Dr Eoin McNamee

Biology, Human Health Institute

Lecturer
Associate Professor

Biosciences & Electronic Engineering Facility
B2.19
(01) 708 6148

Biography

Dr Eóin McNamee is an Associate Professor and the Group Leader of the Mucosal Immunology Research (MIR) Lab. Focusing on Inflammatory Bowel diseases, the MIR lab is a translational immunology group investigating mechanisms of human autoimmune diseases, drug discovery and pre-clinical investigations of novel therapeutics.

Eóin is a graduate of Maynooth University (B.Sc. 2003) and Trinity College Dublin (M.Sc. 2004, PhD 2008) and carried out postdoctoral training at the University of Colorado - Anschutz Medical Campus. He joined the faculty at the school of Medicine at UC (Assistant Professor: 2013) and built an independent research group funded by the Crohn's & Colitis foundation of American and the US National Institutes of Health (NIDDK). He was recruited to Maynooth University in 2018 and is a member of the Kathleen Lonsdale Institute for Human Health Research.

Research Interests

Dr McNamee leads the Mucosal Immunology Research Laboratory (MIR-LAB) at Maynooth University.

The human immune system has evolved as a network of specialized sites, strategically located to orchestrate immune-surveillance and autonomously respond to infections and cancers. This intricate system of tissues and cells plays a major role in the homeostasis of every organ system and maintains physiologic equilibrium. However, when this homeostasis is perturbed by injury, infection or inflammation, chronic autoimmunity and lifelong disease can manifest. Autoimmune diseases are now a global burden of enormous proportion, with many having limited treatments and no cure. The goal of our research program is to understand the pathophysiology of autoimmune and immune-mediated diseases with a focus on identifying novel therapeutic targets. 


The laboratory has a strong focus on the inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD; namely Crohn's disease and Ulcerative Colitis) and we target critical cytokine, chemokine and microRNA networks to understand how a healthy immune responses are maintained at the intestinal mucosal barrier and what processes over-ride this during disease or infection. 

This multidisciplinary research has maintained a strong translational focus by collaborating with clinician colleagues and industrial biopharma partners, routinely investigating novel experimental therapeutics in preclinical models of IBD.






Post Doctoral Fellows / Research Team

Researcher Name Project Funding Body
Lauren Mary Flynn Lymphatics & Inflammatory Bowel disease
Ciara Flynn microRNA | Macrophage | colon cancer
Dafne Buffa ER-stress responses in Mucosal Inflammation
Gordon Greville Glycosylation | Macrophage | Intestinal inflammation
Caoimhe Cadden microRNA | Macrophage
Megan O'Brien Cytokines | Epithelial stem cell niche | T cells | mucosal Immunology

