International Conference on Carbon Dioxide Signalling

Tue, 17 December 19 11:32

Dr Eoin Cummins organises international conference on carbon dioxide signalling

Assistant Professor in Physiology, Dr. Eoin Cummins was an organiser and speaker at a Theo Murphy International Scientific Meeting held in Chicheley Hall UK on December 2nd-3rd 2019.

The meeting on ‘Carbon dioxide detection in biological systems’ attracted up to 60 delegates discussing common themes of carbon dioxide sensing between plant and animal kingdoms as well as clinical challenges posed by hypercapnia (elevated blood carbon dioxide levels). 

Dr. Cummins currently holds an SFI CDA-Award in the area of carbon dioxide dependent modulation of inflammatory signaling.  This scientific meeting was made possible following a successful application to The Royal Society for a meeting grant, written by Dr. Cummins and colleagues in Durham University. 

Invited speakers included the distinguished physiologist  Prof. Walter Boron (Case Western Reserve University) , leading botanist Prof. Julian Schroeder (University of California San Diego) and top clinical intensivist Prof. John Laffey (NUI Galway).

A poster presentation for early career researchers was also held at the meeting with posters presented by UCD School of Medicine researchers Dr. Catarina Mota, David Phelan, Sarah Kierans and Moritz Strowitzki.

A series of reviews based on the meeting will be commissioned for in the Royal Society Journal Interface Focus in 2020.


Updated Research and Professional Development Plan

Mon, 16 December 19 10:14

Research and Professional Development Planning (RPDP) is integral to the Structured PhD programme at UCD.  The purpose of such planning is to ensure that our graduate researchers’ work is clearly focused on achieving their research and professional development goals. Engaging with the RPDP will aid the trajectory of PhD research and their training and development as a researcher.

Please be aware that UCD Graduate Studies has a new updated version of the Research and Professional Development Planning document (RPDP).  This document is now one of the mandatory ones that the Transfer Assessment Panel will base its judgement on when determining if a PhD student progresses from Stage 1 to Stage 2 of a Doctoral programme, or a Research Master’s Degree Student transfers to a PhD Programme.   


UCD Intern Career Advice Day

Mon, 16 December 19 11:01

The UCD Intern Career Advice Day was held on Saturday 9th November 2019 in the Catherine McAuley Education & Research Centre, Nelson Street, Dublin 7. Over 95 UCD interns attended keynote talks and practice interviews to better prepare for their upcoming BST applications in 2020 and benefitted from career advice and mentoring from our dedicated team of UCD Academics and associated colleagues. UCD interns upon successful completion of their CPD Intern Training Programme can progress onto a Basic Specialist Training Scheme.

This year we were delighted to welcome representatives from the Military Medicine Scheme to deliver a talk titled ‘A Life Less Ordinary’.

In addition, we would like to take this opportunity to thank all our UCD & partner hospital Lead Academics who delivered a series of key talks in Career Progression and Practice Interviews. This year we were delighted to welcome our Postgraduate Training Bodies RCPI, ICGP who provided advice on their respective application processes and one-on-one advice regarding pathway progression throughout their scheme.

The programme included:

RAMI Abstracts

Associate Professor Dermot Power, UCD Intern Coordinator, UCD Intern Network delivered a presentation on the RAMI Intern Study Day which will be held on February 01, 2020.  Areas covered were the benefits of RAMI membership such as online access token to the Irish Journal of Medical Science and abstracts published online in the Ir. J. Med Sci. appearing on PubMed, Abstract sponsorship privileges at section meeting, Symposium attendance privileges.  The right to vote in annual elections of RAMI officers and councillors, information through RAMI website service. 

Free online access to IJMS, Eligibility for various RAMI-sponsored prizes and awards, RAMI Certificate and CME credits are available for attendance at RAMI meetings.  Abstracts are invited from interns across all Intern Training Networks and presentations will consist of both oral and poster presentations with an award of the RAMI Bronze Medal.

BST Lead Team

Q&A Sessions from both the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI) and the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP).

Surgical Training Pathway

Professor Oscar Traynor, Director, National Surgical Training Centre, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI).

Key Talks on Career Pathway

  • Dr Patrick Kelly and Capt Dr Lisa McNamee, GP Trainer, Military Medicine Scheme
  • Professor Donal Buggy, Professor of Anaesthesia, Mater Hospital
  • Associate Professor Eoin Kavanagh, Consultant Radiologist, Mater Hospital
  • Dr Adrian Moughty, Consultant in Emergency Medicine, Mater Hospital
  • Associate Professor Ann Brannigan, Consultant Colorectal Surgeon, Mater Hospital
  • Associate Professor Mary Higgins, Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, National Maternity Hospital
  • Dr Tadg Lehane, General Practitioner, North Dublin City GP Training Programme
  • Associate Professor Aoibhinn Lynch, Consultant in Old Age Psychiatry, Mater Hospital
  • Professor Padraic MacMathuna, Consultant Gastroenterologist, Mater Hospital
  • Dr Rosina McGovern, Consultant Paediatrician, The Children’s Hospital, Temple Street

Session on UCD Self Care & Stress Management Resource

Professor Allys Guerandel, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, St Vincent’s Hospital delivered a session on the UCD Self-Care & Stress Management e-learning resource.  The transition from medical student to doctor is well recognised as challenging, and linked with increased stress. This year, an eLearning unit to assist interns to successfully navigate this transition was launched by the Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health Research SVUH/UCD. The unit is available to the UCD Intern group. It aims to improve well-being in interns by helping them to understand, recognise and manage stress. Interns and medical students have been actively involved in the design and development of this unit. Dr Stuart Kinane and Dr Simon Sharpe, UCD/SVUH Interns, delivered an information session that aimed to introduce the eLearning unit to the intern group, and introduce some of the topics contained within it.

Practice Interviews and Q&A Session

UCD & Hospital colleagues conducted practice a series of practice interviews were held to prepare UCD interns for BST interviews in Anaesthesia (SAT Year 1 & 2), Core Specialty Training in Emergency Medicine CSTEM (1-3), General Internal Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Paediatrics, Core Surgical Training ST1 – ST2, Common Stem Pathway (Radiology), General Practice, Psychiatry & Histopathology.

An Anaesthesia Q&A was delivered covering the marking scheme in areas such as undergraduate education, postgraduate exams, postgraduate experience, academic achievement in relation to anaesthesiology/intensive care medicine and pain medicine.

Interns applying for the general medicine scheme were informally assessed using the RCPI short listing criteria including assessment on degree awarded, research and qualifications, clinical acumen, enthusiasm/awards/achievements and general suitability.

Interns applying for the general practitioner scheme were given one-on-one advice on the interviews which are standardised throughout the country with a pre-agreed template. Interviews are based on the Core Competencies of General Practice.

Interns applying for the Core Surgical Training ST1 – ST2 were marked using a four multisource/multi station process including clinical judgement, interpersonal skills, professional development and suitability for specialty training. Interns were advised that two additional multi stations encompassing undergraduate academic record is pre-marked ahead of interview and surgical aptitude are pre-marked from online tests. A peg test component was not covered during this event.

Our thanks to the following staff who conducted the practice interviews or assisted with the event logistics:

Anaesthesiology             

  • Professor Donal Buggy, Professor of Anaesthesia, Mater Hospital
  • Dr Ruth Boylan, SpR in Anaesthesia, St Vincent’s Hospital

Emergency Medicine

  • Dr Adrian Moughty, Consultant in Emergency Medicine, Mater Hospital

General Practice

  • Dr Cathy Kelly, Programme Director, ICGP
  • Dr Tadg Lehane, General Practitioner

Histopathology

  • Associate Professor Niall Mulligan, Associate Clinical Professor, Mater Hospital
  • Dr Melinda Halasz, UCD Lecturer in Pathology & Consultant Pathologist, Mater Hospital

Gastroenterology

  • Professor Padraic MacMathuna Consultant Gastroenterologist, Mater Hospital

Medicine for the Elderly

  • Dr Liz Callaly, Consultant Geriatrician, Mater Hospital

Internal Medicine

  • Dr Rizwan Uddin, Consultant in Internal Medicine, Beacon Hospital

Obstetrics & Gynaecology

  • Associate Professor Mary Higgins, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, National Maternity Hospital, Holles St
  • Professor Grainne Flannelly, UCD Clinical Professor and Consultant Gynaecologist, National Maternity Hospital, Holles St

Paediatrics

  • Dr Rosina McGovern, UCD Paediatrics Tutor, Children’s University Hospital, Temple Street
  • Dr Suzanne Slattery UCD Paediatrics Tutor, Children’s University Hospital, Temple Street

Psychiatry

  • Associate Professor Aoibhinn Lynch, Dean, College of Psychiatrists, UCD Associate Clinical Professor, Consultant in Old Age Psychiatry, Mater Hospital
  • Associate Professor John Sheehan, UCD Associate Clinical Professor, Consultant in Liaison & Perinatal Psychiatry, Mater Hospital

Radiology

  • Associate Professor Eoin Kavanagh, UCD Associate Clinical Professor, Consultant Radiologist, Mater Hospital

Surgery

  • Ms Reem Salman, Consultant General & Breast Surgeon, Mater Private Hospital, Dublin
  • Professor John O’Byrne, Consultant Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgeon, National Orthopaedic Hospital, Cappagh
  • Professor Oscar Traynor, Director, National Surgical Training Centre, RCSI
  • Associate Professor Ann Brannigan, UCD Associate Clinical Professor, Consultant Colorectal Surgeon, Mater Hospital 

In addition a special thank you to Dr Colm Byrne, Consultant Geriatrician, RCSI, Dr Karen Dennehy, SpR in Palliative Medicine, St Francis Hospice, Blanchardstown, Dr Catherine Foley, Consultant Dermatologist, St Vincent’s Hospital, Associate Professor Catherine McGorrian, Consultant Cardiologist, Mater Hospital, Professor Donal O’Shea, Consultant Endocrinologist, St Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin, Professor Alan Watson, UCD Clinical Professor, St Vincent’s Hospital.

A separate career evening was held on November 12 for the Ophthalmology scheme. A special thank you to Mr David Keegan, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon, and Ms Yvonne Delaney, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon, Mater Hospital.

Our sincere thanks to Associate Professor Dermot Power and Ms Sinéad Clery for organising this very successful event.  Thanks also to Ms Brenda Moran, Ms Aisling O Keefe and Ms Áine Summerville.


Online Graduate Certificate in Clinical Trials Enrolling

Sat, 30 November 19 21:19

UCD Clinical Research Centre is now relaunching enhanced Online Graduate Certificate in Clinical Trials. The next intake is in January 2020
 
This innovative training programme in Clinical Trials is delivered entirely using a virtual learning environment. Lecture content and reading materials are made available weekly and you can progress through this highly interactive course as a pace that fits in with your work and commitments.
 
This programme aims to develop employment ready experts, who will implement clinical research programmes to the highest ethical, regulatory and scientific standards. Graduate will be industry ready, internationally mobile and adequately skilled to pursue successful clinical research careers.
 
Please see attached flyer for more information.
 
Build your expertise in clinical trials using flexible learning.
 
For info: http://bit.ly/X882UCD
http://bit.ly/UCDX882Brochure
 
Build your expertise in clinical trials using flexible learning.
 
For info: http://bit.ly/X882UCD
http://bit.ly/UCDX882Brochure

UCD Medicine Clinical Pathway 2019/2020

Fri, 29 November 19 09:00

Call for Applications

The School is delighted to welcome applications for first time appointment, re-appointment or advancement within the 2020 UCD Medicine Clinical Pathway, the School's adjunct academic appointment scheme designed to recognise clinical staff who contribute to our programmes. 

Applicants seeking advancement within the UCD Medicine Clinical Pathway should note that they will be required to demonstrate significant incremental performance across the principal assessment criteria.  The School’s Review Panel would ordinarily expect a minimum of three years between successive applications for promotion. In a change to the application process this year, candidates seeking promotion within the scheme are required to also provide a recent curriculum vitae.

The UCD Medicine Clinical Pathway scheme is a formal University adjunct academic appointment and consistent with University procedures all appointments are for a period of up to five years although they may be extended by re-application.

Indicative Time Frame

Stage

Indicative Time Frame

Open for Applications 

29th November 2019 - 6th January 2020

Review by Section Leaders

6th January 2020 – 3rd February 2020

Review Panel Assessment

March 2020

Submission to College

April 2020

Communication to Applicants

May 2020

 

Application Forms

First Time Applications

2020 UCD Medicine Clinical Pathway First Time Application Form

Promotions

2020 UCD Medicine Clinical Pathway Promotion Form

A recent Curriculum Vitae should also be submitted.

Re-Appointments

2020 UCD Medicine Clinical Pathway Re-Appointment Form

 

Section Leaders

Academic Section

Section Leader

Email Contact

Biomedical Sciences

Prof Paul McLoughlin

paul.mcloughlin@ucd.ie

General Practice

Prof Gerard Bury

gerard.bury@ucd.ie

Radiography & Diagnostic Imaging

Prof Louise Rainford

louise.rainford@ucd.ie

Medicine & Medical Specialties

Prof Yvonne O'Meara

yomeara@mater.ie

Surgery & Surgical Specialties

Prof Ronan Cahill

ronan.cahill@ucd.ie

Women's & Children's Health

Prof Fionnuala McAuliffe

fionnuala.mcauliffe@ucd.ie

About the UCD Medicine Clinical Pathway

This adjunct academic appointment scheme recognises the contribution of our clinical faculty who lead or support both our teaching and our research programmes across our clinical training network.  The School relies on clinicians within our affiliated teaching hospitals, acute, general and specialist hospitals and within primary care centres to deliver the clinical training component of our education programmes and to help drive our biomedical and clinical research programmes.  We recognise that clinician engagement in University business is greatly facilitated by having a formal adjunct appointment.  Hence in 2008, the School introduced the UCD Medicine Clinical Pathway scheme to provide formal university acknowledgement of these contributions to academic activities, recognising that many clinicians contribute strongly despite having no protected academic time.


Prof Mary Horgan Honoured with UCD Alumni Award

Prof Mary Horgan

Fri, 22 November 19 17:55

Infectious Disease Expert Recognised for Her Leadership Role in HPV Campaign

We extend our congratulations to Professor Mary Horgan (UCD Medicine 1986) who has been honoured by the University in the 2019 UCD Alumni Awards.  A world-renowned expert in infectious disease, Professor Horgan is the President of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland — the first female in this role since its establishment in 1654. She is a consultant in infectious diseases at Cork University Hospital.

Originally from Kerry, Professor Horgan was conferred with a degree in Medicine (MB BCh BAO) in 1986, graduating from UCD in the same class as her brother Tim who is now a consultant ophthalmologist.  After completing her basic medical training, she elected to train in infectious diseases, which she undertook in the United States of America as there was at that time no such specialty training scheme in Ireland. 

She returned to Ireland in 1997 where she was appointed at Cork University Hospital to only the second consultant in infectious disease post (following the appointment of Prof Gerard Sheehan at the Mater Hospital in 1992).  She was awarded her MD in 1995, MRCPI in 1988 and FRCPI in 1997.

Her consultant appointment was a time when treatment for Human Immunodeficiency viruses were only becoming available with the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy.  During her career, Mary has become a national and international leader in medical education and training, in infectious disease and public health and has spearheaded education and scientific education in Ireland.   Most recently, Mary’s work in this field has been instrumental in reversing the downward trend in uptake of HPV vaccination from 50% to 71% in one year.

Previously Dean of the Medical School in UCC in 2013 for a 4-year term, Mary has become a role model for a generation of medical graduates and trainees. Mary also serves as President of the Infectious Diseases Society of Ireland, on the boards of the Health Products Regulatory Authority and the Mercy University Hospital and the Governing Body of University College Cork.

 

Prof Horgan was awarded the 2019 UCD Alumni Award in the category of Health and Agricultural Sciences, following nomination by UCD Alumni.  Introduced in 2014, the UCD Alumni Awards are designed to showcase the success and achievements of its graduates in their respective fields.  Other UCD Medicine alumni who have been honoured by the University include Dr Patricia Scanlan (2014), Dr Patrick Bradley (2015), Dr Anne Merriman (2016), Prof Garret FitzGerald (2017) and Dr Rhona Mahony (2018).  The award was presented to Prof Horgan at the 2019 UCD Alumni Awards event in UCD O'Reilly Hall on Friday 22nd November 2019.


UCD Alumni Appointed to National Screening Committee

Fri, 15 November 19 18:19

Minister for Health, Simon Harris TD, has announced the appointment of Professor Niall O’Higgins (UCD Medicine 1965, Emeritus Professor of Surgery at St Vincent's University Hospital) as Chair of the National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC).  The appointment follows an open competition for the position of chair.

Professor O’Higgins brings a wealth of experience to the role. He was extensively involved in establishing a system of breast cancer services and in BreastCheck, the National Breast Cancer Screening Service.  He was also Chairman of the Expert Group on colorectal cancer screening in Ireland, a body that was critical to the development of BowelScreen.

Also appointed to the Committee were a number of UCD Medicine alumni including Prof Andrew Green (UCD Professor of Genetics at OLCHC ; UCD Medicine 1984), Prof Mary Codd (UCD School of Public Health ; UCD Medicine 1980), and Dr Keelin O'Donoghue (UCD Medicine 1995).

The appointments follow an expression of interest for the expert roles which form the membership of the Committee.

Welcoming the announcement, Minister Harris said:

"This is an important milestone in the continued evolution of population screening programmes in Ireland. I would like to thank each member of the Committee who are volunteering their time and expertise to ensure our screening programme is scrutinised in accordance with international best practice. This Committee intends to work closely with their UK counterparts and other European colleagues, and I am confident that this will ensure that we have a process that is robust, transparent and inclusive and which will ensure that screening programmes in Ireland have a strong supporting evidence base."

"Screening has faced a number of challenges over the past year and the work of the screening committee will play a vital role in helping us to educate the population about screening, its limits and ultimately increasing our screening rates across the country. Screening saves lives."

The Chair of the Committee, Professor Niall O’Higgins, said:

"I welcome the appointment of the members of the Committee. They will bring a range of knowledge and experience to ensure the provision of independent advice on population-based screening programmes. A distinctive element is that the members have been appointed on the basis of their expertise and not because of representation or affiliation."

"The Committee will consider new proposals for screening and also revisions to existing programmes. Recommendations will be based on internationally-accepted evidence and verified standards of current best practice. Among the first functions of the Committee will be to establish a methodology for accepting applications and setting out a prioritisation process for recommended programmes."

"I am confident that with the strong support of the medical profession and the Department of Health the Committee can contribute to efforts to restore and sustain public trust and confidence in population health screening in Ireland."

The National Screening Advisory Committee will begin its important work with its inaugural meeting on 18 November 2019.

Chair of the National Screening Advisory Committee

  • Prof Niall O’Higgins, Professor Emeritus of Surgery, University College Dublin

National Screening Advisory Committee Members

  • Dr Abigail Collins, Consultant in Public Health Medicine, National Cancer Control Programme
  • Dr John Ward, Consultant Radiologist, University Hospital Galway
  • Dr Mary Codd, Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, UCD
  • Dr Sheelagh McGuinness, Reader in Law, University of Bristol Law School
  • Dr Velma Harkins, General Practitioner, Offaly
  • Professor Andrew Green, Consultant in Clinical Genetics and Professor of Medical Genetics, Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital.
  • Dr James O’Mahony, Assistant Research Professor, Centre for Health Policy and Management, School of Medicine, Trinity College
  • Martina Fitzgerald, Journalist
  • Irene Regan, Chief Medical Scientist, Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital
  • John Gleeson, Solicitor and former partner in Mason Hayes and Curran Solicitors
  • Dr Susan Kent, Assistant National Director, HSE and former Deputy Chief Nursing Officer, Department of Health
  • Dr Keelin O’Donoghue, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Cork University Maternity Hospital
  • Dr Ellen Crushell, Consultant Paediatrician with a special interest in Inherited Metabolic Disorders, Temple Street, Children’s University Hospital and Our Lady’s Children Hospital
  • Dr Paul D’Alton, Associate Professor Principal Clinical Psychologist, St Vincent’s University Hospital
  • Dr Paul Kavanagh, Consultant in Public Health Medicine, HSE.
  • Anne Burke (Public Voice)
  • Jillian van Turnhout (Public Voice)
  • Professor Michael Rigby, Professor Emeritus of Health Information Strategy, Keele University
  • Prof Ciaran O’Neill, Professor of Health Economics, Queens University Belfast

UCD Team Names Rheumatoid Arthritis Gene

191114 macir

Thu, 14 November 19 17:04

Dr Kevin Sheridan, Dr David O'Connell, Prof. Gerry Wilson and Dr Emma Dorris marking the naming of the MACIR gene. Absent is Prof. Denis Shields.

