Duncan Ayers's Biography

Duncan Ayers, Post Doctoral Researcher, University of Malta / University of Manchester

Dr. Duncan Ayers has completed his PhD in Translational Medicine from The University of Manchester (UK) in 2011 and is currently continuing his post-doctoral research at The University of Malta. Dr. Ayers also holds a MSc degree in Immunology and Immunogenetics from the University of Manchester and is currently a Research Associate with the Faculty of Medicine & Human Health Sciences at the University of Manchester. During his doctoral studies, Dr. Ayers also spent a 17-month attachment with the Vandesompele research group at the Center for Medical Genetics Ghent (Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium). Dr. Ayers’ research focuses mainly on non-coding RNA biomarker discovery and therapeutic applications for paediatric cancers such as neuroblastoma. Other research interests include the influences of gene, micro RNA (miRNA) and other non-coding RNA expression profiles in the development of human disease conditions, high throughput semi-/quantitative gene (or miRNA, lncRNA, etc.) analytical techniques such as RT-qPCR, microarray platform utilization and the development of nanoparticle – based drug delivery systems for RNA interference-based therapeutics in cancer. Dr. Ayers’ research has been published / presented in over 35 reputed peer-reviewed journal papers and international meetings, together with contributing to four book publications. In addition, he is also editor for the Journal of Cancer Research and Treatment (USA).