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Dr. Sharon O'Toole

Snr Experimental Officer (Obstetrics)

 shotoole@tcd.ie

 3531896 2106

Senior Research Fellow (Histopathology)

 (3531896) 2106


Biography

Sharon O'Toole is a senior research fellow in Trinity College Dublin working in the area of ovarian cancer. She qualified with a BSc Hons in UCG in 1994 and then completed an MSc Biotechnology in 1996. Having worked in industry she then returned to research and completed a PhD in Trinity College in 2003. She has gained enormous experience in the area of ovarian cancer and has played a major role in the development of studies in gynaecological cancer. She was instrumental in establishing the DISCOVARY consortium which is a multidisciplinary and trans- institutional consortium dedicated to addressing the problems of ovarian and uterine cancer. The consortium manages the largest ovarian cancer bioresource in the country. The consortium has now merged to form INNOVATION- the Irish National Network for Ovarian Cancer Collaboration which has brought together the medical, research and charity organisations involved in ovarian cancer in Ireland. Her research interests centre around diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers and understanding the fundamental biology of the metastatic cascade and circulating tumour cells. She has been successful in identifying diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for ovarian cancer and her ultimate aim is to translate these into the clinic. She has presented at both national and international conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals. She works closely with the 3 ovarian cancer charities in Ireland whose mission is to improve outcomes for ovarian cancer in Ireland. She was part of the organising committee of the first World Ovarian Cancer Day on May 8th in 2013 and this has now become an annual event.

Research Tags

  Gynaecology oncology   Obstetrics/Gynecology   Oestregens in age related urogenital diseases

Research Projects

 Identification of novel biomarkers in recurrent/chemoresistant ovarian cancer
 A Consortium of researchers dedicated to understanding and treatment of ovarian cancer: The DISCOVARY Consortium
 Chemosensitivity testing in gynaecological cancers

Languages

Language Skill Reading Skill Writing Skill Speaking
English Fluent Fluent Fluent
French Fluent Medium Medium

Memberships

Membership of Professional Institutions, Associations, Societies

Details Date From Date To
Member of European Association for Cancer Research. Member of Irish Association for Cancer Research
Thompson C, Kamran W, Dockrell L, Khalid S, Kumari M, Ibrahim N, OʼLeary J, Norris L, Petzold M, OʼToole S, Gleeson N, The Clearance of Serum Human Epididymis Protein 4 Following Primary Cytoreductive Surgery for Ovarian Carcinoma, International Journal of Gynaecological Cancer, 28, (6), 2018, p1066 - 1072, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI
Ward MP, Abu Saadeh, F, O'Toole S, Marchocki Z, Gleeson N, Norris LA, Optimisation of Thrombin Generation as a Predictive Biomarker for Venous Thromboembolism in Gynaecological Malignancies, Research Practice in Thrombosis and Haemostasis, International Society for Thrombosis and Haemostasis, Dublin, July 2018, 2, (Supplement 1), Wiley, 2018, ppPB518 - PB518, Published Abstract, PUBLISHED  DOI
Sulaiman, G, Cooke A, Ffrench B, Gasch C, Abdullai OA, O'Connor K, Elbaruni S, Blacksheilds G, Spillane C, Keegan H, McEneaney V, Knittel R, Rogers A, Jeffery IB, Doyle B, Bates M, d'Adhemar C, Lee M, Campbell EL, Moynagh P, Higgins DG, O'Toole S, O'Neill L, O'Leary JJ and Gallagher MF. , MyD88 is an essential component of retinoic acid induced differentiation in human pluripotent embryonal carcinoma cells. , Cell Death & Differentiation , 24, (11), 2017, p1975 - 1986, Journal Article, PUBLISHED
Ffrench B, Gasch, Hokamp K, Spillane C, Blackshields G, Mahgoub TM, Bates M, Kehoe L, Mooney A, Doyle R, Doyle B, O'Donnell D, Gleeson N, Hennessy BT, Stordal B, O'Riain C, Lambkin H, O'Toole S, O'Leary JJ, and Gallagher MF., CD10-/ALDH- cells are the sole cisplatin-resistant component of a novel ovarian cancer stem cell network. Cell Death & Disease , Cell Death and Disease, 8, (10), 2017, e3128, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  TARA - Full Text
Arts, Florence A and Keogh, Lisa and Smyth, Paul and O'Toole, Sharon and Ta, Robert and Gleeson, Noreen and O'Leary, John J and Flavin, Richard and Sheils, Orla, miR-223 potentially targets SWI/SNF complex protein SMARCD1 in atypical proliferative serous tumor and high-grade ovarian serous carcinoma, Human pathology, 70, 2017, p98 - 104, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI
B Jose, S O'Toole, R Forster, JJ O'Leary. , Smart Nanomotors: Towards in-vivo Sensing., Laboratory Investigation , USCAP, 97, ((S1)), 2017, pp530A-, Published Abstract, PUBLISHED
Abu Saadeh, F, Langhe R, Galvin DM, O Toole SA, O'Donnell DM, Gleeson N, Norris LA, Procoagulant activity in gynaecological cancer patients; the effect of surgery and chemotherapy. , Thrombosis Research, 139, 2016, p135 - 141, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI
Petch S, Norris L, O'Toole S, Gleeson N, Abu Saadeh F. , Peri operative venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in gynaecological cancer patients. A survey of current practice., Thrombosis Research, 145, 2016, p126 - 128, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI
White C, Bakhiet S, Bates M, Keegan H, Pilkington L, Ruttle C, Sharp L, O' Toole S, Fitzpatrick M, Flannelly G, O' Leary JJ, Martin CM. , Triage of LSIL/ASC-US with p16/Ki-67 dual staining and human papillomavirus testing: a 2-year prospective study. , Cytopathology, 27, (4), 2016, p269 - 276, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI
Martin CM, Astbury K, Kehoe L, O'Crowley JB, O'Toole S, O'Leary JJ. , The Use of MYBL2 as a Novel Candidate Biomarker of Cervical Cancer. , Methods Mol Biol, 1249, 2015, p241 - 251, Journal Article, PUBLISHED
  

