Matthew J O'Connell

Matthew J O'Connell is a Professor in the Department of Oncological Sciences and the Senior Associate Dean for PhD Programs at the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. His research focuses on genomic stability, cell cycle regulation, and anti-cancer therapies. He holds a PhD from the University of Adelaide and has held roles at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and the University of Oxford.

Dr. O'Connell's research investigates DNA damage response pathways, particularly G2 checkpoints and chromosome dynamics. His lab uses fission yeast and human cells to study Chk1 kinase function and replication stress mechanisms. He leads the O'Connell Laboratory, which integrates genetic, genomic, and molecular approaches to advance cancer therapy design.

• Education: PhD, University of Adelaide; additional affiliations include Imperial Cancer Research Fund
• Awards: 2014 Edward J. Ronin Award, multiple teaching awards

He advises current students Kevin Barnum, Nagma Shah, and others, and collaborates with postdocs like Claudia Tapia-Alveal. His lab's work bridges basic biology and clinical applications, emphasizing genome integrity and drug target discovery.