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Cliodhna Nolan

Contact Details:

Position:

PhD Student

Supervisor:

Dr. Kellie Dean (UCC), Dr. Derville O’Shea (CUH Haematologist), and Dr. Eoghan Molloy (CUH Haematologist)

Research Area:

Circulating nucleic acids, cell free DNA (cfDNA), lymphoma.

Category:

Postgraduate Students

Clíodhna graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Science (Physiology) from the National University of Ireland, Galway, in 2022. Shortly after graduating, she began working as a research assistant in Cancer Research @UCC, where she worked under the guidance of Prof. Mary Cahill on the BCNI Biobanking project. The BCNI (Blood Cancer Network Ireland) Biobank at UCC is dedicated to the collection, processing, and storage of samples from patients with haematological malignancies, following informed consent.
Clíodhna is now undertaking her PhD while maintaining the BCNI biobank.

Project

Clíodhna's PhD is centred on 'The use of cell-free DNA in high-grade non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in conjunction with FDG PET CT scan parameters.' This project obtained ethical approval from the Clinical Research Ethics Committee (CREC) and commenced in October 2023. This project is overseen by a team of supervisors, including, Dr. Derville O’Shea, Dr. Kellie Dean, Dr. Eoghan Molloy, with Professor Mary Cahill as an advisor on the project.

The primary objective is to evaluate the feasibility of analysing  cell-free DNA (cfDNA), a type of circulating fragmented DNA found in the blood, and investigating how it can be used to monitor patients alongside their routine PET/CT scans at CUH. A secondary objective is to explore tumour heterogeneity, examining how different parts of the same tumour may behave differently. Clíodhna will employ statistical modelling and PET scan image analysis techniques, with support from colleagues in UCC’s School of Mathematical Sciences, to better predict patient outcomes and prognosis. The ultimate aim of her research is to support the use of liquid biopsies for monitoring in high-grade non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, with the overarching goal of reducing the need for tumour biopsies and improving patient outcomes through more effective, non-invasive monitoring methods.

Cancer Research @UCC

4th floor, Western Gateway Building , Western Road, Cork

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