Dr Despina Bazou

    Biology, Human Health Institute

    Lecturer/Assistant Professor

    Biography

    Dr. Despina Bazou was awarded a B.Sc. in Genetics and a PhD in Cancer Biology from Cardiff School of Biosciences. Following her PhD, she was awarded an EU Marie Curie Research Fellowship and joined the Centre for Research on Adaptive Nanostructures and Nanodevices (CRANN) at Trinity College Dublin (TCD), where she worked with the group of Prof. Radomski (Pharmacology Department, TCD) on the elucidation of flow-mediated tumour cell-induced platelet aggregation (TCIPA) using an ultrasound standing wave trap. She then joined the Edwin L. Steele Lab for Tumour Biology at Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital (2011-2016) under the mentorship of Drs. Rakesh Jain and Lance Munn. Her research centred on how endothelial cells are triggered to sprout in the tumour microenvironment as well as on the development of novel microfluidic systems to deliver a 'tumour-on-a chip' for the screening of anti-angiogenic and anti-tumour agents. She then returned to Ireland, to the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital (MMUH), as the Haemato-oncology Translational Research and Education Lead where she led and coordinated the clinical and translational research strategy and activities from study design, set-up, execution through to completion. She joined the UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Sciences (SBBS) in 2024, as a Principal Investigator and SFI-IRC Pathway Fellow. In April 2025 she joined the Department of Biology at Maynooth University as Assistant Professor. She is the Group Leader of the Translational Haematology Lab (http://thetranslationalhaematologylab.com).

    Research Interests

    The Translational Haematology Lab led by Dr. Despina Bazou, develops transformative precision medicine treatment solutions to address the pathophysiology of blood malignancies. We use Multi-Omics (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics), cell biology (cell culture, mouse models of disease, 3D tissue mimetic models) and translational oncology approaches to dissect the interactions of cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment and determine how systemic changes in immunology, metabolism and physiology can impact tumor progression.


    Research Projects

    Title Role Description Start date End date Amount
    Minimal Residual Detection analysis- Isa-RVD Clinical Trial Co-Principal Investigator 02/02/2024 01/02/2025
    Utilising proteomics-derived data in establishing predictive biomarker signatures to assist therapeutic decision-making in Multiple Myeloma Co-Investigator 10/01/2021 09/01/2024
    Recapitulating Tumour Angiogenesis - Pierre Gilles de Gennes Research Foundation Fellowship, France Principal Investigator 03/09/2015 02/09/2016
    MECHANO-MM - ERC AdG EI supports PI 23/04/2025 22/04/2027 14661
    Programmed aggregation of tumour cells by acoustics under flow (PACAUF) Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology, Ulysses Grant Principal Investigator 07/06/2009 06/06/2010
    Sanofi Correlative Studies Grant Co-Investigator 16/10/2023
    AWARD TRANSFER - Extramedullary disease in Multiple Myeloma - Finding new therapeutic targets by dissecting the cell heterogeneity with an integrated transcriptomic and proteomic analysis PI 01/04/2025 30/04/2028 481560.49
    Marie Curie Fellowship Principal Investigator 02/09/2008
    Extramedullary disease in Multiple Myeloma Co-Principal Investigator 06/03/2022 05/03/2023
    Ultrasonic study of elastic cell properties in cultures and tissues as biomarkers of cell migration effects in cancer processes. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC), Spain Co-Principal Investigator 06/10/2014
    Hospital Saturday Fund Principal Investigator 02/03/2018
    Gene expression analysis following exposure of stem cells to ultrasound fields Co-Principal Investigator 06/06/2009
    UCD Seed Funding Career Development Scheme Principal Investigator 14/03/2022 13/03/2023
    Development of a perfusion flow phantom for use with Ultrasound Contrast Agents. Association for Physical Scientists in Medicine (APSM) Young Investigators Grant Principal Investigator 24/10/2010

