Summary
Dr Isabel Pires is a cancer biologist, and particularly interested in how low oxygen (hypoxia) in tumours impacts on therapy and metastatic spread.
Since establishing her laboratory at the University of Hull, Dr Pires continued to focus on hypoxia-mediated tumourigenesis and therapy resistance (Pires et al., 2014; Poujade et al., 2018; Edge et al., 2021). Current work in the lab is also focusing on exploring the hypoxic radiobiological context (Edge et al, 2021; Li et al, in preparation), and developing novel models for metastasis (Scrace et al., 2013; Collins, Pyne et al., preparation). We have also explored novel anti-cancer agents derived from natural products in collaboration with Dr Celia Cabral’s laboratory at the University of Coimbra (Beeby et al., 2020; Beeby et al., 2021).
Before establishing her group, Dr Pires was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oxford, where her work was crucial in expanding the characterisation of the biology of the DNA damage response and DNA replication in hypoxia, with a special focus on enhancing response to radiotherapy in low oxygen (Bencokova et al., 2009; Pires et al., 2010; Olcina et al., 2013; Pefani et al., 2014; Cazares-Korner, Pires et al., 2013; Pires et al., 2012; Chan, Pires et al., 2010).
Dr Pires is passionate about training the next generation of scientists. She a member of the executive committee of the BACR (British Association for Cancer Research) and the are (Association for Radiation Research), as well as a member of the the Education Committee of the Biochemical Society. Dr Pires is also the Athena SWAN co-lead for the Faculty of Health Sciences.
Dr Pires 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.