Our research
Central to CROSS is the Department of Surgery at Trinity College Dublin, working hand-in-hand with St James's Hospital to improve outcomes in oesophageal, gastric and related cancers.
One coherent pipeline, discovery to patient
The department's research is highly translational and multidisciplinary — combining laboratory science with clinical studies to move discoveries into practice.
Teams combine molecular biology, immunology, tumour microenvironment and adipose biology with biobanks, registries, surgical trials, chemo-, radio- and immunotherapy and survivorship research. Together they deliver the pilot data, early-phase trials and training that turn discovery into clinical practice — with the support of CROSS.
Three teams, built to overlap
The programme is led by three complementary translational teams whose combined strengths create a single pipeline from discovery science to patient impact.
Translational tumour biology & biomarkers
Candidate molecular and tissue markers for risk stratification and therapy selection.
Radiobiology & therapeutic modulation
How radiation and its scheduling with chemotherapy reshapes tumours and the immune
Tumour immunology & immunotherapy
T-cell function, immune-checkpoint biology and how obesity and physiology shape immune response.
Your impact
The resource that unlocks the rest
Donor money is the "gap-filling" resource that funds people, seed projects and small infrastructure — disproportionately effective at unlocking larger grants and early-phase trials.
Modest philanthropic investment enables trainee posts, pilot assays and biobanking that produce the preliminary data reviewers require — turning community generosity into measurable advances in diagnosis, combination therapies and survivorship care.
1. Why We Act
Oesophageal and gastric cancers are amongst the most aggressive and least survivable cancers in Ireland. Early diagnosis and better treatments save lives — and that work starts here.
2. How It Helps
Your donation directly funds PhD students, research fellows and laboratory equipment. Every euro invested in our team creates the pilot data that unlocks larger national and international grants.
3. The Urgency
Patients cannot wait. Translational research bridges the gap between laboratory discovery and clinical practice — but only with sustained funding. The need is constant, and so is the science.
4. Where It Goes
Funds go to student stipends, pilot research projects, essential lab equipment and outreach activities. We are a registered Irish charity — transparent, accountable and patient-focused.
Meet the CROSS research team
Click any researcher to read their biography, current project and a short scientific and plain-language summary of their work.
Leadership team
Prof. Jacintha O’Sullivan
Professor (Chair) of Translational Cancer Biology
Prof. Joanne Lysaght
Professor in Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy
Prof. Stephen Maher
Professor in Translational Oncology
Research Team
Sarah Crean
Colorectal/Lower GI Translational & Clinical Research Coordinator
Sam Cahill
AllCaN Oesophageal Research MSc Candidate
Raquel Santamaria Cuevas
Research Assistant
Dr Oana Maria Deac
ICAT Fellow & Oncology Trainee (PhD)
Nick Schellenberg
Researcher (HEALED Consortium)
Meghana Menon
PhD Researcher
Dr Marina Zaki
Project Manager
Dr Maitiú Ó Murchú
Postdoctoral Researcher
Lorraine Smith
PhD Researcher
Dr Laura Kane
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Kirstan Murphy
PhD Researcher
Joyce Barry
PhD Student
Dr James Phelan
Programme Manager, AllCaN Oesophageal
Dr Gordon Greville
Postdoctoral Researcher (Glycoimmunology)
Erin Kindlon
Translational Research Coordinator (Upper GI)
David Hackett
PhD Researcher
Cian Gargan
Upper GI Translational Research Coordinator
Dr Camille Hurley
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Peer-reviewed research from the department
A selection of published work from the Department of Surgery and affiliated teams.
