Christine Loscher

Prof.

Profile Photo
Professor Christine Loscher completed her PhD in Immunology at NUI, Maynooth in 2000 and was awarded a Health Research Board Fellowship to pursue her postdoctoral studies at Trinity College Dublin. In 2003 she moved to the Institute of Molecular Medicine at St James Hospital to continue her research and then was appointed to a permanent academic position at Dublin City University in 2005. She leads the Immunomodulation Research Group at DCU which has a focus on translating how modulation of the immune response has health benefits. Her focus includes discovering new anti-inflammatory/anti-allergic compounds and ingredients that can be used in the pharma and food industry. She is a Principal Investigator in the Food for Health Ireland Technology Centre and served on the Scientific Advisory Council at Kerry Foods from 2015 to 2017. She has developed significant expertise in commercial research and industry engagement and has secured over €5.5M in external funding for her research.   In 2014 she was named in Silicon Republics top 100 Women in STEM and in 2015 she was a speaker at InspireFest. In 2016 she delivered a TEDx talk to communicate her views on the Future of Food and in 2018 she was included in Silicon Republic’s  “22 high-flying scientists making the world a better place in 2019”. She is currently the Associate Dean for Research in the Faculty of Science & Health at DCU.  In 2020 she was promoted to Full Professor of Immunology and established the DCU Covid-19 Research & Innovation Hub which currently has 16 funded projects aimed at novel solutions in the fight against Covid-19.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFOk-dlPafQ

Book Chapter

Year Publication
2014 Bruneau J.;Hayden O.;Loscher C.;O'Kennedy R. (2014) 'Immunosuppressive actions of aflatoxin and its role in disease susceptibility' In: Aflatoxins: Food Sources, Occurrence and Toxicological Effects.
2008 Draper E, Loscher CE, Reynolds C and Roche HM (2008) 'Nutritional regulation of Nuclear Factor-κB activation and inflammation in diet-related disease. (2008). ' In: Advances in Nutritional Immunology and Molecular Nutrition.

