Fellowship Call for 2019
October 12, 2018ICAT One Health Study Day Registration
February 29, 2024Full NameProfessor Cliona O'Farrelly
School of Medicine & School of Biochemistry & Immunology
Trinity College Dublin
Webpage:www.tcd.ie
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- cancer/oncology
- Medicine
- Public Health
- Immunology
- Oncology
We focus on the human immune response to malignancy and were amongst the first in the world to describe the human liver as a major organ of innate immunity populated with repertoires of natural killer and natural killer-like cells with potent anti-tumour activity. A particularly novel concept being explored by our group is the possibility that tumour surveillant innate lymphoid populations might differentiate in specific organs. So far, we have demonstrated lymphoid progenitor cells with natural killer differentiation markers in human liver, gut and uterus.
The research group has shown a range of abnormalities in tissue resident anti tumour immune activities, including altered cytokine profiles, dysfunctional NKR+ lymphoid cells and differential splicing patterns of CD1d. In collaboration with St. .James's and St.Vincent's Hospitals, we are exploiting these findings to develop new prognostic indicators and novel immunotherapies for patients with colorectal liver metastases.
- S. Norris, D.G. Doherty, M. Curry, G. McEntee, O. Traynor, J.E. Hegarty, C. O'Farrelly. Selective reduction of natural killer cells and T cells expressing inhibitory receptors for MHC class 1 in the livers of patients with hepatic malignancy. Cancer Immunol Immunotherapy 2003; 52:53-58 PMID 12536240.
- Harmon C, Robinson MW, Fahey R, Whelan S, Houlihan DD, Geoghegan J, O'Farrelly C. Tissue-resident Eomes(hi) T-bet(lo) CD56(bright) NK cells with reduced proinflammatory potential are enriched in the adult human liver. Eur J Immunol. 2016 Sep;46(9):2111-20. doi: 10.1002/eji.201646559.