    Peer Reviewed Journal

    Year Publication
    2024 Rebecca Sheridan; kieran brennan; Despina Bazou; Peter O’Gorman; David Matallanas; Margaret Mc Gee (2024) 'Multiple Myeloma Derived Extracellular Vesicle Uptake by Monocyte Cells Stimulates IL-6 and MMP-9 Secretion and Promotes Cancer Cell Migration and Proliferation'. Cancers, . [Link] [DOI]
    2023 Anushka Kulkarni; Despina Bazou; Maria Jose Santos-Martinez (2023) 'Bleeding and Thrombosis in Multiple Myeloma: Platelets as Key Players during Cell Interactions and Potential Use as Drug Delivery Systems'. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, . [Link] [DOI]
    2023 Dunphy, K.; Bazou, D.; Dowling, P. (2023) 'Analysis of Cancer Cell Line Secretomes: A Complementary Source of Disease-Specific Protein Biomarkers'. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.), 2645 . [Link] [DOI]
    2023 Munn LL; Bazou D (2023) 'A Self-Assembly Method for Creating Vascularized Tumor Explants Using Biomaterials for 3D Culture'. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.), . [Link] [DOI]
    2021 Liu M.; Wang Y.; Miettinen J.J.; Kumari R.; Majumder M.M.; Tierney C.; Bazou D.; Parsons A.; Suvela M.; Lievonen J.; Silvennoinen R.; Anttila P.; Dowling P.; O’Gorman P.; Tang J.; Heckman C.A. (2021) 'S100 Calcium Binding Protein Family Members Associate With Poor Patient Outcome and Response to Proteasome Inhibition in Multiple Myeloma'. Frontiers In Cell And Developmental Biology, 9 . [DOI] [Full-Text]
    2021 Tierney C.; Bazou D.; Majumder M.M.; Anttila P.; Silvennoinen R.; Heckman C.A.; Dowling P.; O’Gorman P. (2021) 'Next generation proteomics with drug sensitivity screening identifies sub-clones informing therapeutic and drug development strategies for multiple myeloma patients'. Scientific Reports, 11 (1). [DOI] [Full-Text]
    2021 Miettinen J.J.; Kumari R.; Traustadottir G.A.; Huppunen M.E.; Sergeev P.; Majumder M.M.; Schepsky A.; Gudjonsson T.; Lievonen J.; Bazou D.; Dowling P.; O‘gorman P.; Slipicevic A.; Anttila P.; Silvennoinen R.; Nupponen N.N.; Lehmann F.; Heckman C.A. (2021) 'Aminopeptidase expression in multiple myeloma associates with disease progression and sensitivity to melflufen'. Cancers, 13 (7). [DOI] [Full-Text]
    2021 Blum A; Bazou D; Ting KR; Bianchi G; Mahandran M; Mahandran H; Eustace S; Richardson PG; O'Gorman P (2021) 'Successful treatment of solitary bone plasmacytoma and bone remineralisation with novel biological agents leading to new bone formation - a case series'. British Journal of Haematology, . [Link] [DOI]
    2021 Tierney, C; Bazou, D; Le, G; Dowling, P; O' Gorman, P (2021) 'Saliva-omics in plasma cell disorders- Proof of concept and potential as a non-invasive tool for monitoring disease burden'. Proteomics, 231 . [DOI] [Full-Text]
    2021 Dowling P.; Tierney C.; Dunphy K.; Miettinen J.J.; Heckman C.A.; Bazou D.; O’gorman P. (2021) 'Identification of protein biomarker signatures for acute myeloid leukemia (Aml) using both nontargeted and targeted approaches'. Proteomes, 9 (4). [DOI] [Full-Text]
    2020 Bazou D; Le G; Boyle A; Blum A; O'Gorman P (2020) 'Marizomib: A novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of central nervous system myeloma'. EJHaem, . [Link] [DOI]
    2019 Guang MHZ; Kavanagh EL; Dunne LP; Dowling P; Zhang L; Lindsay S; Bazou D; Goh CY; Hanley C; Bianchi G; Anderson KC; O'Gorman P; McCann A; (2019) 'Targeting Proteotoxic Stress in Cancer: A Review of the Role that Protein Quality Control Pathways Play in Oncogenesis'. Cancers, 11 (1). [DOI] [Full-Text]
    2019 Movia, D.; Bazou, D.; Prina-Mello, A. (2019) 'ALI multilayered co-cultures mimic biochemical mechanisms of the cancer cell-fibroblast cross-talk involved in NSCLC MultiDrug Resistance'. BMC Cancer, 19 . [Link] [DOI]
    2019 Majumder MM; Leppä AM; Hellesøy M; Dowling P; Malyutina A; Kopperud R; Bazou D; Andersson E; Parsons A; Tang J; Kallioniemi O; Mustjoki S; O'Gorman P; Wennerberg K; Porkka K; Gjertsen BT; Heckman CA; (2019) 'Multi-parametric single cell evaluation defines distinct drug responses in healthy hematological cells that are retained in corresponding malignant cell types'. Haematologica, . [DOI] [Full-Text]