Peer Reviewed Journal

Year Publication
2015 Collins L.;DeCourcey J.;Rochfort K.;Kristek M.;Loscher C. (2015) 'A role for syntaxin 3 in the secretion of IL-6 from dendritic cells following activation of toll-like receptors'. Frontiers in Immunology, 6 (JAN). [DOI]
2013 Morine M.;Toomey S.;McGillicuddy F.;Reynolds C.;Power K.;Browne J.;Loscher C.;Mills K.;Roche H. (2013) 'Network analysis of adipose tissue gene expression highlights altered metabolic and regulatory transcriptomic activity in high-fat-diet-fed IL-1RI knockout mice'. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 24 (5):788-795. [DOI]
2012 Bruneau J.;Stack E.;O'Kennedy R.;Loscher C. (2012) 'Aflatoxins B 1, B 2 and G 1 modulate cytokine secretion and cell surface marker expression in J774A.1 murine macrophages'. Toxicology in Vitro, 26 (5):686-693. [DOI]
2011 McEntee G.;Minguzzi S.;O'Brien K.;Larbi N.;Loscher C.;O'́faǵaín C.;Parle-McDermott A. (2011) 'The former annotated human pseudogene dihydrofolate reductase-like 1 (DHFRL1) is expressed and functional'. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 108 (37):15157-15162. [DOI]
2011 Ryan A.;Lynch M.;Smith S.;Amu S.;Nel H.;McCoy C.;Dowling J.;Draper E.;O'Reilly V.;McCarthy C.;O'Brien J.;Eidhin D.;O'Connell M.;Keogh B.;Morton C.;Rogers T.;Fallon P.;O'Neill L.;Kelleher D.;Loscher C. (2011) 'A role for TLR4 in clostridium difficile infection and the recognition of surface layer proteins'. PLoS Pathogens, 7 (6). [DOI]
2015 Kristek M.;Collins L.;DeCourcey J.;McEvoy F.;Loscher C. (2015) 'Soluble factors from colonic epithelial cells contribute to gut homeostasis by modulating macrophage phenotype'. Innate immunity, 21 (4):358-369. [DOI]
2015 Negm O.;Hamed M.;Dilnot E.;Shone C.;Marszalowska I.;Lynch M.;Loscher C.;Edwards L.;Tighe P.;Wilcox M.;Monaghan T. (2015) 'Profiling humoral immune responses to Clostridium difficile-specific antigens by protein microarray analysis'. Clinical And Vaccine Immunology, 22 (9):1033-1039. [DOI]
2015 Webb A.;Gerek Z.;Morgan C.;Walsh T.;Loscher C.;Edwards S.;O'Connell M. (2015) 'Adaptive evolution as a predictor of species-specific innate immune response'. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 32 (7):1717-1729. [DOI]
2014 Draper E.;DeCourcey J.;Higgins S.;Canavan M.;McEvoy F.;Lynch M.;Keogh B.;Reynolds C.;Roche H.;Mills K.;Loscher C. (2014) 'Conjugated linoleic acid suppresses dendritic cell activation and subsequent Th17 responses'. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 25 (7):741-749. [DOI]
2014 Collins LE, Lynch M, Marszalowska I, Kristek M, Rochfort K, O’Connell M, Windle H, Kelleher D and Loscher CE. (2014) 'Surface Layer Proteins Isolated from Clostridium difficile Induce Clearance Responses in Macrophages. '. Microbes and Infection, Available online 19 February 2014 PMID: 24560642 .
2014 Haberlin G, McCarthy C, Doran R, Loscher CE and Guiry PJ. (2014) 'Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of 1,3- and 1,4-Disubstituted Benzo-type Lipoxin A4 Analogues. '. Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, Under review Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry. Manuscript number OB-ART-09-2013-041948 .
2014 Kennedy E.;Hakimjavadi R.;Greene C.;Mooney C.;Fitzpatrick E.;Collins L.;Loscher C.;Guha S.;Morrow D.;Redmond E.;Cahill P. (2014) 'Embryonic rat vascular smooth muscle cells revisited - A model for neonatal, neointimal SMC or differentiated vascular stem cells?'. Vascular Cell, 6 (1). [DOI]
2014 Canavan M.;McCarthy C.;Larbi N.;Dowling J.;Collins L.;O'Sullivan F.;Hurley G.;Murphy C.;Quinlan A.;Moloney G.;Darby T.;Macsharry J.;Kagechika H.;Moynagh P.;Melgar S.;Loscher C. (2014) 'Activation of liver X receptor suppresses the production of the IL-12 family of cytokines by blocking nuclear translocation of NF-κBp50'. Innate immunity, 20 (7):675-687. [DOI]
2014 Korzeniowska B.;Woolley R.;DeCourcey J.;Wencel D.;Loscher C.;McDonagh C. (2014) 'Intracellular pH-sensing using core/shell silica nanoparticles'. Journal of Biomedical Nanotechnology, 10 (7):1336-1345. [DOI]
2014 Kristek M.;Loscher C. (2014) 'The emerging roles of intestinal macrophages in sickness and in health'. Periodicum Biologorum, 116 (2):125-129.
2014 Haberlin G.;McCarthy C.;Doran R.;Loscher C.;Guiry P. (2014) 'Asymmetric synthesis and biological evaluation of 1,3- and 1,4-disubstituted benzo-type lipoxin A4analogues'. Tetrahedron, (38):6859-6869. [DOI]
2014 Collins L.;Lynch M.;Marszalowska I.;Kristek M.;Rochfort K.;O'Connell M.;Windle H.;Kelleher D.;Loscher C. (2014) 'Surface layer proteins isolated from Clostridium difficile induce clearance responses in macrophages'. Microbes and Infection, 16 (5):391-400. [DOI]
2013 Rahman A.;DeCourcey J.;Larbi N.;Loughran S.;Walls D.;Loscher C. (2013) 'Syntaxin-4 is essential for IgE secretion by plasma cells'. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 440 (1):163-167. [DOI]
2013 Rahman A, DeCourcey J, Ben Larbi N, Loughran ST, Walls D and Loscher CE. (2013) 'Syntaxin-4 is Essential for IgE Secretion by Plasma Cells. '. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, doi:pii: S0006-291X(13)01539-8. 10.1016/j.bbrc.2013.09.058. [Epub ahead of print]PMID: 24055037 .
2013 Dowling J.;McCoy C.;Doyle S.;BenLarbi N.;Canavan M.;O'Neill L.;Loscher C. (2013) 'Conjugated linoleic acid suppresses IRF3 activation via modulation of CD14'. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 24 (5):920-928. [DOI]
2012 Morgan CC, Shakya K, Webb A, Walsh TA, Lynch M, Loscher CE, Ruskin HJ, O'Connell MJ. (2012) 'Colon cancer associated genes exhibit signatures of positive selection at functionally significant positions. '. BMC Evolutionary Biology, 12(1):114. PMID: 22788692 .
2012 Bruneau JC, Stack E, O'Kennedy R, Loscher CE. (2012) 'Aflatoxins B(1), B(2) and G(1) modulate cytokine secretion and cell surface marker expression in J774A.1 murine macrophages'. Toxicology in Vitro, 26(5):686-93. PMID:22445859 .