A team of doctors and scientists at the UCD Centre for Arthritis Research has been investigating the previously unnamed, mystery gene since a difference in its DNA code was linked with rheumatoid arthritis.  The gene, now called MACIR – for macrophage immunometabolism regulator – was shown this year to be important for our immune system.

Dr Emma Dorris, senior researcher on the work, said:

“The immune system is crucial for the normal functioning of the body. We looked at a type of immune cell, called a macrophage that has a role in inflammation, but also in growth and healing. These cells are like conductors of an orchestra; they tell the other immune cells when to turn on inflammation or fight infection, but also when to turn off ‘fight’ mode and to turn on ‘healing’ mode.

“Therefore, when they stop working properly, the whole immune system can go out of tune. When we reduce MACIR protein, the macrophages went very out of tune. They were no longer able to properly switch from ‘fight’ mode to ‘healing’ mode.

“People with rheumatoid arthritis have less MACIR compared to people that don’t have an autoimmune condition,”

Dr Dorris said.

Gerry Wilson, UCD Full Professor of Rheumatology, Director of the UCD Centre for Arthritis Research and lead author of the research, has been investigating this gene for nearly 10 years. He was involved in the large genetics study in 2010 that first identified it was linked to rheumatoid arthritis.

“Autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis are what we call complex diseases. There is no single gene that will ‘give you’ RA, but there can be variations in your DNA that make you more or less likely to develop it,”

he said.

He outlined how MACIR affected people with rheumatoid arthritis.

“Working with our colleagues in Queen Mary, University of London, we found that when people newly diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis had more inflammation, they produced less MACIR,” he said.

The naming of human genes is now tightly regulated with oversight from the international Human Gene Nomenclature Committee, a part of the Human Genome Organisation (HUGO). Human gene symbols can no longer form known words and must be named after the gene function.

Previously, however, gene names included SONIC Hedgehog, SMURF1 and SMURF2. In addition to being beloved cartoons from the 1980s and nineties, these are all also human genes.

According to Dr Dorris:

“Many genes were first found in flies and fly scientists have, well, a particular sense of humour. Whereas a gene may be amusing and linked to the culture at the time of its discovery, trouble arises when the human versions of these genes become linked to serious and life-threatening illnesses. The comedy quickly drains out of quirky names when a doctor has to counsel patients about genetic defects with names like ‘NEMO’ and ‘Lunatic Fringe’. Both names have since been changed in humans,”

she added.

When the function of a gene is unknown, it is given a temporary symbol, based on where in the DNA it is located. The gene the Irish researchers were interested in was called C5orf30, which it means it was the thirtieth sequence of DNA code that looked like a gene on chromosome 5, the fifth biggest chromosome in our cells.

The research leading to the new name change has been supported by the Health Research Board (HRB), Arthritis Ireland and the Irish Research Council.

Dr Darrin Morrissey, Chief Executive of the HRB, said:

“Important findings like this demonstrate the importance of research and collaboration. We are delighted that through the HRB and the Health Research Charities Ireland awards scheme we can play a part in supporting research that helps to better understand the causes and mechanisms of disease and brings the hope of finding new treatments to people.”

Gráinne O’Leary, Chief Executive of Arthritis Ireland, emphasised the importance of this type of research to people in Ireland living with arthritis.

“Rheumatoid arthritis affects 45,000 people in Ireland, 70 per cent of them women. This is a chronic disease that can impact on every aspect of life: physical and mental well-being, relationships, career, social life. Through investing in research such as this, Arthritis Ireland is helping us draw closer to the day when people will be free from the pain of arthritis.”

Original article by Arthritis Ireland


16 New Genes Linked to Diabetic Kidney Disease

Thu, 14 November 19 21:00

Researchers in the UCD Diabetes Complications Research Centre and their international collaborators have identified 16 regions of the human genome linked with diabetic kidney disease (DKD), the leading cause of kidney disease that can end in organ failure.  

This is the largest ever study carried out to look at the genetics of DKD. It involved 19,406 individuals of European descent with type 1 diabetes, with and without kidney disease. 

Many individuals with diabetes develop kidney disease despite tight control of their blood sugar levels. Others can maintain normal kidney function despite long-term high blood sugar levels. Although studies have shown that DKD has a genetic component, little was known about the genes involved until now.

This research study set out to uncover genetic differences (or variants) that might explain why some people are susceptible and others relatively resistant to DKD.

The team in UCD Conway Institute, led by Prof. Catherine Godson and Dr Eoin Brennan, along with Dr Darrell Andrews and Dr Ross Doyle, collaborated with colleagues in Queen’s University Belfast (QUB); The Broad Institute and Harvard Medical School, USA; and University of Helsinki, to complete a genome-wide association study. 

Researchers UCD diabet centre

Researchers at UCD Diabetes Complications Centre in UCD Conway Institute led by Prof. Catherine Godson.

Patients were categorised according to various indicators of DKD such as kidney function tests and biomarkers in urine. The researchers identified 16 novel gene regions linked to DKD, and they provided supportive biological data related to their potential roles in disease.

The strongest signal uncovered was a gene variant that dictates the structure of specialised membranes in the kidney. This COL4A3 gene makes a type of collagen; the long-fibre protein on which cells sit Intriguingly, this variant is associated with protection from DKD.  The research team in the UCD Diabetes Complications Research Centre at UCD Conway Institute are now further investigating how this genetic difference can offer protection against DKD. 

Some of the other altered genes associated with DKD also fell near collagen protein-related genes and those associated with inflammation and immunity.

Commenting on the research findings, Professor Catherine Godson, Director of the UCD Diabetes Complications Research Centre, UCD Full Professor of Molecular Medicine and Fellow, UCD Conway Institute said,

“Despite our best efforts, the rates of diabetes and associated vascular complications remain unacceptably high. There is an urgent need to predict those individuals with diabetes who are at risk of developing complications, such as DKD and to develop effective drugs to treat the disease in susceptible people.

“These 16 new gene regions linked to DKD provide us with insights as to how this disease develops as well as identifying targets to help prevent and treat diabetic kidney disease. It is interesting to see an association with inflammation and chronic kidney disease associated with diabetes”.

These investigations were supported by a US Ireland R&D partnership award from Science Foundation Ireland and the Health Research Board; the Northern Ireland Office and US National Institutes of Health to investigators at UCD, QUB and The Broad Institute and Harvard Medical School.

This article is available online at https://jasn.asnjournals.org/content/30/10/2000. Salem R et al., Genome-Wide Association Study of Diabetic Kidney Disease Highlights Biology Involved in Glomerular Basement Membrane Collagen. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology doi: 10.1681/ASN.2019030218.

In Ireland today, there are 225,840 people living with diabetes. Of these, 20,000 have type 1 diabetes, a genetic condition typically diagnosed in childhood.

According to the Healthy Ireland survey, 854,165 adults over 40 in the Republic of Ireland are at increased risk of developing (or have) type 2 diabetes. There are a further 304,382 in the 30–39 year age group that are overweight and not taking the weekly 150 minutes recommended physical activity, leaving them at an increased risk of chronic ill-health. 

About World Diabetes Day

World Diabetes Day (WDD) is marked every year on 14 November, the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, who co-discovered insulin along with Charles Best in 1922. WDD is the world’s largest diabetes awareness campaign reaching a global audience of over 1 billion people in more than 160 countries. The campaign draws attention to issues of paramount importance to the diabetes world and keeps diabetes firmly in the public and political spotlight.

The theme for diabetes awareness month and World Diabetes Day 2019 is 'Family and Diabetes'. The campaign is represented by a blue circle logo that was adopted in 2007 after the passage of the UN Resolution on diabetes. The blue circle is the global symbol for diabetes awareness. It signifies the unity of the global diabetes community in response to the diabetes epidemic.


SSRA 2020 News

Tue, 12 November 19 11:58

We are delighted to announce that the Summer Student Research Awards (SSRA) Programme 2020 is now open for project submission for 2020.

Proposals are sought for eight-week laboratory, clinical, patient-centred or educational research projects, to be undertaken by our undergraduate students within the College of Health and Agricultural Sciences and College of Engineering and Architecture during summer 2020.

All supervisors are required to complete the relevant Ethics forms for their project, which can be found on the UCD School of Medicine Research Ethics Committee (SM-REC) website.

Key Dates

  • SSRA Launch: Tuesday 12th November 2019
  • Projects to be submitted by 20th December 2019
  • SSRA Introduction Meeting: Monday 25th May 2020
  • SSRA Mid-Review Meeting: Tuesday 7th July 2020
  • SSRA Poster Presentation Night: Tuesday 15th September 2020
  • SSRA Gold Medal Night: Wednesday 23rd September 2020

The SSRA 2020 Committee can be contacted by email here: ssra@ucd.ie


Major Milestone in Cystic Fibrosis Treatment

Mon, 4 November 19 16:16

A major milestone in the treatment of patients with cystic fibrosis has been reported with the publication of two Phase III clinical trials evaluating a triple-drug combination therapy for the life-threatening condition which has particular relevance in Ireland.  Professor Edward McKone, consultant respiratory physician at St Vincent’s University Hospital and UCD Clinical Professor, was a senior author in both papers publish last week by the New England Journal of Medicine and the Lancet.

Commenting on the significance of these trials, Prof McKone said,

These clinical trial results are very exciting for patients with CF, their families and the entire CF community. Highly effective CFTR modulation is now possible in the most common genetic subtypes of CF. Based on our experience to date with highly effective CFTR modulation in rarer CFTR genetic subtypes, this new triple therapy should lead to substantial clinical benefits for the majority of people with CF.

Cystic fibrosis is caused by mutations in the gene coding for the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), a membrane protein and chloride channel regulator in epithelial cells.  Although there are over 2,000 known mutations of the CFTR gene, 90% of patients with cystic fibrosis have at least one copy of a specific Phe508del CFTR mutation.  Ireland has the highest incidence of Cystic Fibrosis in the world with approximately 7 in every 10,000 with the condition.  CF incidence in Ireland is almost 3 times the average rate in other European countries and the United States.

The studies evaluated a next generation CFTR corrector, Elexacaftor in combination with current therapies, Tezacaftor (a CFTR corrector) and Ivacaftor (a potentiator of defective ion channels) in two multi-centre randomised clinical trials.  Each of the three drugs were developed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals.  Both Elexacaftor and Tezacaftor are CFTR correctors which chaperone the CFTR protein to apical surfaces of epithelial cells.  Ivacaftor is a CFTR potentiator which improves chloride and bicarbonate transport through the cell’s ion channels. 

Heterozygous CFTR Mutations

One study published in the New England Journal of Medicine examined the triple drug combination in a Phase III randomised double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to study the efficacy and safety in patients aged 12 years or older with cystic fibrosis who were heterozygous for the Phe508del mutation and a minimal function mutation (Phe508del-minimal function genotypes).  Patients were recruited who had a percentage predicted forced expiratory volume in one second) ppFEV1 of 40% to 90% at screening and had stable disease during the 28-day screening period.  Over 400 patients were recruited at 115 sites in 13 countries including at St Vincent’s University Hospital.  Following the 4-week screening period, the trial continued for a 24-week intervention period with patients randomly assigned to receive the triple drug combination or matched placebos.  All patients who completed the intervention period were recruited into an ongoing 96-week open-label extension study in which all patients received active treatment. The primary end point for this trial was absolute change from baseline in ppFEV1 at week 4 with secondary end points the absolute change at week 24, number of pulmonary exacerbations, absolute change in sweat chloride concentrations at week 24 and absolute change from baseline in the Cystic Fibrosis Questionnaire-Revised (CFQ-R) respiratory domain score.  Treatment with the triple drug combination resulted in a significant improvement in the primary end point with an absolute change of 13.8 points in ppFEV1 relative to the placebo.  This improvement was sustained throughout the 24-week trial and was consistent across several prespecified cohort subgroups.  The treatment group exhibited substantially lower pulmonary exacerbations, significantly improved sweat chloride concentrations, higher quality of life CFQ-R scores and improved body mass index measurements.  The treatment was found to be generally safe with an acceptable side-effects profile consistent with an earlier Phase II study.  This study confirms the hypothesis that the triple therapy effectively modulates CFTR gene function from a single allele and offers pronounced benefit to a patient population that previous CFTR modulators were not effective.  This combination therapy demonstrates impact on a scale similar to the highly effective CFTR modulation therapy which exists for patients with a specific, less common mutation (Gly551Asp).  This study demonstrates that the modulation of a single Phe508del allele can address the underlying cause of disease for the majority of patients with cystic fibrosis.  Unlike previous CFTR modulator therapies, the triple drug combination was also effective in patients with Phe508del-minimal function genotypes.  Further research is required extend the benefit of CFTR modulation to patients with responsive mutations other than the Phe508del mutation.

Homozygous CFTR Mutations

The restoration of Ph508del CFTR function by elexacaftor-tezacaftor-ivacaftor was confirmed in a concomitant second study, published in the Lancet, involving patients with two Phe508del alleles.  This Phase III multi-centre study consisted of a randomised, double-blind active-controlled trial of elexacaftor in combination with tezacaftor plus ivacaftor.  Over 100 patients with cystic fibrosis aged 12 years and older who were confirmed as homozygous for the Phe508del mutation and with a percentage predicted forced expiratory volume in one second (ppFEV1) between 40% and 90% were recruited across 44 sites in 4 countries.  Subjects are randomly assigned to receive either elexacaftor plus tezacaftor and ivacaftor or receive tezacaftor plus ivacaftor alone.  As the control leg of this study involves the current standard of care for patients with cystic fibrosis homozygous for Phe508del, to ensure a reliable on-treatment baseline before the triple therapy, participants completed a 4 week tezacaftor plus ivacaftor run-in period following a 4-week screening period.  Participants then received 4 weeks of treatment with either elexacaftor 200mg once daily in combination with tezacaftor 100mg once daily and ivacaftor 150mg every 12 hours or the dual combination of tezacaftor 100mg once daily and ivacaftor 150mg every 12 hours.  The primary outcome was the absolute change from baseline (measured at the end of the study run-in period) in ppFEVat week 4.  Secondary end points were absolute change in sweat chloride and Cystic Fibrosis Questionnaire-Revised (CFQ-R) respiratory domain score.  107 participants were randomised across the two groups and completed the 4-week treatment period.  The triple therapy group had improvements in the primary outcome of pFEV1 treatment difference of 10.0 percentage points and an improvement in sweat chloride concentration of -45.1 mmol/L at week 4 compared with the current treatment regime.  There was a substantial improvement in CFQ-R score also in the elexacaftor plus tezacaftor plus ivacaftor treatment group compared with the dual combination of tezacaftor plus ivacaftor.  The triple therapy was well tolerated with a safety profile comparable to the reference group. 

References

Elexacaftor–Tezacaftor–Ivacaftor for Cystic Fibrosis with a Single Phe508del Allele

Peter G. Middleton, M.D., Marcus A. Mall, M.D., Pavel Dřevínek, M.D., Larry C. Lands, M.D., Edward F. McKone, M.D., Deepika Polineni, M.D., Bonnie W. Ramsey, M.D., Jennifer L. Taylor-Cousar, M.D., Elizabeth Tullis, M.D., François Vermeulen, M.D., Gautham Marigowda, M.D., Charlotte M. McKee, M.D., et al., for the VX17-445-102 Study Group*  N Engl J Med 2019 Oct 31; DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1908639

Efficacy and safety of the elexacaftor plus tezacaftor plus ivacaftor combination regimen in people with cystic fibrosis homozygous for the F508del mutation: a double-blind, randomised, phase 3 trial.

Heijerman HGM, McKone EF, Downey DG, Van Braeckel E, Rowe SM, Tullis E, Mall MA, Welter JJ, Ramsey BW, McKee CM, Marigowda G, Moskowitz SM, Waltz D, Sosnay PR, Simard C, Ahluwalia N, Xuan F, Zhang Y, Taylor-Cousar JL, McCoy KS; VX17-445-103 Trial Group.  Lancet. 2019 Oct 30.  DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(19)32597-8.


SBI Participation in Major European Research Network

Fri, 1 November 19 18:39

We are delighted to report that UCD researchers are among the largest-ever Innovative Medicine Initiative 2 (IMI2) immunology project which aims to improve disease management of non-responders to therapy across seven immune-mediated diseases.  Prof Walter Kolch and Dr David Gomez led the UCD Systems Biology Ireland participation in the 3TR initiative which kicked off their activities with a first meeting in Granada, Spain from 30th – 31st October 2019.

Autoimmune, inflammatory and allergic diseases are common chronic diseases that significantly affect the wellbeing of millions of people around the globe and pose a substantial burden to healthcare systems. While different treatments are available, response and disease progression in individual patients remain unpredictable. Currently, still too little is known about the molecular basis underpinning these diseases. In order to be able to better predict treatment response and potentially identify novel biomarkers leading to improved patient management and personalised therapy, a deeper understanding of the cellular mechanisms driving disease development is urgently needed.

In a never-before-seen effort to bring together experts from different medical fields, profiling technologies, systems biology and bioinformatics with specialists from innovative SMEs and leading pharmaceutical companies, 3TR – a public-private partnership project under the IMI umbrella – sets out to fundamentally increase our knowledge of the molecular pathways and mechanisms linked to response and non-response to therapy in seven different immune-mediated, allergic and inflammatory diseases: systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease (incl. ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease), asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Despite their heterogeneity, recent studies have shown that on the molecular level certain patterns are shared by patients across these diseases, thus suggesting they may also share pathways of response to treatment and disease progression.

A groundbreaking approach: integrated, cross-disease analysis

“For the first time, the 3TR team will align and integrate the analysis of autoimmune, allergic, and inflammatory conditions to identify the relationship between longitudinal molecular and microbiome profiles in blood cells and tissues, and disease paths. In a unique approach we will study the seven diseases both in parallel and jointly”,

explains Marta Alarcón-Riquelme, scientific coordinator of 3TR and Head of Medical Genomics at the GENYO centre at the Fundación Pública Andaluza Progreso y Salud.

“We believe that this high-resolution multi-omics profiling analysis of individualised response to treatment and disease progression will facilitate stratification and identification of molecular patterns that better predict response or non-response to therapy. This comprehensive approach will help identify biomarkers to improve patient management within these diseases.”

Data management and translation into clinics

All data generated within the project will be gathered on a centralised data management platform. The latter will enable detailed and comprehensive, state-of-the-art bioinformatics and biostatistics analyses based on machine learning and dynamic, mechanistic methods.

By involving medical associations in close relationship with patient groups 3TR will also contribute to swiftly translating relevant knowledge and project outcomes into clinics. “3TR has great potential to transform and significantly enhance the management of patients with chronic inflammatory diseases by introducing a scientific evidence-based rationale for treatment selection, rather than following the traditional trial and error approach. This will increase therapeutic success, reduce risks of avoidable side effects in patients unlikely to benefit from the drug they are prescribed, reduce health care costs, but above all: improve the patient’s quality of life”, underlines Dr Pierre Meulien, Executive Director of the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI).

Dr David Gomez, principal investigator at UCD Systems Biology Ireland (SBI) described the UCD contribution to this research initative.

“We are involved in the analysis and integration of data available in the consortium, including data from more than 50 clinical trials (existing and new trials that will be performed during the life of the project), and the experiments that are performed in the consortium. The data is generated by clinical and industry partners. In collaboration with other partners, SBI will develop new approaches to use this data to generate computational models that can be used to understand the molecular basis of the 7 diseases that we are studying and identify the commonalities among these diseases. We will use artificial intelligence/machine learning approaches to integrate the data and build in our existing method MiNETi for the integration of OMICs data.  The final aim is to use the predicting power of the computational models to get a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of these diseases and ultimately new treatment for patients that do not respond to existing therapies."

About 3TR

3tr logo

Taxonomy, Treatment, Targets and Remission. Identification of the Molecular Mechanisms of non-response to Treatments, Relapses and Remission in Autoimmune, Inflammatory, and Allergic Conditions.  An €80.6M 48-month research project coordinated by Fundación Pública Andaluza Progreso y Salud.