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O'Leary JJ, White C, Spillane C, Naik, P, O'Brien, R, Reynolds, S, Pham, T, Pilkington, L, Sharkey Ochoa, I, Bolger, N, Barry O'Crowley, J, Tewari, P, O'Toole, S, Sweeney, M, Keegan, H, Normand, C, Sharp, L, Flannelly, G, Martin, CM. , Cervical screening: A new way forward (tests of risk and tests of disease) [version 1; referees: 1 approved, 1 approved with reservations]., HRB Open Research, 1, (3), 2018, Journal Article, PUBLISHED
Ibrahim N, Norris L, O'Toole S, McHugh T, Gleeson N, Does extended thromboprophylaxis help reduce the incidence of venous thromboembolism in gynaecological cancer patients?, Thrombosis Research, 7th Internation Conference onal Thrombosis & Hemostatis Issues in Cancer,, Bergamo Italy, May 2014, edited by A Falanga, B. Brenner, F, Rickles , 133, (Suppl 2), Elsevier, 2014, Published Abstract, PUBLISHED
Laios A, O'Toole SA, Sheppard BL, Gleeson NC, D'Arcy T, McGuinness EPJ, Ring M, Sheils O, Smyth P, O'Leary JJ., Recurrent ovarian cancer cDNA signatures., Centenary Meeting of the Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland , Manchester, July 2006, 2006, Meeting Abstract, PRESENTED
CM Martin, K Astbury, R Henfrey, O Sheils, M Gallagher, C Heffron, C Logan, SA O'Toole, JJ O'Leary, miRNA expression signatures in cervical cancer, Journal of RNAi and Gene Silencing, RNAi2006: Advances in RNA Interference Research, St Anne's College, Oxford, United Kingdom, March 2006, 2, (2), 2006, Meeting Abstract, PUBLISHED
Laios A, O'Toole SA, Sheppard BL, Gleeson NC, D'Arcy T, McGuinness EPJ, Ring M, Sheils O, O'Leary JJ. (ed.), Irish Association for Cancer Research, Galway, Ireland, March 2006, 2006, Proceedings of a Conference, PRESENTED
A Laios, SA O'Toole, B Sheppard, N Gleeson, T D'Arcy, E PJ McGuinness, M Ring, O Sheils and JJ O'Leary. , Transcriptome profiling of primary and recurrent ovarian cancers, Junior Obstetrics and Gynaecology Society, Dublin, Nov 2005, 2005, Meeting Abstract, PRESENTED
O'Toole S, Laios A, Sheppard B, Smyth P, O'Regan E, Sheils O, O'Leary J. , Expression profiling of endometrial stromal cells treated with estradiol and phytoestrogens. , 20th European Congress of Pathology, Paris, Sept 2005, 2005, Meeting Abstract, PRESENTED
O'Toole SA, Laios A, Sheppard BL, Gleeson NC, D'Arcy T, Mc Guinness EPJ, Bonnar J, Sheils O, O'Leary JJ. , Angiogenesis markers in ovarian cancer act as prognostic markers but not indicators of chemotherapy response, Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland, Newcastle, UK, July 2005, 2005, Meeting Abstract, PRESENTED
O'Toole SA, Laios A, Sheppard BL, Gleeson NC, D'Arcy T, Mc Guinness EPJ, Bonnar J, Sheils O, O'Leary JJ. , Potential Predictors of Chemotherapy Response in Ovarian Cancer., Irish gynaecological oncology society, Belfast, 2005, 2005, Meeting Abstract, PRESENTED
O'Toole SA, Sheppard BL, D'Arcy T, Mc Guinness EPJ, Gleeson NC, Bonnar J, Sheils O, O'Leary JJ. , Angiogenesis in Ovarian Cancer does not predict response to chemotherapy., Irish Association for Cancer Research, Kilkenny, Ireland, March 2005, 2005, Meeting Abstract, PRESENTED

  

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Research Interests

Description Of Research Interests

-Early diagnostics in ovarian cancer -Chemoresistance in ovarian cancer Chemosensitivity/Resistance testing of malignant gynaecological tumours -Examination of Fibrinolytic systems of malignant gynaecological tumours -Examination of angiogenesis in ovarian cancers. -Examination of multidrug resistance genes in gynaecological tumours. -Estrogen regulated genes in endometrial cancer. -PhytoSERMs and Endometrial Cancer