School of Cancer Sciences

Keeshan Lab Members 

 

Current Lab Members 

Dr Madonna Eltoukhy (PhD student)

Dr Aya Gouma (PhD Student)

Lijun Liu (PhD student)

Evie Rigby (PhD student)

Saloni Vinod Choudhari (PhD student)

Alexander Winton (Bioinformatician)

Dr Francesca Masci (Postdoctoral Researcher)

Dr Elzbieta Kania (Postdoctoral Researcher) Funded by KKLF

 

Past lab members 

Meaad Saeed J Almowaled, PhD student - now lecturer in Saudi Arabia

Dr Alison Laing, Clinical Research Fellow – now at Haemato-Oncology Department, Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, Glasgow, United Kingdom 

Jake Ritchie - Postdoctoral Researcher, now LIMS specialist at the lighthouse lab Glasgow 

Laura Richmond - Research Associate, now Lecturer in MVLS, University of Glasgow, UK 

Myint Myat Khine Aung – MSci Immunology, now PhD student at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna 

Fiona Lohan - PhD student, now Associate Director, Process Sciences Lead at MSD, Ireland  

Kai Ling Liang - PhD student, now postdoctoral researcher in Tom Taghon’s lab in Ghent University, Belgium  

Caitriona O’Connor - PhD student and Research Associate, currently Global Scientific Communications (Regulatory) at Eli Lilly and Company, Ireland 

Joana Campos - PhD student, now postdoctoral researcher at the Centre for Haemato-Oncology, Barts Cancer Institute (London), in Kamil Kranc’s Lab. 

Mara Salomè - PhD student, now a postdoctoral fellow in Davide Gabellini's Lab in Milan at the IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Italy  

Shazhya Chaudhury - Clinical Research Fellow PhD, now Consultant Paediatric Haematologist at the Royal Hospital for Children Glasgow, UK 

Evgenia Sarrou - PhD student, now Medical Science Liaison in Haematology at PHARMAPAL Overseas Limited, Greece 

Ashley Newcombe – PhD student, now Medical Writer at DRG Abacus, UK 

Lu Liang - Research Associate, now University lecturer, China 

Loveena Rishi – Research Associate, now Associate Principal Scientist, Global Flow cytometry 

Pedro Veiga – Research Associate, now Clinical Scientist, UK 

Francesca Pellicano – Research Associate, now Project Leader at Drug Discovery Programme, The Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, UK 

Krishna Yalla - Research Associate, now Research Associate in The University of Glasgow, UK 

Áine Prendergast – Research Associate, now Medical Science Liaison, Oncology at Ipsen, UK  

Ana Canete Sanchez – Research Associate, now University Lecturer, Spain  

Sarah McCarthy – Research Assistant, now Group Leader at Eli Lilly and Company, Ireland 

Brian Murphy – Research Assistant, now Commercial Director at Valitacell, USA 

Maura Hannon – PhD student, now Medical student, Ireland 

Ciaran Forde – MSc student, now Project Manager at Teckro, Ireland 

Jessica Morrison – Research Associate, now Director of Medical Affairs at CRISPR Therapeutics, NY, USA 

 

Testimonials 

 

Myint Myat Khine Aung MSci Immunology 

I took up a one-year MSci placement in the Keeshan Lab (Paul O’ Gorman Leukaemia Research Centre) to research on paediatric Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML). I investigated an apoptotic pathway that can be targeted as a therapeutic option using various experimental techniques including drug testing and a functional assay known as BH3 profiling. I had a lot of guidance under Dr Karen and her team, and the experience definitely incited me to further my research interest in cancer. I am now a PhD student in the Moriggl/Neubauer Lab at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna.  

 

Mara Salomé PhD Student 

I spent 5 years in the Keeshan lab where I obtained my PhD in Cancer Sciences and had the opportunity to work on different exciting AML projects. My backpack is full of very fond memories from my PhD time. I learnt a lot, I met outstanding scientists, I travelled to lots of conferences and I always had great encouragement and support from Karen. My previous experience in the Keeshan lab allowed me to find a new work position immediately after finishing my project in Glasgow. I joined Davide Gabellini's Lab in Milan, Italy at the IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital with a post doc position on a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Individual Fellowship in ALL. Moreover, the CV that I built in Karen's lab helped me securing two fellowships once arrived in Italy: the Italian Fondazione Umberto Veronesi fellowship (1 year) and the MSCA (Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions) (2 years). 

 

Kai Ling Liang PhD student 

I completed my PhD in the Keeshan lab at Paul O’Gorman Leukemia Research Centre from 2013 to 2015 as a visiting postgraduate researcher. It was a rewarding training that allowed me to deepen my knowledge and develop research skills in the field of normal and malignant haematopoiesis. I am grateful for the guidance given by Karen and had a great time in the group. I am now a postdoctoral researcher in Tom Taghon’s lab in Ghent University, Belgium.   

 

Evgenia Sarrou PhD student 

I first joined the Keeshan lab while I was an MRes student and then continued as a PhD candidate. The focus of my project was to establish the novel genome editing technique, CRISPR/Cas9, on haematopoietic cells to generate pre-AML models. We were able to utilise this technique for generating de novo chromosomal translocations and for altering gene expression of specific targets. During my PhD years, I also gained extensive experience of in vitro and in vivo work, eight-colour flow cytometry, protein, gene expression and DNA assays. Apart from the technical skills, I was given the opportunity to work with internal and external lab collaborators and other team members, attend conferences, present my work, and supervise master and undergraduate students. These made my presentation, organisation, and creative thinking skills stronger which contributed to my current position as a Medical Science Liaison (MSL) in pharma industry, in Greece.  

 

Joana Campos PhD student 

I undertook my scientific training towards the PhD in Dr. Karen Keeshan’s lab. My research was focused on identifying the role that a specific gene (TRIB2) has in AML cells, studying its oncogenic properties and leukaemia cells response to proteasome inhibition. These were critical years to expand my analytical and technical skillset. They allowed me to bring to my current position, as a postdoctoral researchers in Kamil Kranc’s Lab in the Centre for Haemato-Oncology, Barts Cancer Institute (London), a strong background in haemato- oncology, an area of research that I aspire to move forward.