Peer Reviewed Journal

Year Publication
2024 Flynn, CL; Markey, GE; Neudecker, V; Farrelly, C; Furuta, GT; Eltzschig, HK; Masterson, JC; McNamee, EN (2024) 'The MicroRNA miR-223 Constrains Colitis-associated Tumorigenesis by Limiting Myeloid Cell Infiltration and Chemokine Expression'. Journal Of Immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950), . [DOI]
2024 Czopik AK, McNamee EN, Vaughn V, Huang X, Bang IH, Clark T, Wang Y, Ruan W, Nguygen T, Masterson CJ, Tak E, Frank S, Collins CB, Li H, Rodriguez-Aguayo C, Lopez-Berestein G, Gerich ME, Furuta GT, Yuan X, Sood AK, de Zoeten EF, Eltzschig HK. (2024) 'HIF-2α-dependent induction of miR-29a restrains TH1 activity during T cell dependent colitis'. Nature Communications, 15 (1). [Link] [DOI]
2024 Hazel Dunbar 1 2 , Ian J Hawthorne 1 2 , Eóin N McNamee 1 2 , Michelle E Armstrong 3 , Seamas C Donnelly 3 , Karen English 1 2 (2024) 'The human MIF polymorphism CATT7 enhances pro-inflammatory macrophage polarization in a clinically relevant model of allergic airway inflammation'. FASEB Journal, (38). [Link] [DOI]
2024 Markey, G.E.; Ryan, S.; Furuta, G.T.; Menard-Katcher, C.; McNamee, E.N.; Masterson, J.C. (2024) 'Hypoxia-inducible microRNA-155 negatively regulates epithelial barrier in eosinophilic esophagitis by suppressing tight junction claudin-7'. FASEB Journal, 38 . [Link] [DOI]
2024 Benson, T.M.; Markey, G.E.; Hammer, J.A.; Simerly, L.; Dzieciatkowska, M.; Jordan, K.R.; Capocelli, K.E.; Scullion, K.M.; Crowe, L.; Ryan, S.; Black, J.O.; Crue, T.; Andrews, R.; Burger, C.; McNamee, E.N.; Furuta, G.T.; Menard-Katcher, C.; Masterson, J.C. (2024) 'CSF1-dependent macrophage support matrisome and epithelial stress-induced keratin remodeling in Eosinophilic esophagitis'. Mucosal Immunology, . [Link] [DOI]
2024 Ryan, S.; Crowe, L.; Almeida Cruz, S.N.; Galbraith, M.D.; O'Brien, C.; Hammer, J.A.; Bergin, R.; Kellett, S.K.; Markey, G.E.; Benson, T.M.; Fagan, O.; Espinosa, J.M.; Conlon, N.; Donohoe, C.L.; McKiernan, S.; Hogan, A.E.; McNamee, E.N.; Furuta, G.T.; Menard-Katcher, C.; Masterson, J.C. (2024) 'Metabolic dysfunction mediated by HIF-1α contributes to epithelial differentiation defects in eosinophilic esophagitis'. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, . [Link] [DOI]
2023 Gallagher, C.; Mahon, J.M.; O'Neill, C.; Cassidy, F.C.; Dunbar, H.; De Barra, C.; Cadden, C.; Pisarska, M.M.; Wood, N.A.W.; Masterson, J.C.; McNamee, E.N.; Schrumpf, E.; English, K.; O'Shea, D.; Tobin, A.M.; Hogan, A.E. (2023) 'Mucosal-Associated Invariant T Cells Are Altered in Patients with Hidradenitis Suppurativa and Contribute to the Inflammatory Milieu'. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, . [Link] [DOI] [Full-Text]
2022 Catriona Gallagher 1 , Julie Mac Mahon 1 , Chloe O'Neill 2 , Féaron C Cassidy 2 , Hazel Dunbar 2 , Conor De Barra 2 , Caoimhe Cadden 2 , Marta M Pisarska 3 , Nicole A W Wood 3 , Joanne C Masterson 2 , Eoin N McNamee 2 , Elisabeth Schrumpf 4 , Karen English 2 , Donal O'Shea 5 , Anne Marie Tobin 1 , Andrew E Hogan 6 (2022) 'Mucosal-Associated Invariant T Cells Are Altered in Patients with Hidradenitis Suppurativa and Contribute to the Inflammatory Milieu'. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, S0022-202X(22)02839-1 . [DOI] [Full-Text]
2020 Olli K.E.; Rapp C.; O'Connell L.; Collins C.B.; McNamee E.N.; Jensen O.; Jedlicka P.; Allison K.C.; Goldberg M.S.; Gerich M.E.; Frank D.N.; Ir D.; Robertson C.E.; Evans C.M.; Aherne C.M. (2020) 'Muc5ac Expression Protects the Colonic Barrier in Experimental Colitis'. Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, 26 (9):1353-1367. [DOI] [Full-Text]
2019 Masterson JC; Biette KA; Hammer JA; Nguyen N; Capocelli KE; Saeedi BJ; Harris RF; Fernando SD; Hosford LB; Kelly CJ; Campbell EL; Ehrentraut SF; Ahmed FN; Nakagawa H; Lee JJ; McNamee EN; Glover LE; Colgan SP; Furuta GT; (2019) 'Epithelial HIF-1α/claudin-1 axis regulates barrier dysfunction in eosinophilic esophagitis'. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 129 (8). [DOI] [Full-Text]
2019 Eoin N. McNamee (2019) 'Neutrophil-derived microRNAs put the (DNA) breaks of intestinal mucosal healing'. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 129 (2):xxxx-yyyy. [Link] https://www.jci.org/articles/view/125779 [Full-Text]
2018 Jennifer C. Jones , Constance D. Brindley , Nicholas H. Elder , Martin G. Myers Jr. , Michael W. Rajala , Christopher M. Dekaney , Eoin N. McNamee , Mark R. Frey , Noah F. Shroyer , Peter J. Dempsey (2018) 'Cellular Plasticity of Defa4Cre-Expressing Paneth Cells in Response to Notch Activation and Intestinal Injury'. American Journal of Gastroenterology, . [Link] https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcmgh.2018.11.004 show [Full-Text]
