Development of novel agents for cardioprotection in drug induced cardiotoxicity and myocardial infarction.

Dr. Roisin Kelly-Laubscher

Dr. Roisin Kelly-Laubscher’s research focuses on the identification and development of cardioprotective agents for the treatment of cardiac pathologies. To do this she uses cellular and preclinical models of cardiac pathology including; myocardial infarction, drug induced cardiotoxicity and cardiac hypertrophy. Through her research she has identified ethanolamine as a novel cardioprotective agent in myocardial infarction. Her current research focuses on the delineation of the mechanisms of this protection. A better understanding of how ethanolamine protects the heart may lead to the identification of more specific drug targets.

More recently her research has focused on the identification of novel cardioprotective agents that can minimise the damage caused by anti-cancer drugs. More and more people are surviving cancer due to early detection methods and better treatment options. Unfortunately, many of the drugs used to treat cancer can also damage the heart and so there is a need for cardioprotective agents that can protect the heart during cancer treatment. 

Publications:

• Kelly-Laubscher, R., Somers, S., Lacerda, L., & Lecour, S. (2023). Role of nuclear factor kappa-B in TNF-induced cytoprotection. Cardiovascular Journal of Africa, 34(2), 74-80.
• Araibi, H., van der Merwe, E., Gwanyanya, A., & Kelly‐Laubscher, R. (2020). The effect of sphingosine‐1‐phosphate on the endothelial glycocalyx during ischemia‐reperfusion injury in the isolated rat heart. Microcirculation, 27(5), e12612.
• Amoni, M., Kelly-Laubscher, R., Petersen, M., & Gwanyanya, A. (2017). Cardioprotective and anti-arrhythmic effects of magnesium pretreatment against ischaemia/reperfusion injury in isoprenaline-induced hypertrophic rat heart. Cardiovascular toxicology, 17, 49-57.

Dr Kelly-Laubscher welcomes enquires from students interested in discussing MSc or PhD opportunities and post-doctoral researchers wishing to join the research group. If you would like to discuss such possibilities, please contact me on roisinkelly@ucc.ie