Aisling Heeran

Dr. Aisling Heeran is a Lecturer in Pharmacy at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, with a concurrent position at the International College for Pharmaceutical Innovation, SUDA, Suzhou, China. She holds a B.Sc. and M.Pharm from RCSI, an M.Sc. in Translational Oncology from Trinity College Dublin, and a Ph.D. focusing on radiation bystander effects in gastrointestinal cancers. Her research focuses on biomarkers of treatment resistance, cancer cell metabolism, and the Barrett’s oesophagus to oesophageal adenocarcinoma progression pathway.

Her academic career includes postdoctoral work on gastrointestinal cancers, particularly examining FKBPL in oesophageal cancer progression. She has contributed to over 15 peer-reviewed publications, exploring topics such as radiation-induced bystander effects, immune-metabolic interactions, and novel therapeutic strategies for cancer. Her work integrates proteomics, immunology, and metabolic profiling to develop precision oncology approaches.

Key research themes include radioresistance mechanisms, tumor microenvironment dynamics, and the role of adipose tissue in cancer progression. She collaborates across disciplines to advance understanding of how metabolic and immunological factors influence cancer treatment outcomes.

Dr. Heeran’s research aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), with a focus on translational oncology and improving therapeutic strategies for gastrointestinal malignancies.