NICB

Research Interests:

My research is mainly focused on the role microRNAs in influencing the behaviour of mammalian cell lines, in particular CHO cells, that are used for the production of recombinant protein therapeutics. This includes identifying miRNAs whose expression is associated with particular phenotypes that are beneficial in the bioprocess setting including cell proliferation, resistance to apoptosis and authentic synthesis of the recombinant polypeptide. These miRNAs can then be targeted by various genetic engineering strategies to deplete or enhance their intracellular levels in order to manipulate cellular behaviour. In addition I am interested in the identification of miRNAs and their mechanisms of action in various in vitro cancer models. This includes the use of expression profiling technologies, transient and stable manipulation of cellular miRNA levels and bioinformatic integration of these datastreams in order to decipher miRNA-controlled regulatory networks.

Selected Peer Reviewed Journals

• Barron, N (Ed). 2012. MicroRNAs as Tools in Biopharmaceutical Production. Springer,
• Clarke C, Henry M, Doolan P, Kelly S, Aherne S, Sanchez N, Kelly P, Kinsella P, Breen L, Madden SF, Zhang L, Leonard M, Clynes M, Meleady P, Barron N. 2012. Integrated miRNA, mRNA and protein expression analysis reveals the role of post-transcriptional regulation in controlling CHO cell growth rate. Bmc Genomics, 13, 13, pp656-.
• Barron N, Keenan J, Gammell P, Martinez VG, Freeman A, Masters JR, Clynes M. 2012. Biochemical relapse following radical prostatectomy and miR-200a levels in prostate cancer. PROSTATE. 72, 11, pp1193-1199.
• Andreea Prisecaru , Michael Devereux , Niall Barron , Malachy McCann , John Colleran , Alan Casey , Vickie McKee and Andrew Kellett. 2012. Potent oxidative DNA cleavage by the di-copper cytotoxin: [Cu2(μ-terephthalate)(1,10-phen)4]2+. Chemical Communications, 48, 55, pp6906-6908.
• Clarke C, Doolan P, Barron N, Meleady P, Madden SF, Dinino D, Leonard M, Clynes M. 2011. CGCDB: A web-based resource for the investigation of gene coexpression in CHO cell culture. Biotechnology And Bioengineering,
• Clarke C, Doolan P, Barron N, Meleady P, O'Sullivan F, Gammell P, Melville M, Leonard M, Clynes M. 2011. Large scale microarray profiling and coexpression network analysis of CHO cells identifies transcriptional modules associated with growth and productivity. Journal Of Biotechnology, 155, 3, pp350-359.
• Melville M, Doolan P, Mounts W, Barron N, Hann L, Leonard M, Clynes M, Charlebois T. 2011. Development and characterization of a Chinese hamster ovary cell-specific oligonucleotide microarray. Biotechnology Letters, 33, 9, pp1773-1779.
• Meleady P, Doolan P, Henry M, Barron N, Keenan J, O'Sullivan F, Clarke C, Gammell P, Melville MW, Leonard M, Clynes M. 2011. Sustained productivity in recombinant Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines: proteome analysis of the molecular basis for a process-related phenotype. Bmc Biotechnology, 11,, pp78-.
• Piskareva O, Lackington W, Lemass D, Hendrick C, Doolan P, Barron N. 2011. The human L1 element: a potential biomarker in cancer prognosis, current status and future directions. CURRENT MOLECULAR MEDICINE. 11, 4, pp286-303.