    2018 Blum A; Bazou D; O'Gorman P (2018) 'Smoldering multiple myeloma: prevalence and current evidence guiding treatment decisions'. Blood and lymphatic cancer : targets and therapy, . [Link] [DOI]
    2018 Movia, D.; Bazou, D.; Volkov, Y.; Prina-Mello, A. (2018) 'Multilayered Cultures of NSCLC cells grown at the Air-Liquid Interface allow the efficacy testing of inhaled anti-cancer drugs'. Scientific Reports, 8 . [Link] [DOI]
    2017 Ting K.; Henry M.; Meiller J.; Larkin A.; Clynes M.; Meleady P.; Bazou D.; Dowling P.; O'Gorman P. (2017) 'Novel panel of protein biomarkers to predict response to bortezomib-containing induction regimens in multiple myeloma patients'. BBA Clinical, 8 :28-34. [DOI] [Full-Text]
    2017 Bazou D; Maimon N; Gruionu G; Grahovac J; Seano G; Liu H; Evans CL; Munn LL (2017) 'Vascular beds maintain pancreatic tumour explants for ex vivo drug screening'. Journal of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, . [Link] [DOI]
    2017 Guang MHZ; McCann A; Bianchi G; Zhang L; Dowling P; Bazou D; O'Gorman P; Anderson KC (2017) 'Overcoming multiple myeloma drug resistance in the era of cancer 'omics''. Leukemia & lymphoma, . [Link] [DOI]
    2016 Bazou D; Ng MR; Song JW; Chin SM; Maimon N; Munn LL (2016) 'Flow-induced HDAC1 phosphorylation and nuclear export in angiogenic sprouting'. Scientific Reports, . [Link] [DOI]
    2016 Gruionu G; Bazou D; Maimon N; Onita-Lenco M; Gruionu LG; Huang P; Munn LL (2016) 'Implantable tissue isolation chambers for analyzing tumor dynamics in vivo'. Lab on a Chip, . [Link] [DOI]
    2016 Bazou D; Maimon N; Gruionu G; Munn LL (2016) 'Self-assembly of vascularized tissue to support tumor explants in vitro'. Integrative biology : quantitative biosciences from nano to macro, . [Link] [DOI]
    2015 Song JW; Bazou D; Munn LL (2015) 'Microfluidic model of angiogenic sprouting'. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.), . [Link] [DOI]
    2015 Santos-Martinez MJ; Tomaszewski KA; Medina C; Bazou D; Gilmer JF; Radomski MW (2015) 'Pharmacological characterization of nanoparticle-induced platelet microaggregation using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation: comparison with light aggregometry'. International journal of nanomedicine, . [Link] [DOI]
    2012 Bazou D; Castro A; Hoyos M (2012) 'Controlled cell aggregation in a pulsed acoustic field'. Ultrasonics, . [Link] [DOI]
    2012 Song JW; Daubriac J; Tse JM; Bazou D; Munn LL (2012) 'RhoA mediates flow-induced endothelial sprouting in a 3-D tissue analogue of angiogenesis'. Lab on a Chip, . [Link] [DOI]
    2012 Radziwon-Balicka A; Medina C; O'Driscoll L; Treumann A; Bazou D; Inkielewicz-Stepniak I; Radomski A; Jow H; Radomski MW (2012) 'Platelets increase survival of adenocarcinoma cells challenged with anticancer drugs: mechanisms and implications for chemoresistance'. British Journal of Pharmacology, . [Link] [DOI]
    2012 Song JW; Bazou D; Munn LL (2012) 'Anastomosis of endothelial sprouts forms new vessels in a tissue analogue of angiogenesis'. Integrative biology : quantitative biosciences from nano to macro, . [Link] [DOI]
    2012 Medina C; Harmon S; Inkielewicz I; Santos-Martinez MJ; Jones M; Cantwell P; Bazou D; Ledwidge M; Radomski MW; Gilmer JF (2012) 'Differential inhibition of tumour cell-induced platelet aggregation by the nicotinate aspirin prodrug (ST0702) and aspirin'. British Journal of Pharmacology, . [Link] [DOI]
    2011 Bazou D; Kearney R; Mansergh F; Bourdon C; Farrar J; Wride M (2011) 'Gene expression analysis of mouse embryonic stem cells following levitation in an ultrasound standing wave trap'. Ultrasound in medicine & biology, . [Link] [DOI]
    2011 Gérard VA; Maguire CM; Bazou D; Gun'ko YK (2011) 'Folic acid modified gelatine coated quantum dots as potential reagents for in vitro cancer diagnostics'. Journal of nanobiotechnology, . [Link] [DOI]
