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TRAP grant awarded to study breast cancer and therapies
Dr Justin McCarthy, and Dr Michael W. Bennett have recently been awarded a Translational Research Access Programme (TRAP) grant from the School of Medicine.
Dr Justin McCarthy, School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, together with Dr Michael W. Bennett, Consultant Pathologist, Cork University Hospital and Dr Abhijit De, Advanced Centre for Training, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), TATA Memorial Centre, Navi Mumbai, India have recently be awarded a Translational Research Access Programme (TRAP) grant from the School of Medicine UCC to focus on the development and definition of novel prognostic markers for the improved definition of breast cancer subtypes and enhanced cancer therapy.
Dr Justin McCarthy is a Principal Investigator in the Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) International Strategic Cooperation Award Programme (ISCA), which supports the establishment of new and existing research-based collaborations between Ireland’s Higher Education Institutes and specific partner countries, including India, following several successful visits to India over the fast four years, Dr McCarthy has established a new research collaboration with Dr Abhijit De at the Advanced Centre for Training, Research and Education in Cancer, TATA Memorial Centre and TATA Memorial Hospital in Mumbai.
Despite recent advances, breast cancer remains one of the most commonly diagnosed forms of cancers among Irish women (www.ncri.ie). In combination with surgery and chemotherapy, fractionated ionizing radiation is a treatment strategy for metastatic breast cancer. However, tumour recurrence and resistance following initial radiation therapy is a major obstacle for breast cancer treatment. This work will lead to the characterization of new diagnostic biomarkers involved in the pathogenesis of breast cancer and possible development of new diagnostic tools and treatment strategies for the management and treatment of breast cancer.