Dr Isabel Monteiro dos Santos Pires

Dr Isabel Monteiro dos Santos Pires

Lecturer in Biomedical Science/ Head of the Hypoxia and Tumour Microenvironment group

+44 (0)1482 466656 | I.Pires@hull.ac.uk

Faculty and Department

  • Faculty of Health Sciences
  • Department of Biomedical Sciences

Related groups

  • Biomedical Sciences

Qualifications

  • BSc (University of Coimbra)
  • PhD (University of Manchester)
  • PCAP (University of Hull)

Summary

Dr Isabel Pires is a cancer biologist, and particularly interested in how low oxygen (hypoxia) in tumours impacts on therapy and metastatic spread.

Dr Pires is passionate about training the next generation of scientists. She a member of the executive committee of the British Association for Cancer Research and the Education Committee of the Biochemical Society.

She is also an enthusiastic science communicator, and has given talks in such events as TEDx Hull and Pint of Science, and organised the Soapbox Science Hull event in 2016-2017.

Undergraduate

MSc Biomedical Science

- Cellular and Molecular Biology of Cancer (module leader)

- Current Topics in Biomedical Science

- Research Project and Dissertation

BSc Biomedical Science

- Independent Research Project (module leader)

- Skills for Biomedical Science (L4 and L5)

- Molecular Cell Biology

- Biological Basis of Disease

- Cancer Biology

External lecturer at the University of Oxford MSc in Radiation Oncology

Recent outputs

View more outputs

Book

The Secret Science of Superheroes

M. Lorch, & A. Miah (Eds.), (2016). The Secret Science of Superheroes

Mark Lorch

Journal Article

Natural Products as a Source for New Leads in Cancer Research and Treatment

Cabral, C., Efferth, T., Pires, I. M., Severino, P., & Lemos, M. F. (2018). Natural Products as a Source for New Leads in Cancer Research and Treatment. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2018, 1-2. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/8243680

Validation of in-house knowledge-based planning model for advance-stage lung cancer patients treated using VMAT radiotherapy

Tambe, N., Monteiro dos Santos Pires, I., Moore, C., Cawthorne, C., & Beavis, A. (2020). Validation of in-house knowledge-based planning model for advance-stage lung cancer patients treated using VMAT radiotherapy. British Journal of Radiology, https://doi.org/10.1259/bjr.20190535

Andrew Beavis

WSB-1 regulates the metastatic potential of hormone receptor negative breast cancer

Poujade, F., Mannion, A., Brittain, N., Theodosi, A., Beeby, E., Leszczynska, K. B., …Pires, I. M. (2018). WSB-1 regulates the metastatic potential of hormone receptor negative breast cancer. The British journal of cancer / Cancer Research Campaign, 118(9), 1229-1237. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41416-018-0056-3

John Greenman

Anticancer properties of essential oils and other natural products

Blowman, K., Magalhães, M., Lemos, M. F., Cabral, C., & Pires, I. M. (2018). Anticancer properties of essential oils and other natural products. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2018, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/3149362

Research interests

Key research themes:

Tumour Hypoxia

Cancer therapy (particularly radiotherapy)

3D models of cancer

Funding since 2012:

2019- 2022 University of Hull PhD Studentship cluster for Adaptive Radiotherapy (5 studentships), total associated funds approx. £340k (cluster lead and PI for 2 projects)

2017 PARSUK Xpand Oportunidades internship to Ana Semedo and Isabel Pires €1750 (as PI)

2016 PARSUK Xperience internship to Patricia Gracio and Isabel Pires €1750 (as PI)

2015 - 2018 University of Hull PhD Studentship to Thomas Collins and Isabel Pires £65k (as PI)

2014 - 2015 Breast Cancer Campaign Pilot Grant £20k (as PI)

2014 PARSUK Xperience internship to Joana Silva and Isabel Pires €1750 (as PI)

2013 - 2014 Royal Society Research Grant: £15k (as PI)

2013 - 2016 University of Hull PhD Studentship to Anna Todd and Isabel Pires £75k (as PI)

2013 - 2016 University of Hull PhD Studentship to Flore-Anne Poujade and Isabel Pires £75k (as PI)

Postgraduate supervision

Please contact Dr Pires directly if you are interested in joining her group. We welcome applications/expressions of interest in the following:

- Novel players in the biology of the tumour microenvironment

- Targeting the tumour microenvironment

- Cancer therapy, especially radiotherapy and targeted therapies- Cancer biology, especially breast, colorectal, lung, and oesophageal cancer

- Modelling the tumour microenviromnment, including 3D models of cancer and lab-on-a-chip

Current PhD students (as primary supervisor)

- Emily Pyne (2018 - 2021)

- Nilesh Tambe (part time, 2018 - 2023)

- Chun Li (2019 - 2022)

- Matthew Fountain (2019 - 2022)

Completed PhD students

- Sarah Argyle (2015-2019) - as primary supervisor

- Thomas Collins (2015-2019) - as primary supervisor

- Flore-Anne Poujade (2013-2016) - as primary supervisor - Now a PDRA at the Karolinska Institutet

- Anna Smith (nee Todd) (2013-2016) - as primary supervisor - Now a Technical Leader for Biology at Smith & Nephew

Awards and prizes

Staff Excellence Award

2015 - 2015

For public engagement work, nominated by Prof Mark Lorch

Committee/Steering group role

BACR Executive committee member

2015

Biochemical Society training theme panel member

2015 - 2018

Chair of the Media subcommittee of the BACR

2016

Biochemical Society Education, Training, & Public Engagement Committee member

2018

Conference organisation

Biochemical Society Lab-on-chip training event

2019 - 2019

BACR 60th Anniversary conference

2019 - 2020

Invited abstract reviewer for ICRR2019 conference

2019 - 2019

External examiner role

External Examiner for MRes Cancer Science

2016

Honorary position

Biochemical Society local ambassador

2015

EACR local ambassador

2018

Journal editorial role

Guest editor for a special issue focused on Natural Products as Source for New Leads in Cancer Research and Treatment

2017 - 2018

Guest Co-Editor in the Research Topic "Cancer stem cells" in the Section "Cancer Genetics" of the Journal Frontiers in Genetics

2019

Membership/Fellowship of professional body

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

2016

Member of the Royal Society of Biology

2018

National/International learned society/body role

British Association for Cancer Research (BACR) member

2007

European Association for Cancer Research (EACR) member

2007

Association for Radiation Research member

2018

Biochemical Society member

2012

Other

TEDx Hull speaker

2017 - 2017

Main organiser Soapbox Science Hull

2016 - 2017

Scholarship role

External lecturer at the University of Oxford MSc in Radiation Oncology

2018

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