Dr Neil O’Brien is Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at UCLA. Dr O’Brien’s research focuses on the identification of the mechanisms of resistance to targeted therapies for cancer. By understanding the molecular alterations responsible for resistance, Neil and his colleagues hope to develop novel therapeutic strategies to overcome resistance and improve patient survival. A Dublin native, he talks about how the discovery of a tumour on his spinal cord when he was studying for his Leaving Cert led him to a career in cancer research. We hear about how he got a chance to prove himself at the lab of the world renowned Dr Dennis Slamon in California and the work he’s being doing at UCLA for the past 20 years.