#communication – Blog about neuroblastoma research

The VHI Mini Marathon 2026 – the Start of our Childhood Cancer Awarness Campaign.

Yesterday, 30,000 runners, joggers, and walkers took part in the 44th VHI Women’s Mini Marathon. We were ages 14 to 92, from diverse cultural, educational, and fitness backgrounds. Each set their own ambition and target. It was my fourth race. My targets stayed the same: raising awareness for Childhood Cancer Research, supporting the Conor Foley Neuroblastoma Cancer Research Foundation, and finishing within 1 hour and 15 minutes with a smile.

The atmosphere was cheering and empowering, and the weather was very kind to us. I was in a pink wave, and we started about 12:30ish. Running in a big company with your allies is enjoyable and empowering. I was sinking into the diversity and variety of running women and supporters along the road, enjoying every minute. Some took over me, and I took over some. Somewhere after 5K, I was tapped by my TERG colleagues, so the race became even more enjoyable.

The Vhi Mini Marathon 2026 kicks off our Childhood Cancer Awareness and Fundraising Campaign. We will support two amazing childhood cancer research charities: the Conor Foley Neuroblastoma Cancer Research Foundation (CFNCRF) and Neuroblastoma UK (NBUK). We would be very grateful if you could support our call before and during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month via GoFundMe.

My Experience at the Endo Ireland Conference 2026

Endometriosis—a condition where tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus—affects 1 in 10 women of reproductive age. The severity of the condition varies by individual, depending on the location and extent of tissue growth. As someone living with this condition, attending the Endo Ireland 2026 conference on March 28 in Dublin was a deeply personal and touching experience.

The conference was hosted by the Endometriosis Association of Ireland, an organisation run by volunteers dedicated to supporting and representing those impacted by the disease. The event featured a clinical panel where clinicians discussed current treatment options and their limitations. In a separate research panel, scientists shared their professional journeys and emphasised why more focus is needed in this historically underrepresented field.

The agenda also included personal stories from patients and expert talks covering essential topics such as mental health and nutrition. A representative from the National Women & Infants Health Programme (NWIHP) addressed current treatment limitations, listened to patient feedback, and highlighted a commitment to improving future care pathways. It was an amazing opportunity to connect with the patient community and share our journeys. I was also deeply inspired to meet researchers in the field and hear about their transitions from other research areas into endometriosis research.

Written by Anusha Ashokan

Our anti-cancer vaccine work at the International Society for Cell and Gene Therapy 2026

We presented at the International Society for Cell and Gene Therapy Meeting 2026 – an excellent opportunity to showcase your research and expand your network. Delighted for our team, we secured two oral presentations: an elevator pitch by Rabia Saleem and one by me.

Some of my highlights, on top of the top-notch science, are:
– The Welcome address was a Thing. A craic of Irish music and dancing. What a start! Felt very proud to be Irish. Thank you to ISCT, the International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy & Karen English for capturing Irish flavours so well.
– 1540 posters covering various areas of cell and gene therapy, Plenary sessions – short and sweet, an excellent showcase of many projects via Elevator Pitches (2 min each) or Oral presentations (10 min each). Active interactions at the poster session. Rabia Saleem poster attracted Cytotherapy Editor – well done!
– Creative exhibition stands and interactions. NO to plain pens and water bottles, YES to puzzles, LEGO toys, travel pillows, stress balls, and the highlight – make your own bear!

IACR 2026: Science, Communication, and Impact

I recently had the opportunity to attend and present my research at the Irish Association for Cancer Research Conference 2026 in Galway. This year was particularly special for me, as I was selected as one of six early-career researchers to take part in the Prof. Patrick G. Johnston Award for Excellence in Cancer Research Outreach.