• Barron N, Kumar N, Sanchez N, Doolan P, Clarke C, Meleady P, O¿Sullivan F, Clynes M. 2011. Engineering CHO cell growth and recombinant protein productivity by overexpression of miR-7. Journal Of Biotechnology, 20, 151, pp204.-211.
• Barron N, Sanchez N, Kelly P, Clynes M. 2011. MicroRNAs: tiny targets for engineering CHO cell phenotypes?. Biotechnology Letters, 33, 1, pp11-21.
• Clarke C, Doolan P, Barron N, Meleady P, O'Sullivan F, Gammell P, Melville M, Leonard M, Clynes M. 2011. Predicting cell-specific productivity from CHO gene expression. Journal Of Biotechnology, 20, 151, pp159-165.
• Rani S, Mehta JP, Barron N, Doolan P, Clynes M, Jeppesen PB , O'Driscoll L. 2010. TXNIP-IDENTIFIED AS A REGULATOR OF GLUCOSE-STIMULATED INSULIN SECRETION AND REACTIVE OXYGEN SPECIES IN MIN6 CELLS. Irish Journal Of Medical Science, 179, , pp290-291.
• Egan B, Carson BP, Garcia-Roves PM, Chibalin AV, Sarsfield FM, Barron N, McCaffrey N, Moyna NM, Zierath JR, O'Gorman DJ. 2010. Exercise intensity-dependent regulation of PGC-1{alpha} mRNA abundance is associated with differential activation of upstream signalling kinases in human skeletal muscle. Journal Of Physiology (london), 588, , pp1779-1790.
• Rani S, Mehta JP, Barron N, Doolan P, Jeppesen PB, Clynes M, O'Driscoll L. 2010. Decreasing Txnip mRNA and protein levels in pancreatic MIN6 cells reduces reactive oxygen species and restores glucose regulated insulin secretion. CELL. PHYSIOL. BIOCHEM. 25, 6, pp667-674.
• Gandhiraman, RP, Muniyappa MK, Dudek M, Coyle C, Volcke C, Killard AJ, Burham P, Daniels P, Barron N, Clynes M, Cameron DC. 2010. Interaction of Plasma Deposited HMDSO-Based Coatings with Fibrinogen and Human Blood Plasma: The Correlation between Bulk Plasma, Surface Characteristics and Biomolecule Interaction. Plasma Processes And Polymers (print), 7, 5, pp411-421.
• Doolan P, Meleady P, Barron N, Henry M, Gallagher R, Gammell P, Melville M, Sinacore M, McCarthy K, Leonard M, Charlebois T, Clynes M. 2010. Microarray and proteomics expression profiling identifies several candidates, including the valosin-containing protein (VCP), involved in regulating high cellular growth rate in production CHO cell lines. Biotechnology And Bioengineering, 106, 1, pp42-56.
• Muniyappa MK, Dowling P, Henry M, Meleady P, Doolan P, Gammell P, Clynes M, Barron N. 2009. MiRNA-29a regulates the expression of numerous proteins and reduces the invasiveness and proliferation of human carcinoma cell lines. European Journal Of Cancer, 45, 17, pp3104-3118.
• Pierce, A. Barron, N. Linehan, R. Ryan, E. O¿Driscoll, L. Daly, C. Clynes, M. 2008. Identification of a novel, functional role for S100A13 in invasive lung cancer cell lines. European Journal Of Cancer, 44, 1, pp151-159.
• Piskareva O, Clynes M and Barron N. 2007. Detection and cloning of LINE-1 elements in CHO cells.. Cytotechnology, 53, , pp75-80.
• McKiernan E, O'driscoll L, Kasper M, Barron N, O'sullivan F, Clynes M. 2007. Directed Differentiation of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells into Pancreatic-Like or Neuronal- and Glial-Like Phenotypes.. Tissue Engineering, 13, 10, pp2419-2430.
