My research is broadly based around the relationship between inherited genetic factors and cancer risk, progression, treatment response and toxicity.  This involves utilising large scale genetic germline datasets combined with tumour RNA, DNA and DNA methylation data.  I then undertake further in silico and experimental work to functionally assess potential targets that have been identified.

My major research interest is in breast cancer, in particular the most aggressive type triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). TNBC tends to affect younger patients.  Currently, we use chemotherapy before surgery to target early-stage TNBC but we have no predictive tests of who will respond (about 50%) but we know that this response is very important for your longer term survival.

We are investigating factors that may predict response to chemotherapy through combining clinical, biological and genetic epidemiological data.