cells, and residual cancer cells at the site of tumour excision. Perturbations in postoperative inflammation and wound healing, at the tumour excision site, contributes to a microenvironment that supports immunosuppression, while promoting cancer cell growth and proliferation, leading to cancer recurrence. State-of-the-art technologies such as Single Cell (sc)RNA-Seq and multi-parameter Flow Cytometry are used to study immune cell states ex vivo and a molecular and biochemical approach is taken in vitro using tissue/cell culture.A translational research aim is to discover new ways of targeting residual cancer cells by developing surgical adjuvants, to rebalance and harness the perioperative immune response, improving cancer cell elimination. Another translational research aim is to identify novel diagnostic biomarkers of dysregulated immune responses and wound healing, prognostic biomarkers of cancer recurrence and predictive/immune monitoring biomarkers of surgical adjuvant treatments. Liquid biopsies are a non invasive approach to facilitate earlier detection of cancer recurrence and treatment responses by molecular and cellular characterisation of cell free (cf)DNA and immune cell biomarkers in blood using technologies such as Next Generation Sequencing and Flow Cytometry.
Research Grants
| Project | Funding Body | Start Date | End Date | Award | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Fellowship (GCRF) 2023 | Breakthrough Cancer Research | 01-MAY-23 | 02-MAY-26 | €300,000.00 |
Publications
Peer Reviewed Journals
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2023) | 'The proliferation of human mucosal-associated invariant T cells requires a MYC-SLC7A5-glycolysis metabolic axis' Kedia-Mehta N, Pisarska MM, Rollings C, O'Neill C, De Barra C, Foley C, Wood NAW, Wrigley-Kelly N, Veerapen N, Besra G, Bergin R, Jones N, O'Shea D, Sinclair LV, Hogan AE (2023) 'The proliferation of human mucosal-associated invariant T cells requires a MYC-SLC7A5-glycolysis metabolic axis'. Science Signaling, 16 (781) [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2019) | 'Obesity Reduces mTORC1 Activity in Mucosal-Associated Invariant T Cells, Driving Defective Metabolic and Functional Responses' O'Brien A;Loftus RM;Pisarska MM;Tobin LM;Bergin R;Wood NAW;Foley C;Mat A;Tinley FC;Bannan C;Sommerville G;Veerapen N;Besra GS;Sinclair LV;Moynagh PN;Lynch L;Finlay DK;O'Shea D;Hogan AE; (2019) 'Obesity Reduces mTORC1 Activity in Mucosal-Associated Invariant T Cells, Driving Defective Metabolic and Functional Responses'. Journal of Immunology, 202 (12) [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2018) | 'Metabolic reprogramming of natural killer cells in obesity limits antitumor responses' Michelet X;Dyck L;Hogan A;Loftus RM;Duquette D;Wei K;Beyaz S;Tavakkoli A;Foley C;Donnelly R;O'Farrelly C;Raverdeau M;Vernon A;Pettee W;O'Shea D;Nikolajczyk BS;Mills KHG;Brenner MB;Finlay D;Lynch L; (2018) 'Metabolic reprogramming of natural killer cells in obesity limits antitumor responses'. Nature immunology, 19 (12) [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2015) | 'Integrated analysis of the local and systemic changes preceding the development of post-partum cytological endometritis' Foley C;Chapwanya A;Callanan JJ;Whiston R;Miranda-CasoLuengo R;Lu J;Meijer WG;Lynn DJ;O' Farrelly C;Meade KG; (2015) 'Integrated analysis of the local and systemic changes preceding the development of post-partum cytological endometritis'. BMC Genomics, 16 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2012) | 'The postpartum endometrial inflammatory response: a normal physiological event with potential implications for bovine fertility' Chapwanya A;Meade KG;Foley C;Narciandi F;Evans AC;Doherty ML;Callanan JJ;O'Farrelly C; (2012) 'The postpartum endometrial inflammatory response: a normal physiological event with potential implications for bovine fertility'. Reproduction, Fertility, And Development, 24 (8) [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2012) | 'Global endometrial transcriptomic profiling: transient immune activation precedes tissue proliferation and repair in