Research

Professor Anna Olsson-Brown is Professor of Cancer Clinical Trials at Cancer Research @ UCC and Consultant Medical Oncologist at Cork University Hospital, with specialist expertise in melanoma, immunotherapy, acute oncology, and the management of cancer treatment toxicities. She joined University College Cork in 2026 following a distinguished clinical and academic career in the UK.

Anna is an internationally recognised leader in cancer immunotherapy and immunotherapy-related toxicities. Her research focuses on understanding, predicting, and managing immune-related adverse events associated with cancer immunotherapies, with the goal of improving both patient outcomes and quality of life. She completed a Medical Research Council Clinical Research Fellowship and was awarded a PhD in Pharmacology and Cancer Studies from the University of Liverpool, investigating the immunological mechanisms underpinning immune-related toxicities.

She has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed publications and has led or collaborated on numerous national and international research studies, clinical trials, and translational research programmes. Her work has been published in leading journals includingJAMA Network Open, The Lancet, The Lancet Oncology, and British Journal of Cancer.

Alongside her academic work, Anna has held a number of senior leadership roles in cancer care and serves as Chair of the Association of Cancer Physicians. She is also Chief Executive Officer of the National Immuno-oncology Clinical Network and leads several national initiatives focused on supportive oncology, treatment toxicity, and service innovation.

Anna is passionate about research that bridges laboratory discovery and clinical practice, ensuring that advances in cancer treatment deliver tangible benefits for patients. She is committed to fostering research talent, developing innovative clinical trials, and strengthening international collaborations in cancer research at UCC.