Meet our Fellows

Dr. Teerna Bhattacharyya completed her PhD at the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, India. She also holds a Masters degree in Chemical Sciences from the University of Hyderabad, India. Her DevelopMed project uses systems biology approaches to characterise the molecular consequences of alterations in epigenetic regulators such as Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 leading to transcriptional dysregulation in acute leukaemia. She is currently based in Systems Biology Ireland in UCD.
Supervisor: Prof. Jonathan Bond | University College Dublin

Dr. Michela Coan received her PhD in Biomolecular Medicine (2018) at the University of Verona. Her research was conducted at the National Cancer Institute (CRO) in Aviano, Italy, and focused on the impact of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulated by mutant p53 in ovarian and breast cancer metastasis. In 2020, she joined Prof. Rory Johnson’s group at University College Dublin, Ireland, as a postdoctoral researcher working on the identification of novel therapeutic lncRNAs in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In 2021, she was awarded a DevelopMed fellowship to develop and apply methods for understanding the mode of action of anti-NSCLC lncRNAs, bringing their application closer to the clinic.
Supervisor: Associate Prof. Rory Johnson | University College Dublin

Dr. Alessandra Conforte is a biologist with an MSc in Genetics from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and a PhD in Computational and Systems Biology awarded by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Her DevelopMed project aims to determine how leukaemia cell heterogeneity is related to drug resistance and disease relapse. Single-cell RNA-Seq data was obtained for longitudinal samples from AML patients, which allows the characterisation of subpopulations of AML cells within each patient. The project combines computational and functional cell biology, and the results obtained will be used to design an informed therapeutic strategy that has potential for long-term cure.
You can read more about her research here.

Supervisor: Dr. Eva Szegezdi | University of Galway

Dr. Sahil Malhotra completed his PhD at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Delhi, and holds an MSc in Chemistry from the University of Delhi. Prior to commencing his MSCA fellowship he worked as a Principal Scientist at Biocon Biologics Ltd where he conducted physicochemical characterisation of biosimilars including insulin and monoclonal antibodies. The aim of his DevelopMed project is to develop next generation mucoadhesive buccal films to systemically deliver anti-cancer peptide therapeutics via the buccal cavity using combinations of permeation enhancers and mucoadhesive polymers. He is currently based in the School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin.
Supervisors: Prof. David Brayden & Prof. Jeremy Simpson | University College Dublin

Dr. Aranzazu Martinez De Maranon Peris completed her PhD in Biomedicine and Pharmacy at the University of Valencia, Spain. She also holds a Masters in Biomedical Biotechnology from Valencia Polytechnic University. Her DevelopMed project is exploring whether ISG15 modifies the function of specific proteins known to be involved in autophagic and mitophagic processes. She also hopes to study the functional implications of these modifications in oesophageal cancer cells and whether it affects chemoresistance. Aranzazu is currently based in University College Cork.
Supervisor: Dr. Sharon McKenna | University College Cork

Coming from France, Dr. Matthieu Moncan trained in the European Magisterium in Genetics of Paris University before starting his PhD in the Imagine Institute where he studied the genetic origin of autoimmune diseases and the role of the IRE1α protein in cellular biology and immunity. Following his curiosity on IRE1α, he decided to join Prof. Adrienne Gorman’s laboratory as a post-doctoral researcher to learn more about this protein by analyzing its role in breast and pancreatic cancer. His project aims to find new inhibitors which will help regulate specific downstream pathways of IRE1α which are fundamental for cancer progression.
Supervisor: Prof. Adrienne Gorman | University of Galway

Dr. Chris Shannon completed his Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Nottingham, UK and undertook subsequent postdoctoral training in the Diabetes Division at UT Health San Antonio, USA. His research is broadly focused on understanding the metabolic basis of human disease, with the goal of identifying novel therapeutic approaches to combat aging, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. As a DevelopMed fellow, Chris will be studying the role of the microbiome and metabolic inflammation in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients, to better understand its progression to hepatocellular carcinoma. He is currently based at the UCD Conway Institute.
Supervisor: Prof. Helen Roche | University College Dublin

Dr. Rashmi Sharma completed her PhD at the University of Debrecen in Hungary, and subsequently completed postdoctoral training at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel, under the supervision of Dr. Yifat Merbl and Prof. Yosef Shaul. During her work as a DevelopMed fellow she aims to determine the biological role of the RAF1 and MST2 pathways and their crosstalk in switching cell fate decisions in MYCN amplified high-risk NB. She is currently based in Systems Biology Ireland (SBI) in UCD and is also co-funded through SBI's Precision Oncology Ireland programme (P2.6 with partner the National Children's Research Centre)
Supervisor: Prof. Walter Kolch | University College Dublin

Dr. Yasuhito Sekimoto completed his M.D. and PhD at Jutendo University in Japan. His research aims to characterise the functional content of serum exosomes in LAM and investigate their effect on epithelial and endothelial cells. He also hopes to identify signalling cascades involved in EMT, EndMT and metastasis of LAM cells. He is currently based at the UCD Conway Institute.
Supervisors: Assoc. Prof. Cormac McCarthy & Prof. Michael Keane | University College Dublin

Dr. Claire Robinson received a BSc and PhD from University College Dublin, Ireland. Claire completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Toronto, Canada. Claire currently works as a DevelopMed Fellow in the group of Prof. Afshin Samali at the Apoptosis Research Centre in NUI Galway. Her work investigates the impact of targeting a cell stress response, called the unfolded protein response, in difficult to treat cancers.
Supervisor: Prof. Afshin Samali | University of Galway

Dr. Ayush Attery obtained his PhD from the National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi, India. He subsequently completed postdoctoral training at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel.

Supervisor: Dr. Eva Szegezdi | University of Galway

Dr. Sutanu Nandi obtained his PhD the Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR), India (Nodal Lab: CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India). He also holds an MSc in Software Technology from VIT University, Vellore, India.

Supervisor: Dr. Colm Ryan | University College Dublin