Research Team

Róisín Dwyer MSc PhD

Lecturer

Surgery
Room 305c, Clinical Science Institute
NUI Galway
Tel: 091 544637
E-mail: roisin.dwyernuigalway.ie

Dr Róisín Dwyer graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Industrial Microbiology in 1997 from University College Dublin (UCD) and went on to complete a MSc (Hons) in Biological Sciences in 1998 at Dublin City University. In 2001 she was awarded her PhD in Medicine and Therapeutics investigating iodide uptake and metabolism in breast cancer from UCD. Róisín's research background in breast cancer led to a 3 year postdoctoral research position at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota investigating novel approaches to imaging and treating breast tumours. This involved adenovirus-mediated transcriptional targeting of gene expression to breast cancer for imaging and therapy. Success of that study led to expansion of the work to include other tumour types, including pancreatic and ovarian cancers.

Róisín's current research is an extension of previous experience in breast cancer research, focusing on new approaches to breast cancer therapy. Her work is investigatating the potential of adult stem cells as vehicles for targeted delivery of therapeutic genes or their products to breast tumors, with a specific interest in imaging modalities to track MSC migration in vivo. Róisín also supervises postgraduate MD and PhD research programmes examining the primary breast tumour environment in the context of cellular interactions, cytokine secretion, angiogenesis and the pathways involved in metastasis to bone. 

Awards

Róisín was awarded the first Irish Cancer Society Researcher of the Year in 2012 for her outstanding research entitled, "Adult Stem Cells: Have Tumour? Will Travel" which used Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) or adult stem cells to deliver anti-cancer drugs directly to tumours. 

In 2011, in collaboration with Dr Margaret Rae of the School of Natural Sciences/Marine Institute, Róisín received an Enterprise Ireland grant. She was the recipient of project grants from the  Health Research Board and Cancer Research Ireland in 2007. She was awarded a National University of Ireland (NUI) Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Sciences in October 2005.

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Publications

Ryan J, Curran CE, Hennessy E, Newell J, Morris JC, Kerin MJ, Dwyer RM.
The sodium iodide symporter (NIS) and potential regulators in normal, benign and malignant human breast tissue.
PLoS One. 2011 Jan 19;6(1):e16023.

Lowery AJ, Miller N, Dwyer RM, Kerin MJ. Dysregulated miR-183 inhibits migration in breast cancer cells.
BMC Cancer. 2010 Sep 21;10:502. 

Dwyer RM, Khan S, Barry FP, O'Brien T, Kerin MJ.
Advances in mesenchymal stem cell-mediated gene therapy for cancer.
Stem Cell Res Ther. 2010 Aug 9;1(3):25.

Dwyer RM, Kerin MJ.
Mesenchymal stem cells and cancer: tumor-specific delivery vehicles or therapeutic targets?
Hum Gene Ther. 2010 Nov;21(11):1506-12. Epub 2010 Oct 6.

Martin FT, Dwyer RM, Kelly J, Khan S, Murphy JM, Curran C, Miller N, Hennessy E, Dockery P, Barry FP, O'Brien T, Kerin MJ. Potential role of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the breast tumour microenvironment: stimulation of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT).
Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2010 Nov;124(2):317-26. Epub 2010 Jan 20. 

Molloy AP, Martin FT, Dwyer RM, Griffin TP, Murphy M, Barry FP, O'Brien T, Kerin MJ.
Mesenchymal stem cell secretion of chemokines during differentiation into osteoblasts, and their potential role in mediating interactions with breast cancer cells.
Int J Cancer. 2009 Jan 15;124(2):326-32.

Potter SM, Dwyer RM, Curran CE, Hennessy E, Harrington KA, Griffin DG, Kerin MJ.
Systemic chemokine levels in breast cancer patients and their relationship with circulating menstrual hormones.
Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2009 May;115(2):279-87. Epub 2008 Jun 4.

Dwyer RM, Potter-Beirne SM, Harrington KA, Lowery AJ, Hennessy E, Murphy JM, Barry FP, O'Brien T, Kerin MJ.
Monocyte chemotactic protein-1 secreted by primary breast tumors stimulates migration of mesenchymal stem cells.
Clin Cancer Res. 2007 Sep 1;13(17):5020-7.

Dwyer RM, Bergert ER, O'Connor MK, Gendler SJ, Morris JC.
Adenovirus-mediated and targeted expression of the sodium-iodide symporter permits in vivo radioiodide imaging and therapy of pancreatic tumors.
Hum Gene Ther. 2006 Jun;17(6):661-8.

Dwyer RM, Bergert ER, O'Connor MK, Gendler SJ, Morris JC.
Sodium iodide symporter-mediated radioiodide imaging and therapy of ovarian tumor xenografts in mice.
Gene Therapy. 2005 Aug 25

Dwyer RM, Schatz SM, Bergert ER, Myers RM, Harvey ME, Classic KL, Blanco MC, Frisk CS, Marler RJ, Davis BJ, O'Connor MK, Russell SJ, Morris JC.
A preclinical large animal model of adenovirus-mediated expression of the sodium-iodide symporter for radioiodide imaging and therapy of locally recurrent prostate cancer.
Mol Ther. 2005 Nov;12(5):835-41.

Dwyer RM, Bergert ER, O'Connor MK, Gendler SJ, Morris JC.
In vivo radioiodide imaging and treatment of breast cancer xenografts after MUC1-driven expression of the sodium iodide symporter.
Clin Cancer Res. 2005 Feb 15;11(4):1483-9.

Smyth PP, Dwyer RM.
The sodium iodide symporter and thyroid disease.
Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2002 Apr;56(4):427-9. Review.

Kilbane MT, Ajjan RA, Weetman AP, Dwyer R, McDermott EW, O'Higgins NJ, Smyth PP.
Tissue iodine content and serum-mediated 125I uptake-blocking activity in breast cancer.
J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2000 Mar;85(3):1245-50.

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