معرفی
Kellie Dean is a College Lecturer, Principal Investigator, and Postgraduate Director at the School of Biochemistry & Cell Biology at University College Cork (UCC). A biochemist with expertise in RNA biology and cancer research, she leads a group focused on non-coding RNAs, RNA-binding proteins, and RNA-protein complexes in cancer pathology. Her academic journey includes a PhD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, postdoctoral work in Germany and the USA, and a transition to full-time academia in Ireland since 2015.
- Education: BSc in Chemistry (Indiana University of Pennsylvania), PhD in Biochemistry and Biophysics (UNC Chapel Hill)
- Key Collaborations: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), Irish Research Council, University of California-Davis
Her research spans RNA biology, cancer genomics, and bioinformatics, with a focus on long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and ovarian cancer. She investigates their functional roles, diagnostic potential, and the phase separation of RNA-protein assemblies. Her work leverages ribosome profiling data to develop algorithms for micropeptide prediction in cancer immunotherapy vaccines.
Her publications highlight trends in cancer RNA biology, including lncRNAs, translational regulation, and computational methods for RNA analysis. Key journals include Cancers, Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, and BMC Cancer. Grants from the Science Foundation Ireland and Irish Research Council support her projects.
Professional Affiliations:
- Member of Irish and European Associations for Cancer Research
- Member of the RNA Society and Biochemical Society
- Co-coordinator of UCC Cell EXPLORERS outreach program