3TR brings together 69 partner organisations from 15 European member states including academic and research institutions, small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) and pharmaceutical companies. For a full partner list, please visit: www.3tr-imi.eu/partners

The project is supported with a funding of over € 80 million from the Innovative Medicines Initiative 2 (IMI2), a joint undertaking of the European Commission and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA).

Visit the 3TR website: www.3tr-imi.eu

Follow 3TR on Twitter: @3TR_IMI

About the Innovative Medicines Initiative

The Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) is Europe’s largest public-private initiative aiming to improve health by speeding up the development of, and patient access to, innovative medicines, particularly in areas where there is an unmet medical or social need. IMI facilitates collaboration between the key players involved in healthcare research, including universities, the pharmaceutical and other industries, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), patient organisations, and medicines regulators. It is a partnership between the European Union (represented by the European Commission) and the European pharmaceutical industry (represented by EFPIA, the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations).

For further information: www.imi.europa.eu

3tr funders


Strong SBI Performance at HAI Meeting

Sat, 19 October 19 19:09

Professor Jonathan Bond’s group had a very successful attendance at the recent Annual Meeting of the Haematology Association of Ireland in Galway.  After giving an invited state of the art lecture, Prof Bond was delighted to see two of his team receive prestigious awards.

The big prize of the weekend went to Systems Biology Ireland (SBI) post-doctoral researcher, Dr Luke Jones, who won the highly competitive Novartis Career Development Award.  Jones's proposal won out against some stiff opposition from across the island of Ireland, and this award will allow him to do some cutting-edge research into epigenetic alterations that are linked to poor outcome in childhood leukaemia.

Another SBI researcher, Dr Peter McCarthy, won the prize for the best clinical oral presentation.  McCarthy presented his work on a rare subtype of paediatric lymphoma in the HAI Presidential Symposium, as one of the top four abstracts overall.

Professor Bond said

“It was a great weekend for our group with Luke’s big award and Peter winning a prize for his clinical molecular project.  Like other research teams in SBI, we are based in both the clinic and the laboratory, and these types of successes show how we're working together on both fronts".

Jones is originally from Australia and started working with the Bond group in May 2019. Prior to this, he was at Princess Maxima Center for Paediatric Oncology in Utrecht, The Netherlands.

McCarthy, who hails from Cork, is a clinical haematology specialist registrar in training. He joined the Bond team in July 2019. 

More Information

Prof Jonathan Bond Research Profile


Mindreading 2020 | Call for Posters

Thu, 17 October 19 18:37

MindReading 2020

Adolescent Perspectives in Clinical Practice     

Friday 3rd April 2020, RCPI, Kildare Street

CALL FOR POSTERS

This interdisciplinary event seeks to explore productive interactions between literature and clinicians in physical and mental health. Participants from interprofessional backgrounds explore together the interfaces between literature and health in adolescence. At previous events, participants have shared useful resources, and engaged in critical discussion about literature as a point of therapeutic engagement and a tool in clinical and reflective practice.

We welcome poster submissions from colleagues in clinical practice, the history of medicine, and the arts and humanities for an interdisciplinary conference exploring the role of humanities and medicine in adolescent health at the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland on Friday 3rd April 2020.  Accepted posters will be displayed on poster boards.

MindReading 2020 Poster Topics

We welcome posters from colleagues, interdisciplinary professionals, early career researchers and trainees. Potential themes for posters in 2020 include:

  1. Adolescent Health and Medical Humanities
  2. History of Medicine and Childhood
  3. Literature and Medical Humanities in clinical practice
  4. Can literature help exploration of overlaps between physical and mental health?
  5. Literature in training of clinicians – undergraduate and postgraduate
  6. Literature in reflective practice for clinicians
  7. Interdisciplinary education and the humanities
  8. Literature and mental health initiatives in Ireland
  9. Literature and engagement with medicine and medical humanities

Abstract Submission

Abstracts may be submitted by emailing Dr. Clare Hayes-Brady, clare.hayes-brady@ucd.ie.

Please submit your abstract before 5pm on 6th December 2019.

This event is being organised by the UCD School of Medicine, UCD School of English, Drama and Fim in partnership with the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland.


School Receives Athena SWAN Award

Athena swan group shot

Thu, 10 October 19 11:22

We are delighted to announce that the School has received an Athena SWAN Bronze award for its commitment to gender equality and inclusion.  This award was made on the basis of a gender equality action plan that describes how the School will drive gender equality for our faculty, staff and students.

L-R: Licia Carlesi, Senior Executive Assistant, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Unit,  Associate Professor, Donal Finn, College of Engineering and Architecture, Simone Ciuiti, Assistant Professor and Antoinette Perry Assistant Professor, School of Biology and Environmental Science, Professor Orla Feely, Vice President, Research, Innovation and Impact, Marcellina Fogarty, Manager, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Unit, Eimear O’Reilly, Project Officer, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Unit, Associate Professor, Marguerite Clyne,  School of Medicine,  Rory Carey, Director Culture and Engagement, University College Dublin

Our colleagues in the UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science and the College of Engineering and Architecture (which comprises a further six Schools) were similarly recognised in the Athena SWAN 2019 Awards.  Together with four previous UCD Schools that achieved Athena SWAN Spring 2019 awards, a total of twelve UCD Schools have now achieve Athena SWAN recognition and are delivering on their ambitious gender equality action plans.  These Schools encompass some 1,350 faculty & staff and almost 10,000 students.  The University was awarded a Bronze Award in 2017 and is currently implementing its three-year action plan for 2017 – 2020, in a move which has seen equality, diversity and inclusion become firmly established in the institution’s strategic plan.

The School’s Athena SWAN self-assessment team was led by Associate Professor Marguerite Clyne and co-chaired by Professor Denis Shields.  Over the past two years, they have evaluated all aspects of our academic programmes from the perspective of gender equality and the Self-Assessment team submitted their analysis and proposed action plan in April 2019.

Associate Professor Marguerite Clyne has extended a renewed invitation to all School Staff and Students who wish to become involved in the implementation of our Athena SWAN action plan.  Associate Professor Marguerite Clyne said,

“This is a significant first step for the School of Medicine becoming a more inclusive place for both staff and students.  The challenge is for all of us to play our part and become involved as we implement our action plan and make our ambition an everyday reality.”

Our Dean of Medicine and Head of School, Professor Michael Keane echoed this message of participation by all.

“Congratulations to Marguerite and her team on this significant first step.  Our ultimate aim is to ensure that the School of Medicine is a place where everyone can thrive and reach their full potential. However, our success is dependent on the support and participation of everyone in the school for this initiative and I encourage you to get involved in whatever way you can.” 

“I am delighted to congratulate the Schools that have achieved this success on the basis of their commitment to delivering gender equality, encouraging greater female participation in STEM and ultimately making UCD a more inclusive place to work and study for everyone,”

said Professor Orla Feely, Vice President for Research, Innovation and Impact and Chair of UCD’s Gender Equality Action Group.  Building on UCD’s institutional Athena SWAN Bronze Award, these awards mark the second round of UCD Schools that have embarked on a data driven audit and a School-wide consultation of gender equality and inclusion among employees and students. As a result of the audits, the Schools involved have begun to implement ambitious four-year gender equality strategies to ensure gender equality as part of UCD’s goal of being an employer and university of choice.

Examples of steps these Schools are taking to create an inclusive culture include: 

  • A minimum of 40% representation of women on interview boards and committees
  • Gender-proofing workload distribution models to ensure work is transparently and equitably allocated
  • Developing female talent via the Aurora mentorship programme
  • Outreach to secondary schools to increase participation of the underrepresented gender in their subject

 

Professor Feely said,

“Diversity is one of the core values in UCD’s strategy, and one of our strategic objectives is the attraction and retention of an excellent and diverse cohort of students, faculty and staff. The Athena SWAN process is central to our ability to deliver on this objective and deliver on UCD’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy”

A further nine Schools and one College in UCD are progressing further Athena SWAN applications.  The University is currently preparing an application to retain the institutional-level Athena SWAN Bronze award that it received in 2017. 

As part of its University-wide consultation and engagement on the theme, Dr Rhona Mahony (UCD Medicine 1994, MD 2005) presented recently to the University on women in leadership.  Dr Mahony is currently Executive Director of the Women’s and Children’s Clinical Academic Directorate within the Ireland East Hospital Group having previously served as Master of the National Maternity Hospital from 2012 to 2018.  Dr Mahony and fellow UCD Medicine alumna, Dr Sharon Sheehan (UCD Medicine 1998, BMedSc 1998) were the first female Masters of the National Maternity Hospital and the Coombe Women’s & Infants University Hospital respectively on their appointments in 2012. 

The School is proud of its long tradition of exceptional leadership demonstrated by female students, staff and alumni.  The first female President of the Medical Council of Ireland is Dr Rita Doyle (UCD Medicine 1973) and the first female President of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland is Prof Mary Horgan (UCD Medicine 1986, MD 1995).  Prof Eilis McGovern (UCD Medicine 1978 DipCH 1979) was the first female President in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland’s 226 year history when she was elected in 2010.  This tradition of female leadership looks set to continue with the current auditor of UCD Medical Society (Ms Leah Nash) and the President, UCD Surgical Society (Ms Ellen Geary).

You can find out more about the School’s activities and initiatives in the area of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion here.

About Athena SWAN

Athena SWAN is a gender inclusion charter and awards framework to advance the careers of women in higher education and ensure gender equality and inclusion for all. https://www.ecu.ac.uk/equality-charters/athena-swan/


Medical Negligence - A View from the Bench

Kevin Cross

From Left to right: Dr Cliona McGovern, Mr Justice Kevin Cross and Mr Asim Sheikh

As part of our Graduate Diploma in Healthcare (Risk Management and Quality) programme, the School was honoured to welcome as a guest speaker, the Rt Hon Judge Kevin Cross, Judge of the High Court and Judge in Charge of the Personal Injury List.

He presented a paper entitled 'Medical Negligence - A View from the Bench' on Wednesday 16th October 2019 in Lecture Theatre C007, UCD Health Sciences Centre.  The lecture was followed by an open discussion under Chatham House rules.

The event proved to be a high informative meeting where Mr Justice Cross provided a clear insight on the subject of Medical Negligence from his perspective as an experienced High Court Judge.

With Mr Justice Cross' kind permission, we have reproduced his address.

A copy of the transcript is also available here.

We would like to thank Mr Justice Cross for giving generously to our students and Course Director, Mr Asim Sheikh for extending a public invitation to this presentation.  The School is also indebted to Kennedy Solicitors for kindly supporting this public engagement event.

 

Introduction & Overview

Introduction

I would like to thank Asim Sheikh and all of those responsible for the Graduate Diploma in Health Care (Risk Management and Quality) for your kind invitation to me to give you a "view from the bench'' in relation to medical negligence. - I stress that this is merely "a" view there is no one "the"' view because judges are individuals and I hope there is no party line. Accordingly, the views I give are my own alone. If. however any colleague were to disagree with what I say I have to advise you, they would be wrong!

I am steeped in medicine - my father was a doctor, one of my sons is a doctor, my grandfather was a doctor, I am the nephew of five doctors and I am the first in my family to have any interest in law. Indeed, I only studied for the Bar to keep my professionally minded parents happy that I was pursuing some sort of worthwhile career as I pursued my first love which was the study of history in this university.

Overview

I will suggest tonight that the present Tort system of the resolution of disputes caused by alleged medical negligence is, while not in any sense perfect. the best and only practical system contrary to its many detractors.

I will further suggest that the rise in the number of medical negligence cases in recent years is not suggestive of a fall in medical standards but probably results from, both a decline in deference to professionals (which is not unique to medicine) and a dramatically improved standard of medical care which has resulted in a number of patients who would have died shortly after birth surviving, though significantly disabled into adulthood. 

The third point I wish to make is that the rise in damages does not represent any increase in compensation for plaintiffs for their pain and suffering but rather is due to the costs especially future costs of their care.

Liability

First of all, I wish to briefly give an overview of the tort system of litigation.  What I will have to say in relation to the law may to many of you appear trite and to others possibly over-complex but a brief overview of the tort law and the law of damages is necessary.

To succeed in any tort action a plaintiff must prove on the balance of probabilities that the defendant was negligent or at fault. In medical negligence cases in order to succeed a plaintiff must establish a breach of the standard of care which was set out by the principles established in the leading case of Dunne v. The National Maternity Hospital [1989] IR p. 91. 

The relevant principles are as follows: -

  1. Thr true test for establishing negligence in diagnosis or treatment on the part of a medical practitioner is whether he has been proved to be guilty of such failure as no medical practitioner of equal specialist or general status and skill would be guilty of if acting with ordinary care.
  2. If the allegation of negligence against a medical practitioner is based on proof that he deviated from a general and approved practice, that will not establish negligence unless it is also proved that the course he did take was one which no medical practitioner of like specialisation and skill would have followed had he been taking the ordinary care required from a person of his qualification.
  3. If a medical practitioner charged with negligence defends his conduct by establishing that he followed a practice which was general, and which was approved by his colleagues of similar specialisation and skill, he cannot escape liability if in reply the plaintiff establishes that such practice has inherent defects which ought to be obvious to any person giving the matter due consideration. 
  4. An honest difference of opinion between doctors as to which is the better of two ways of treating a patient does not provide any ground for leaving a question to the jury as to whether a person who has followed one course rather than the other has been negligent..."

Accordingly, it can be seen that it is by no means an easy task for a plaintiff to succeed in a medical negligence action. The judge must accept that the medical practitioner is guilty of such a failure that no medical practitioner of equal specialist or general status or skill would be guilty of. In addition, following a relatively recent change in the rules of the court, a plaintiff is not normally allowed to establish his case with the aid of more than one specialist expert witness in any one field. As a matter of probability in a contested case this expert will be met by the defendant's expert and also probably by the evidence of the defendant who will himself or herself be a professional.

A case should not normally be commenced unless the plaintiffs practitioners have an expert report that supports a finding of negligence. This is a requirement of the law and also represents prudent practice.

It should be pointed out that the standards in Ireland in relation to medical negligence are virtually identical to similar standards in the law of England and Wales established by their case law.

Damages

If the plaintiff succeeds he or she is entitled to damages for the wrong inflicted.

The purpose of damages is to put a successful plaintiff, insofar as many can do so, into the same position as if the wrong had not been committed. Therefore, an injured plaintiff is entitled to all his expenses, loss of earnings, the medical expenses, costs of past and future care, costs of any aides and appliances therapies or should it arise any modifications to his dwelling house etc., etc., etc. These are matters that ought to be easily quantified and would be awarded by a judge if the judge considers them reasonable. These items are referred to as "'special damages''. The special damage today also represents by far the largest element of the vast majority of claims in the High Court. Where, for example, an infant suffers catastrophic birth injuries due to the negligence of the health providers the damages would be enormous. The main reason the damages are enormous in medical negligence actions is that such patients now have a relatively long life expectancy, due to an improvement in medical science, which would require possibly twenty-four-hour care for catastrophically injured patients and many aides and appliances all of which matters are very costly.

However large the special damages may be, in no sense can it be said that the injured person is given any advantage to his or her life. He or she is being given by the special damages the means to live as normal and full a life as is possible. You or I do not need fulltime carers to look after our bodily functions but catastrophically injured do. 

In very many cases if thirty years ago or so similar injuries were suffered at birth that child would have quite possibly died shortly after the birth and in those circumstances either there would have been no litigation, as the potential plaintiff was dead, or their parents could have taken a wrongful death case with very small damages. Accordingly, the increase in damages arises from an improvement in medical care by the surviving of patients to live to a reasonably normal age which would not have been the case in the past. 

Accordingly, what a catastrophically injured plaintiff is obtaining from such an action is not any 'gravy train" but the means to support as reasonable a life as money can buy. Ireland has chosen to visit the insurer with costs that in other countries are directly borne by the state. So if an injured party receives an award they lose their entitlement for example, to a medical card, therefore their continuing medical bills will have to be paid for by the insurer in addition to the other heads of damages. In England and Wales. the National Health Service would continue to act and this heading of damages would not arise in that jurisdiction.

In addition, of course to the special damages I have described, a successful plaintiff is also entitled to general damages for pain and suffering to date and into the future. It is these general damages that are the main focus of a sustained unfair but largely successful campaign that is being waged by the insurance industry.

When I started as a Barrister in the mid-1970's. general damages used to represent by far the largest portion in the vast majority of awards. Since the decision of the Supreme Court in Sinnott v. Quinnsworth in 1984, what has been described as a “cap" on general damages was inserted governing I would suggest the most catastrophic of cases where a plaintiff is being fully compensated by special damages for all their other needs. In such cases the general damages element which has been adjusted over the years for inflation was fixed some years ago at €500,000 and it represents frequently less than 5% of the total value of such catastrophic injury cases.

I should further point out by way of a side issue, that the level of general damages in all tort cases has decreased in real money terms over the years. This is contrary to sustained propaganda from the insurance industry that I believe unfortunately courts have subconsciously listened to this propaganda be influenced by it. I have written about this issue before but tonight merely point out that the number of serious road traffic accidents and indeed industrial accidents has thankfully decreased over the years. As I stated above the damages for pain and suffering has also decreased.

In the case of road traffic accidents, the number of insured vehicles is significantly higher today than it was thirty or forty years ago and therefore the number of road traffic accidents as a proportion to the number of insured vehicles on the road has dramatically decreased. And this must be combined with the decrease in general damages in real terms.  Accordingly, for the insurance industry to blame the so called "compo culture" (a misleading phrase which I seriously deprecate) and general damages which are awarded to innocent injured plaintiffs for the huge level of premium increases defies belief.  And yet this explanation from a vested interest group has been taken on board and trotted out unquestioned by some commentators.

The insurance industry rightly condemns fraudulent claims. Judges also condemn fraudulent claims. In my years as a Judge I can count on the fingers of one hand those cases in which I suspected there was an element of fraud. Fraudulent claims can and should be condemned. Unfortunately, it is not a fraudulent plaintiff who set out to fake an accident that will be discouraged by the insurance companies campaigns but rather innocent victims of wrongful acts who may not wish to vindicate their rights given the propaganda against tort claims. The insurance industry should be vigilant in reporting to the Gardai any claims that they believe to be fraudulent but the number of such claims which they have reported is tiny. It is fundamentally dishonest therefore to blame supposedly fraudulent claims on the cost of insurance. May I add that while the number of fraudulent claims suspected has been very small in no case regrading a claim for medical negligence have I even suspected the possibility of fraud. 

What has occurred over the years is not an increase in compensation to plaintiffs for their pain and suffering but the costs of the special damages, the loss of wages, the cost of care, medical expenses. These expenses have risen in line with inflation and in certain circumstances medical inflation. In any event such increase in special damages does not benefit a plaintiff who has been paid for expenses which are actually incurred or which will be incurred.

Another reason for the significant increase in the total of damages over the years is that all damages are awarded by the judge in a lump sum on the day of the judicial determination. In relation to future expenses such a lump sum is calculated by actuaries based upon the believed real rate of return of investments. The money is therefore awarded in 2019 but may not be expended until 2050. This money is invested and earns a return. If a plaintiff suffers a€ I0,000 loss of earnings each year over a 10 year period they will not be awarded €100,000 because the money is paid into 2019 and can be invested over the next 10 years. Up to recently the courts used to suggest a 3% real rate of return on the investment of the fund to calculate future damages. That rate was excessively optimistic and resulted in the fact that the funds to pay for the future care of plaintiffs have in some cases run out, leaving an injured plaintiff with no fund to cover legitimate future expenses.

Since the case of Gill Russell was decided by the Court of Appeal, the real rate of return is now based on a calculation of 1½% or 1% which has resulted in a significant increase in damages. This increase has not brought any untoward benefit to the plaintiff but merely is designed to prevent the fund failing before its time.

It should be pointed out that in England and Wales the real rate of return is present at a negative rate which means that any such damages awarded there are significantly higher than in Ireland.