    2011 Movia, D.; Prina-Mello, A.; Bazou, D.; Volkov, Y.; Giordani, S. (2011) 'Screening the cytotoxicity of single-walled carbon nanotubes using novel 3D tissue-mimetic models'. ACS Nano, 5 . [Link] [DOI]
    2011 Bazou D; Santos-Martinez MJ; Medina C; Radomski MW (2011) 'Elucidation of flow-mediated tumour cell-induced platelet aggregation using an ultrasound standing wave trap'. British Journal of Pharmacology, . [Link] [DOI]
    2010 Bazou D; Behan G; Reid C; Boland JJ; Zhang HZ (2010) 'Imaging of human colon cancer cells using He-Ion scanning microscopy'. Journal of Microscopy, . [Link] [DOI]
    2009 Kuznetsova LA; Bazou D; Edwards GO; Coakley WT (2009) 'Multiple three-dimensional mammalian cell aggregates formed away from solid substrata in ultrasound standing waves'. Biotechnology Progress, . [Link] [DOI]
    2009 Bazou D (2009) 'Biochemical properties of encapsulated high-density 3-D HepG2 aggregates formed in an ultrasound trap for application in hepatotoxicity studies : Biochemical responses of encapsulated 3-D HepG2 aggregates'. Cell Biology and Toxicology, . [Link] [DOI]
    2008 Bazou D; Blain EJ; Coakley WT (2008) 'NCAM and PSA-NCAM dependent membrane spreading and F-actin reorganization in suspended adhering neural cells'. Molecular Membrane Biology, . [Link] [DOI]
    2008 Bazou D; Coakley WT; Hayes AJ; Jackson SK (2008) 'Long-term viability and proliferation of alginate-encapsulated 3-D HepG2 aggregates formed in an ultrasound trap'. Toxicology in vitro : an international journal published in association with BIBRA, . [Link] [DOI]
    2007 Kuznetsova LA; Bazou D; Coakley WT (2007) 'Stability of 2-D colloidal particle aggregates held against flow stress in an ultrasound trap'. Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids, . [Link] [DOI]
    2007 Edwards GO; Bazou D; Kuznetsova LA; Coakley WT (2007) 'Cell adhesion dynamics and actin cytoskeleton reorganization in HepG2 cell aggregates'. Cell communication & adhesion, . [Link] [DOI]
    2006 Bazou D; Davies G; Jiang WG; Coakley T (2006) 'Rapid molecular and morphological responses of prostate cell lines to cell-cell contact'. Cell communication & adhesion, . [Link] [DOI]
    2006 Bazou D; Dowthwaite GP; Khan IM; Archer CW; Ralphs JR; Coakley WT (2006) 'Gap junctional intercellular communication and cytoskeletal organization in chondrocytes in suspension in an ultrasound trap'. Molecular Membrane Biology, . [Link] [DOI]
    2005 Bazou D; Kuznetsova LA; Coakley WT (2005) 'Physical enviroment of 2-D animal cell aggregates formed in a short pathlength ultrasound standing wave trap'. Ultrasound in medicine & biology, . [Link] [DOI]
    2005 Bazou D; Foster GA; Ralphs JR; Coakley WT (2005) 'Molecular adhesion development in a neural cell monolayer forming in an ultrasound trap'. Molecular Membrane Biology, . [Link] [DOI]
    2004 Coakley WT; Bazou D; Morgan J; Foster GA; Archer CW; Powell K; Borthwick KA; Twomey C; Bishop J (2004) 'Cell-cell contact and membrane spreading in an ultrasound trap'. Colloids and surfaces. B, Biointerfaces, . [Link] [DOI]
    2023 Katsenou, A.; O’Farrell, R.; Dowling, P.; Heckman, C.A.; O’Gorman, P.; Bazou, D. (2023) 'Using Proteomics Data to Identify Personalized Treatments in Multiple Myeloma: A Machine Learning Approach'. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24 . [Link] [DOI]
    2023 Katie Dunphy; Despina Bazou; Michael Henry; Paula Meleady; Juho Miettinen; Caroline Heckman; Paul Dowling; Peter O’Gorman (2023) 'Proteomic and Metabolomic Analysis of Bone Marrow and Plasma from Patients with Extramedullary Multiple Myeloma Identifies Distinct Protein and Metabolite Signatures'. Cancers, 15 . [Link] [DOI]
    2023 Nisha Gupta; Hiroki Ochiai; Yoshinori Hoshino; Sebastian Klein; Jozef Zustin; Rakesh R. Ramjiawan; Shuji Kitahara; Nir Maimon; Despina Bazou; Sarah Chiang; Sen Li; Daniel H. Schanne; Rakesh. K. Jain; Lance Munn; PEIGEN HUANG; Sergey V. Kozin; Dan G. Duda (2023) 'Inhibition of CXCR4 Enhances the Efficacy of Radiotherapy in Metastatic Prostate Cancer Models'. Cancers, . [Link] [DOI]