2017 Neudecker, V; Haneklaus, M; Jensen, O; Khailova, L; Masterson, JC; Tye, H; Biette, K; Jedlicka, P; Brodsky, KS; Gerich, ME; Mack, M; Robertson, AAB; Cooper, MA; Furuta, GT; Dinarello, CA; O'Neill, LA; Eltzschig, HK; Masters, SL; McNamee, EN (2017) 'Myeloid-derived miR-223 regulates intestinal inflammation via repression of the NLRP3 inflammasome'. Journal of Experimental Medicine, 214 :1737-1752. [DOI] [Full-Text]
2017 Hoegl S; Ehrentraut H; Brodsky KS; Victorino F; Golden-Mason L; Eltzschig HK; McNamee EN; (2017) 'NK cells regulate CXCR2+ neutrophil recruitment during acute lung injury'. Journal Of Leukocyte Biology, 101 (2). [DOI] [Full-Text]
2017 McNamee EN; Rivera-Nieves J; (2017) 'Defective Lymphatics in Crohn's Disease: Tertiary Lymphoid Follicles Plug the Gap'. Journal of Gastroenterology, 152 (4). [DOI] [Full-Text]
2016 Ferrari D; McNamee EN; Idzko M; Gambari R; Eltzschig HK; (2016) 'Purinergic Signaling During Immune Cell Trafficking'. Trends in Immunology, 37 (6). [DOI] [Full-Text]
2016 McNamee EN; Rivera-Nieves J; (2016) 'Ectopic Tertiary Lymphoid Tissue in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Protective or Provocateur?'. Frontiers in Immunology, 7 . [DOI] [Full-Text]
2016 Frasch SC; McNamee EN; Kominsky D; Jedlicka P; Jakubzick C; Zemski Berry K; Mack M; Furuta GT; Lee JJ; Henson PM; Colgan SP; Bratton DL; (2016) 'G2A Signaling Dampens Colitic Inflammation via Production of IFN-γ'. Journal of Immunology, 197 (4). [DOI] [Full-Text]
2016 Ryan KM; Griffin ÉW; Ryan KJ; Tanveer R; Vanattou-Saifoudine N; McNamee EN; Fallon E; Heffernan S; Harkin A; Connor TJ; (2016) 'Clenbuterol activates the central IL-1 system via the β2-adrenoceptor without provoking inflammatory response related behaviours in rats'. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 56 . [DOI] [Full-Text]
2015 Masterson JC; McNamee EN; Fillon SA; Hosford L; Harris R; Fernando SD; Jedlicka P; Iwamoto R; Jacobsen E; Protheroe C; Eltzschig HK; Colgan SP; Arita M; Lee JJ; Furuta GT; (2015) 'Eosinophil-mediated signalling attenuates inflammatory responses in experimental colitis'. Gut, 64 (8). [DOI] [Full-Text]
2015 Aherne CM; Saeedi B; Collins CB; Masterson JC; McNamee EN; Perrenoud L; Rapp CR; Curtis VF; Bayless A; Fletcher A; Glover LE; Evans CM; Jedlicka P; Furuta GT; de Zoeten EF; Colgan SP; Eltzschig HK; (2015) 'Epithelial-specific A2B adenosine receptor signaling protects the colonic epithelial barrier during acute colitis'. Mucosal Immunology, 8 (6). [DOI] [Full-Text]
2015 Victorino F; Sojka DK; Brodsky KS; McNamee EN; Masterson JC; Homann D; Yokoyama WM; Eltzschig HK; Clambey ET; (2015) 'Tissue-Resident NK Cells Mediate Ischemic Kidney Injury and Are Not Depleted by Anti-Asialo-GM1 Antibody'. Journal of Immunology, 195 (10). [DOI] [Full-Text]
2015 Masterson JC; Capocelli KE; Hosford L; Biette K; McNamee EN; de Zoeten EF; Harris R; Fernando SD; Jedlicka P; Protheroe C; Lee JJ; Furuta GT; (2015) 'Eosinophils and IL-33 Perpetuate Chronic Inflammation and Fibrosis in a Pediatric Population with Stricturing Crohn's Ileitis'. Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, 21 (10). [DOI] [Full-Text]
2015 McNamee EN; Masterson JC; Veny M; Collins CB; Jedlicka P; Byrne FR; Ng GY; Rivera-Nieves J; (2015) 'Chemokine receptor CCR7 regulates the intestinal TH1/TH17/Treg balance during Crohn's-like murine ileitis'. Journal Of Leukocyte Biology, 97 (6). [DOI] [Full-Text]
2015 Henry CJ; Casás-Selves M; Kim J; Zaberezhnyy V; Aghili L; Daniel AE; Jimenez L; Azam T; McNamee EN; Clambey ET; Klawitter J; Serkova NJ; Tan AC; Dinarello CA; DeGregori J; (2015) 'Aging-associated inflammation promotes selection for adaptive oncogenic events in B cell progenitors'. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 125 (12). [DOI] [Full-Text]
2014 Keely S; Campbell EL; Baird AW; Hansbro PM; Shalwitz RA; Kotsakis A; McNamee EN; Eltzschig HK; Kominsky DJ; Colgan SP; (2014) 'Contribution of epithelial innate immunity to systemic protection afforded by prolyl hydroxylase inhibition in murine colitis'. Mucosal Immunology, 7 (1). [DOI] [Full-Text]
2014 Campbell EL; Bruyninckx WJ; Kelly CJ; Glover LE; McNamee EN; Bowers BE; Bayless AJ; Scully M; Saeedi BJ; Golden-Mason L; Ehrentraut SF; Curtis VF; Burgess A; Garvey JF; Sorensen A; Nemenoff R; Jedlicka P; Taylor CT; Kominsky DJ; Colgan SP; (2014) 'Transmigrating neutrophils shape the mucosal microenvironment through localized oxygen depletion to influence resolution of inflammation'. Immunity, 40 (1). [DOI] [Full-Text]
2014 Masterson JC; McNamee EN; Hosford L; Capocelli KE; Ruybal J; Fillon SA; Doyle AD; Eltzschig HK; Rustgi AK; Protheroe CA; Lee NA; Lee JJ; Furuta GT; (2014) 'Local hypersensitivity reaction in transgenic mice with squamous epithelial IL-5 overexpression provides a novel model of eosinophilic oesophagitis'. Gut, 63 (1). [DOI] [Full-Text]