• Gammell P, Barron N, Kumar N, Clynes M.. 2007. Initial identification of low temperature and culture stage induction of miRNA expression in suspension CHO-K1 cells.. Journal Of Biotechnology, 130, 3, pp213-218.
• Mehta JP, O'Driscoll L, Barron N, Clynes M, Doolan P.. 2007. A microarray approach to translational medicine in breast cancer: how representative are cell line models of clinical conditions?. Anticancer Research, 27, 3A, pp1295-1300.
• Barron N, Piskareva O and Muniyappa M. 2007. Targeted genetic modification of cell lines for recombinant protein production. Cytotechnology, 5, , pp65-73.
• Mc Kiernan E, Barron NW, O'Sullivan F, Barham P, Clynes M, O'Driscoll L. 2007. Detecting de novo insulin synthesis in embryonic stem cell-derived populations. Experimental Cell Research, 313, 7, pp1405-1414.
• Piskareva OA, Barron N, Clynes M, Shmatchenko VV. 2004. In vivo cytoplasmic localization of the p40 protein of the L1 transposable element of human genome. DOKL.BIOCHEM.BIOPHYS. 395,, pp118-119.
• Lanz RB, Chua SS, Barron N, Soder BM, DeMayo F, O'Malley BW. 2003. Steroid receptor RNA activator stimulates proliferation as well as apoptosis in vivo. Molecular Cell Biology, 23, 20, pp7163-7176.
• New MI, Nimkarn S, Brandon DD, Cunningham-Rundles S, Wilson RC, Newfield RS, Vandermeulen J, Barron, N, Russo C, Loriaux DL, O'Malley B. 1999. Resistance to several steroids in two sisters. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 84, 12, pp4454-4464.
• Gough, S., Barron, N., Zubov, A L., Lozinsky, V I., McHale, A. P. 1998. Production of ethanol from molasses at 45(degree)C using Kluyveromyces marxianus IMB3 immobilized in calcium alginate gels and poly(vinyl alcohol) cryogel. Bioprocess Engineering. Vol 19, N0.2,, pp87-90.
• Barron, N., Mulholland, H., Boyle, M., McHale, A P. 1997. Ethanol production by Kluyveromyces marxianus IMB3 during growth on straw-supplemented whiskey distillery spent wash at 45 degreeC. Bioprocess Engineering. Volume 17, Number 6,, pp383-386.
• Barron, N., Marchant, R., McHale, L., McHale, A. P. 1996. Ethanol production from cellulose at 45C using a batch-fed system containing alginate-immobilized Kluyveromyces marxianus IMB3. World Journal Of Microbiology & Biotechnology, 12, No.1,, pp103-104.
• Barron, N., Rollan, A., Marchant, R., Higgins, D., McHale, A P. 1996. Use of carbohydrate-supplemented distillery spent wash as a medium for ethanol production by a thermotolerant strain of yeast at 45o C. Biotechnology Techniques, 10, No.5,, pp349-352.
• Barron, N., Marchant, R., McHale, L., McHale, A P.. 1995. Studies on the use of a thermotolerant strain of Kluyveromyces marxianus in simultaneous saccharification and ethanol formation from cellulose. Applied Microbiology And Biotechnology, 43, No.3,, pp518-520.
• Barron, N., Marchant, R., McHale, L., McHale, A P. 1995. Partial characterization of B-glucosidase activity produced by Kluyveromyces marxianus IMB3 during growth on cellobiose-containing media at 45(degree)C. Biotechnology Letters, 17, No.10, , pp1047-1050.
• Barron, N., Marchant, R., McHale, L., McHale, A. P. 1994. Growth of a thermotolerant ethanol-producing strain of Kluyveromyces marxianus on cellobiose containing media. Biotechnology Letters, 16, No.6, , pp635-630.