    Book Chapter

    Year Publication
    2023 Dowling, P.; Bazou, D. (2023) 'Identification of Ubiquitination-Associated Proteins Using 2D-DIGE' In: Methods in Molecular Biology. [Link] [DOI]

    Reviews

    Year Publication
    2021 Dunphy K.; O’mahoney K.; Dowling P.; O’gorman P.; Bazou D. (2021) Clinical proteomics of biofluids in haematological malignancies. [Reviews] [DOI]
    2021 Dunphy K.; Dowling P.; Bazou D.; O’Gorman P. (2021) Current methods of post-translational modification analysis and their applications in blood cancers. [Reviews] [DOI]
    2019 Le G.; Bones J.; Coyne M.; Bazou D.; Dowling P.; O'Gorman P.; Larkin A. (2019) Current and future biomarkers for risk-stratification and treatment personalisation in multiple myeloma. [Reviews] [DOI]

    Thesis

    Year Publication
    2006 Bazou D (2006) Molecular reponses of cell adhesion upon cell-cell contact initiation in a 2-D ultrasound standing wave trap. [Thesis] [Link]

    Other Publication

    Year Publication
    2024 Bazou, D.; Dowling, P. (2024) Editorial: Multiple Myeloma: Molecular Mechanism and Targeted Therapy. [Link] [DOI]
    2024 Tsallos D; Ikonen N; Miettinen JJ; Majumder MM; Eldfors S; Västrik I; Parsons A; Suvela M; Dunphy K; Dowling P; Bazou D; O’Gorman P; Lievonen J; Heckman CA (2024) Multi-omic and functional screening reveal targetable vulnerabilities inTP53mutated multiple myeloma. [Link] [DOI]
    Certain data included herein are derived from the © Web of Science (2025) of Clarivate. All rights reserved.

