Dr Sinead Miggin

Biology, Human Health Institute

Lecturer
Assistant Professor

Biosciences
B3.14
(01) 708 3855

Biography

Dr Sinead Miggin graduated in Toxicology from Athlone Institute of Technology. In 2000, she was awarded a PhD in Biochemistry which was undertaken at the Conway Institute, University College Dublin. She subsequently undertook a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Inflammation research at the Conway Institute (2000-2002) followed by a Senior Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland (2002-2006). She was appointed Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at Maynooth University in 2006. In 2015, Dr Miggin was awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education. Dr Miggin is Principal Investigator in the Immune Signalling lab and is a member of the Kathleen Lonsdale Institute for Human Health Research. 

Research Interests

My research focuses on the molecular mechanisms involved in regulating the innate immune response through the Toll-like receptors (TLRs). TLRs play a critical role in the evolutionary conserved innate immune response and represents our first line of defense against invading pathogens. TLRs are activated in response to a broad spectrum of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) ranging from bacterial and viral components to fungal and protozoal molecules. Chronic Inflammatory Diseases such as Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), Osteoarthritis (OA) and Type 2 Diabetes, whilst having apparently unrelated aetiologies, share a common late stage pathogenic process, characterized by increases in pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as TNFa, IL-1b, IL-6 and IL-18. During chronic inflammatory episodes, the 'in-born' or innate immune system may become dysregulated through mechanisms involving Toll-like receptors (TLRs). To better understand the inflammatory response, my group employ cutting edge proteomics technologies to identify novel modulators of TLR signalling and inflammatory processes. Thereafter, molecular immunological approaches are adopted to explore the role of newly identified proteins in the context of inflammatory conditions and antiviral immunity. In particular, my group are interested in the pathogenesis of Osteoarthritis and Type II Diabetes. My group focus on the identification and functional characterisation of proteins that modulate inflammatory and antiviral immunity at the molecular level.

Peer Reviewed Journal

Year Publication
2017 Gupta, S., Maratha, A, Natarajan, A, Miggin, S and Hoashi, S (2017) 'Analysis of Inflammatory Cytokines in Pre-diabetic subjects'. Current Research in Diabetes and Obesity Journal, 4 (5). [DOI] [Full-Text]
2017 Gupta S;Maratha A;Siednienko J;Natarajan A;Gajanayake T;Hoashi S;Miggin S; (2017) 'Analysis of inflammatory cytokine and TLR expression levels in Type 2 Diabetes with complications'. Scientific Reports, 7 (1). [DOI] [Full-Text]
2017 Pan Z;Liu L;Nie W;Miggin S;Qiu F;Cao Y;Chen J;Yang B;Zhou Y;Lu J;Yang L; (2017) 'Long non-coding RNA AGER-1 functionally upregulates the innate immunity gene AGER and approximates its anti-tumor effect in lung cancer'. Molecular Carcinogenesis, . [DOI] [Full-Text]
2015 Connolly M.;Rooney P.;McGarry T.;Maratha A.;McCormick J.;Miggin S.;Veale D.;Fearon U. (2015) 'Acute serum amyloid A is an endogenous TLR2 ligand that mediates inflammatory and angiogenic mechanisms'. ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES, . [DOI] [Full-Text]
2014 Shevlin, E;Miggin, SM (2014) 'The TIR-Domain Containing Adaptor TRAM Is Required for TLR7 Mediated RANTES Production'. PLoS ONE, 9 . [DOI] [Full-Text]
2013 Ahmed, S;Maratha, A;Butt, AQ;Shevlin, E;Miggin, SM (2013) 'TRIF-Mediated TLR3 and TLR4 Signaling Is Negatively Regulated by ADAM15'. Journal of Immunology, 190 :2217-2228. [DOI]
2011 Siednienko, J;Gajanayake, T;Fitzgerald, KA;Moynagh, P;Miggin, SM (2011) 'Absence of MyD88 Results in Enhanced TLR3-Dependent Phosphorylation of IRF3 and Increased IFN-beta and RANTES Production'. Journal of Immunology, 186 :2514-2522. [DOI] [Full-Text]
2011 O'Hanlon, KA;Cairns, T;Stack, D;Schrettl, M;Bignell, EM;Kavanagh, K;Miggin, SM;O'Keeffe, G;Larsen, TO;Doyle, S (2011) 'Targeted Disruption of Nonribosomal Peptide Synthetase pes3 Augments the Virulence of Aspergillus fumigatus'. Infection and Immunity, 79 :3978-3992. [DOI] [Full-Text]
2011 Siednienko, J;Maratha, A;Yang, S;Mitkiewicz, M;Miggin, SM;Moynagh, PN (2011) 'Nuclear Factor kappa B Subunits RelB and cRel Negatively Regulate Toll-like Receptor 3-mediated beta-Interferon Production via Induction of Transcriptional Repressor Protein YY1'. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 286 :44750-44763. [DOI] [Full-Text]
2010 Gupta, S;Maratha, A;Gajanayake, T;Siednienko, J;Natarajan, A;Hoashi, S;Miggin, S (2010) 'Cytokine profiling of pre-diabetic patients'. Irish Journal of Medical Science, 179 :513-513.
2010 Siednienko, J;Halle, A;Nagpal, K;Golenbock, DT;Miggin, SM (2010) 'TLR3-mediated IFN-beta gene induction is negatively regulated by the TLR adaptor MyD88 adaptor-like'. European Journal of Immunology, 40 :3150-3160. [DOI] [Full-Text]
2007 Miggin, SM;Palsson-McDermott, E;Dunne, A;Jefferies, C;Pinteaux, E;Banahan, K;Murphy, C;Moynagh, P;Yamamoto, M;Akira, S;Rothwelll, N;Golenbock, D;Fitzgerald, KA;O'Neill, LAJ (2007) 'NF-kappa B activation by the Toll-IL-1 receptor domain protein MyD88 adapter-like is regulated by caspase-1'. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 104 :3372-3377. [DOI] [Full-Text]
2006 Miggin SM, O'Neill LA (2006) 'New insights into the regulation of TLR signaling'. Journal Of Leukocyte Biology, 80 :220-226. [Full-Text]
2003 Wietek, C., Miggin, S. M., Jefferies, C. A. and O’Neill, L.A. (2003) 'Interferon regulatory factor-3-mediated activation of the interferon-sensitive response element by Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 but not TLR3 requires the p65 subunit of NF-kappa'. 278 :50923-50931. [Full-Text]
2002 Miggin, S. M., Lawler, O. A. and Kinsella, B. T. (2002) 'Investigation of a functional requirement for isoprenylation by the human prostacyclin receptor'. European Journal of Biochemistry, 269 :1714-1725. [Full-Text]
2002 Miggin, S. M. and Kinsella, B. T. (2002) 'Regulation of the extracellular signal regulated protein kinase cascades by the a and b isoforms of the human thromboxane A2 receptor'. Molecular Pharmacology, 61 :817-831. [Full-Text]
2002 Coyle, AT., Miggin, SM. and Kinsella BT. (2002) 'Characterization of the 5' untranslated region of alpha and beta isoforms of the human thromboxane A2 receptor (TP). Differential promoter utilization by the TP isoforms'. European Journal of Biochemistry, 269 :4058-4073. [Full-Text]
2001 Lawler, O. A., Miggin, S. M. and Kinsella, B. T. (2001) 'Protein kinase A dependent phosphorylation of serine 357 of the mouse prostacyclin receptor regulated its coupling to Gs-, Gi- and to Gq- coupled effector signalling'. 276 :33596-33607. [Full-Text]
2001 Lawler, O. A., Miggin, S. M. and Kinsella, B. T. (2001) 'The effects of the statins lovastatin and cerivastatin on signalling by the prostanoid IP-receptor'. British Journal of Pharmacology, 132 :1639-1649. [Full-Text]
2001 Miggin, S.M. and Kinsella, BT. (2001) 'Thromboxane A(2) receptor mediated activation of the mitogen activated protein kinase cascades in human uterine smooth muscle cells'. Biochimica et biophysica acta, 1539 :147-162. [Full-Text]
1998 Miggin, SM and Kinsella, BT. (1998) 'Expression and tissue distribution of the mRNAs encoding the human thromboxane A2 receptor (TP) alpha and beta isoforms'. Biochimica et biophysica acta, 1425 :543-59. [Full-Text]