healthy beef cows' Foley C;Chapwanya A;Creevey CJ;Narciandi F;Morris D;Kenny EM;Cormican P;Callanan JJ;O'Farrelly C;Meade KG; (2012) 'Global endometrial transcriptomic profiling: transient immune activation precedes tissue proliferation and repair in healthy beef cows'. BMC Genomics, 13 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2011) | 'Technical note: Comparative analyses of the quality and yield of genomic DNA from invasive and noninvasive, automated and manual extraction methods' Foley C;O'Farrelly C;Meade KG; (2011) 'Technical note: Comparative analyses of the quality and yield of genomic DNA from invasive and noninvasive, automated and manual extraction methods'. Journal of Dairy Science, 94 (6) [DOI] [Details] |
Professional Activities
Education
| Year | Institution | Qualification | Subject | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | University College Cork | PDip - Teaching & Learning in Higher Education | Teaching & Learning in Higher Ed | |
| 2014 | Trinity College Dublin | PhD - Immunology | Immunology | |
| 2009 | University College Cork | BSc - Biochemistry | Biochemistry |
Employment
| Employer | Position | From / To | |
|---|---|---|---|
| University College Cork | Lecturer (above the bar) | 25-JAN-22 / | |
| Munster Technological University | Lecturer - Biochemistry | 28-JAN-19 / 21-JAN-22 | |
| Trinity College Dublin | Postdoctoral Researcher | 12-FEB-16 / 28-SEP-18 | |
| Teagasc | Research Officer | 04-JUN-13 / 11-FEB-16 |
Honours and Awards
| Year | Title | Awarding Body | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Microbes, Immunity and Cancer Course Partial Scholarship | EFIS-EJI Ruggero Ceppellini Advanced School of Immunology Italy | |
| 2017 | Tumor Immunology Course Partial Scholarship | EFIS-EJI Ruggero Ceppellini Advanced School of Immunology Italy | |
| 2009 | Postgraduate Teagasc Walsh Fellowship | Teagasc | |
| 2008 | Undergraduate Research Experience & Knowledge Award (UREKA) | Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) & UCC |
Committees
| Committee | Function | From / To | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Irish Society for Immunology Outreach Committee | Committee Member | 2023 / | |
| School of Medicine Research and Postgraduate Affairs Committee | Committee Member | 2023 / | |
| School of Medicine Athena Swan Self-Assessment Team | Department of Surgery Representative | 2022 / | |
| School of Medicine Library Committee | Department of Surgery Representative | 2022 / |
Professional Associations
| Association | Function | From / To | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Irish Association for Cancer Research | Member | 01-MAR-22 / 27-FEB-23 | |
| European Association for Cancer Research | Member | 01-MAR-22 / 28-FEB-23 | |
| Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies | Member | 01-JAN-20 / 31-DEC-20 | |
| Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies | Member | 01-JUN-19 / 31-MAY-20 | |
| The American Association of Immunologists | Member | 01-JUN-19 / 31-MAY-20 | |
| European Association for Cancer Research | Member | 01-AUG-18 / 31-JUL-19 | |
| The American Association of Immunologists | Member | 01-NOV-17 / 31-OCT-18 | |
| Irish Society for Immunology | Member | 01-JAN-16 / 31-DEC-17 |
Conference Contributions
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2023) | Surgical Research Society Annual Meeting, C Foley, C Cullinane, HP Redmond (2023) Transcriptomes of Breast Cancer Tumour and Normal Adjacent Tumour Tissue Reveal Differential Immune-Adipose-Cancer Gene Expression. [Oral Presentation], Surgical Research Society Annual Meeting, University of Nottingham Medical School, UK , 22-MAR-23 - 24-APR-23. [Details] | |
| (2021) | Beyond IOT 4.0 The Digital Revolution, C Foley (2021) Bioinformatics & Computational Immunology in Health and Disease. [Oral Presentation], Beyond IOT 4.0 The Digital Revolution, Online - Hosted by Munster Technological University , 26-JAN-21 - 27-JAN-21. [Details] | |
| (2019) | Breakthrough Cancer Research Conference, Foley C, Wilkinson M, Martyn F, Glover F, Brennan D, Lynch L (2019) Cytotoxic Vδ1 T Cells Candidates for Adoptive Cell therapy. [Poster Presentation], Breakthrough Cancer Research Conference, University College Cork, Cork . [Details] | |