    Professional Associations

    Description Function From / To
    International Myeloma Society (IMS) Member -
    Irish Association for Cancer Research (IACR) Senior Board Member -
    European Association for Cancer Research (EACR) Ambassador -

    Honors and Awards

    Date Title Awarding Body
    20/05/2021 Research Support Award Irish Cancer Society
    03/06/2016 Postdoc Recognition Award Massachusetts General Hospital
    15/10/2015 Outstanding Poster Award North America Vascular Biology Organization
    02/03/2012 Second Poster Prize MarchCOM meeting 2012, Complex matter physics: materials, dynamics and patterns
    19/08/2010 Innovation Award CRANN
    13/11/2009 First Poster prize Irish Network of Developmental Biologists
    02/09/2007 ICA-ASA Young Scientist Award for excellent contribution to Acoustics in the field of Ultrasonics International Congress on Acoustics

    Committees

    Committee Function From / To
    Biology Department EDI Committee Member -

    Employment

    Employer Position From / To
    National University of Ireland, Maynooth Assistant Professor 01/04/2025 -
    University College Dublin Principal Investigator/Group Leader 01/04/2024 -
    Mater Misericordiae University Hospital Head of Translational Research and Education 10/07/2017 -

    Education

    Start date Institution Qualification Subject
    Harvard Medical School Research Fellowship Tumour Biology
    Trinity College Dublin Marie Curie Research Fellowship Tumor Biology
    Cardiff University PhD Tumour Biology
    Trinity College Dublin MSc Physical Sciences in Medicine-Diagnostic Imaging
    Cardiff University BSc Genetics

    Languages

    Language Reading Writing Speaking
    Greek Fluent Fluent Fluent
    English Fluent Fluent Fluent
    French Fluent Fluent Functional

    Other Activities

    Description
    Expert proposal evaluator for European Innovation Council (EIC)
    Expert proposal evaluator for the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of animals in research (NC3RS)
    Manager of the Correlative Studies of Multiple Myeloma Clinical Trials
    Member of the Advisory Board of the UCD Translational Oncology Research Centre.
    Associate Investigator of Blood Cancer Biobank Ireland (BCBI).
    Manager of the first fully electronic haematological biobank at MMUH. ICH GCP (R2) Certification.

    Editorial / Academic Reviews

    Amount Role From / To
    International Journal of Molecular Sciences Guest Editor -
    Frontiers in Pharmacology Reviewing Editor -
    Current Oncology, Cancer Research, Diagnostics, British Journal of Pharmacology, Microchimica Acta, Nature Scientific Reports Reviewer -

    Outreach Activities

    Organisation Type Description
    Irish Cancer Society Civic Society Interviewed by the Irish Cancer Society (ICS) about my research which featured in the ICS newsletter (https://www.cancer.ie/about-us/news/blood-cancer-researcher-dr-despina-bazou-people-with-blood-cancers-are-now-living-much-longer).
    Multiple Myeloma Ireland Civic Society Working closely with the Multiple Myeloma Ireland charity (https://multiplemyelomaireland.org) to inform MM patients on the latest research developments. I have also participated in the discussions and given a presentation to the Dublin Multiple Myeloma Support group facilitated by Arc House Rialto.
    CRANN, Trinity College Dublin Civic Society Worked closely with the Communications and Outreach team in t to promote the research and infrastructure of CRANN. Activities included: hosted tours of the CRANN NanoBio and Advanced Microscopy Laboratories (AML) to various groups including political and industrial representatives, Irish Mensa, School groups and international delegates.

    Recent Students

    Graduation date Name Degree
    2028 Angelique Cheryl PhD
    2028 Ellen Purcell PhD
    2026 Anushka Kulkarni PhD

    Internal Collaborators

    Name Company Role Country
    Dania Movia Ireland
    Niamh Lynam-Lennon Ireland
    Paul Dowling Ireland

    External Collaborators

    Name Role Country
    Peter O'Gorman Ireland
    Margaret McGee Ireland
    David Hoey Ireland
    Meenal Datta United States
    Maria Jose Santos Martinez Ireland