Bree Foley
Honorary Research Associate
BSc(Biomedical)(Hons) PhD
bree.foley@thekids.org.au
+61 63191741
Dr Bree Foley is a cellular immunologist with the goal to understand the immune response to paediatric cancers and to identify new ways to harness these responses. She completed her PhD at the University of Western Australia followed by post-doctoral training at the University of Minnesota.
Dr Foley currently runs a research program investigating how to enhance natural killer (NK) cells functional capacity using cutting edge molecular and immunological tools. Through her research, Dr Foley hopes to identify new and novel therapies for the treatment of cancer.
Published research
Type I interferon subtypes differentially activate the anti-leukaemic function of natural killer cells
Natural killer (NK) cells have an intrinsic ability to detect and eliminate leukaemic cells. Cellular therapies using cytokine-activated NK cells have emerged as promising treatments for patients with advanced leukaemia. However, not all patients respond to current NK cell therapies, and thus improvements in efficacy are required.
Non-severe burn injury increases cancer incidence in mice and has long-term impacts on the activation and function of T cells
Recent evidence suggests that burn patients are at increased risk of hospital admission for infection, mental health conditions, cardiovascular disease and cancer for many years after discharge for the burn injury itself.
Education and Qualifications
- PhD (2008): University of Western Australia
- BSc(Biomedical Sciences)(Hons)(2003): University of Western Australia
Active Collaborations
- Dr Jason Waithman, UWA
- Prof. Ryan Lister and Dr Christian Pflueger, Harry Perkins Institute for Medical Research
- Dr Benedict Carnley, Cell and Tissue Therapies WA
- Dr Paul Beavis, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre