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Michael O’Dwyer MD FRCPI FRCPath is a Consultant Haematologist and Professor of Haematology at University of Galway as well as Scientific Director West North West/University of Galway Cancer Network. His current research is focused primarily on (1) how aberrant glycosylation (especially sialylation) can influence cellular adhesion, trafficking and immune evasion in multiple myeloma (MM) (2) the role of glycoimmune checkpoints in cancer and (3) use and modification of natural killer (NK) cells as cell therapy for cancer. His work on glycosylation has implicated interactions between selectins, siglecs and their ligands in disease progression, drug resistance and immune evasion in MM. These findings have provided new insights into the role of glycosylation in the progression of MM with potential for new therapeutic strategies to overcome treatment resistance. His interest in NK cells led in 2015 to the formation of a spin out company ONK Therapeutics www.onktherapeutics.com which he led as CSO until January 2023. His academic and industry work has focused on NK cell biology and function, the incorporation of novel edits to enhance cytotoxicity and persistence and the efficient, large scale manufacture of gene edited, cord-derived CAR-NK cell products. He has several granted patents covering the use of engineered NK cells in cancer.
