Emer Bourke

Emer Bourke

Lecturer in Pathology, School of Medicine

Lambe Institute for Translational Research

email:emer.bourke@universityofgalway.ie

phone: +353 (0) 91 494416

Research interests

• Centrosome amplification in cancer
• Molecular differences in centrosome function between breast cancer subtypes
• Targeting centrosomes as therapy

Research Questions:

• Can excessive centrosome numbers drive tumour invasiveness and metastasis?
• Can the mechanisms of centrosome amplification and multipolar spindle formation be harnessed to kill tumour cells?

Are the DNA damage response and centrosome function differently regulated across the subtypes of breast cancer? 

Research Overview:

The centrosome, though small in size, plays a central role in organizing cell structure and orchestrating mitotic spindle formation during cell division. Defects in centrosome function contribute to genomic instability, with centrosome amplification (CA)—defined as the presence of more than two centrosomes per cell—being a hallmark of the majority of human tumors.

Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease, comprising distinct molecular subtypes that require tailored therapeutic strategies. Understanding the mechanisms that drive malignancy in each subtype is essential for identifying novel prognostic markers and therapeutic targets.

Our research investigates how CA in genetically unstable breast tumor cells disrupts membrane architecture and alters cell signalling pathways, thereby promoting invasiveness and metastatic potential.

This work is conducted within the Department of Pathology at University Hospital Galway, utilizing both fresh/frozen patient samples and tissue microarrays (TMAs) sourced from the UHG Breast Cancer Biobank (1999–present).

Recent Publications:

• Prakash A, Paunikar S, Webber M, McDermott E, Vellanki SH, Thompson K, Dockery P, Jahns H, Brown JAL, Hopkins AM, Bourke E. Centrosome amplification promotes cell invasion via cell-cell contact disruption and Rap-1 activation. J Cell Sci. 2023 Nov 1;136(21). doi: 10.1242/jcs.261150. PMID: 37772773.
• Prakash A, Garcia-Moreno JF, Brown JAL, Bourke E. “Clinically Applicable Inhibitors Impacting Genome Stability.” Molecules. 2018 May 13;23(5). doi: 10.3390/molecules23051166. PMID: 29757235.
• Jalali A, Miresse D, Fahey MR, Ni Mhaonaigh N, McGuire A, Bourke E, Kerin MJ, Brown JAL. Peripheral Blood Cell Ratios as Prognostic Indicators in a Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy-Treated Breast Cancer Cohort. Curr Oncol. 2022 Oct 7;29(10):7512-7523. doi: 10.3390/curroncol 29100591. PMID: 36290868.