| (2018) | 8th International Gamma Delta T-Cell Conference, Foley C, Wilkinson M, Martyn F, Glover F, Brennan D, Lynch L (2018) Human γδ T cell subsets have differential inhibitory receptor expression and metabolism. [Poster Presentation], 8th International Gamma Delta T-Cell Conference, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France . [Details] | |
| (2017) | Irish society for Immunology Conference, Foley C, Duquette D, K. Hokamp, Lynch L (2017) Transcriptional landscape differentiates gamma delta T cell subsets. [Poster Presentation], Irish society for Immunology Conference, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Dublin . [Details] | |
| (2013) | International Conference on Biology and Pathology of Reproduction in Domestic Animals, Foley C, Chapwanya A, Callanan JJ, Creevey C, Miranda R, Meijer W, Lynn D, O’Farrelly C and Meade KG (2013) Local and Systemic Immune Profiles at Day 7 Post-Partum Identify Dairy Cows at Risk of Uterine Disease. [Poster Presentation], International Conference on Biology and Pathology of Reproduction in Domestic Animals, Polish Academy of Science, Olsztyn, Poland . [Details] | |
| (2012) | European Veterinary Immunology Workshop, Foley C, Chapwanya A, Creevey C, Narciandi F, O’Farrelly C, Meade KG (2012) Global endometrial transcriptomic profiling during involution: transient immune activation precedes tissue proliferation and repair in healthy beef cows. [Poster Presentation], European Veterinary Immunology Workshop, Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, Scotland . [Details] | |
| (2012) | European Society for Domestic Animal Reproduction, Foley C, Chapwanya A, Creevey C, O'Farrelly C, Meade KG (2012) Global endometrial transcriptomic profiling reveals enrichment of immune pathways during early involution in healthy beef cows. [Poster Presentation], European Society for Domestic Animal Reproduction, University College Dublin, Ireland . [Details] | |
| (2011) | International Symposium on Animal Functional Genomics, Foley C, Chapwanya A, Creevey C, O'Farrelly C, Meade KG (2011) Next-generation sequencing of the postpartum endometrial transcriptome. [Poster Presentation], International Symposium on Animal Functional Genomics, The Burlington Hotel, Dublin . [Details] |
Teaching Activities
Teaching Interests
Undergraduate research projectsSupervise and examine undergraduate research projects and literature reviews for the Biomedical Science Programme (MT871), Module BM4013 and undergraduate research projects for the Medical Degree Programme (CK701), Modules MX3020 and MX4091.
Post-graduate teaching
MCh in Surgical Science (MCHSC) - contributed to the development of the Module SY6001 Essentials in Surgery 1 - Infection Prevention and Management including Antibiotic Stewardship, Wound Management and Healing. Module coordinator and lecturer on the Module SY6004 Surgical Immunology.
https://ucc-ie-public.courseleaf.com/modules/?details&srcdb=2023&code=SY6004
Research Information
Internal Collaborators
| Name | Institute | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prof. Henry Paul Redmond | University College Cork | IRELAND | |
| Prof. Micheal O’Riordain | University College Cork | IRELAND | |
| Mr. Emmet Andrews | University College Cork | IRELAND | |
| Prof. Roisin Connolly | University College Cork | IRELAND | |
| Prof. Derek Power | University College Cork | IRELAND | |
| Prof. Michael G. J. O Sullivan | Cork University Hospital | IRELAND |
External Collaborators
| Name | Organisation / Institute | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Associate Professor Alex K. Shalek | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | U.S.A. | |
| Associate Professor Andrew Hogan | Maynooth University | IRELAND | |
| Prof. Jacintha O'Sullivan | Trinity College Dublin | IRELAND | |
| Prof. Michael O’Dwyer | University of Galway | IRELAND | |
| Dr. Gillian Casey | Munster Technological University | IRELAND | |
| Dr. Michael Itak Ita | Aalborg University | DENMARK |