Zurich, Switzerland
Experienced Senior Researcher with a demonstrated history of working in fundamental and translational research and a strong research background in Molecular Biology, Immunology and Dermatology.
Investigating the underlying disease mechanisms of common and rare chronic inflammatory skin diseases and drug-induced skin toxicities.
Characterised the physiological role of keratinocyte signalling molecule CARD14 in orchestrating psoriasis pathogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Conceived and characterised the first gain-of-function CARD14 transgenic mouse, which spontaneously develops a chronic inflammatory skin phenotype, displaying the hallmarks of human disease.
I lectured and examined Biology and Biomedical Science 3rd and 4th year undergraduate students. The lecture modules included: Advanced Immunology, Molecular Biology, Microbial Biotechnology and Translational Clinical Research. I was also a lecturer on the Advanced Immunology and Global Health Master programme offered to MSc students. My lectures as part of the programme included: Applied Immunology, Advanced Immunology and Translational Clinical Research. Finally, during this time, I was the coordinator for Molecular Biology practicals to 3rd year Biology students and Advanced Immunology practicals to 4th year and MSc students at Maynooth University. In addition to teaching the role involved administrative duties and also lecture preparation, setting and marking of examination papers in addition to supervising and mentoring students.
I worked as part of a large team with the goal of investigating novel regulators of innate immune signalling pathways. We demonstrated the immune-evasive strategies of an entomopoxviral Pellino orthologue in regulating insect and mammalian Toll and Toll-like receptor pathways and investigated the role of mammalian E3 ubiquitin ligase Pellino proteins in regulating type I interferons and inflammasome activation in vitro and in vivo (published in the European Journal of Immunology and Nature Immunology, respectively). I also studied crosstalk between Toll-like receptor signalling with the second messenger cyclic AMP and reported an anti-inflammatory role for the TLR4 adaptor molecule, Mal (TIRAP), in enhancing IL-10 production (Journal of Immunology).
I cooridnated and organised timetables, lectures as well as lecturing individual modules. I set and marked assignments for 3 modules hosted at Maynooth University, including Applied and Molecular Immunology, Vaccines and Adjuvants, and Translational Immunology: Beyond the Bench. I also organized (with other junior colleagues) a Focus Seminar Series on Trending Topics in Translational Immunology at Maynooth University. As a coordinator, I organized national and international speakers and their travel and board, as well as advertising and organization of the seminars.
I studied the role of Rab proteins in intracellular membrane trafficking and endocytosis in the laboratory of Dr. Mary McCaffrey at the Department of Biochemistry, University College Cork, Ireland. The role also included ordering of equipment and research reagents, reporting and organisation of weekly lab meetings.
Cloning of viral capsid proteins to study cellular infection of a canine parvovirus in the laboratory of Prof. Christian Oker-Blom (published in FEBS Letters).