Difficulties

Why, many people ask, should we operate a "forensic lottery" (as has been described) and compensate only those who can prove fault and leave others with similar injuries dependant on state aid and the HSE. This question leads to the conclusion that every person who has been injured in an accident or who has suffered a bad result from a medical procedure should merely receive state aid. The overwhelming objection to such a proposal, attractive though it might seem in theory, is that any universal state provisions would either be so extraordinarily expensive as to be politically impossible or more likely would result in a significant reduction in facilities available to those who have been injured.  In other words, those who have been injured due to fault would be given less than full care. The reality for those who call for an end to tort-based compensation is for those injured through the fault of others not to receive their just entitlements. If the true cost of future care for all those who have suffered medical mishaps or a bad result from surgery, irrespective of fault, may run to the millions of euros clearly State funding will not be able to offer that level of care for everyone.

Of course the level of care provided to all by the state may improve over the years then a number of items now not publicly available will be available to any patient as of right and the damages in these cases in tort would be reduced accordingly. Comparing damages in this jurisdiction to those in others is a dangerous exercise as we may not be comparing like with like. In the United Kingdom the National Health Services provides a level of care which we cannot at present match and accordingly, some of the headings which a plaintiff is entitled to be compensated for in a tort case in Ireland may be covered by the state in England and Wales. In France the State provides loss of wages over an extended period for all victims of road traffic accidents irrespective of fault. In Ireland it is only the innocent victims of a road traffic accident who can secure their loss of earnings and do so at the expense of the insurance company and not of the State.

I would argue for unseen benefits of litigation and tort damages is that over the years, litigation, and the fear of litigation. has resulted in increased levels of health and safety and has been at least partially responsible for the decline in the number of serious accidents on the roads and in factories. Look at a building site today and compare that with 50 years ago and you will see a most welcome increase in safety which has led to a decline in industrial accidents. In the medical negligence sphere many lessons have been learnt and are still being learnt and applied. Hospitals and doctors are now much more ready to apologise and to explain where mistakes occur.

It is frequently said, and I thoroughly agree from my experience, that often the main or sometimes indeed the only thing that a patient wants is an explanation and an apology where that is due. I believe many cases, especially of the less serious variety, would never have been taken if the patient had been told what went wrong and a good explanation given.

I believe lessons have also been learned in the process of litigation by defendants and their representatives. I fully appreciate that when dealing with public or indeed indemnifier's money, the defendants, especially the HSE or the State Claims cannot admit liability in the vast majority of cases until they have obtained expert reports. It is my experience that defendants are now much more prepared to admit liability at an early stage than was the case when I was in practice at the Bar. Such admissions given consolation to the plaintiffs and can lead to early amicable settlement of the case.

A further important measure that the medical authorities have taken which may prevent cases being launched in certain circumstances and in other cases may provide the defendants with a good defence is that the quality of notes taken by doctors and nurses and health professionals has greatly improved. In the past scant regard was often paid to the professional obligation of doctors or nurses to take proper notes. Individuals' memories can frequently be flawed and people believe that a certain set of circumstances have occurred when that it not the case. This is not to suggest any mendacity by any witnesses but by the time a case comes to trial memories have indeed altered and people are more convinced by the time of the trial that their side is correct. Accordingly, where the health professionals record oral complaints and examinations and findings in notes made contemporaneously this can be a powerful assistance to the defence.

These notes will be made available to the other side by way of discovery and the existence of complete notes might well result in cases being discontinued. In addition, the fact that notes are now computerised has meant that any possibility of notes being retrospectively written up in the knowledge of possible litigation or indeed altered is considerably lessened.

I must also add that in a number of recent cases in which plaintiffs were likely to die in a short period of time, the HSE and other defendants have been more than cooperative in allowing these cases to be brought to trial in a record short time. I feel that these efforts have not resulted in adequate credit being publicly given to the HSE and the defendants for this cooperation. Had the HSE and other defendants chosen in some cases to insist upon a longer time frame before the cases were set down for trial then it is quite possible that the patients might have died before the case could be determined.

Objections

What I have said should not be taken as a total apologia for the present system. There are many difficulties, one of the major difficulties is that a court awards a lump sum based upon the probabilities of the evidence as to the future course of a plaintiff's injury. Should a plaintiff make a better recovery than expected then a defendant cannot return to court and say that the plaintiff was over compensated. Similarly, should injuries persist resulting in a longer than expected time before recovery or indeed result in no recovery at all, then the plaintiff would be left under compensated and cannot similarly return to court and, Oliver Twist like, ask for more.

In significant medical negligence cases this problem can be more extreme and serious injustice caused if, for example, as has happened the damages awarded by a court are prudently invested but the fund runs out as the damages were calculated to be invested at an expected return that was much more generous than proved possible. This problem has potentially been dealt with by the Gill Russell case referred to above but it is possible that that case may have produced an over hopeful view as to the future real rate of return and the figures may have to be revisited. As stated above in England and Wales the real rate of return on investments is now a minus figure. On the other side, if a plaintiff was presumed to have a future life expectancy of say thirty years but died after five years, there would be an undeserved windfall for the family of the plaintiff who would be entitled to the residue of the damages.

To overcome these difficulties a system of Periodic Payment Orders was introduced in the case of catastrophic injuries in 2018. This system itself is not without difficulties and is over cumbersome. As far as I am aware defendants now, if they are negotiating by way of settlement any periodic payments, insist that the full complexities of the 2018 Scheme be incorporated in that settlement. This is unnecessary as parties can agree any reasonable settlement among themselves. A Periodic Payment Scheme may involve appearances in court every three or five or seven years with resulting multiple intrusive examinations of the patient every three five or seven years. It would also result in further costs being incurred every time the case is re-mentioned. Accordingly, some defendants dislike the scheme and indeed some plaintiffs who also prefer to have payment on a once off basis. However, a Periodic Payment Scheme, if the difficulties can be overcome, is especially helpful in cases where there is a divergence of opinion as to the future life expectancy of the plaintiff. Similarly, if the case is taken while a plaintiff is five or six years old significant differences in the level of care might result when that person reaches their teenage years. It is best that courts do not speculate as to what differences might be but rather have at a later date the actual evidence before them.

The costs of litigation, especially medical negligence cases and more especially those involving catastrophic injuries are, of course, a major problem. These actions are very expensive for a solicitor for the plaintiff or indeed for the defendant to mount as they will require a number of experts usually from out of the jurisdiction in relation to liability and further experts in relation to care, aides and appliances and future therapies to be engaged.

Of course should a plaintiff fail in an action he may well be liable to pay the defendants costs. Accordingly, actions cannot be taken without the benefit of a strong supportive medical report and any plaintiff or their family has to be advised by their solicitor as to the risk of failure.

All litigation, and especially medical litigation, is very expensive. This is why it is in everyone's interest that claims are, where possible, settled at an early stage. This is why a mediation scheme should be encouraged. However, it should also be pointed out that in recent years the legal costs allowed on taxation has been reduced and it should also be remembered that in England and Wales the legal costs allowed to lawyers in contested negligent actions are significantly higher than they are in Ireland.

To meet the problem of legal costs there has been a significant and welcome growth in mediation which has often resulted in an early settlement of claims without going to court. I am sufficiently long in the tooth to wonder could not many cases be equally amicably settled by counsel on both sides meeting and settling without the benefit of a mediator whose costs have also to be paid but I am advised by people whose views I accept that mediation is beneficial in many such cases especially where emotions are running high and more especially in medical negligence cases.

Any settlement especially early settlement is to be welcomed as the courts are simply not resourced with sufficient judges or staffed to handle the number of cases listed each day unless a significantly large percentage are settled by agreement. Once a case is opened in court and evidence is given it is much more difficult to resolve the issues amicably as the parties are sometimes wounded by a public ventilation of issues.

It is with this in mind and also to save court time, that in some cases I have set in place a scheme of alternative dispute resolution (ADR). In particular, a largely successful scheme has been established in those cases taken against the De Puy in respect of allegedly defective artificial hips. This ADR scheme results in a paper determination by a senior counsel or retired judge. Either side may reject the award and proceed to court.

Such a scheme requires the cooperation of both sides and is only suitable in cases such as the De Puy hips where before any case was resolved in court by judicial determination it was reasonably clear that the defendants knew that those persons who qualified for the scheme were likely to succeed were the matter to proceed to court.

Such an ADR scheme has unfortunately no place where there is no consensus in relation to liability, as for example the Cervical Cancer Cases as in these the defendants can make the case that even if the original screen was incorrectly read, this was done without any legal fault or negligence in accordance with the Dunne principles. Accordingly, when in response to a largely misinformed and very unhelpful tidal wave of public fury when these cases came to light, the Government established after the Meenan Report a system of hearing such cases outside court under Ms. Justice Irvine, such a scheme does and indeed must involve Ms. Justice Irvine or her panel hearing evidence and the examination and cross-examination of the witnesses including the claimants. Availing of this scheme may have attractions for those who do not want publicity. The scheme is in response to a Government promise that a system for resolving these disputes outside court would be established, however the non-court system dealing with these cases will have to decide them in accordance with Law and the Dunne principles in precisely the same way as would a court. Furthermore, as must be the case, under the scheme there is a right to a full appeal by either side to the High Court which might result in merely a second layer of forensic examination for the claimants and indeed a further layer of costs.

The scheme established does of course have the right to automatic anonymity and all evidence is heard in private. There is, however, scope for the courts at present where the health of any witness would be interfered with by their identification to order non-publication of their names. This right has been upheld in favour of claimants in the cervical cancer cases by the court. It would have been open to the Oireachtas to direct that all of the cervical claims cases were to be held in private should they have wished. It remains to be seen what affect the non-court scheme under Ms. Justice Irvine will have and I wish it well.

These cervical cancer claims require either a court determination or a finding under the new scheme. If liability is an issue the same questioning of the same witnesses will be required. There is in my view no other solution to these claims. If, for example it as has been urged the HSE were to admit liability to all cervical check patients and then sought to recover from the laboratories, the HSE would be in precisely the same position as the plaintiffs and would have to prove that the laboratories were negligent in any action against them. The likelihood is, as seen in the Scally Report that many of the misreadings occurred without negligence. Should the state compensate all persons whose slides had apparently been misread, without any establishment of liability, then in those cases the state would have gratuitously expended public money, probably millions of Euro where they had no liability to do so and where they could not be reimbursed by the laboratories.

The best way to minimise costs in those cases which cannot be settled or mediated at an early stage is to get the cases to trial in court as speedily as possible without any unnecessary interim applications. Many judges like to indulge in "case management" believing that judges rather than the parties are best equipped to bring cases to trail efficiently. In tort litigation I am profoundly of the view that that is mistaken. I believe this sort of judicial thinking is an example of the famous judge's disease or crititis. All judges inevitably will suffer from crititis sometime or another. It is reflected in a view that somehow or another a judge has a function other than to decide the case in front of them on its merits. We all tend to take our job to seriously. We all tend to suffer from crititis caused by years of being exposed to '"may it please you" from the barristers in front of you. The aim of every judge must be to reach retirement before the crititis has become full blown critomania!

I believe that the minimum amount of pre-trial procedure is the most economic way of proceeding and resorting to case management merely serves to massage certain judges' egos. With a minimum amount of goodwill many cases can be brought to trail very speedily. If there are sufficient judicial resources granted, then there is no need for any backlog in cases and trial dates up to this year can be given to any case that is ready within a matter of days. Where urgency requires it the most complex of cases involving major issues of liability causation and damages can be brought to trial and have been brought to trial within a matter of a few months or in some cases weeks from the plaintiff entering the solicitor's office.

Conclusion

My view from the bench is that I do not see any realistic alternative to a tort based resolution of claims through the courts. If the courts are given sufficient resources, claims, even the most complex of claims can and have been resolved from the time of the initial complaint by the solicitor to a ruling by the court in a number of months or indeed possibly a number of weeks. The cost of mitigation is I fear always going to be a serious problem but costs of contested litigation in Ireland are less than those in England and Wales. The alleged inefficiency and so called unnecessary delays in the court system are quite simply untrue. With the cooperation of the parties in litigation, litigation can be conducted efficiently and expeditiously. The less preliminary applications to judges the better but the main cause of any delays in litigation is the shortage of court resources which I hope will be addressed in the near future.

To slightly misquote Mr. Churchill "give me the tools and I will finish the job"'.

The Honourable Mr Justice Kevin Cross

Mr. Kevin Cross, S.C., graduated in 1974 from University College Dublin, where he also served as Auditor of the UCD L&H.  He was called to the Bar in 1975 and the Inner Bar in 1997.  Judge Cross had an active general practice for 33 years.  In October 2011, Justice Cross was appointed to the High Court.  He is in charge of and responsible for the running of the personal injury list of the High Court and served as Chairperson of the Referendum Commission for two concurrent referendums in 2015.  Justice Cross had adjudicated on a number of the State’s most high profile medical negligence actions.


New Clinical Protocol for the Commonest Childhood Cancer

Mon, 7 October 19 07:00

Ireland is hosting a meeting of International Child, Adolescent and Young Adult (CAYA) Cancer Specialists in Farmleigh, Dublin, on the 7th and 8th October 2019.  The most senior CAYA haematologists, oncologists, senior scientists and researchers from across the European Union will finalise a new protocol for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL), the commonest cancer in children.

Professor Owen Smith CBE, Consultant Paediatric Haematologist of Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin and UCD Professor of Paediatric & Adolescent Medicine, is one of the protocol principal investigators.

Prof Smith explained

“The group developed the protocol over the past three years following numerous meetings in different locations across Europe”,

“This will be one of, if not the single biggest clinical trial ever carried out for child and adolescent Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia within the developed world.  Countries represented will include; Ireland, UK, France, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Portugal, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Estonia and Lithuania.”

The primary objective of this protocol, - ALLTogether1: a treatment study protocol of the ALLTogether Consortium for children and young adults (1-45 years of age) with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukaemia - is to form a comprehensive platform for treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in children and young adults.  The study will use the experience of several leading study-groups in the field in Western Europe to both improve the overall leukaemia-specific outcome as well as research into the specifics of treatment, disease biology and the continued well-being and quality of life of patients.

Around 100 professionals will be at the meeting in Dublin, working in several different subgroups, ranging from clinical implementation (clinicians), diagnostics (genomics and genetics, measurable residual disease, therapeutic drug monitoring) and regulatory issues (clinical trials units), scientific committee and statisticians. 

Professor Smith is also the National Clinical Lead for CAYA Cancer at the National Cancer Control Programme.

“It is a real honour to have been asked by the ALLTogether Consortium to host such a prestigious event. It is a very positive reflection on our recent Cancer Strategy (2017-2026) that recognised adolescents/young adults with cancer as a unique cancer community for the first time. This protocol will allow us to cure more CAYA ALL patients by introducing new treatment approaches but also it will focus on reducing the toxicity and burden of disease that a significant percentage of patients experience with current protocols.” 


I'm Here But I'm Not

Sat, 28 September 19 12:00

People with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have shared their experiences of living with the condition in a new photographic exhibition to be launched in The Chocolate Factory Arts Centre.

Arthritis affects nearly a million people in Ireland – more than one adult in five – and is the country’s biggest single cause of disability. It comes in a wide variety of forms and affects people of all ages.

This “photovoice” project is intended to give a voice to people with RA and raise public awareness of the experience of living with chronic. It is hoped the images will spark dialogue with policymakers, researchers and wider about patients’ lives and needs.

A group of people with rheumatoid arthritis received cameras and photographic training. They worked with a sociologist and visual artist to reflect on their experiences and were asked to take photographs of everyday life with RA. The group worked together to produce this exhibition.

The exhibition title – I’m Here But I’m Not – reflects several participants’ sense of being present but alienated from their own lives. RA reduces functioning in the joints and involves persistent pain and fatigue. Its effects are often invisible to others and difficult for family, friends, colleagues, health care professionals to truly understand.

This project resulted in a surprisingly intimate look into life with a chronic illness. For instance, one of the participants, a mother of three, took a photograph of a family day. On this day it hurt to even hold her child’s hand. She sits on the beach while her husband and young children play at the shoreline; “anyone walking past would have seen a Dad having a great time with his children”, she explains. Through this image, the frustration of observing life rather than participating in it becomes clear.

This exhibition celebrates the patients’ resilience in continuing to live full and varied lives while managing a long-term condition; it also seeks to convey their stories to those making decisions about their care, as well the wider public.

Funding is from the UCD Wellcome Institutional Strategic Support Fund, financed jointly by University College Dublin and the SFI-HRB-Wellcome Biomedical Research Partnership (ref 204844/Z/16/Z). The exhibition will be launched at 12 noon on Sat 28th September in The Chocolate Factory Arts Centre, 26 King's Inns St, Dublin 1. In celebration of World Arthritis Day, the photos will also be exhibited in the Whitty Wing of the Mater Hospital from Monday 14th October to Friday 18th October. Admission is free.


Parent Buddy Programme

Fri, 27 September 19 17:25

If you are parent in UCD you may be interested in becoming a buddy to staff who are expectant parents, parents who have recently returned to work, or with children of any age. An informal support, buddies provide a listening ear and give tips to parents on balancing family and work demands.

To learn more and register by October 4th,visit UCD’s Equality, Diversity & Inclusion website: https://www.ucd.ie/equality/support/supportsforparents/  

 

Please note that this event is not organised by the UCD School of Medicine. Details are posted here to help publicise the event. The School does not accept responsibility for any inaccuracies or changes to the event which may occur. Please liaise directly with the event organisers.

HepCare: Integrating Hepatitis C Care for at Risk Patients

Dr Eithne Nic an Riogh

Mon, 23 September 19 16:45

Dr Eithne Nic Ríogh presenting at the 2nd National Academic Track Showcase

One Researcher’s Experience of Academic Internship

The UCD Intern Network has four Academic Track Intern posts comprising rotations through Medicine for the Elderly, Gastroenterology and Orthopaedics at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital and a three-month rotation for clinical research. Dr Eithne Nic an Ríogh (MB BCh BAO) graduated with first-class honours from the UCD School of Medicine in 2018 and was awarded an Academic Track Internship for the intern year of 2018/2019.

Dr Eithne Nic an Ríogh complete a research project titled ‘Hepcare: Integrating Hepatitis C Care for at Risk Patients’ with Professor Walter Cullen, UCD Full Professor of Urban General Practice and Professor Jack Lambert, UCD Full Clinical Professor and Consultant Physician in Infectious Diseases at Mater Misericordiae University Hospital.

As an Academic Track Intern, Eithne worked on the Hepcare Europe project, an EU funded service innovation project and feasibility study at four European sites (Dublin, London, Seville and Bucharest) to develop, implement and evaluate interventions to enhance identification and treatment of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) among vulnerable populations. Eithne was supervised by the project PIs, Professor John Lambert and Professor Walter Cullen and mentored by Dr Geoff McCombe and Dr Davina Swan. As part of her research Eithne reviewed clinic attendance and explored barriers and facilitators to Hepatitis C treatment. She also examined current practices and treatment programmes across four European countries.

HepCare and Academic Track Intern-560x373

Academic Track Meets HepCare | L-R: Dr Geoff McCoombe, Prof Jack Lambert, Dr Eithne Nic Ríogh, Dr Dermot Power and Prof Walter Cullen

Through her research, Eithne found that following the introduction of the HepCare interventions, patient adherence to the Hepatitis C care pathway improved. Among a population in which engagement is typically challenging, 71% of patients attended HCV clinic appointments and almost one third of patients started treatment over a 19-month period.  In the cohort studied, attendance rates and rates of treatment commencement were more favourable when compared with the existing literature. These results suggest that the HepCare intervention is successful in improving engagement with Hepatitis C care and increases rates of treatment. Participants who were interviewed expressed the positive impact which HCV treatment had on their lives.

“I’m delighted I’ve started [treatment].”

“It’s a new lease of life and it’s a happy one.”

Throughout the academic year, seminars and workshops were organised for Academic Track interns fostering development in areas such as statistics, research ethics and academic communication including a UCD Masterclass Programme which was open to all Academic Track interns from around the country held on Saturday, 8th September 2019 in the Catherine McAuley Education & Research Centre, Nelson Street, Dublin 7.  This Masterclass was a formal teaching event facilitated by the UCD Intern Network and the UCD Clinical Research Centre supporting the Academic Track Intern Programme with the aim of fostering participants curiosity in pursuing a career as an academic clinician.

Group Photo - Academic Intern Track 2018-560x373

L-R: Dr Eithne Nic Ríogh, UCD Academic track intern, Dr Evelyn Fennell, UCD Academic track intern, Prof Peter Doran, Director, UCD Clinical Research Centre, Director, Dr Dermot Power, UCD Intern Coordinator, Prof Patrick Murray, Professor of Clinical Pharmacology, Dr Deborah Wallace, Clinical Research Tutor, UCD Clinical Research Centre, Dr Martin O Donnell, UCD Academic track intern, Dr Owen Killian, UCD Academic track intern.