Book Chapter

Year Publication
2011 Shevlin, Enda and Miggin, Sinéad M. (2011) 'Toll-like receptor adaptor proteins' In: Sangdun Choi (Ed.)(Eds.). Encyclopedia of Signaling Molecules. : Springer.
2011 Butt, Aisha Qasim and Miggin, Sinéad M. (2011) 'Toll-like receptor 3' In: Sangdun Choi (Ed.)(Eds.). Encyclopedia of Signaling Molecules. : Springer.
2009 Siednienko, J. and Miggin, S.M. (2009) 'Expression Analysis of the Toll-Like Receptors in Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells' In: McCoy, C.E. and O'Neill, L.A.J(Eds.). Methods in Molecular Biology, Vol. 517. New Jersey : Humana Press Inc.

Conference Contribution

Year Publication
2010 (2010) Comparative Analysis of Cytokine Production by Synoviocytes in Response to Toll-Like Receptor Ligan Congress on Trauma, Shock, Inflammation and Sepsis TSIS 2010, .
2009 (2009) TLR3 signalling in synoviocytes is negatively regulated by ATP through inhibition of NF-kB Irish Society of Immunology St James Hospital, Dublin, .
2009 (2009) TLR3 signalling in synoviocytes is negatively regulated by extracellular ATP Tri-Society Annual Conference Lisbon, Portugal, .
2007 (2007) NF-kB activation by MyD88 adapter-like is regulated by Caspase-1’ Biochemical Society, Pattern-recognition receptors in human disease Cambridge, UK, .
2007 (2007) NF-kB activation by MyD88 adapter-like is regulated by Caspase-1 International Cytokine Society, Cytokines in health and disease San Francisco, CA, USA, .

Magazine Article

Year Publication
2014 Gupta, S;Maratha, A;Natarajan, A;Gajanayake, T;Siednienko, J;Hoashi, S;Miggin, S (2014) Burnt out Diabetes: Cytokines, Adipokines and TLRs Modulation in Type 2 Diabetes. WASHINGTON: MA
2013 Connolly, MC;Rooney, PR;Maratha, AX;Miggin, SM;Veale, DJ;Fearon, UM (2013) Acute serum amyloid A is an endogenous TLR2 ligand that mediates inflammation and angiogenesis in rheumatoid arthritis. LONDON: MA
2013 Gupta, S;Maratha, A;Natarajan, A;Gajanayake, V;Siednienko, J;Hoashi, S;Miggin, S (2013) Association Between Type 2 Diabetes & Inflammation. LONDON: MA

Reviews

Year Publication
2012 Butt, AQ;Miggin, SM (2012) Cancer and viruses: A double-edged sword. HOBOKEN: REV [DOI]
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