Prof. Maria O’Connell

Professor of Cell Biology/Head of Pharmacology

Maria’s research is focused on two main areas related to cancer:

1) Natural products for the prevention and treatment of cancer. Plants provide an abundance of compounds with therapeutic potential. Plant compounds found in the foods we eat may also have potential as nutraceuticals in the prevention of cancer. The O’Connell group investigate plant natural products including peptides, triterpenes, flavonoids and vitamins for their anti-tumorigenic and anti-inflammatory effects and the intracellular mechanisms involved.
2) Novel therapeutics for cancer. The O’Connell group investigate (i) the role of the Nrf family in cancer and the development of novel therapeutics targeting this pathway and (ii) cellular mechanisms of action of novel protein-protein interaction inhibitors and metal complexes targeting cancer.