Eithne delivered an international oral presentation at the International Network on Hepatitis in Substance Users 2018 (INHSU) conference which was held in Portugal from 19-21st September 2019. She has also presented at the 8th International Conference on Hepatitis Care in Substance Users (INHSU 2019) conference in Montreal with the support of a research scholarship. On a national level, Eithne has presented her research at AUDGPI (the Association of University Departments of General Practice in Ireland) and the RAMI (Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland) Intern Study Day. At the Academic Track Intern Showcase presentation Eithne was awarded a medal for Research Excellence as part of a team presenting on Future Medicine. Also during the academic year, Eithne prepared manuscripts for publication and has submitted these manuscripts to both international and national journals.

Eithne hopes to continue working in the field of academic medicine and clinical research.


Prof Godson Honoured by International Science Society

Fri, 13 September 19 13:49

UCD Investigator Recognised with Women in Science Award

Congratulations to Professor Catherine Godson, UCD Full Professor of Molecular Medicine and Director, UCD Diabetes Complications Research Centre who has been honoured by the International Association of Inflammation Societies (IAIS) in recognition of ‘outstanding research and leadership contributions’.  The UCD Conway Institute researcher is to be presented with the Women in Science award that the 14th World Congress on Inflammation 2019 which takes place from the 15-19th September 2019 in Sydney, Australia.

The IAIS Executive Committee consider potential awardees for the annual Women in Science Award which is approved by the organisations Steering Committee representing member societies.  The award recognises an outstanding scientist in the field of inflammation who has also inspired and facilitated the scientific and career advancement of women scientists in inflammation research.  Prof Godson will present an award lecture at the WCI2019 meeting at which she will be presented with an award recognition plaque.

 

On learning of the award announcement, Prof Godson noted,

“I am really delighted that this international award recognises the quality of the research produced by my lab in UCD over the years. It is great that our sustained contributions are recognised in a global context. The award reflects the wonderful graduate students and research fellows in my group, past and present,  my colleagues in The Conway Institute, and  our collaborators.

I am especially flattered that this award recognises leadership in inspiring and facilitating career development especially of women scientists. Throughout my career I have benefitted from several brilliant and generous mentors.  Having received the support of such distinguished academics in my career, I am naturally inclined to follow their lead.  Whatever contributions I have been fortunate enough to make, I owe to this community and to my supportive family.”

“We are also grateful to the funding for  our research which we have received over the years from from  The HRB, SFI, The Irish Research Council, The EU, Wellcome Trust and the US Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. ”

About Prof Catherine Godson

Catherine Godson

Professor Catherine Godson is Full Professor of Molecular Medicine and Director of the UCD Diabetes Complications Research Centre at the UCD Conway Institute.  She obtained her BSc (Biochemistry) and PhD (Pharmacology) from UCD and, following postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Geneva and at University of California San Diego, joined the faculty of Harvard University in 1994. She returned to UCD in 1997 where she was appointed Professor of Molecular Medicine. Professor Godson served between 2004–2007 as the University’s Vice President, Innovation and Corporate Partnerships.

In 2007, she was appointed Director of UCD Diabetes Research Centre, where she leads a major research programme funded by Science Foundation Ireland and collaborators in biopharmaceutical industry. Professor Godson has an international reputation in research on inflammation and its resolution, microvascular complications of diabetes and extracellular signal transduction. She has authored or co-authored more than 150 research papers, review articles, patents and book chapters. Professor Godson’s research activities are supported by grants from Science Foundation Ireland, Wellcome Trust, Health Research Board and the European Union.

Professor Godson has served on the board to the Health Research Board, Ireland; The European Medical Research Council and The Wellcome Trust Physiological Sciences Committee between 2007 and 2010.  In 2011, she was elected as a member of the Royal Irish Academy, one of the highest academic honours available to Irish scientists and chairs the RIA Life and Medical Sciences Committee [2014-2019].  She is a member of the editorial board of J Biol Chem and  Mol Pharmacol  and currently acts as an adviser to the Board of Bart’s Charity, London and on the Executive of the European Diabetic Nephropathy Subgroup of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes.

At the UCD School of Medicine, Prof Godson teaches Principles of Pharmacology and Molecular Cell Biology to undergraduate and graduate entry medical students. She leads an international, multidisciplinary group of investigators including faculty, postdoctoral fellows, clinicians, clinical fellows, graduate students and undergraduates whose research focuses on innate immunity and chronic complications of diabetes. A principal investigator at the UCD Conway Institute, her group’s research centres on the molecular mechanisms underlying the initiation, progression and potential regression of diabetic kidney disease have identified several novel therapeutic targets, susceptibility genes and potential modulators of disease. {see details below]

Prof Godson’s Research Profile 

Research Activity in Prof Godson’s Group

Our work focuses on understanding the regulation of inflammation. Inflammation is an essential process for the body to protect itself from trauma and infection. Inflammation is a tightly regulated process and in healthy conditions inflammation resolves and this results in what we can describe as scarless healing.

In contrast to this beneficial response we now know that the drivers of many chronic prevalent diseases such as atherosclerosis, diabetes and kidney disease are essentially persistent low level inflammatory responses.

For many decades we have known the drivers of inflammation and conventional treatment has focused on blocking these drivers. More recently our lab and our collaborators have discovered that the inflammatory response does not merely fade away but the body produces special messenger molecules that actively promote resolution and repair following inflammation.

Conventional therapies for inflammation focus on blocking the process with anti-inflammatory drugs but, given the importance of inflammation in defending the body, long term treatment with anti-inflammatories is associated with side effects including reducing the body’s defences. Our work that has investigated the drivers of resolution of inflammation suggests that mimicking the activity of these molecules might be an alternative, safer and more effective treatment.

Working with Prof Pat Guiry at UCD and we have designed and investigated several new molecules that promote resolution. Together with our international collaborators we have shown that these molecules are effective treatments in various pre- clinical models of diseases including diabetic kidney disease, sepsis and arthritis.

These investigations are led by Professor Catherine Godson of the Diabetes Complications Research Centre, Conway Institute and School of Medicine UCD.  This work is recognised by presentation of the Woman in Science Award at The World Congress of Inflammation, Sydney . This Award is made bi-annually to recognise an outstanding scientist in the field of inflammation who also helped inspire and facilitate the scientific and career advancement of women scientists in inflammation research. 

About IAIS

The International Association of Inflammation Societies aims to foster cooperation with national inflammation societies for the purpose of organising high quality international scientific meetings and teaching courses focusing on inflammation research and to support the organisation of a biennial international inflammation research conference, the ‘World Congress on Inflammation’. 


UCD Anatomy & Development Biology Update

Mon, 16 September 19 17:55

Prof Sabine Kölle, UCD Full Professor of Anatomy and Development Biology and her research team report a number of recent research highlights.

Salpingitis Role in Infertility

In a paper published in Nature Scientific Reports, the Kölle Research Group elucidates for the first time how inflammation in the oviduct affect survival, motility and fertilising capacity of sperm as well as how it impairs sperm-oviduct interaction under near in vivo conditions and in real time. 

Salpingitis, inflammation of the fallopian tubes, is a common cause of sub-fertility and infertility in both humans and animals.  However the effects of salpingitis on tubal function and reproductive success are largely unknown.  Hence the Kölle group set out to investigate the effects of inflammation on sperm and oocyte transport and gameto-maternal interaction in the oviduct using a bovine model.

Oviducts with a range of inflammation severity were sourced from cows immediately after slaughter and were examined using live cell imaging, histochemistry and scanning electron microscopy.  The investigations showed that endometritis was always correlated with salpingitis.  Moderate and severe inflammation caused a significant increase in the thickness of tubal folds (p<0.05).  Severe inflammation was characterised by luminal accumulations of mucus and glycoproteins, increased apoptosis, loss of tight junctions and shedding of tubal epithelial cells.  The mean ciliary beat frequency in the ampulla was significantly reduced compared to the controls (p<0.05).  The higher the grade of inflammation, the lower was the ciliary beat frequency (p<0.001).  In severe inflammation, spermatozoa were stuck in mucus resulting in decreased sperm motility.  The results imply that tubal inflammation impairs proper tubal function and leads to reduced sperm fertilising capacity.

Salpingitis Impairs Bovine Tubal Function and Sperm-Oviduct Interaction.

Owhor LE, Reese S, Kölle S. Sci Rep. 2019 Jul 26;9(1):10893. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-47431-x. PMID: 31350463 

International Recognition

In other news from the research group, PhD student Ms Deirdre Scully has submitted her doctoral thesis for review.  Her thesis title is ‘Effects of cystic ovary disease on microarchitecture, function and gameto-maternal interaction in the bovine oviduct - new concepts’.  The Galway native has been selected by the International Embryo Transfer Society for the final round of its research awards and has been invited to their Annual Conference in New Orleans in January 2020.

Meanwhile, Prof Kölle has delivered a keynote address at the International Biology of Spermatozoa Conference in Sweden.  Her presentation was entitled “From Mouse to Human: Novel Aspects of Sperm Transport and Fertilization - and what we can learn out of it."


UCD Legal Medicine Conferring Ceremony 2019

UCD Legal Medicine Conferring - 560 x 361

Wed, 11 September 19 13:26

The Graduates of the Graduate Diploma in Healthcare (Risk Management and Quality) and the Professional Certificate in Medico-legal Aspects of Healthcare 2019, including Mr. Asim A. Sheikh BL (Ass Prof and Course Director, centre)

Congratulations to the graduates of our Graduate Diploma in Healthcare (Risk Management and Quality) and Professional Certificate in Medico-legal Aspects of Healthcare, who were conferred with their awards on Tuesday 10th September 2019 in the UCD Charles Institute.  The Dean of Medicine and Head of School, Professor Michael Keane presented diplomas to a total of 14 students who have completed this highly successful programme which is now in its 24th year.

A total of 442 students have completed the innovative Clinical Risk Management and Quality programme since its inception in 1995 and 13 students have continued their studies to complete a Masters level award.  The courses are designed and delivered by the UCD Legal Medicine unit with support from national and international experts in the field.

Many of the programme participants are employed in various roles relating to patient safety and law including senior clinical risk management or quality functions across the Irish health service as well as healthcare professionals, and legal practitioners and those involved in claims management. The programme enjoys the support and input of a number of statutory bodies and stakeholders who also act as lecturers and examiners on the course, including the State Claims Agency (SCA), The Health Service Executive (HSE) and the Health Information & Quality Authority (HIQA) and the Medical Council of Ireland.

Leading the ceremony was academic Programmes Director, Mr Asim A. Sheikh, Barrister-at-Law and UCD Assistant Professor, whose legal practice and work specialises in clinical negligence and medical/healthcare law.  The academic conferring group also comprised Prof Michael Keane (Head of School and Dean of Medicine), Dr Cliona McGovern (Head of Subject and UCD Assistant Professor), Prof Gerry Bury, Professor of General Practice, UCD School of Medicine and Director, UCD Centre for Emergency Medical Science, Dr. Jonathan McNulty, Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Graduate Taught Studies, assisted by Ms. Danielle Marié (Senior Executive Assistant).

legal med

The School was also delighted to welcome families and friends of the graduating class who have supported them during their studies. Prof Keane indicated the School’s support for such programmes due to their innovative nature leading to policy and practice improvements in the workplace. He congratulated the graduates, their families and the Unit on its on-going work.

Opening proceedings, Mr. Sheikh congratulated the assembled graduands and commended the group for the dedication, commitment and persistence that each student brought to this part-time programme. He pointed to the considerable and continued demand for the course; indicative of the continued focus on patient safety and managing risk and quality in our healthcare systems and the importance of the graduates in being effective agents of change in practice.  He indicated that the ethos of the courses were in looking for graduates who can think, influence, change and lead in their work places. He also stated that the near future would see the continuing evolution in the courses.

legal med cathal okeeffe

Cathal O’Keeffe, Head of Clinical Risk at the State Claims Agency also addressed the ceremony outlining the importance and its support of and involvement in the programmes at UCD and he presented the annual Bursary to student scoring the highest grade in the professional dissertation in the programme to, Dr Sahar Ahmed, Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, Rotunda Hospital for her project entitled: “Reducing incidents of Surgical Site Infection Rate after Caesarean Sections in the Rotunda Hospital.”

Key Note Address by the Hon. Mr. Justice Charles Meenan

Justice Charles Meenan

As was explained by Mr Sheikh, it has become an annual tradition, utilised to foster key links in this multidisciplinary speciality, to invite a keynote speaker to address the ceremony from the fields of law and medicine. He emphasised his and the School’s appreciation for the support shown by these eminent speakers. We were honoured that this year’s keynote address to the new graduates was given by the Hon. Mr. Justice Charles Meenan, Judge of the High Court.

Judge Charles Meenan has served as a Judge of the High Court since June 2017.  Prior to his appointment as a judge, he was an Irish Senior Counsel and specialised in a number of areas, particularly medical negligence.  He was educated at University College Dublin and King's Inns and was called to the Bar in 1980. He became Senior Counsel in 1998 and is a CEDR Accredited Mediator.  He acted as legal assessor to a number of bodies including the Irish Medical Council and the Irish Nursing Board. He is a former Chairman of the Ethics Committee of the Temple Street Children's University Hospital (2002 – 2015).

Judge Meenan was appointed by the Government in June 2018 to Chair the Expert Group to Chair the expert group to review the law of torts.  The Report on an Alternative System for Dealing With Claims Arising From CervicalCheck was published in: 8/10/18 and the Expert Group to review the law of torts and the current systems for the management of clinical negligence claims, published its Interim Report on the topic on: 7/3/19.

He addressed the Ceremony in a talk entitled: “Clinical Negligence Claims - The need for reform”.  This thought-provoking and important address examined the tensions which can arise in our adversarial system between doctors and patients, which become especially complicated when matters become politicised, for example, with the CervicalCheck issue. Further, this is very much the case when the modern news cycle demands instant and continuous responses. He stated that it became clear in the course of the CervicalCheck matters that there was tension in the adversarial system, which required that women would be put through the court system in these circumstances. Underlying this tension was the fact that the Irish Constitution give rights to patients to access to the courts and the right to bodily integrity on the one hand, but which also entitles entities and organisations to their good name. In certain aspects of litigation e.g. personal injury trip and fall cases, there is a desirable general necessity for an adversarial system. However, in other aspects of litigation e.g. catastrophic injury cases, this may not be the case and therefore two views emerge: that in relation to personal injuries actions generally – the system is not adversarial enough. However, in medical negligence cases, it may be too adversarial.

In looking at reforms and possibilities for the future, it seemed to be the case that no fault systems may not be suitable as causation still required to be proved and this therefore was of limited use. Further, certain types of ex-gratia schemes, were not of general application. The question was whether a balance could be reached? The answer seems to be "yes": if certain reforms are introduced e.g. pre-trial protocols and case management for medical negligence cases e.g. requiring the introduction of protocols such as witness statements – this would allow the introduction of evidence, which if agreed by the parties would mean that certain witnesses would not need to be called.

Judge Meenan indicated that his report on the issues arising from CervicalCheck have led to the introduction of a statutory tribunal, to be chaired by now Supreme Court Judge, Judge Mary Irvine (who addressed the Ceremony in 2016), by virtue of the provisions of the CervicalCheck Tribunal Act 2019. This Act makes provision for pre-claim protocols and case management/directions. The Act also allows for a facilitator to convene meetings to document the experiences of individuals and facilitate discussion, and which discussions would not be admissible in evidence. Judge Meenan hoped that the tribunal would be an example of the balance that is required in the system. 

Past addressees to this ceremony have included:

  • The Attorney General, Mr. Seamus Woulfe SC
  • Senator Michael McDowell SC, former Attorney General
  • The Hon. Ms. Justice Mary Irvine, Court of Appeal
  • Dr Peter Lachman, Deputy Medical Director (Patient Safety), Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, external examiner UCD (2013-16).
  • Professor Freddie Woods, President, Medical Council
  • Tracey Cooper, CEO HIQA
  • Mr Micheál Martin TD, former Minster for Health
  • Ms Mary Harney TD, former Minster for Health
  • Prof Sir John Lilleyman, UK National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA)
  • The Hon. Ms. Justice Maureen Harding Clark, Judge of the International Criminal Court
  • Prof Deirdre Madden, Professor of Law, UCC
  • His Excellency Ambassador Kevin O’Malley, US Ambassador to Ireland
  • The Hon. Mr Justice John Quirke, President of the Law Reform Commission

In bringing the ceremony to a close, Mr. Asim Sheikh congratulated the students and noted that this year’s ceremony was kindly supported and sponsored by Challenge Indemnity and Daniel Spring Solicitors, to whom he expressed his appreciation on behalf of the School. He also thanked all of the supporters of the course and event. The School and Unit are very grateful for the support and participation of experts in their fields and in this respect, in attendance were: Ms. Ann O’Driscoll, Solicitor and Senior Medico-legal Advisor with Challenge Indemnity, Ms. Fiona Brassil and Ms. Aisling Hourigan from Daniel Spring Solicitors, Ms. Joanne O’Sullivan, Kennedys Law, Dr. Cahill O’Keefe, Head of Clinical Risk at the State Claims Agency, Dr. Freddie Wood, Past-President, Medical Council, Ms. Carmel Doyle, CEO, Jack and Jill Foundation.

kennedys law dublin

L-R: Ms. Fiona Brassil (Solicitor) and Ms. Aisling Hourigan (Solicitor), Daniel Spring Solicitors, Dublin, Judge Charles Meenan, Ms. Ann O’Driscoll, Challenge Indemnity, Ms. Joanne O’Sullivan (Partner), Kennedys Law Dublin.

Mr. Sheikh also thanked the School for their on-going support: Prof Michael Keane, Head of School and Dean of Medicine, Dr Cliona McGovern, Head of Subject and UCD Assistant Professor, Dr. Gerry Bury, Professor of General Practice, UCD School of Medicine and Director, UCD Centre for Emergency Medical Science, Dr. Jonathan McNulty, Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Graduate Taught Studies, and for her input and assistance throughout the year, Ms. Danielle Marié (Senior Executive Assistant).

Course Enquiries

legal med image

Please visit the course hub to find out more about the:

  • Professional Certificate in Medico-Legal Aspects of Healthcare
  • Graduate Diploma in Healthcare (Risk Management and Quality)
  • MSc in Healthcare (Risk Management and Quality)

Questions and enquiries should be directed to:

Ms. Danielle Marié

Legal Medicine
UCD School of Medicine
T: + 353 1 716 6647
 

 Selection of Photographs

A selection of photographs from the event are available on our Flickr site.  High resolution copies may be downloaded free of charge for non-commercial use.

 


Ambrose Bermingham Medal

Ambrose Bermingham

 

Sat, 7 September 19 18:20

Where Will You be at 23?

Ambrose Bermingham (1864-1905) was appointed Dean and Professor of Anatomy at the Catholic University of Ireland Medical School (UCD) at the age of 23 (1887-1905). Ambrose showed great aptitude and ability at such a young age, in keeping with this tradition the Ambrose Bermingham Medal was founded by the college and has been awarded to medical students since 1916.

The fund has been augmented by gifts from the Archbishops of Dublin. Competition for the Medal is open to candidates who have completed semester one of Stage Three Medicine (Undergraduate) or Stage Two Medicine (Graduate Entry) at the time of the medal examination. The Medal is awarded on the results of a special examination in anatomy held annually. Should two or more high quality candidates be selected following the written exam a shortlist for an oral examination is then established.

Applications

Applications To: key Dates:

Steven Masterton

Award Administrator

E: steven.masterton@ucd.ie

T: +353 1 716 6634

Closing Date

Tuesday 24th, September 2019

Exam Date

Thursday 26th September 2019

Application Form

Ambrose Bermingham

UCD Human Anatomy

For more information, please see UCD Anatomy.


Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund

Fri, 9 August 19 14:00

DTIF Fund

The Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund is a €500 million fund established under Project Ireland 2040 and is run by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation with administrative support from Enterprise Ireland.
 
Some important changes to CALL 2:

  • The minimum funding request from DTIF is at least €1.5 million (previously €1.0 million);
  • Collaborations must have at least 3 partners (previously 2) with at least one SME and one other enterprise partner;  

Please see the relevant documents including the application form and guidelines for applicants here: DTIF: Call 2 – Documentation. The deadline for applications is 18 September 2019. 