2013 Ehrentraut H; Clambey ET; McNamee EN; Brodsky KS; Ehrentraut SF; Poth JM; Riegel AK; Westrich JA; Colgan SP; Eltzschig HK; (2013) 'CD73+ regulatory T cells contribute to adenosine-mediated resolution of acute lung injury'. FASEB Journal, 27 (6). [DOI] [Full-Text]
2013 McNamee EN; Korns Johnson D; Homann D; Clambey ET; (2013) 'Hypoxia and hypoxia-inducible factors as regulators of T cell development, differentiation, and function'. Immunologic Research, 55 (1-3). [DOI] [Full-Text]
2013 Collins CB; Aherne CM; Ehrentraut SF; Gerich ME; McNamee EN; McManus MC; Lebsack MD; Jedlicka P; Azam T; de Zoeten EF; Dinarello CA; Rivera-Nieves J; (2013) 'Alpha-1-antitrypsin therapy ameliorates acute colitis and chronic murine ileitis'. Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, 19 (9). [DOI] [Full-Text]
2013 McNamee EN; Masterson JC; Jedlicka P; Collins CB; Williams IR; Rivera-Nieves J; (2013) 'Ectopic lymphoid tissue alters the chemokine gradient, increases lymphocyte retention and exacerbates murine ileitis'. Gut, 62 (1). [DOI] [Full-Text]
2013 Khailova L; Baird CH; Rush AA; McNamee EN; Wischmeyer PE; (2013) 'Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG improves outcome in experimental pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia: potential role of regulatory T cells'. Shock (Augusta, Ga.), 40 (6). [DOI] [Full-Text]
2013 Ryan KJ; Griffin É; Yssel JD; Ryan KM; McNamee EN; Harkin A; Connor TJ; (2013) 'Stimulation of central β2-adrenoceptors suppresses NFκB activity in rat brain: a role for IκB'. Neurochemistry International, 63 (5). [DOI] [Full-Text]
2013 Koeppen M; McNamee EN; Brodsky KS; Aherne CM; Faigle M; Downey GP; Colgan SP; Evans CM; Schwartz DA; Eltzschig HK; (2013) 'Detrimental role of the airway mucin Muc5ac during ventilator-induced lung injury'. Mucosal Immunology, 6 (4). [DOI] [Full-Text]
2012 Collins CB; Aherne CM; McNamee EN; Lebsack MD; Eltzschig H; Jedlicka P; Rivera-Nieves J; (2012) 'Flt3 ligand expands CD103⁺ dendritic cells and FoxP3⁺ T regulatory cells, and attenuates Crohn's-like murine ileitis'. Gut, 61 (8). [DOI] [Full-Text]
2012 Clambey ET; McNamee EN; Westrich JA; Glover LE; Campbell EL; Jedlicka P; de Zoeten EF; Cambier JC; Stenmark KR; Colgan SP; Eltzschig HK; (2012) 'Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha-dependent induction of FoxP3 drives regulatory T-cell abundance and function during inflammatory hypoxia of the mucosa'. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 109 (41). [DOI] [Full-Text]
2011 McNamee EN; Masterson JC; Jedlicka P; McManus M; Grenz A; Collins CB; Nold MF; Nold-Petry C; Bufler P; Dinarello CA; Rivera-Nieves J; (2011) 'Interleukin 37 expression protects mice from colitis'. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 108 (40). [DOI] [Full-Text]
2011 Wermers JD; McNamee EN; Wurbel MA; Jedlicka P; Rivera-Nieves J; (2011) 'The chemokine receptor CCR9 is required for the T-cell-mediated regulation of chronic ileitis in mice'. Journal of Gastroenterology, 140 (5). [DOI] [Full-Text]
2011 Masterson JC; McNamee EN; Jedlicka P; Fillon S; Ruybal J; Hosford L; Rivera-Nieves J; Lee JJ; Furuta GT; (2011) 'CCR3 Blockade Attenuates Eosinophilic Ileitis and Associated Remodeling'. American Journal of Pathology, 179 (5). [DOI] [Full-Text]
2010 McNamee EN; Griffin EW; Ryan KM; Ryan KJ; Heffernan S; Harkin A; Connor TJ; (2010) 'Noradrenaline acting at beta-adrenoceptors induces expression of IL-1beta and its negative regulators IL-1ra and IL-1RII, and drives an overall anti-inflammatory phenotype in rat cortex'. Neuropharmacology, 59 (1-2). [DOI] [Full-Text]
2010 Collins CB; McNamee EN; Wermers JD; Lebsack MD; Rivera-Nieves J; (2010) 'Chemokine decoy receptor D6 in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and IBD-associated colon cancer'. Gut, 59 (2). [DOI] [Full-Text]
2010 McNamee EN; Ryan KM; Kilroy D; Connor TJ; (2010) 'Noradrenaline induces IL-1ra and IL-1 type II receptor expression in primary glial cells and protects against IL-1beta-induced neurotoxicity'. European Journal of Pharmacology, 626 (2-3). [DOI] [Full-Text]
2010 McNamee EN; Wermers JD; Masterson JC; Collins CB; Lebsack MD; Fillon S; Robinson ZD; Grenawalt J; Lee JJ; Jedlicka P; Furuta GT; Rivera-Nieves J; (2010) 'Novel model of TH2-polarized chronic ileitis: the SAMP1 mouse'. Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, 16 (5). [DOI] [Full-Text]
2010 McNamee EN; Collins CB; Lebsack MD; Rivera-Nieves J; (2010) 'Cell-specific inhibition of p38alpha as a therapeutic strategy for inflammatory bowel disease'. Journal of Gastroenterology, 138 (4). [DOI] [Full-Text]

