Prof. Tracy Robson

Prof. Tracy Robson

President

Tracy Robson obtained her PhD in Cancer Biology from Imperial College, London. Her first academic post was as Lecturer in Radiation Science at Ulster University in 1997; she was promoted to Reader in 2001. She then moved to the School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University of Belfast in 2004 to take up the post of Reader in Molecular Pharmacology; she was promoted to Professor in 2010.

In 2016, she took up position as Professor and Head of Department of Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics at RCSI and then became Head of School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences in July 2019. Her major research focus has been the development of novel approaches for sensitizing tumours to therapy using personalised medicine approaches.

She led a major programme of research aimed at the identification and functional characterisation of genes that alter tumour response to anti-cancer agents. In particular, she cloned and characterized a novel human gene, FKBPL. Her group has demonstrated an extracellular role for FKBPL as a naturally secreted, anti-angiogenic protein.

Together with Almac, she led the development of therapeutic peptide derivatives (AD-01 and ALM201) based on FKBPL’s active anti-angiogenic domain. Based on the robust efficacy and excellent safety profile, ALM201, a ‘first-in-class’ FKBPL-based anti-angiogenic therapeutic peptide has completed formulation and toxicology testing and successfully completed a phase I cancer clinical trial (EudraCT number: 2014-001175-31). ALM201 was granted Orphan Drug Designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of ovarian cancer.

More recently, through the development of genetically modified mouse models, she has also demonstrated a role for FKBPL in protection against a range of other diseases associated with vascular regulation and inflammation. She is actively researching in these areas, so that the clear translational potential of FKBPL-based therapeutics can be fully harnessed and FKBPL’s diagnostic potential in these disease settings can be scrutinized.

3D mammosphere culture of breast epithelial cell line MCF10A.

Courtesy of Dr. Emer Bourke, NUI Galway

Phospho-Akt expression and localisation

Mediated by VEGF in A549 lung cancer cells. Visualised by high content image analysis.

Courtesy of Dr Martin Barr, Clinical Scientist & Adjunct Assistant Professor, St James’s Hospital & Trinity College Dublin

Metaphase chromosome spread of Jurkat T-lymphoma cells

Courtesy of Rebecca Gorry, PhD Student, Mc Gee Lab, UCD School of Biomolecular & Biomedical Science, Conway Institute, UCD

Apoptosis assessment of SKMES-1 lung cancer cells

Using a multiparameter apoptosis staining kit, showing cell nuclei (blue), actin (green) and mitochondrial activity (orange).

Courtesy of Dr Martin Barr, Clinical Scientist & Adjunct Assistant Professor, St James’s Hospital & Trinity College Dublin

HeLa Cells

Courtesy of Rebecca Gorry, PhD Student, Mc Gee Lab, UCD School of Biomolecular & Biomedical Science, Conway Institute, UCD

IACR & EACR Joint Conference 2020

26 — 28 February 2020 at Galway Bay Hotel, Galway

Mitotic Chronic Myelogenous Leukaemia K562 Cells

Courtesy of Rebecca Gorry, PhD Student, Mc Gee Lab, UCD School of Biomolecular & Biomedical Science, Conway Institute, UCD

Cell to Cell Tweeting

Via nanoparticles (red) in Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC)

Courtesy of Sinéad Lindsay, UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin (UCD) Ireland.

Confocal Microscopy Analysis

Of phospho-Akt expression in H460 lung cancer cells in response to hypoxia (0.5% O2).

Courtesy of Dr Martin Barr, Clinical Scientist & Adjunct Assistant Professor, St James’s Hospital & Trinity College Dublin

IACR 2023 Carer’s Bursary €300

Apply for funding towards additional costs of care while attending conference. Five Bursaries Available. 

Registration/ Membership for IACR 2023

Registration for the 59th Annual Conference in the Radisson Blu hotel, Athlone is Now Open.

EACR Membership is Included

The IACR is an affiliated national society and its members benefit from full membership of the EACR.

Biomedical Session Abstracts

Deadline: Midnight, Friday, 20th January 2023

Please note:
- Patrick Johnston Lay submission category is now closed
- Late Breaking Abstracts submitted to the Biomedical Sessions will be considered for Display Poster Presentation. 

Social Nursing and Allied Health (SNAH) Abstracts

Deadline: Midnight, Monday, 9th January 2023

SNAH abstract submissions will remain open until Monday 9th January.

Any questions?
Please contact Sinead on: sinead@sineadcassidy.com

Contact Us

Contact Us
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T: +353 (0)1 295 8859
E: info@iacr.ie

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Registered Charity Number (RCN): 20030117

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