Leonie Young

Professor Leonie Young holds a Professorship in the Department of Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), based at York House in Dublin. Her academic career includes roles as Associate Professor (2011–2018) and Professor (2018–present). Her research focuses on uncovering mechanisms of endocrine therapy resistance in breast cancer, particularly involving Steroid Receptor Coactivator (SRC) proteins and metastasis to the brain. She leads the Endocrine Oncology Research Group, leveraging primary patient-derived cell cultures and clinical datasets to identify predictive markers and therapeutic targets.

Research Interests: Prof. Young’s work spans breast cancer biology, endocrine resistance, translational oncology, and targeted therapies for metastatic disease. Her group employs high-throughput methods, molecular modeling, and spatial genomics to study SRC-mediated resistance pathways. Current projects include the GeTTMet initiative addressing brain metastasis through genomic adaptations.

Grants & Collaborations: She has secured funding from institutions like Science Foundation Ireland, Breast Cancer Ireland, and the EU. Notable grants include the GeTTMet program (2024–2028) targeting brain metastasis via genomic approaches. Her lab collaborates on projects like the OECI Comprehensive Cancer Centre and AICRIstart precision medicine initiatives.

Labs & Teams: Leads the Endocrine Oncology Research Group at RCSI, focusing on translational research to bridge molecular insights with clinical applications. The group investigates nuclear receptor interactions, tumor heterogeneity, and novel therapeutic strategies.