Other Publication

Year Publication
2023 Markey, G.E.; Donohoe, C.L.; McNamee, E.N.; Masterson, J.C. (2023) MicroRNA dysregulation and therapeutic opportunities in esophageal diseases. [Link] [DOI]
Certain data included herein are derived from the © Web of Science (2024) of Clarivate. All rights reserved.

Professional Associations

Description Function From / To
American Association of Immunologists Member -
Society for Mucosal Immunology Member -
Irish Society for Immunology Executive committee member -

Honors and Awards

Date Title Awarding Body
01/01/2019 SFI President of Ireland Future Research Leader Award Science Foundation Ireland
01/01/2017 Principal Investigator Award (R01) National Institutes of Health, USA (NIDDK)
01/01/2016 Senior Research Award Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America
01/01/2013 Career Development Award Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America
01/01/2011 Research Fellowship Award Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America -
01/01/2007 Trinity College Trust postgraduate award Trinity College Dublin

Committees

Committee Function From / To
Dept of Biology - Industry interest group Member 01/11/2022 -
University International Education Committee Member 01/11/2022 -
University Animal Welfare Body Member 01/01/2020 -
Department of Biology Research Committee Member 01/10/2022 -
Irish Society for Immunology - Executive Committee Member 01/07/2021 -

Employment

Employer Position From / To
University of Colorado | Anschutz Medical Campus, USA Assistant Professor 01/07/2013 - 01/07/2018
Mucosal Inflammation Program -SOM | University of Colorado | Anschutz Medical Campus, USA Research Instructor & Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America Research Fellow 01/07/2013 -
Mucosal Inflammation Program| University of Colorado | Anschutz Medical Campus, USA Postdoctoral Research Fellow | 01/07/2008 - 01/07/2011
Maynooth University Assistant Profesor | Lecturer 01/10/2018 - 01/10/2023

Current Students

Student Name Degree Supervision
MS C. CADDEN RESEARCH PH.D. (10)
MS C. FLYNN RESEARCH PH.D. (10)