Dr. Órla P. Barry graduated with an Honours Degree in Biochemistry in 1991 from University College Cork (UCC). This was followed by a Ph.D. at the University of Pennsylvania (UPENN), Philadelphia, USA on "Transcellular activation of platelet microparticles: A role for platelet microparticle arachidonic acid". A post-doctoral fellowship also at UPENN, involved investigating novel mechanisms of transcellular lipid metabolism and isoprostanes as indices of oxidant stress. Upon returning to Ireland at the end of 1999, she joined the Cork Cancer Research Centre as a Health Research Board (HRB) funded Post-Doctoral fellow. Dr. Barry was appointed Lecturer in Pharmacology, UCC, in 2002 and is currently a Senior Lecturer. She completed the Certificate in Teaching and Learning in 2012 followed by a Diploma in 2013 and graduated with an MA (1H) in Teaching and Learning, in Higher Education, in 2014 through UCC CIRTL (Centre for Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning).

Cell Signalling and Cancer Dr. Barry's research focuses on cancers with few treatment strategies and with no significant improvement in overall survival rate, namely, oesophageal and renal cancers. The paucity of therapeutic options, and their associated morbidity, has led to vital research for new therapeutic strategies. Research focuses on the study of different families of serine/threonine kinases that play key roles in signalling mechanisms following activation of seven-transmembrane and tyrosine-kinase receptors. In particular, our area of research focuses on the role of Paks, p38 MAPKs, and PKCs which exert a variety of cellular effects including changes in proliferation, malignant transformation, cell death and differentiation. Briefly, we have exploited the activation of PKC as a pro-apoptotic and anti-proliferative agent in oesophageal cancer. In addition we have re-introduced p38delta MAPK into different cancers which lack this isoform including oesophageal, renal, prostate, lung and liver which has profound effects on cell proliferation and apoptosis. Finally, we have identified different Pak isoforms which are pro-apoptotic in oesophageal and renal cancer. An important aspect of our research is to elucidate the signalling pathways underlying the apoptotic effect of these kinases using both pharmacological and molecular strategies. In addition, the use of athymic nude mice to study their effects is necessary to translate in vitro results to in vivo models of tumourigenesis in order to validate our experimental hypothesis in a physiological setting. The identification of different kinase isoforms involved in cell proliferation and cell death in different types of cancer may have important therapeutic implications for the treatment of the disease. Epigenetics and Cancer Research on epigenetic gene silencing and on epigenetic drug-induced re-expression of tumour suppressor genes may

Undergraduate Teaching: Module Co-ordinator for 5 modules_lecture and exam in: PT2201 Principles of Dental Pharmacology PT3201 Dental Pharmacology PT2101 Chemotherapy and Pharmacology of Inflammation PT3005 Chemotherapy and Pharmacology of Inflammation RD2001 Periodontology Lecture and exam in: PT2448 Cellular and Molecular Basis of Drug Action and Toxicity PT4021 Immunopharmacology and Chemotherapy MH3010 Structured Literature Project in Medical and Health Sciences MH4010 Research Project in Medical and Health Sciences MX4091 Research for Medicine and Health II Postgraduate Lecturing and exam: GM1001 Fundamentals of Medicine I GM1002 Fundamentals of Medicine II GM1003 Fundamentals of Medicine III PF4016 Pharmacy Research Project ML6001 Molecular Cell Biology Research Dissertation ML6002 Biological and Clinical Perspectives of Human Disease