UCD Successful Projects - Call 1

5 UCD projects received a total of €18.7 million in Call 1 DTIF

‘Blockchain in the Technology Product Supply Chain’

A project led by Exertis Supply Chain Services and Sonalake, in collaboration with UCD School of Computer Science & CeADAR 

‘Disruptive gene therapy platform’  

A project led by UCD School of Medicine and Charles Institute of Dermatology; with Amryt Pharma, Curran Scientific Ltd, and DEBRA Ireland.

‘Diagnosis and surgical treatment of gastro-intestinal diseases’

The project collaborators were UCD School of Medicine, with RCSI, IBM Research Ireland and Deciphex

‘Medical imaging platform’

The collaborators on this project were UCD School of Computer Science, UCD School of Medicine, IBM Ireland, Nova Leah, DKIT and Davra Networks Ltd.

‘Crypto-Anchor for food authentication’

The project consortium team consisted of UCD School of Agriculture & Food Science and IdentiGEN

Further information is available at https://dbei.gov.ie/en/Publications/Publication-files/DTIF-Call-2-Stakeholder-Communication.pdf  


Medical Humanities and Social Sciences Collaboration

Fri, 9 August 19 13:54

UCD is delighted to announce that the second call of the funding scheme for the UCD medical humanities and social sciences community is now open for applications. 

The Medical Humanities and Social Sciences Collaboration Scheme (supported under the SFI-HRB-Wellcome Biomedical Research Partnership, with matched funding from UCD) aims to support high-quality research within humanities and/ or social sciences that addresses any aspect of health. Importantly, the fund will support excellent early to mid-career academics who have suffered a loss of track record due to external circumstances (e.g. changes in the national funding landscape; maternity leave, career break stage; heavy teaching load). The emphasis of this scheme will be to foster collaboration and interdisciplinary research with clinicians, health practitioners or other individuals in allied health professions within the medical and veterinary medical field. Specifically, this scheme will focus on projects which set out to examine the Patient’s Voice and One Health initiative  i. e. research that translates into real benefit for human or animal patients and society. Specifically, this award will support the researcher in generating significant research outcomes that can be leveraged to pur sue extramural funding.

There will be €60,000 available to fund one/two award in this round. The funding can be used to cover research costs, salary costs for post-doctoral fellows and/or research assistants and a discrete amount can be used for teaching buy­out time (buy-out of one module per academic year). 

Full details of this scheme are available via the ISSF website and call documentation is attached.

The closing date for applications is Friday 27th September 2019 at 5pm. Applications and queries to be submitted via email to issf@ucd.ie


ICAT 2020 Clinical PhD Fellowships

ICAT logo

Fri, 9 August 19 13:43

The Wellcome-HRB ICAT Programme is seeking to appoint its next cohort of well-qualified and ambitious individuals who aspire to become the next generation of clinical academic leaders.

ICAT is opening for fellowship applications on the 13th August 2019; the deadline for receipt of applications is the 24th September 2019. The fellowship interviews will take place in Dublin on 4th and 5th December 2019. Successful candidates will take up their fellowships in July 2020. 

We would like to encourage applications from trainees entering, or in the early stages of higher specialist training (the eligibility criteria can be found on our website), in all clinical specialties.

About ICAT

ICAT is an all-Ireland clinician PhD programme funded by Wellcome and the Health Research Board, HSE-NDTP, HSC R&D Division, and six academic institutions (Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, NUI Galway, Queen’s University Belfast, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and University College Cork). The programme is coordinated by Clinical Research Development Ireland.

Integrated with postgraduate medical training, ICAT will support four years of academic training positioned at the beginning of higher specialist training (HST) or equivalent, with clinical and academic mentoring until completion of PhD and CSCST/CCT. The first year is predominantly clinical and incorporates selection of PhD supervisors and development of PhD project proposals. This is followed by a three-year fellowship leading to a PhD in one of the partner academic institutions.

Application Details

For more information and to submit an application, please go to http://www.ICATprogramme.org.

Applications must be submitted by: 17.00 GMT, 24 September 2019

ICAT Call Poster 


UCD Academic Appointed to National Quality Groups

Mon, 5 August 19 16:16

asim sheik

Our congratulations to Mr Asim Sheikh, Barrister at Law and Assistant Professor in Forensic and Legal Medicine at the UCD School of Medicine who has been appointed recently to two important advisory committees.

Human Rights-Based Approach

Mr Sheikh has been appointed to the Health Information & Quality Authority (HIQA) Advisory Group to examine guidance on a Human Rights-based approach to care and support in health and social care settings.

There are several national standards developed by HIQA that promote a human rights-based approach, for example National Standards for Safer Better Healthcare (2012) and National Standards for Residential Care Settings for Older People in Ireland (2016). The HIQA draft guidance provides additional support to people working in adult health and social care settings in understanding a human rights-based approach and implementing national standards.

Human rights are basic rights and freedoms that everyone should be free to enjoy. They are protected by Irish and international law. While human rights are protected in Irish legislation, this has not lead to widespread knowledge or understanding of the application of these rights in health and social care settings, as noted by HIQA and the Mental Health Commission (MHC).

This Advisory Group is currently holding a public consultation to give people the opportunity to provide feedback on the draft guidance and become involved in the development process by submitting their views to us. As this guidance will apply to all adult health and social care settings, feedback is encouraged from staff, people using services, advocates, and family members with experience of any adult health or social care services in Ireland.

HSE Disability Service National Quality Improvement Sub-group on Restrictive Practice

Mr Sheikh has also been appointed as a member of the HSE Disability Service National Quality Improvement Subgroup on Restrictive practice, part of the HSE National Quality Improvement Office. 

We have no doubt that both appointments will make full use of Mr Sheikh’s extensive expertise in this field.  Mr Sheikh leads the School’s graduate taught programmes in quality and risk management which includes:

  • Professional Certificate in Medico-Legal Aspects of Healthcare 
  • Graduate Diploma in Healthcare Risk Management & Quality 
  • Masters in Healthcare Risk Management & Quality 

Genetic Educational Materials & Sources

Fri, 2 August 19 11:16

Valuable Genetics & Genomics Educational Resource

Dr Sally Ann Lynch (UCD Associate Clinical Professor at the Children's University Hospital, Temple Street) would like to draw attention to the European Society Human Genetics recently launched website Genetic Educational Materials and Sources (www.eurogems.org).

The purpose of the website is to assist educators and individual learners in identifying free sources of educational materials, related to genetics and genomics, that they may find useful. In addition to the many sources to which these pages link directly, many of the linked websites themselves include many further links to substantial educational resources. There are individual sections within the website for Genetics Professionals, Primary care, universities and students, for schools (both primary and secondary) and for patients and families.

The website provides links to a number of the short animation educational videos developed by Dr Lynch and hosted by UPCD. The website is curated by Prof Edward Tobias from the University of Glasgow.

 

Understanding Genetics Videos

(Producer: Dr Sally Ann Lynch)

Dr Sally Ann Lynch has produced a number of valuable animations introducing key genetic topics.  These video animations have received over 750,000 views across in excess of 75 counties around the world and they have been translated for French, Italian, Maltese, Spanish, Portuguese, and Polish audiences.

X-linked Recessive

http://bit.ly/X-linkedRecessive

Autosomal Recessive Disorders      

http://bit.ly/AutosomalRecessive 

Autosomal Dominant

http://bit.ly/AutosomalDominant

Consanguinity (Cousin Marriage)

http://bit.ly/CousinMarriage 

Reciprocal Translocation                             

http://bit.ly/RecipTranslocation 

Robertsonian Translocation                        

http://bit.ly/RobsTranslocation 

Insertional Translocations

http://bit.ly/InsertTranslocate 

Paracentric Inversions

http://bit.ly/Paracentric 

Pericentric Inversions

http://bit.ly/Pericentric 

Copy Number Variation

http://bit.ly/CopyNumberVariation 

Variant of Unknown Significance

http://bit.ly/VariantUS 

How to Draw a Family Tree – Part 1

http://bit.ly/FamilyTreeIntro 

How to Draw a Family Tree – Part 2

http://bit.ly/FamilyTreeAdvanced

French Localisations

Robertsonian Translocation

http://bit.ly/RobsTranslocationFr 

Reciprocal Translocation

http://bit.ly/RecipTranslocationFr 

Italian Localisation

Robertsonian Translocation

http://bit.ly/RobsTranslocationIT 

Reciprocal Translocation

http://bit.ly/RecipTranslocationIT 

 

Maltese Localisation

Robertsonian Translocation

http://bit.ly/RobsTranslocationMal 

Reciprocal Translocation

http://bit.ly/RecipTranslocationMal 

X-Linked Recessive

http://bit.ly/X-LinkedRecessiveMal 

Insertional Translocation

http://bit.ly/InsertTranslocationMal 

Paracentric Inversions

http://bit.ly/ParacentricMal 

Consanguinity (Cousin Marriage)

http://bit.ly/ConsangunityMal 

Autosomal Dominant

http://bit.ly/AutosomalDominantMal 

Autosomal Recessive

http://bit.ly/AutosomalRecessiveMal 

Spanish Localisation

Robertsonian Translocation

http://bit.ly/RobsTranslocationSp 

Reciprocal Translocation

http://bit.ly/RecipTranslocationSp 

Portuguese Localisation

Robertsonian Translocation

http://bit.ly/RobsTranslocationPo 

Reciprocal Translocation

http://bit.ly/RecipTranslocationPo 

Polish Localisation

Robertsonian Translocation

http://bit.ly/RobsTranslocationPolish 

Reciprocal Translocation

http://bit.ly/RecipTranslocationPolish 

Other Videos

Dealing with SADs and HOCM

http://bit.ly/SADsandHOCM 

CRMO in Children and Teenagers

http://bit.ly/CRMOChildAdolesc 


First Irish Digital Surgery Unit opens at the Mater Hospital

Digital Surgery news

Fri, 26 July 19 10:04

Ireland’s first Digital Surgery Unit was officially opened at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital on Thursday 25th July 2019.  Led by Professor Ronan Cahill, UCD Full Professor of Surgery at the Mater Hospital, this unit aims to break new medical ground through world-class research into future modes of human-machine collaboration in the surgical theatre.

By researching the integration of medicine with new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), and by including data analysts as part of surgical teams, this work aims to create new ways to support surgeons to make better decisions, thus promising better outcomes for patients.

More broadly, this research is intended to contribute to a deeper bank of knowledge which can then be used to improve the patient experience for the next person undergoing such surgery. This project builds on the field-leading surgical practice which is already established at the Mater, where enhanced digital visualisation assists in precision and safety in colorectal cancer surgery. Personalising operations in this way has already resulted in better care for patients.

Digital Surgery news2

Colorectal surgery and cancer are the initial focus of the Digital Surgery Unit. Each year in Ireland, more than 2,700 men and women are diagnosed with colorectal cancer, making it the second most common cancer after breast cancer for women, and the second most common cancer after prostate cancer for men. Surgery is the best chance of cure for this cancer; however, surgery has some potential dangers given the risks of infection post-surgery and also risks of damage to important organs such as the bladder or reproductive organs. 

Digital Surgery news3

The research team, made up of collaborators from UCD, the Mater Hospital, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and IBM Research Ireland, brings together leading research expertise in medicine, dye chemistry, computer science and mathematics with surgical excellence in the Mater. Currently, safe medical dyes, amplified by a surgical video camera, are used to help the surgical team assess the health of tissues surrounding a cancerous area. The next step is augmented cancer tissue identification and comprehension for improved precision in excision, which will help in the repair of the bowel after its removal. The research team will investigate bio-physical models, applied mathematics, video analytics and AI alongside novel dye technologies to progress real-time assistive technologies for improved, individualised precision during surgery.

Spearheaded by Professor Ronan Cahill, UCD Full Professor of Surgery and specialist in colorectal surgery at the Mater, the Digital Surgery Unit is funded through a government grant from the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund. €5.7 million is being made available from the government to support this study entitled “The Future of Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment” with a further €2 million coming from industry.   

Prof Ronan Cahill said:

“Decision-making in surgery is complex, but the Digital Surgery Unit is helping surgeons to analyse huge amounts of data in real-time in order to make the best decisions possible for their patients. This in turn leads to maximum accuracy and efficiency ensuring the best cancer clearance which is good for both the patient and their surgical team. Also around one in ten operations of this magnitude have complications and unfortunately, we do lose some patients as a result of such surgical complications. Digital Surgery usage has already ensured for us greater safety in recovery by personalising the decisions to each individual patient and their tissues”.

Gordon Dunne, CEO of the Mater observed that:

“The initiative is truly a public private partnership, bringing together computer programmers and mathematicians in UCD and IBM, chemists in RCSI who can make smarter, more sensitive dyes for use in tests, engineers and information designers in UCD and NCAD and the surgical teams in the Mater who are putting all of these technologies to use for the benefit of our patients.” 

Dr Pól Mac Aonghusa, Senior Manager from IBM Research – Ireland noted:

"It is very exciting to be collaborating with the Mater, RCSI and others on this project. This joint research programme is an important first step towards integrating advances in artificial intelligence into surgery. I am especially pleased that the unique expertise to do this is coming together here in Ireland."

While Prof Oscar Traynor from RSCI said:

“This Digital Surgical Unit showcases leadership in cutting edge research, AI and medicine made possible through collaboration with government, the private sector and one of Ireland’s most acute surgical facilities at The Mater.”

The Digital Surgical Unit will initially be focused on colorectal surgery. However, part of the research focus will also be on developing the technology so that others can benefit from it, including in other fields such as liver and lung cancer surgery as well as plastic and reconstructive surgery, among others.

About The Mater Misericordiae University Hospital

The Mater Misericordiae University Hospital is a level 4 teaching hospital based in Dublin’s north inner city. The hospital was opened in 1861 by the Sisters of Mercy. In addition to the local services for our catchment area, the Mater Hospital provides a range of frontline and specialist services on a regional and national level. The Mater has the busiest adult emergency department in the country, where it treats the sickest and most complex patients.  Its ambition is to be the safest hospital in Ireland, delivering the highest quality care, with the most patient-centred, efficient processes. 


U21 European UN SDG Workshop hosted by UCD School of Medicine

U21 workshop

Fri, 19 July 19 15:50

On the 14th June and 15th June 2019, the ninth U21 European UN SDG student workshop took place. UCD’s Ms Nadia D’Alton (Health Sciences Programme Office Director), as members of the U21 UN SDG Strategy Working Group, was pleased to host the workshop at University College Dublin.

50 health sciences students from across Europe, representing a range of disciplines including medicine, nursing, midwifery, physiotherapy, public health and biomedical sciences, attended the workshop from a number of U21 European partners such as Universities of Birmingham, Nottingham, Glasgow, Amsterdam, Lund and of course UCD. The students engaged in group-based case-studies and delivered group presentations on their second day of the workshop.

A number of keynote speakers also presented on the day. Dr Cliona O’Sullivan from the School of Public Health and Physiotherapy presented on “Is Survival enough, strengthening rehabilitation towards 2030 Agenda”, Dr Virginie Gautier from the National Virus Laboratory presented on “Global HIV epidemic: achievements and current challenges in Treatment, Prevention and Cure”, Dr Niall Conroy, School of Medicine on “Innovating to reduce new-born mortality rates in Bo Government Hospital Sierra Leone”, and finally a talk from Professor Helen Heneghan, newly appointed professor of Surgery in the school of Medicine gave us a talk on “Obesity: treating the biggest preventable health threat of the 21st Century”. The talks help students in their global health case studies the following day.

Other representatives included Prof. Barbara Dooley, U21 Senior Leader of UCD, Deputy Registrar opened the event along with Prof. Michael Keane, Dean of UCD School of Medicine.

The second day of the workshop focused on group work with students working together in both Interprofessional and International groups. Two tasks were allocated to each group; to review a case study developed previously to provide learning experiences around the SDG’s, and secondly to develop an outline of the content of a new case study to support learning about the SDG’s. Such was the enthusiasm for the work that the work continued through the lunch break, with a working lunch being taken by all. A plenary feedback session completed the day with the groups reflecting on the relevance of the previous SDG case studies and presenting the new SDG case outlines. The focus throughout was on health and social care systems, cultural aspects and uni and inter-professional implications. The presentations stimulated some degree of questioning and challenge from the floor and overall a very positive discussion and involvement from students and staff.


Graduate Studies Programmes Now Enrolling

Fri, 5 July 19 19:01

The UCD School of Medicine now invites applications for a range of graduate taught programmes commencing in September 2019.  Our Graduate Studies portfolio comprises over 50 programmes which support continued professional development and specialist clinical training.  Our programmes are available on a full-time, part-time, occasional and/or distance learning basis leading to professional and graduate certificate, diploma or masters level awards. 

Our programmes are delivered by professional educators who are experienced practitioners across the broad areas of:

Child Welfare & Protection

Clinical & Translational Research

Emergency Medical Science

Healthcare Informatics & Quality

Medicine & Medical Specialties

Primary Care

Psychiatry & Psychotherapy

Radiography & Diagnostic Imaging

Many of our programmes are designed to fit the schedules of busy healthcare professionals and address their professional practice needs.

Each year over 300 consultants, general practitioners, radiographers, paramedics, allied health professionals, healthcare managers and members of the general public enrol in over 50 different programmes taught across the School and our clinical training sites.

More Information

Full details of our programme offerings is available on our website.

How to Apply

Applications for each course can be made online at www.ucd.ie/apply.


Centre for Experimental Pathogen Host Research

Paddy mallon

Wed, 26 June 19 17:20

University Approves Formal Academic Research Centre

The UCD Governing Authority has approved the establishment of the UCD Centre for Experimental Pathogen Host Research (CEPHR) at its meeting of 21st June 2019 under the University’s statutes.  CEPHR brings together researchers and research groups from across UCD who focus on infection-related research.  CEPHR members comprise clinical, translational, statistical and biomedical researchers working interactively on aspects of host and pathogen research from the UCD School of Medicine, the UCD School of Biology and Biological Sciences, and the UCD School of Politics and International Relations. 

Led by Professor Patrick Mallon, the academic research centre replaces the existing Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases (CRID) and incorporates the HIV Molecular Research Group along with affiliated researchers working in the field within UCD.

CEPHR is physically located in three principal UCD hubs:

  1. CEPHR Belfield Hub (previously the Centre for Research in Infectious Disease CRID)
  2. CEPHR MMUH Hub (based at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, 41 Eccles Street, Dublin 7)
  3. CEPHR SVUH (located in the Education & Research Centre at St Vincent’s University Hospital)

Research within CEPHR is led by a number of clinical and basic science leads under the direction of the Director of CEPHR, Prof Patrick Mallon, UCD Full Professor of Microbial Diseases and Consultant in Infectious Diseases at St Vincent’s University Hospital.

UCD ‘One Health’ strategy aims to maximise health and well-being through academic excellence, collaborative research, education and outreach.  There is a wealth of clinical, translational, development and laboratory research in Infectious Diseases within UCD, spanning both clinical and basic science research and spread across many of the main UCD medicine-affiliated campuses.  Much of this research focuses on chronic viral infections, with UCD academics internationally recognised as key opinion leaders in areas such as diagnostic virology, pathogen discovery, HIV infection, viral hepatitis infection and long-term consequences of chronic viral infections including co-morbidities.

CEPHR represents an important, strategic advance in academic activities in infectious diseases in UCD merging existing UCD research groups and the restructuring of significant pre-existing infrastructure into a new venture that aligns with current UCD strategy and the future of translational research in infection.

The centre has access to state-of-the ART research infrastructure including clinical research facilities in the CEPHR SVUH and MMUH hubs, a ‘real-time’ assay laboratory at CEPHR MMUH Hub, biobanking facilities (including vapour phase LN2 cryopreservation), core laboratories and a BSL3 laboratory based in the CEPHR Belfield Hub.

As the only centre of its kind in Ireland, and one of the few academic research centres in Europe that integrates host and pathogen research incorporating both clinical and non-clinical research sites, CEPHR is ideally placed to exploit emerging funding opportunities in personalised medicine and stratification of infectious diseases.


Taught Programmes in Clinical Research

Wed, 26 June 19 09:59

The UCD Clinical Research Centre invites applicants for four innovative and popular graduate taught programmes in clinical research, commencing September 2019.

