Our Researchers | LLNI Funding 2026
Successful new treatments, repurposed drugs or new drug combinations can then be used in clinical trials and ultimately can be offered by Haematology consultants as new, specialised treatments for their patients.
Katrina Lappin
LLNI Fellow exploring immune activation in MDS and AML, and how we can exploit the immune response to target leukaemic cells.
Graeme Greenfield
- Academic Clinical Fellow. How do individual AML cells adapt to avoid cell death after treatment with azacitidine and venetoclax in individual patients.
- Graeme's Research Summary
Hayley McMillan
- Understanding the genetic mutations in myeloid malignancies at diagnosis and during disease progression, and to also identify specific drug combinations that inhibit these mutations.
- Hayley's Research Summary
Lydia Roets
- CURED Study Characterising drivers of therapeUtic Resistance in paEDiatric AML (CURED study).
- Lydia's Research Summary
Rebecca Briggs
- Investigating the relationship between DNA damage and immune response activation in certain types of blood cancers
- Rebecca's Research Summary
Our PhD Researchers 2026
LLNI provides funding to PhD researchers who are looking at various different blood cancers.
Chloe Wylie
Exosome-mediated molecular mechanisms in the progression of multiple myeloma.
Edward Tang
- Understanding primary chemotherapy resistance in childhood acute myeloid leukaemia.
- Edward's Research Summary
Fionnuala Petticrew
- The Simon Robinson PhD Studentship: identifying new therapeutic targets in Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma, aiming to restore cell death pathways in cancer cells using a recently developed drug.
- Fionnuala's Research Summary
Lucy Wilson
- Identification of potential cancer vaccine targets for Acute Myeloid Leukaemia
- Lucy's Research Summary
Claire Kelly
- Evaluating DNA Uracilation as a Targeted Therapeutic Strategy in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia
- Claire's Research Summary
Aidan Kilmartin
- Exploring the role of mRNA and protein quality control mechanisms in driving acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) progression and therapeutic resistance.
- Aidan's Research Summary
Ciara Cunningham
- Enhancing therapeutic response in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) through investigating the role of metabolic regulators.
- Ciara's Research Summary
Tahereh Hojjatipour
Investigating the role of the USP7–ncPRC1 complex in malignant B-cells, testing its potential as an epigenetic vulnerability in therapy resistant tumors.
Niamh McStravick
- Understanding mechanisms driving therapy resistance in Multiple Myeloma and identifying novel therapy combinations which may aid in circumventing resistance.
- Niamh's Research Summary
Scientific and Medical Committee
A panel of independent researchers and clinicians who provide recommendations to Leukaemia & Lymphoma NI on decisions relating to the funding and management of research projects.
Dr Aaron Niblock
Chair
Haematology Consultant Antrim Hospital
Dr Kathryn Clarke
Vice Chair
Principal Clinical Scientist | Haemato-oncology Department of Haematology Belfast City Hospital
Dr Lynn McCallum
Associate Professor in Haematology (Education) Programme Lead Healthcare Sciences University of Plymouth Programme Lead Applied Biomedical Sciences Programme Lead Clinical Physiology
Dr Brídgín Merron
Glenda Joanne Dickson
Principal Scientist, Innovation Virocell
Dr Reuben Benjamin
Haematologist & Clinical Senior Lecturer Kings College London
Professor Brian Walker
Emeritius Professor Queen's University Belfast
Professor Charles Campbell
Emeritus Professor Queen's University Belfast
Professor Peter Maxwell
Emeritus Professor of Renal Medicine Queen's University Belfast
They ensure that all LLNI funding awards support the highest quality research and will consider applications for funding for basic, translational and clinical related research.