Lorraine Martin

Professor Lorraine Martin holds a BSc and PhD in Biochemistry and a Masters of Medical Science in Clinical Laboratory Medicine.  At the outset of her career, Lorraine played a pivotal role in a joint programme between Queen's University Belfast and the biotechnology company behind Dolly the cloned sheep, PPL Therapeutics plc, Edinburgh and was heavily involved in the Phase II clinical trials of a transgenic human protein, known as alpha₁ antrypsin in cystic fibrosis (CF).  She was then funded by a Sir Henry Wellcome Innovative Award to develop tools for the real-time monitoring and subsequent inhibition of intracellular proteolysis before taking up her academic appointment in the School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast. 

Within the Biomolecular Sciences Research Group, Lorraine continues to develop her research interests on the role of active proteases in health and disease which includes the profiling, delineation and inhibition of proteases involved in infection and inflammation.  With a focus on chronic airways diseases, such as cystic fibrosis (CF) and chronic obstructive disease (COPD) her group seeks to understand underlying mechanisms of disease which also includes the characterisation of novel cellular proteins and pathways. Programmes of work include the development of therapeutic strategies to combat airways dehydration, a key factor contributing to disease progression, as well as the characterisation of novel biomarkers to aid earlier diagnosis and disease management.

Lorraine has also played a key role in the commercial exploitation of patented QUB ProteaseTag™ technology which evolved from a Proof of Concept (Invest Northern Ireland) project with further support provided by the MRC.  In 2013, she co-founded and was the founding CEO of ProAxsis Ltd. and won the NISP Connect 25K Award (now INVENT, Catalyst Inc.), before going on to secure significant investment and a Horizon 2020 SME Instrument award for the company.  In 2016, Professor Martin was awarded the Queen's University Vice-Chancellor's Research Impact Prize in recognition of the success and impact of these commercialisation and innovation activities. 

Lorraine has published widely in internationally recognised peer-reviewed journals and currently holds 4 patents. She has presented her work both nationally and internationally, has held funding from the like of BBSRC, MRC, Prostate Cancer Charity, Cystic Fibrosis Trust, UK and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, USA and has productive research collaborations with UK industry and global pharma. In addition, Lorraine has secured significant European funding (€7.7 M) through the INTERREG Va programme (SEUPB) to build cross-border capacity in COPD research. BREATH (Borders and REgions Airways Training Hub) is a 5-year collaborative programme between QUB, Dundalk Institute of Technology and the University of the West of Scotland and funds 25 full-time researchers across the 3 partners. BREATH has been showcased at the EU Parliament (2017) and was awarded Asthma/COPD Project of the Year at the NI Healthcare Awards (2018).