The Masters (MSc) in Clinical and Translational Research is available on both a full-time (12 month, X789) and a part-time (24 month, X427) basis.  Both aim to train the next generation of investigators who will lead cutting edge clinical research.  Both programmes are delivered in an active clinical research centre, ensuring that students are taught by, and gain experience alongside, expert staff and internationally renowned investigators. This unique learning environment exposes students to high quality clinical research.  A comprehensive programme of hands-on practical experience is a core element of the course, complementing classroom-based learning. Student assessment is focused on evaluating practical as well as theoretical skills and knowledge.  Both programmes involve input from industry partners and prepare graduates for careers in the pharmaceutical, clinical research and academic research sectors.

For science graduates interested in preparing for a career in clinical research, the UCD Clinical Research Centre also offers a 12 week graduate certificate programme (Graduate Certificate in Clinical Research, X635).  The programme aims to make graduates employment ready, developing practical industry-relevant skills.  The course provides a fundamental grounding in clinical trials, data management, biostatistics and clinical trial management.

“An excellent course that gives you a wide range of practical experience across key areas in clinical trials. You will also learn about the most up to date clinical research in Irish hospitals, directly from expert doctors in the field. I would highly recommend this course” noted a recent graduate of the programme."

Graduates of this programme have pursued careers in the bio-pharmaceutical, biotechnology or medical device research and development sector.

For those individuals who are unable to attend our programmes in Dublin, the UCD Clinical Research Centre also offers a part-time, online distance learning graduate certificate in clinical trials.  Run over a period of six months, this innovative training programme is delivered entirely using a virtual learning environment, where the classroom comes to you.  With lecture content and reading materials made available weekly – you can progress through the course at a pace that fits in with your work and other commitments, all the while having constant access to the course tutors through discussion forums and email. This format has enabled students from 19 countries complete the programme to date.

“The UCD Graduate programme is a highly innovative way of providing training to graduates in science and medicine. The programme rapidly brings participants to a situation in which they are highly attractive to employers and it dramatically shortens their training time once employed. We at ICON have employed a high proportion of the graduates from this programme and look forward to continuing to do so. We believe that it gives us and indeed Ireland a significant competitive advantage as well as serving our graduates well”

observed Prof Brendan Buckley (then Chief Medical Officer at ICON plc, a global provider of outsourced development services to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industries.

More information about each programme can be found on the relevant programme page.

  • Master of Science in Clinical and Translational Research (Full-Time, 12 month)
  • Master of Science in Clinical and Translational Research (Part-Time, 24 month)
  • Graduate Certificate in Clinical Research (Full-time, 12 weeks)
  • Graduate Certificate in Clinical Trials (Online, 6 months)

With a range of educational offerings designed to accommodate individual needs, we believe that there has never been a better opportunity to kick start a career in clinical research.  If you’d like to do so with Ireland’s leading clinical research centre, please see our detailed programme descriptions.  Applications are now being accepted for programmes commencing in September 2019.   


Radiography Student Develops App to Help Homeless

Padraig Spillane

Tue, 25 June 19 18:15

A first-year UCD radiography student Padraig Spillane has come up with an ingenious idea to help the homeless.  He has developed an app to identify where people are sleeping rough, and believes it could help save lives.  Since moving to Dublin in September 2018, he has been busy using his technical skills to design the application.

The non-profit Dilate allows the public to sign up and take part in the initiative by using the app when they spot someone living on the streets.  Once a person is logged in, the app tracks the user from within 10 metres, so when they see someone sleeping in a doorway they can go on to the app and press a button to provide homeless responders with information.

"It's basically a map to bring help to the rough sleeper," Padraig said.

Outreach group Inner City Helping Homeless (ICHH) is now trialling the app, and the public can download it.

"The issue is too many people are just walking by when they see a homeless person living on the street," Padraig said.

"Some might give the homeless person €2, but outreach teams can give them food and sleeping bags if they know where they are.

"Once the system builds up, we'll also have an idea of where the main spots for rough sleepers are in the city, and this could help with encouraging more resources to be placed in specific areas."

Padraig hopes that, with public interest, more groups will participate, including official homeless services and charities.

"Homelessness in Ireland is huge now. The number of people homeless has risen to more than 10,000 and we have to start thinking of how we can help this societal issue with technology," Padraig said.

"When I moved to Dublin I couldn't believe how many people were sleeping rough.

"I walk down the street and can see 20 to 25 people sleeping in doorways in Dublin city centre at night.

"You wouldn't wish that on your family or anyone.

"When we look at our families, we should think we would want someone to help them if they were in crisis.

"I didn't design the app for personal financial gain. I'd rather have a positive effect on society."

When he was 16, Padraig designed an app to help other teenagers with mental health issues, and he has been busy coming up with other helpful ideas since.

A spokeswoman for Dublin Regional Homeless Executive said the group had been "exploring" the possibility of using an app, and it commended Padraig for his project.

Adapted from an original article published by the Herald.ie.


UCD Medicine Clinical Pathway 2018/2019

Tue, 25 June 19 11:27

The UCD School of Medicine has announced appointments and promotions under the 2018/2019 UCD Medicine Clinical Pathway, our adjunct academic appointments scheme which is designed to recognise the contributions to our programmes by associated clinical staff.

The UCD Medicine Clinical Pathway was introduced in 2008 as a mechanism to recognise the many hospital consultants, general practitioners, radiographers, advanced paramedics and other clinical staff who support our teaching and/or research programmes.

During this academic year, a total of 78 applications have been received comprising 39 first time appointments, 30 applications for promotion and 9 individuals seeking re-appointment at the same academic rank.

Of the 30 applications for advancement under the UCD Medicine Clinical Pathway, 20 individuals were successfully promoted to a higher academic rank comprising:

  • 10 UCD Assistant Clinical Professor/Clinical Lecturers advanced to the rank of UCD Associate Clinical Professor (with 7 individuals remaining unchanged)
  • 6 UCD Associate Clinical Professors were successful in their promotion to the rank of UCD Clinical Professor (with 3 individuals remaining at the same academic rank).
  • A single UCD Associate Clinical Professor was determined to meet the benchmark for UCD Full Clinical Professor.
  • 3 UCD Clinical Professors were promoted to the rank of UCD Full Clinical Professor.

Following the completion of the 2018/2019 appointments and promotions there are 659 current appointments under the UCD Medicine Clinical Pathway comprising:

Academic Rank No. of Appointees
UCD Full Clinical Professor 30
UCD Clinical Professor 82
UCD Associate Clinical Professor 198
UCD Assistant Clinical Professor/Clinical Lecturer 349

UCD Clinical Professors

During 2018/2019, four individuals were appointed as UCD Full Clinical Professor, the highest academic rank in the adjunct appointment scheme bringing the total of appointees at this rank to 30.  Appointees include:

  • Prof Charles Gallagher, consultant respiratory physician at St Vincent’s University Hospital
  • Prof Margaret Hannan, consultant microbiologist at Mater Misericordiae University Hospital
  • Prof John Hegarty, consultant gastroenterologist at Mater Misericordiae University Hospital
  • Prof Des Winter, consultant surgeon at St Vincent’s University Hospital

Appointed (or re-appointed) at the academic rank of UCD Clinical Professor were:

  • Prof Mary Clarke, consultant psychiatrist at the St John of God Hospital
  • Prof Des Cox, consultant in paediatric respiratory medicine at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin
  • Prof Helen Fenlon, consultant radiologist at Mater Misericordiae University Hospital
  • Prof Eric Heffernan, consultant radiologist at St Vincent’s University Hospital
  • Prof Peter MacMahon, consultant radiologist at Mater Misericordiae University Hospital
  • Prof Conan McCaul, consultant anaesthetist at St Vincent’s University Hospital
  • Prof John Murray, consultant radiologist at Mater Misericordiae University Hospital
  • Prof Sarah Rogers, retired consultant dermatologist formerly at St Vincent’s University Hospital
  • Prof Martin White, consultant neonatologist at Coombe Women’s & Infant’s University Hospital

About the UCD Medicine Clinical Pathway

The School is highly dependent on clinicians within our affiliated teaching hospitals, acute, general and specialist hospitals and within primary care centres, to deliver the clinical training component of our education programmes and to help drive our biomedical and clinical research programmes.

Clinician engagement in University business is greatly facilitated by having a formal adjunct appointment which allows them access a variety of academic supports and resources.  Hence in 2008, the School introduced the UCD Medicine Clinical Pathway scheme to provide formal university acknowledgement of these contributions to academic activities, recognising that many clinicians contribute strongly despite having no protected academic time.

There have been a total of 1,138 applications under the UCD Medicine Clinical Pathway over the 12 years that the scheme has been in operation.


Inaugural Dr Mary J Farrell Medal and Scholarship

Mary J Farrell Family

Fri, 21 June 19 16:24

L_to R:  Dr Mel Gorman, Lucius Farrell, Patricia O’Kelly, Mary Ellen McMahon, recipient of the inaugural Mary J Farrell Student Summer Research Award, Professor Michael Keane, Head of UCD School of Medicine, Dr Sean Griffin, recipient of the Mary J Farrell Medal in General Practice, Professor Walter Cullen, Professor of General Practice, Kitty Hughes, Jacqueline Quinn, Jill Whyte

UCD extended a warm welcome to Patricia O’Kelly, the Farrell Family and friends to UCD School of Medicine Conferring and Awards Ceremony for the presentation of the inaugural Dr Mary J Farrell Medal in General Practice.  

Thanks to Patricia O’Kelly’s generous support, UCD School of Medicine has established The Mary J Farrell Community Care Scholarship Fund to honour the legacy of a distinguished graduate. The fund will support a research elective for a medical student in a country general practice and has allowed the School to establish a medal as tribute to an exceptional UCD Medicine Alumna. Dr Mary J Farrell graduated with first class honours in 1916 and with a distinguished career in England, Africa and Ireland, she laid the foundations for modern general practice care in Ireland. 

Patricia O’Kelly and her cousins, Jacqueline Quinn, Jill Whyte and Lucius Farrell - nieces and nephew of Dr Mary J Farrell are pictured in the above photograph with Mary Ellen McMahon, the inaugural recipient of the Mary J Farrell Student Summer Research Award and Dr Sean Griffin, recipient of the Mary J Farrell Medal in General Practice.

Dr Mary J Farrell Student Summer Research Award

Mary Ellen Mcmahon

Medical student, Mary Ellen McMahon (Stage 5 Medicine) describes what the Dr Mary J Farrell Student Summer Research Award means to her.

My name is Mary Ellen McMahon and I am about to enter Stage 5 Medicine. What I enjoy about medicine is that I can use my interest in science to help people and make a difference in their lives. As I have moved away from the lecture theatres of Belfield  into the clinical world of medicine in the past few months, I have really appreciated seeing how all those hours spent in the library add up to making a difference in people’s lives.

My project involves working with the Primary Care Research Group to conduct a scoping review examining how primary care may help to reduce hospital readmission rates, especially among older adults. I chose this project as coming from a background of working closely with elderly people and their families in nursing homes, I have seen how the health system can be difficult to navigate, and how there can be an expansive rift between doctors’ understanding of a condition and what the patient perceives to be wrong with them. I wanted to work on a project that might one day enhance access to services and clinical care. In this regard my project forms part of a larger programme of research focussed on this objective.

I am very grateful to the family of the late Dr Mary J Farrell who have funded a research studentship to make this project possible. Dr Farrell was also a UCD graduate, whose work as a doctor focussed on enhancing access to medical care for those who needed it. Working on this project has shown me how scientific evidence can inform how services evolve and address the needs of our most vulnerable. It has also given me a better understanding of how hospitals and general practice can work more effectively together. 


Dr Kate Coleman Honoured

Kate Coleman Group

Wed, 19 June 19 10:53

UCD Physiology Alumna recognised for her philanthropic work in ophthalmology in Africa

University College Dublin conferred an honorary degree of Doctor of Medicine honoris causa on Dr Kate Coleman (UCD Physiology 1987) at the UCD Medicine 2019 Conferrings on Thursday 6th June 2019 at UCD O’Reilly Hall.  The degree award was given in recognition of Dr Coleman’s extensive philanthropic efforts in Africa which has resulted in the provision of accessible, expert, ophthalmic care and over 250,000 sight-restoring surgical procedures.  The degree was conferred by UCD President, Prof Andrew Deeks with the citation and presentation made by Prof Colm O’Brien, UCD Professor of Ophthalmology at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital.

Kate Coleman individual

Prof O’Brien’s citation

Originally from near Navan, County Meath, Kate Coleman qualified as a medical doctor in 1985.  Following graduation and internship, Kate spent a year in University College Dublin completing a BSc Honours in Physiology specialising in electro-physiology of the eye in carotid artery disease. She trained to be an ophthalmic surgeon here in lreland and then in 1989, she travelled to Amsterdam to undertake a fellowship in orbital and oculo-plastic surgery.  While there she started a PhD in Quantitative Pathology of Ocular Uveal Melanoma and completed it on her return from Amsterdam under the guidance of Professor Mary Leader at the RCSI. She then worked as a Lecturer in the University Department of Ophthalmology at UCD based at the Mater Hospital working with the late Professor Peter Eustace. Kate then went on to become a Consultant Ophthalmologist at the Blackrock Clinic with a specialist interest in oculo-plastic surgery and a special focus on treatment of facial nerve palsy including Bell's Palsy

Kate is here today to receive an Honorary Degree from University College Dublin for her philanthropic work in Africa. ln the year 2000 Kate was in the audience at a lecture delivered here in Dublin by Alan Foster one of the founders of the Christian Blind Mission outlining the severe shortage of cataract surgeons on the continent of Africa. The shortage of surgeons meant that patients requiring cataract surgery often went blind as a result of not having access to a surgeon, a condition that would not be acceptable in western society.

Therefore in 2006 Kate founded the charity called Right to Sight to address the shortage of African Eye Surgeons. The charity has provided eye healthcare at more than 20 sites to more than 2.5 million people and facilitated more than 250,000 sight restoring surgical operations through partner hospitals in Angola, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Just recently the latest eye clinic was opened six months ago for the Massai Tribe in Kenya by Rotary. Her work with Right to Sight led to her co-ordinating a global movement with other dedicated eye surgeons to eradicate needless blindness on a global scale through the World Health Organisation Vision2020 movement.

ln the beginning Kate started the charity with a €100,000 of her own savings and then subsequently raised over 5 million euros to get the project of the ground. Right to Sight is all about high quality, high volume eye care including adapting cutting-edge technology to empower African eye surgeons to carry out cataract procedures in local communities.  In addition, patients travelled for miles once they heard of the success of the surgeons results and Right to Sight bought buses and vans for every centre to transport patients from vast distances in order to maintain high volume cataract surgery. In the first few years of the Right for Sight project over 180 African surgeons were sent to the Aravan lnstitute in lndia to train to be expert cataract surgeons.

Kate managed to keep all of this going with dedicated staff of over 20 people and continued to maintain a very successful ophthalmology practice here in Dublin.  In particular, she became a world expert in the use of Botulinum toxin in oculo-plastic conditions and wrote a comprehensive textbook about this.

ln recent years she has also made significant efforts to reduce the severity of glaucoma associated blindness in Africa. Glaucoma is a potentially blinding condition if not detected and treated early.  The project uses artificial intelligence to screen Africans on their mobile phones for the signs of glaucoma by examination of the optic nerve.

And so to summarise Kate Coleman has made a significant contribution to the provision of cataract surgery services in many countries across Africa through the education and training of African eye surgeons to deliver high volume high quality care to reduce preventable blindness.  She is now embarking on a further project to reduce glaucoma related blindness which is the commonest cause of visual impairment and blindness across Africa. This has been achieved through enormous drive and energy.  It is clear now that she has made a difference and Right to Sight now continues to flourish and will continue to expand and deliver improvement in eye care across Africa.

We congratulate Dr Coleman on this much deserved honour and wish her continued success in her philanthropic work.


UCD Radiography & Diagnostic Imaging Confferring 2019

Rad class

Fri, 14 June 19 13:21

The 2019 UCD Radiography & Diagnostic Imaging Conferring took place at UCD O’Reilly Hall on Friday 14th June 2019 along with the awarding of degrees in the Colleges of Arts and Humanities, Business, Engineering & Architecture, Health & Agricultural Sciences, Social Sciences & Law, and Science.

A total of 36 graduands were conferred with undergraduate Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Radiography degrees by UCD President Prof Andrew J Deeks.  A further 40 radiographers were conferred with postgraduate degrees including:

  • Master of Science (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) (13)
  • Master of Science (Ultrasound) (25)
  • Doctor of Philosophy (Radiography) (2)

 

  • Rad PHD

Conferring day is always a very special occasion and a great expression of pride in our students’ achievements.  We were delighted that so many of our graduates’ family and friends could join us in the celebration.  The proceedings were overseen by Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, Associate Professor Jonathan McNulty and Programme Coordinators, Dr Shane Foley (Head of Subject and Head, BSc in Radiography), Ms Allison McGee (MSc in MRI) and Ms Therese Herlihy (MSc in Ultrasound). 

 

rAD gROUP

Our new graduates provide essential expertise to the Irish healthcare system across a range of diagnostic imaging modalities having completed an extensive clinical training across a nationwide network of acute hospitals.  The School offers Ireland’s only undergraduate radiography degree programme and UCD Radiography & Diagnostic Imaging is the national training centre for postgraduate training.  Such are our programmes’ reputations that the majority of our graduates will have secured offers of employment before their conferring.

As sophisticated diagnostic imaging techniques become increasingly deployed across the Irish healthcare system, there is a strong and growing demand for radiographers.  In response to this workforce demand, the School increased intake to its undergraduate degree programme in September 2017 to an annual intake of 100 students into the 4 year programme.  From September 2019, UCD Radiography & Diagnostic Imaging introduce a 2.5 year accelerated learning graduate entry programme allowing graduates from other disciplines to transition into the profession.

The growing number of postgraduate radiography conferrings highlight an increasing focus in recent years on supporting continuous professional development of radiographers, midwives and doctors.  There are over 110 individuals undertaking full-time or part-time graduate taught programmes in Ultrasound at professional certificate, graduate certificate and masters level.  A further 54 students are pursuing graduate diploma or masters level qualifications in magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography.

Dr Walaa Alsharif was conferred with a Doctor of Philosophy degree for her investigation of MRI service quality management in Saudi Arabia and the establishment of best practice in MRI quality assurance and training.  Dr Alsharif’s research was supervised by Dr Michaela Davis and Ms Allison McGee.  Dr Jonathan Portelli’s PhD research thesis investigated paediatric imaging in Malta using a mixed methods case study to explore radiation dose awareness, benefit-risk communication and consent practices among practitioners.  This research was supervised by Professor Louise Rainford and Associate Professor Jonathan McNulty.

Medals & Prizes

Several radiography medals and prizes were awarded to the graduating class including:

Radiography Student of the Year

Louise R and student

The prize of Radiography Student of the Year was presented at the 2019 UCD Medicine Conferring Dinner on the 6th June 2019 to Ms Deborah Miley by Prof Louise Rainford.  The Radiography Student of the Year is voted by the BSc Radiography final year class.

Deirdre Conroy Medal

Deidre Conroy

The Deirdre Conroy Medal was awarded to Ms Rebekah Daly (Stage 4 Radiography).  This medal has been established in memory of the late Deirdre Conroy.  Deirdre was a Stage 3 Radiography student who had a major role the UCD Kayaking Club and was a leading student representative for both her fellow Stage 3 Radiography students and for the Erasmus Radiography Programme. It is awarded for the best presentation by a radiography student following their visit to a foreign country under the Erasmus scheme.    

Philips Medal

Philips medal

The Philips Medal and Prize was awarded to Ms Ciara McKeown (Stage 4 BSc Radiography).  This award, endowed by Philips Electronics Ireland Ltd., is given to the candidate who obtains overall first place in the final degree GPA which combines Stages 3 and 4 of the Radiography programme, provided that an aggregate honours GPA greater than or equal to 3.4 is obtained.

O’Farrell Medal

ofarrell medal

Mr Niall Seymour (Stage 4 BSc Radiography) was presented with the O’Farrell Medal.  This medal has been established in memory of the late Dr Denis O'Farrell, a radiologist in St. Vincent’s University Hospital who had a major role in initiating radiography education in Ireland and lectured in the original School of Radiography. It is awarded to the candidate who, having passed the stage 4 examinations as a whole, achieves the highest grade for the project presented as part of the degree examination in Radiography.  