This award recognises researchers who can communicate their work clearly to a public audience. Those selected are chosen based on their lay abstracts and take part in a patient communication workshop ahead of the conference. As part of this, I had the opportunity to work closely with patient advocates and cancer survivors, which was an incredibly valuable experience. It challenged me to think beyond science and focus on how to make my research meaningful, accessible, and relevant to the people it ultimately aims to help.

During the conference, I presented my research as part of this award session, delivering a lay presentation to an audience made up of scientists, patients, and members of the public.

My research focuses on developing 3D lung models to better understand cancer behaviour and explore new ways to target lung cancer using mRNA-based approaches. Being able to present this work in a way that resonated with a non-scientific audience was both challenging and rewarding.

Overall, the conference was an inspiring experience. It reinforced the importance of communication in cancer research and reminded me that behind every project are patients and families who are directly impacted by the work we do.

Until next time,

Written by Eve O’Donoghue

Hiya! I’m Nicole

Hi everyone! I am Nicole, and I recently joined Dr. Olga Piskarvera’s team as a research intern for 8 months. I am 21 years old, and I am currently in my 3^rd year of my degree in Advanced Therapeutic Technologies at RCSI. It’s essentially a fusion of biomedical science and biotechnology with emphasis on bioinformatics!

I have always loved science and dreamt of working in a lab since I was a little, so being able to explore both bioinformatics and lab work is an exciting way to explore my curiosity and creativity. I was quite nervous starting out because I didn’t know what to expect, especially in the lab, as I was afraid of making mistakes. However, I am slowly learning and becoming more confident each day!

A few facts about me: I love animals, especially cats, and, of course, I have a cat myself! Her name is Mochi, and she’s a Scottish fold; she has been my little companion since I was 15. One of my favourite foods is Vietnamese beef pho (Aobaba on Capel Street is my go-to!). I also enjoy reading in my spare time. Two of my favourite books are Homeseeking by Karissa Chen and The Hot Zone by Richard Preston.

I am looking forward to everything I’ll learning during my time with this team! 😊

Written by Nicole Guo

Rabia Saleem: My Portuguese Journey

I’m in my third year of a PhD at RCSI and recently completed an RCSI-funded secondment. Reflecting on it, it has been one of my most enjoyable and valuable experiences so far. Coming back to Ireland after the secondment feels great. I’m feeling refreshed and eager to dive back into my work.

I spent my placement at the University of Lisbon’s Department of Pharmacy, working in Prof. Helena Florindo’s lab. Everyone was super welcoming, which made it easy to settle in and get started without any stress.

Most of my time in the lab was spent preparing biodegradable nanoparticles using a peptide from my project. I also got to run some ex vivo experiments and even joined in on in vivo work under supervision, a completely new and really exciting experience for me. The best part was seeing some promising results come through, which was really encouraging.

Outside the lab, Lisbon was just a lovely place to spend time. I picked up a little Portuguese, enjoyed the sunshine, and appreciated the relaxed pace.

Now that I’m back, I’m excited to finish up the last bits of my project and build on what I learned during the secondment. Overall, it was an amazing experience, both for my research and personally.

Written by Rabia Saleem, the IRC PhD student

Looking at Brain Tumors, One slice at a Time

’m writing to you from the Biomedicum, a research facility at the University of Helsinki. As you can probably guess, I didn’t travel here for the Finnish weather, but to collaborate with a team that is part of the European Mac4Me consortium. This group specialises in a fascinating imaging technique called multiplex immunohistochemistry. In simple terms, they take patient tissue samples or samples created in the lab and cut them into incredibly thin slices—just 4 micrometres thick, which is about 4/100ths of a millimetre. They then use multiple rounds of staining with antibodies to visualise different tumour markers and map out exactly where these markers are located within the sample. You can see an example of this stained tissue below.

