ARMOR: tAilored peRsonalised Medicine fOr gastric canceR

Prof. Jacintha O’Sullivan

Prof. Jacintha O’Sullivan was awarded with a HRCI-HRB-Joint Funding Scheme research fellowship in Partnership with Breakthrough Cancer Research.

Stomach cancer is a very difficult disease to treat, and sadly only 3 in 10 people with stomach cancer are still alive at 5 years after their diagnosis. Right now, our current treatments only work for a fraction of these patients, and this is a significant problem leading to poor outcomes for stomach cancer patients in Ireland and globally.

In this project, we will use a computer tool called “machine learning” to quickly identify if a patient’s treatment may not work before their treatment. Following patient consent, we will also check regions of the DNA in the tumours which are altered to try and understand why these tumours are so resistant to current treatments. Importantly, we will develop new human tissue models to test other drug treatment combinations that may benefit these patients and inform their treatment to improve patient outcomes.

This is an international collaboration between Trinity St. James’s Cancer Institute, Dresden University, Germany, and Vivan Therapeutics, UK.

Ultimately, using these novel computer tools and models for drug testing, we will generate a more personalised treatment approach for these stomach cancer patients to improve their care, management, and survival.