2011 Ryan A, Lynch M, Smith SM, Amu S, Nel HJ, McCoy CE, Dowling JK, Draper E, O'Reilly V, McCarthy C, O'Brien J, Ní Eidhin D, O'Connell MJ, Keogh B, Morton CO, Rogers TR, Fallon PG, O'Neill LA, Kelleher D, Loscher CE. (2011) 'A role for TLR4 in Clostridium difficile infection and the recognition of surface layer proteins'. PLoS Pathogens, 7(6):e1002076. PMID: 21738466 .
2011 Draper E.;Reynolds C.;Canavan M.;Mills K.;Loscher C.;Roche H. (2011) 'Omega-3 fatty acids attenuate dendritic cell function via NF-κB independent of PPARγ'. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 22 (8):784-790. [DOI]
2010 Duffy C.;Maderna P.;McCarthy C.;Loscher C.;Godson C.;Guiry P. (2010) 'Synthesis and biological evaluation of pyridine-containing lipoxin A4 analogues'. ChemMedChem, 5 (4):517-522. [DOI]
2009 Hamilton CM, Dowling DJ, Loscher CE, Morphew RM, Brophy PM, O'Neill SM. (2009) 'The Fasciola hepatica tegumental antigen suppresses dendritic cell maturation and function. '. Infection and Immunity, 77(6):2488-98. PMID: 19332532 .
2009 de Roos B, Rungapamestry V, Ross K, Rucklidge G, Reid M, Duncan G, Horgan G, Toomey S, Browne J, Loscher CE, Mills KH and Roche HM. (2009) 'Attenuation of inflammation and oxidative stress related pathways maintain insulin sensitivity in obese type I interleukin 1 receptor knockout mice on a high fat diet. '. Proteomics, 9(12):3244-56 PMID 19562798 .
2009 Reynolds C.;Draper E.;Keogh B.;Rahman A.;Moloney A.;Mills K.;Loscher C.;Roche H. (2009) 'A conjugated linoleic acid-enriched beef diet attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in mice in part through PPARγ-mediated suppression of toll-like receptor 4'. Journal of Nutrition, 139 (12):2351-2357. [DOI]
2008 Costelloe C, Watson M, Murphy A, McQuillan K, Loscher C, Armstrong ME, Garlanda C, Mantovani A, O'Neill LA, Mills KH, Lynch MA. (2008) 'IL-1F5 mediates anti-inflammatory activity in the brain through induction of IL-4 following interaction with SIGIRR/TIR8. '. Journal of Neurochemistry, 105(5):1960-9 .
2008 Reynolds CM, Loscher CE, Moloney AP, Roche HM. (2008) (2008) 'Cis-9, trans-11-conjugated linoleic acid but not its precursor trans-vaccenic acid attenuate inflammatory markers in the human colonic epithelial cell line Caco-2. '. British Journal of Nutrition, 100(1):13-17 .
2007 Moloney F., Toomey S., Noone E., Nugent A., Allan B., Loscher CE and Roche HM (2007) 'Antidiabetic effects of cis-9, trans-11-conjugated linoleic acid may be mediated via anti-inflammatory effects in white adipose tissue'. Diabetes, 56 :574-582.
2005 De Roos B, Rucklidge G, Reid M, Pickard K, Navarro MA, Arbones-Mainar JM, Guzman-Garcia MA, Osada J., Browne J., Loscher CE. and Roche HM. (2005) 'Divergent mechanisms of cis9, trans11- and trans10, cis12-conjugated linoleic acid affecting insulin resistance and inflammation in apolipoprotein E knockout mice: a proteomics approach'. 19 :1746-1758.
2005 Loscher CE, Draper E, Leavy O, Mills KH and Roche HM. (2005) 'Polyunsaturated fatty acids suppress NFкB activation and IL-12 production in dendritic cells through ERK-mediated IL-10 induction'. Journal of Immunology, 175 (8): 4990-8. .
2005 Armstrong, M.E., Lavelle, E.C., Loscher, C.E., Lynch, M.A. and Mills, K.H. (2005) 'Pro-inflammatory responses in the murine brain following intranasal delivery of cholera toxin: implications for the use of AB toxins as adjuvants in nasal vaccines'. JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE, 192 :1628-1633.
2003 Loscher, C.E., Mills, K.H. and Lynch, M.A. (2003) 'Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist exerts agonist activity in the hippocampus independent of the interleukin-1 type ƒ¹ receptor'. Journal of Neuroimmunology, 137 :117-124.
2003 Kelly, Á., Vereker, E., Nolan Y, Brady, M., Barry, C., Loscher, C.E., Mills, K.H and Lynch, M.A. (2003) 'Activation of p38 plays a pivotal role in the inhibitory effect of lipopolysaccharide and interleukin-1beta on long-term potentiation in rat dentate gyrus'. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 278 :19453-19562.
2003 6) Loscher, C.E.,* Armstrong, M.E.,* Lynch, M.A. and Mills, K.H. (2003) 'IL-1beta dependent neurological side effects of the whole cell pertussis vaccine: a role for IL-1-associated signaling components in vaccine reactogenicity'. Journal of Neuroimmunology, 136 :25-33.
2001 Donnelly S., Loscher C.E., Lynch M.A. and Mills K.H. (2001) 'Whole-cell but not acellular pertussis vaccines induce convulsive activity in mice: evidence of a role for toxin-induced interleukin-1beta in a new murine model for analysis of neuronal side effects of vaccination'. Infection and Immunity, 69 :4217-4223.
2000 Loscher C.E., Donnelly S., Lynch M.A. and Mills K.H. (2000) 'Induction of inflammatory cytokines in the brain following respiratory infection with Bordetella pertussis'. Journal of Neuroimmunology, 102 :172-181.
2000 Loscher C.E., Donnelly S., Mills K.H. and Lynch, M.A. (2000) 'Interleukin-1-beta-dependent changes in the hippocampus following parenteral immunization with a whole cell pertussis vaccine'. Journal of Neuroimmunology, 111 :68-76.
1999 Donnelly S., Loscher C.E., Mills K.H. and Lynch, M.A. (1999) 'Glycerol-induced seizure: involvement of IL-1beta and glutamate'. NeuroReport, 10 :1821-1825.
1998 Loscher C.E., Donnelly S., McBennet S., Lynch M.A. and Mills K.H. (1998) 'Proinflammatory cytokines in the adverse systemic and neurologic effects associated with parenteral injection of a whole cell pertussis vaccine'. ANNALS OF THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCE, 856 :274-277.
1997 Kelly, J.A., Loscher, C.E., Gallagher, S. and O’Connor, B. (1997) 'Degradation of pyroglutamyl-phenylalanyl-proline amide by a pyroglutamyl aminopeptidase purified from membrane fractions of bovine brain'. Biochemical Society Transactions, 1 .