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma samples stained for 4 different markers using multiplex immunohistochemistry.
Viiklepp K Journal of Investigative Dermatology. 2025

For this project, I brought along different versions of a “brain-like” hydrogel I’ve created in the lab. These hydrogels have varying stiffness and molecular compositions, and they contain Neuroblastoma tumour cells growing within them (you can see simple cell staining below). My goal here is to use the lab’s advanced imaging machine to observe how these tumour cells behave. I want to see if they are multiplying, if they seem stressed or healthy, and how they adapt to the different molecular environments of the hydrogels.

This approach will be incredibly valuable for studying how the tumour’s surroundings—the microenvironment—influence the spread of Neuroblastoma to the brain. It will also help us understand what happens when we add new molecular components to the hydrogel to more closely mimic the brain environment. Looking ahead, I plan to use this same technique for an even more complex experiment: by growing immune cells together with the neuroblastoma cells, I hope to visualise and identify the specific pathways the cancer cells use to communicate with and potentially suppress the immune system.

Neuroblastoma cell line (in blue) in a hyaluronic acid-based hydrogel. Day 1 left and day 5 right.

Written by Pierluca Cancellieri, Mac4Me MSCA PhD

My 1st Mac4Me Secondment – Nottingham 2026

It’s great to be back! Returning to the University of Nottingham for my secondment with PeptiMatrix feels like coming full circle since finishing my undergrad here.

Stepping into the lab felt instantly familiar. Because I already knew the layout, I could breeze through the initial induction and training and get straight into the exciting part: the science.

I have to say, the lab is so well-organised, and it’s packed with some impressive new kit. I’ve already spotted an automated cell culture system and a 3D printer, but the equipment I’m most excited about is the rheometer, which will be central to my project.

I also got hands-on right away, learning how to make peptide hydrogels and even how to encapsulate cells into them. It’s amazing to see the building blocks of tissue engineering coming together right before my eyes.

There are plenty more cool things planned for the coming weeks. I’ll be sure to keep you updated on the journey.

Written by Chunyu Yan, Mac4Me PhD student

Hi Everyone! I’m Anusha

Hi, I am Anusha from India. I recently joined Dr Olga’s team at RCSI as a research fellow. I completed my PhD in the development of nanomaterials for image-assisted cancer therapy. After that, I had an amazing run as a research scientist for 7 years, working in cancer immunotherapy. Work focused on the development of nanomaterials for the delivery of immunomodulatory drugs and on engineered adjuvants for therapeutic cancer vaccines. Then came my lil son Aadi, and I took a two-year break. When I was actively looking for positions after my break, I thought of writing a Marie Curie grant, and that’s how I met Dr Olga. Dr Olga then offered me a position at RCSI to work on neuroblastoma. I am just incredibly grateful for this opportunity and to be part of an amazing team, especially after being away from the lab for a while. It’s a new role, a whole new world here in Dublin, and I am waiting to see what exciting things come next.

Falling in love with the Irish coast @ Donabate

Written by Anusha Ashokan

How cancer cells communicate?

Hot off the press! The study carried out by Thomas Frawley during his PhD has just been published in Journal of Personalized Medicine.

Cancer that is resistant to treatment is a big challenge because it often leads to lower survival rates. Tumour cells release small extracellular vesicles, which can influence other cells in the body by carrying various proteins. The study focused on understanding what proteins are in these particles from resistant and sensitive cancer cells and how they affect non-cancerous cells, like those involved in forming blood vessels. Our study discovered that these packages from resistant cancer cells contain special proteins involved in how cells produce and use energy. These findings suggest that these proteins could be used as markers to monitor disease progression or treatment response, using less invasive methods such as blood tests.

*A schematic summary of Frawley’s study, also known as a graphical abstract*. *J. Pers. Med. **2025**, 15(12), 584; https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm15120584 (registering DOI)*

Understanding how resistant cancer cells influence their surroundings could lead to new ways of diagnosing and treating high-risk neuroblastoma. Detecting these proteins through blood tests could help personalise treatment strategies, making them more effective without the need for invasive procedures. This research opens the door to using tiny particles from blood to better understand how cancer progresses and responds to therapy.