Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers in women. However, it unfortunately remains one of the most common malignant tumours after breast cancer in the developing world. In the last decade, there has been an increase in cervical cancer incidence in young women according to Cancer Research UK (2013), estimating that only 63% of the affected women will survive over 10 years. Fibroblast growth factors and their receptors have been implicated in breast cancer susceptibility and progression as well as in a number of other cancers including cervical, endometrial, prostate, lung, suggesting that FGF signalling may be co-opted by cancer cells. Although some studies have highlighted the involvement of FGFR signalling in cervical cancer, the aetiology and molecular mechanisms involved remain poorly understood. It is apparent that further investigation into the involvement of FGFR signalling in cervical cancer prevention is required.
I was always fascinated by Biological Sciences as well as by Chemistry so I did my first degree in Life and Earth Sciences at the Lebanese university in Lebanon. After completing my MSc in Medicinal Chemistry with Distinction at the Open University, I became passionate about research and specifically exploring the molecular mechanisms of diseases in order to identify and validate novel potential therapeutic targets and develop novel therapies that would hopefully improve people's lives.
I learnt all the essential molecular biology laboratory techniques at University College London (UCL). Then between February and July 2017, I held a position of a visiting researcher in a research laboratory located in the Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology (IRDB) building at Imperial College London. During this period, I worked on a glioblastoma project from which I gained valuable skills on a wide range of laboratory techniques
In January 2019, I got awarded from Advance HE and Kingston University an Associate Fellowship in the Higher Education Academy.
Bou Antoun, Nauf and Chioni, Athina-Myrto (2023) Dysregulated signalling pathways driving anticancer drug resistance. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24(15), p. 12222. ISSN (print) 1422-0067
Bou Antoun, Nauf [Speaker] and Chioni, Athina-Myrto (2023) Differentially expressed genes between wild type and drug resistant human cervical cancer cell lines. In: 6th Edition of International Cancer Conference; 17-19 August 2023, Slough-Windsor, U.K.
Bou Antoun, Nauf [Speaker] and Chioni, Athina-Myrto (2023) Investigating mechanisms of drug resistance in cervical cancer. In: International conference on cancer and oncology research; 19-20 June 2023, Rome, Italy.
Bou Antoun, Nauf [Speaker] and Chioni, Athina-Myrto (2022) Profiling wild type and FGFR inhibitor drug resistance cervical cancer cell lines. In: Cancer Study Group; 9 December 2022, Kingston University London
Bou Antoun, Nauf [Speaker] and Chioni, Athina-Myrto (2021) Profiling wild type and FGFR inhibitor drug resistance cervical cancer cell lines. In: SEC PGR Conference 2021; 24 June 2021, Kingston University London