Other Journal

Year Publication
2016 Ganapathiraju MK, Thahir M, Handen A, Sarkar SN, Sweet RA, Nimgaonkar VL, Loscher CE, Bauer EM, Chaparala S. (2016) 'Schizophrenia interactome with 504 novel protein-protein interactions' .
2015 Collins LE, DeCourcey J, Soledad di Luca M, Rochfort KD, Loscher CE. (2015) 'Emerging Role for SNARE Proteins in Dendritic Cell Function' .
2015 Webb AE, Gerek ZN, Morgan CC, Walsh TA, Loscher CE, Edwards SV, O'Connell MJ. (2015) 'Adaptive Evolution as a Predictor of Species-Specific Innate Immune Response' .
2014 Kennedy E, Mooney CJ, Hakimjavadi R, Fitzpatrick E, Guha S, Collins LE, Loscher CE, Morrow D, Redmond EM, Cahill PA. (2014) 'Adult vascular smooth muscle cells in culture express neural stem cell markers typical of resident multipotent vascular stem cells' .

Conference Contribution

Year Publication
Collins, L, DeCourcey, J; Loscher, C. E. A role for syntaxin 3 in dendritic cell secretion. Immunology 2012 Volume: 137 Special Issue: SI Supplement: 1 Pages: 262-262 A role for syntaxin 3 in dendritic cell secretion. Immunology 2012 Volume: 137 Special Issue: SI Supplement: 1 .
2015 Kennedy K; Marszalowska I; Lynch M; Moynagh P; Loscher C (2015) Gut Microbiota Modulation of Host Physiology: The Search for Mechanism microRNAs are Differentially Regulated by Surface Layer Proteins Isolated from Clostridium difficile Colorado, USA, .

Review Articles

Year Publication
2015 Collins L.;DeCourcey J.;di Luca M.;Rochfort K.;Loscher C. (2015) An emerging role for SNARE proteins in dendritic cell function. REV [DOI]
Certain data included herein are derived from the © Web of Science (2022) of Clarivate. All rights reserved.

Honors and Awards

Date Title Awarding Body
Enterprise Ireland
SFI Research Frontiers
IRCSET
SFI PI Award
SFI Basic Research Grant
Enterprise Ireland
IRCSET
Enterprise Ireland
Marine Institute /IRCSET
SFI Research Frontiers
NIH R01MH094564
SFI Research Frontiers
Enterprise Ireland Innovation Partnership
HRB Postdoctoral Fellowship
Enterprise Ireland Feasibility Award
HEA PRTLI4 T3
SFI Cluster
HEA PRTLI 5

Committees

Committee Function From / To
Irish Society of Immunology -

Employment

Employer Position From / To
NUI, Maynooth Postdoctoral Fellow 01/01/2000 - 30/09/2001
NUI, Maynooth Postgraduate Student -

Education

Start date Institution Qualification Subject
National University of Ireland Doctor of Philosophy Imunology