Dr Ciara O’Brien graduated from University College London Medical School in 2003. During her undergraduate training she undertook research investigating the genomics of benign to malignant progression in apocrine breast cancer (supervisor Professor Sunil R Lakhani).
She was awarded an AACR Scholar in Training Award in 2009 for work leading to the award of PhD from University of Manchester in 2011. Her PhD carried out within the Breast Biology group (supervisors Dr Sacha Howell and Dr Rob Clarke) investigated cancer stem cells and stem cell pathways as drivers of resistance to endocrine therapy in breast cancer.
Dr Ciara O’Brien completed specialist training at the Christie Hospital, Manchester and obtained her CCT in Medical Oncology in 2016. She subsequently undertook a post- CCT fellowship in Experimental Cancer Medicine at the Christie Hospital/University of Manchester with a focus on translational research, precision oncology and early phase clinical trials in breast cancer.
Dr Ciara O’Brien was appointed as a trainee member of NCRI Breast clinical trials subgroup between 2015 and 2016. She is also an active member of the National Trainee Research Collaborative in Breast Cancer Surgery and Oncology.