Caitlín (Cait) O'Reilly

Biography

Background

Cait is a PhD researcher on the Precision Medicine Doctoral Training Programme at the University of Edinburgh, based in the Mitić Lab at the Institute for Neuroscience and Cardiovascular Research. Her doctoral project investigates the regulatory roles of non-coding RNAs in thoracic aortic aneurysm, with a focus on epigenetics, genomics and biomarker discovery in cardiovascular disease.

She previously worked in the cell and gene therapy sector in R&D and process development, focusing on iPSC-derived cell therapies and projects involving genomic instability, epigenetic memory and early translational development. She also has six years of earlier clinical experience in emergency medicine, oncology and diagnostics.

Qualifications

  • BSc Biology & Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (USA)

Research summary

Functional genomics, cardiovascular genomics, epigenetics, chromatin regulation, non-coding RNAs, long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), microRNA, biomarker discovery, iPSC models

Current research interests

My PhD research investigates how long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and non-coding genetic variants contribute to thoracic aortic aneurysm and related aortic disease by regulating vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cell phenotype. I use functional genomics and epigenetic approaches, integrating patient genetic data with vascular cell models, to link ncRNA-controlled chromatin states and gene expression to vessel wall remodelling, and to identify ncRNA-based biomarkers and therapeutic targets in cardiovascular disease.
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