Selected Books

• . Proceedings of the 21st Annual Meeting of the European Society for Animal Cell Technology (ESACT), Dublin, Ireland, June 7-10, 2009, Springer, 2012.
• . MicroRNAs as Tools in Biopharmaceutical Production, Springer, 2012.

Selected Chapters

• Jai Prakash Mehta, Lorraine O¿Driscoll, Niall Barron, Martin Clynes and Padraig Doolan. 2010. TRANSLATING IN VITRO CELL LINES RESULT INTO CLINICAL PRACTICE. Methods of Cancer Diagnosis, Therapy, and Prognosis Vol7
• Barron, N., Brady, D., Love, G., Marchant, R. 1996. Alginate-immobilized thermotolerant yeast for conversion of cellulose to ethanol. Immobilized Cells: Basics and Applications, pp379-383.

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• Barron N, Sanchez N, Lao N, Doolan P, Aherne S, Clarke C, Blanco A, Gammell P, Clynes M , miRNAs as tools to impact cell growth , Biotechnology in Action, 04-SEP-12 - 06-SEP-12, Dublin, Ireland
• Barron N, Analysis of a Sustained Productivity (SQp) Phenotype in mAb-Secreting CHO Cells , The Bioprocessing Summit, 20-AUG-12 - 23-AUG-12, Boston, MA
• Barron N, Bioinformatics tools in CHO: Predicting and Sustaining Productivity, Laupheimer Zelltage 2, Bioprocess Light, 11-JUN-12 - 12-JUN-12, Laupheim, Germany
• Barron N, Sanchez N, Gallagher M, Lao N, Gallagher C, Meleady P, Clynes M., Engineering CHO cell growth by stable manipulation of miRNA expression, 10th Protein Expression in Animal Cells (PEACe) Conference 2011, 25-SEP-11 - 29-SEP-11, Cascais, Portugal
• Barron N, Kelly P, Sanchez N, Clynes M., MicroRNAs: New tools to manipulate protein expression in CHO cells, PEGS - 7th Annual Protein Engineering Summit, 09-MAY-11 - 13-MAY-11, Boston, MA
• Barron N, Sanchez N, Kumar N, Gammell P, Clynes M., MicroRNAs: Tiny targets for CHO cell engineering? , Recombinant Protein Production (RPP6), 16-JAN-11 - 19-JAN-11, Vienna, Austria
• Barron N, Sanchez N, Clynes M., miRNAs as tools to impact cell phenotypes, 6th Annual Cell Line Development & Engineering Conference, 21-JUN-10 - 23-JUN-10, San Francisco, CA
• Barron N, Kumar N, Sanchez N, Gammell P, Clynes, M., Modification of miRNA levels in CHO cells to impact bioprocess phenotypes, Cell Culture Engineering XII, 25-APR-10 - 30-APR-10, Banff, Alberta, Canada
• Barron N, Kumar N, Sanchez N, Clynes M, Engineering CHO production phenotypes by specific modification of microRNA expression levels, Cell Line Development and Engineering, 03-JAN-10 - 03-MAY-10, Prague, Czech Republic
• Barron N, Kumar N, Sanchez N, Gammell P, Clynes M, Engineering CHO production phenotypes by specific modification of microRNA expression levels, European Society for Animal Cell Technology, 07-JUN-09 - 10-JUN-09, Dublin, Ireland
• Gammell P and Barron N, The NICB ¿ Wyeth Collaboration & the Centralized CHO Chip Program (CCCP), Annual ACTIP meeting, 10-MAY-07 - 11-MAY-07, Dublin
• Barron, N. Piskareva, O. and Munniyappa, M., Targeted Genomic Integration for Reproducible Transgene Expression, In: Clynes, M, O'Driscoll, D. ed.Global mRNA and Protein Expression Analysis in bioprocessing, cancer and other diseases., 07-SEP-06 - 08-SEP-06, Dublin
• Barron, N., Gammell, P., McKiernan, E., O'Driscoll, L. and Clynes, M., Developing a Stem Cell Based Therapy for Type I Diabetes, British Society for Histocompatibility & Immunogenetics 15th Annual Conference , 13-OCT-04 - 15-OCT-04, Dublin Castle, Dublin 2.
• I Kwak, NW Barron, BG Rowan, RB Lanz, FJ DeMayo, J Xu & BW O'Malley, Characterization and targeted disruption of mouse steroid receptor RNA coactivator (SRA) gene., 23rd Annual Meeting of The Endocrine Society, 20-JUN-01 - 23-JUN-01, Denver, CO.
• Barron, N., Nawaz, Z., Qin, J. and O'Malley, B.W., Effects of the Ccr4/Not Complex on Steroid Receptor-Dependent Transcription, 22nd Annual Meeting of The Endocrine Society, 19-JUN-00 - 24-FEB-01, Toronto, Canada