Beth Brint

Emaile.brintuccie

Research activity per year

Biography

Beth Brint is a Senior Lecturer in the Pathology Department, UCC, Investigator in APC Microbiome Ireland, Faculty member of CancerResearch@UCC. Beth 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 mechanism regulating the inflammatory/immune response. 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. She subsequently moved to University College Cork to take up a senior postdoctoral position in APC Microbiome Ireland (APC), successfully obtaining a postdoctoral research fellowship from the Health Research Board, Ireland for this work. In 2008 she competitively obtained a tenured position at UCC as a Lecturer in Pathology. She teaches students across many programmes including undergraduate medicine and dentistry, graduate entry medicine, BSc in Biomedical Science, BSc in Medical and Health Sciences and the MSc in Cell and Molecular Biology. She has been Year 1 co-ordinator for University College Cork’s flagship Graduate Entry to Medicine programme since 2018. Research in Beth’s laboratory focuses on innate immune responses, with a particular emphasis on the regulation and function of innate immunity in the gastrointestinal tract in both health and disease. Of particular relevance to her group are inflammatory receptor families (Toll-Like Receptors; IL-1 family; Death receptors) that contribute to intestinal diseases such as inflammatory bowel diseases and colorectal cancer. This work fits with her roles within both APC Microbiome Ireland and Cancer Research@UCC. To date she has supervised 20 PhD/MD/MSc

Research Interests

The primary focus of my lab is the study of innate immunity and inflammation in health and disease. We are especially interested in understanding the complex functions and regulation of innate immune responses, as disruption of these mechanisms may lead to the development of disease. We have a particular emphasis on the role of innate immunity at mucosal barrier surfaces, in particular the gastrointestinal tract, where dysregulated immune responses lead to the development of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBDs) and colon cancer. Of particular relevance to my group are inflammatory receptor families (Toll-Like Receptors (TLR); Interleukin (IL)-1 family Receptors) and understanding how these contribute to intestinal diseases. The inter-connected aims of Dr. Brint’s research programme are 1. The investigate novel functions, mechanism of action and regulation of innate immune proteins in intestinal health and disease. 2. The understand the role of the IL-1 family members (IL-33, IL-36, IL-37, IL-38) in cancer, particularly colorectal and lung cancer. 3. To develop novel therapeutic strategies for colorectal and lung cancer targeting IL-1 and TLR superfamily members. 4. To understand the interplay between inflammation and cell death in the context of intestinal health and disease 5. To understand the interactions between the microbiota and the innate immune system in intestinal disease and cancer.

Teaching Activities

Year 1 Co-ordinator Graduate Entry to Medicine 2018-2025 GM1001: Fundamentals of Medicine I (2008 - GM1002: Fundamentals of Medicine II (2008 - GM1003: Fundamentals of Medicine III (2008 - Module Co-coordinator 2018- present GM2001: (Fundamentals of Medicine IV (2008 - Module Co-ordinator 2012-2018 FM2004/PM2004: Foundations of Medicine: Mechanisms of Disease (2008 - BM4007/PM3017: Cellular Pathology II (2009 - BM4013: Biomedical Science Research Project (2009 - MH1050: Introduction to Translational Medicine (2019 - ML6001: Molecular Cell Biology Research Dissertation (2018 – ML6002: Biological and Clinical Perspectives of Disease (2018- MX5091- Medical Research Project and Elective Practise ( 2010-

UCC Futures (primary)

Future Medicines

Other research affiliations

FSRC - Cancer Research @ UCC
UCC Futures - Food, Microbiome and Health

PhD Supervision

Available for PhD supervision

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

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