MDI Ultrasound Award

MDI Ultrasound

Ms Eimear Bourke (MSc Ultrasound) was given the MDI Ultrasound award for achieving the highest overall GPA on completion of the MSc Ultrasound programme.

Olive Fleming Memorial Award

Olive fleming medal

Awarded by the Irish Institute of Radiography and Radiation Therapy for the Best Practical Student in the Graduating Class as nominated by the clinical departments, the Olive Fleming Memorial award was presented to Ms Katie Roche (Stage 4 BSc Radiography).   Olive Fleming was a stalwart committee member of the Irish branch of the Society of Radiographers, who was very active in organising Society meetings as well as the annual national conference.


Dr Pádraig Carney RIP

Dr Pádraig Carney RIP

Fri, 14 June 19 09:23

UCD Medicine Alumnus Fondly Remembered as ‘The Flying Doctor’

We were saddened to learn of the death of Dr Pádraig Carney (UCD Medicine 1951) in California this week at the age of 91.  Although he had a long and distinguished medical career, he will perhaps always be remembered as a highly decorated Mayo Football legend despite retiring from the game at the age of 26 years to pursue his medical career.

From Swinford in Co. Mayo, Pádraig entered UCD to study medicine in 1945 graduating in 1951.  He worked initially in Cavan General Hospital and then for two years in the County Hospital in Castlebar.  Pádraig married Wexford native and fellow UCD Medicine classmate, Dr Moira McCabe in Dun Laoighaire in 1953.  They spent the first year of married life living in Charlestown where Dr Carney worked as a dispensary doctor.

The couple emigrated to the United States of America, initially to New York, in 1954 to allow Pádraig continue his medical training.  He undertook his specialist medical training in New York and Detroit from 1956 until 1959. He qualified as a gynaecologist and obstetrician, practising principally in Long Beach, California from 1959.  He developed a very successful private practice and a national reputation in the field of obstetrics.  He was attached to the Memorial Medical Centre, a teaching hospital of the University of California at Irvine.

Pádraig made his senior debut for Mayo in 1946 while still a Minor reputedly scoring with his first kick.  He continued as a first team regular until his retirement in 1956 when still only 26 years of age.  While at UCD, he became a member of the College’s Sigerson Cup squad which he helped to victory on three occasions.  With Mayo teammate and fellow UCD Medicine student, Dr Joe ‘Joko’ Gilvarry, Pádraig won the All Ireland Senior Football Championship in 1950 and he won back-to-back titles in 1951.  He was affectionately christened by RTE’s Micheál Ó Hehir as ‘The Flying Doctor’ after he was flown home from New York where he was continuing his medical training to participate in the latter stages of his county’s successful National League campaign in 1954.  The 14-hour plane journey didn’t seem to trouble, the swashbuckling Pádraig as he scored seven of Mayo’s total of eleven points in their semi-final victor over Dublin.  He flew home again for the League Final collecting his last inter-county medal as team captain in a victory over Carlow.

As midfielder or centre-forward, he became one of Mayo’s most distinguished footballers winning two All Ireland medals, two National League titles and four Connacht Championships.  He played with five different clubs and won two Mayo Club Championships with Castlebar Mitchels.  Dr Carney also played six times for Connacht in the Railway Cup, winning the title in 1951 and he represented the Combined Universities for three years against the Rest of Ireland and for two years with the latter against the former.  Considered one of the greats of Gaelic Football, on a par with his contemporary Seán Purcell of Galway, he has the distinction of being the first player to score a goal from a penalty in an All-Ireland final.  He was elected to the Gaelic Athletics Association Hall of Fame in 2001 and had a postage stamp issued in his honour.

Pádraig and Moira had four children, Brian, Cormac, Terence and Sheila.  Several of his children and indeed grandchildren have demonstrated the Carney academic and sporting prowess of their parents.  Cormac had a career as an American Footballer and graduated from Harvard Law School in 1987.  While on the US District Court for the Central District of California, he ruled the death penalty in California to be unconstitutional.  Brian played linebacker for Air Force before becoming an orthopaedic surgeon at Dartmouth College, New Hampshire.  Terence played for the University of the Pacific and is a lawyer in Orange County, California.  Daughter Sheila, the youngest, is a librarian at the Johns Hopkins University in Washington D.C.  Both Moira and Pádraig kept in touch with Ireland and UCD, regularly visiting the country twice per year and attending several reunions over the years.

He was predeceased by his wife, Moira.  We extend our sympathies to his family, friends, former colleagues and to supporters of Mayo football around the world.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam


UCD Medicine Alumnus to Lead International Research Institute

Bill Powderly

Thu, 13 June 19 14:20

Prof William Powderly appointed Director of the Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences at Washington University Medical School in St Louis

UCD Medicine alumnus and former Dean, Prof William G. Powderly, MD, the Dr. J. William Campbell Professor of Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has been named Director of the Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences (ICTS) at Washington University Medical School in St Louis. The institute is funded by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Prof Powderly’s appointment takes effect 1st September 2019.  He will take over leadership from Bradley A. Evanoff, MD, the Richard A. and Elizabeth Henby Sutter Professor of Occupational, Industrial and Environmental Medicine, who has held a leadership role in the ICTS since its inception in 2007. Dr Evanoff helped guide the initial application to the NIH, winning in 2007 the university’s first Clinical and Translational Science Awards Program (CTSA) grant, which established and funds the ICTS. Under his leadership, the CTSA grant was renewed in 2011 and again in 2016.

Prof Powderly, the Larry J. Shapiro Director of the Institute for Public Health, also co-directs the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Washington University School of Medicine. Prior to joining Washington University, Prof Powderly served as the Dean of Medicine and Head of the School of Medicine and Medical Sciences at University College Dublin.

“We thank Dr. Evanoff for his 12 years of exemplary leadership of the ICTS,”

said David H. Perlmutter, MD, executive vice chancellor for medical affairs, the George and Carol Bauer Dean of the School of Medicine, and the Spencer T. and Ann W. Olin Distinguished Professor.

“Under Dr. Evanoff’s leadership, the ICTS has truly become an academic and intellectual hub for preeminent clinical and translational research. It plays critical roles in supporting high-quality science and training the next generation of clinician-scientists.

“We also welcome Dr. Powderly to his new role leading the ICTS,”

Perlmutter said.

“He will manage the future growth and direction of the ICTS.”

Washington University’s ICTS is one of 57 such centers in the U.S. The institute works to advance clinical and translational sciences across the university and throughout the region. Rather than focus on a single specialty or disease, the facilities and resources supported by ICTS funds are intended to speed the adoption of research findings in disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment across the spectrum of health care.

“Reflecting over the past 12 years, I am tremendously proud of the work we’ve done together to build interdisciplinary clinical research career-development programs, and to create the ICTS as a catalyst and platform for outstanding clinical and translational research,”

Evanoff said.

“Our efforts have advanced the careers of hundreds of students, fellows and junior faculty, and have accelerated translational research at Washington University and at our partner institutions. Dr. Powderly is an internationally recognized clinical and translational researcher with extensive administrative experience. He has been closely involved in collaborations with ICTS for many years, and I am confident that the ICTS will thrive under his leadership.”

The Washington University ICTS is a regional consortium that includes important partnerships with BJC HealthCare, the St. Louis College of Pharmacy, Saint Louis University and the University of Missouri in Columbia.

ICTS funds have supported many research efforts that have resulted in major steps in understanding and treating disease, including the development and testing of new diagnostic methods, new drugs and other therapies. Washington University’s ICTS has actively promoted the career development of students and junior faculty, many of whom are emerging as leaders in their fields.

“It is a privilege to take over as director from Dr. Evanoff, who has laid a superb foundation for clinical and translational research at Washington University and its regional partners,”

Powderly said.

“The ICTS is well-positioned to bring advances in biomedical science into the clinical arena that can lead to significant improvements in individual and population health, and continue to foster the next generation of clinically active physician-scientists.”

An alumnus of the UCD School of Medicine, Prof Powderly (MB BCh BAO 1979, MD 1987) is an infectious disease expert with a 30-year career in clinical research related to HIV infection. He has served as a member of many advisory boards related to HIV and infectious diseases, including for the NIH, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Canadian Institute for Health Research, and the European Medicines Agency. He is also a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland, the Royal College of Physicians (London), the American Association for the Advancement of Science and is a past-president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America.  Prof Powderly returned to the School recently to see his daughter Ailís (UCD BBL 2015, MB BCh BAO 2019) graduate with a degree in medicine this summer.

We offer our congratulations to Prof Powderly and wish him well on this appointment.

 

Adapted from a press release prepared by Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis.


New PET CT Research Imaging Centre

PET CT research imaging centre

Mon, 10 June 19 18:35

James Menton, Chair of St. Vincent’s Healthcare Group with Professor Andrew Deeks, UCD President UCD, with the new PET CT Scanner 

St Vincent’s University Hospital and UCD have opened a new PET CT Research Imaging Centre where the latest technology will be applied to patient treatment and advanced research in major diseases, primarily cancer, dementia and cardiac disease.
 
With the high sensitivity and resolution of the scanner, radiologists will now access higher quality images as part of their diagnostic investigations. This means earlier detection and more accurate diagnosis of diseases.
 
It also means that patients will receive a lower dose of radiation as compared to conventional PET CT scanners.
 
The PET CT Research Imaging Centre is funded by the Higher Education Authority under PRTLI 5 (Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions) and the Health Services Executive.
 
The new technology will also be used by clinical researchers at UCD and St Vincent’s University to advance the medical scientific understanding of a number of diseases and to help determine better patient treatments.
 
“Our new Centre marks an important step forward in the detection and treatment of major diseases,”
said James Menton, Chairman of St. Vincent’s Healthcare Group.
“Our patients can directly benefit from this highly advanced technology which will not only lead to earlier diagnosis, treatment and improved health outcomes but will also offer the patient greater piece of the mind much earlier in their treatment journey.”
 
“An important feature of this new Centre is our partnership with UCD and the ability to use the scanner for on-going research, education and clinical trials,”

he continued.

“As an academic, research-intensive teaching hospital, this collaboration will mean that we are able to diagnose and treat patients today with the most advanced equipment in the country which is also allowing us to test, investigate and pioneer new treatments for the future,”
he added.
 
Speaking at the opening of the new PET CT Research Imaging Centre, Professor Andrew Deeks, President of University College Dublin highlighted the long history of partnership between UCD and St Vincent’s University Hospital.
 
He also reflected on the generations of students that have moved between Elm Park and Belfield.
“The opening of this PET CT Research Imaging Centre in the St Vincent’s University Hospital setting is an endorsement of the strong reputation in clinical research UCD has built up through the Ireland East Hospital Group,”
said Professor Deeks.
“We believe that this combination of patient therapy and clinical research leads to better outcomes for patients and improved impact in terms of contribution to global research,” he added.
 
“The availability of this advanced technology opens further interdisciplinary research involving medical scientists, physicists and nano-scientists, molecular biologists and chemists, and biomedical engineers. And the development of this centre provides our investigators with a vital new tool in our efforts to understand health and disease as we together seek new ways to improve outcomes for patients.”
 
Approval has been given for the following three clinical research studies at the new PET CT Research Imaging Centre:
 
Paddy Mallon

Professor Paddy Mallon, UCD Full Professor Of Microbial Diseases and Consultant in Infectious Diseases at St. Vincent’s University Hospital is to conduct a study using PET CT to investigate the impact of long-term medication for conditions such as HIV on the heart.

As new antiretroviral medicines for HIV have emerged, patients are living longer with the condition, but these drugs can cause cardiovascular side -affects.

Prof Mallon will use the scanner to identify early changes in inflammation in the major blood vessels, which may be a predictor of heart disease/damage.

Jonathan Dodd

Professor Jonathan Dodd, UCD Full Clinical Professor and Consultant Radiologist at St. Vincent’s University Hospital is undertaking a study to help identify psoriatic arthritis earlier so that its progression can be slowed down or prevented. 

He will use the PET CT to detect vascular inflammation and joint inflammation in patients with psoriatic disease who are asymptomatic or have no signs of arthritis on clinical examination.


UCD Medicine Conferring 2019

Mon, 10 June 19 10:04

The 2019 UCD Medicine Conferring took place at UCD O'Reilly Hall on Thursday 6th June 2019 with 29 graduands being conferred with undergraduate, graduate masters or doctoral degrees.  Always a special day in the School calendar, we were delighted to welcome the graduating Class of 2019, their family, friends and supporters.

conferring 2019

The proceedings were led by UCD President, Prof Andrew J Deeks and Prof Michael Keane (Dean of Medicine and Head, UCD School of Medicine) supported by Prof Cecily Kelleher (College Principal, UCD College of Health & Agricultural Sciences).

As has become customary, there was a large number of academic and clinical faculty in attendance on the dais from a number of UCD Schools including Medicine, Public Health and Physiotherapy.  Several of those in attendance witnessed their sons or daughters received their medicine degrees.  Among them was a former Dean, Prof Bill Powderly who travelled from the University of Washington at St Louis with his wife Betsy to celebrate their daughter, Ailis receive her undergraduate Medicine degree.

Bill Powderly

While it is not unusual for staff or alumni to have their children among the graduating class, some graduates are the first in their families to have completed third level education.  We are delighted to congratulate each on their success.  It was a special day for a number of our research staff who witnessed masters or doctoral students complete their research degrees.

Undergraduate Degrees

A total of 209 graduands were conferred with undergraduate Medicine (MB BCh BAO) degrees.  Consistent with previous year trends, this group comprised 53% female, 47% male and 32% of the graduates hail from 10 non-EU countries. Once again among the graduating class were numerous students who have excelled in other fields.  We counted at least three inter-country gaelic footballers among the Medicine graduating class including six-time All-Ireland Senior Footballer with Dublin, Dr Michael Fitzsimons who was conferred with his second UCD undergraduate degree having completed a BSc in Physiotherapy in 2011.   Also among the class were Donegal Ladies footballer, Dr Deirdre Foley and Roscommon defender, Dr Niall McInerney.  Olympian and 800m European Medallist Dr Mark English was also conferred with his Medicine degree in the 2019 Conferring Ceremony.  Given the plethora of sporting, cultural and artistic talent that they display, we have no doubt that there may be many more distinguished students among the class.

Students at conferring 2019

Graduate Degrees

A total of 42 students were conferred with Master of Science degrees in subject areas including Psychotherapy (1), Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics (20), Coaching Science in Sport (2), Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy (3), Neuromusculoskeletal Physiotherapy (8), Sports Management & Exercise (1), Sports Physiotherapy (2) and by Research (5).  38 doctoral degrees were also conferred comprising 7 Doctor of Medicine (MD) and 31 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).

Student lake conferring

Conferrings are red letter days for our academic staff with a 29 of them seeing their graduate students complete Masters (MSc) or Doctoral (MD or PhD) degrees.  Three PhD students from Professor Wenxin Wang's group were conferred along with those from Prof Paul McLoughlin's team (2 PhD), Professor Walter Kolch's team (2 PhD), Professor Fionnuala McAuliffe's group (1 MD, 1 MSc), and from Dr Noreen Sheehy's research group (1 MSc, 1 PhD).

Research Theses Titles

Candidate Degree Thesis Title Supervisor 
 Maher, Siofra MSc Dietary Intakes in Early Pregnancy and the Maternal Gut Microbiome  Professor Fionnuala McAuliffe
A, Sigen PhD Functionalisation and fabrication of hyaluronic acid based smart hydrogels for tissue engineering and regenerative medi cine Professor Wenxin Wang
Alasiri, Ahlam J PhD Molecular Characterisation of Novel Interactions between the HTLV-1 HBZ antisense protein and the SWI/SNF family: Implic ations for Viral Latency Dr Noreen Sheehy
Alsharif, Walaa M PhD An Investigation of MRI Service Quality Management in Saudi Arabia and the Establishment of Best Practice in MRI Quality Assurance and Associated Training Requirements Dr Michaela Davis
Alvey, Luke M PhD Stretch-Enhanced Elongation of Peripheral Nerve Axons and its Relation to the Bands of Fontana Dr Mark Pickering
Carter, Suzanne MD Understanding Pulmonary Exacerbations in Cystic Fibrosis Professor Edward McKone
Chiquero-Leon, Estefania PhD Regulation of the human Hippo/MST2 pathway in drug-resistant melanoma Professor Walter Kolch
Cosgrave, David W MD Naloxone infusion and adverse events with intrathecal morphi ne in Hepatobiliary surgery The NAPRESSIM Trial Prof Alistair Nichol
Crosby, David MD Endometrial markers of implementation and subsequent pregnan cy - is dysregulation of inflammatory pathways the key? Professor Fionnuala McAuliffe
Crowley, Niamh MSc Targeting HIV Latent Reservoirs with new classes of Latency Reversing Agents Dr Noreen Sheehy
Delahunty, Niall MSc The role of differential ubiquitin-dependent signalling in CO2 modulation of the NF-kB pathway Dr Eoin Cummins
Devlin, Siobhan PhD The Role of Alveolar Epithelium derived Gremlin 1 in the Development of Hypoxic Pulmonary Hypertension Professor Paul McLoughlin
Douglass, Alexander P PhD Genomics analysis of Pichia kudriavzevii and the Pichiaceae yeast family Professor Geraldine Butler
Duffy, Patrick J PhD Design and Development of bio-reasorbable polymers from a 'green" method and their application in a peripheral nerve guidance conduit. Professor Wenxin Wang
Hickey, Caitriona MD Virulence analysis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from different host microenvironments. Dr Kirsten Schaffer
Iglesias Martinez, Luis Fernando PhD Inference of Gene Regulatory Networks with Bayesian Model averaging in Breast Cancer Professor Walter Kolch
Kavanagh, Emma PhD The role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) and N-linked glycos ylation in therapy induced senescent triple negative breast cancer (TNBC)  Professor Amanda McCann
Longhurst, Georga MSc A molecular and morphological assessment of cryopreserved ovarian tissue Dr Lynne O'Shea
Manguy, Jean PhD Data visualisation and analysis of milk protein evolution and proteolysis  Professor Denis Shields
McCall, Karen MD Optimisation of sustained inflation delivery by the use of novel techniques to individualize delivery Dr Colm O'Donnell
McNamara, Eugene PhD Comorbidities in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fract ion: Exploring Common Inflammatory Pathways as Novel Therape utic Targets Assoc Professor John Baugh
Morley, Ursula MSc The Molecular Epidemiology of Human Parechovirus in Ireland, 2015-2017 Dr Cillian F De Gascun
Mthunzi, Liberty PhD The Effects of Bone Morphogenetic Proteins and their Antagonist Gremlin-1 on Alveolar and Bone Marrow Derived Macrophages Professor Paul McLoughlin
Nair, Meera PhD Investigatiing the impact of Roux-en-Y gastric by-pass surgery on the metabolic milieu, podocyte injury and progression of kidney disease Dr Neil Docherty
O Brien, Aisling PhD The Impact of Obesity on Mucosal Associated Invariant T Cell Function and Metabolism Professor Donal O'Shea
O’Halloran, Eoghan MSc Development and Application of Ancestry Mapper in Population , Metagenomic and Ancient Genomic Analyses Dr Sean Ennis
Portelli, Jonathan L PhD  Paediatric Imaging in Malta: A mixed-methods case study exploring radiation dose awareness, benefit-risk communication and consent practices.  Professor Louise Rainford
Ryan, Eanna J MD Improving the histopathological diagnosis and management of colorectal cancer with mismatch repair deficiency Professor Desmond Winter
Tobin, Helen P MSc Mental disorders in primary care: A database study of 31,613 patients  Professor Walter Cullen
Turner, Keira PhD The role of the spinal cord in the action of sacral neuromodulation of anorectal inputs in the female rat Professor James Jones
Twohig, Aoife PhD Preterm Infant Attachment: An exploration of the social -emotional development of preterm infants and the implications of preterm birth for infant mental health  Dr Eleanor Molloy
Watchorn, Richard E MD The Balanopreputial Microbiome in Male Genital Lichen Sclerosus Professor Brian Kirby
Whelan, Stephanie PhD Investigation into the Therapeutic Potential of Erythropoietin and Erthropietin Mimetic, ARA 290, in Emphysema and Associateed Pulmonary Vascular Disease Dr Katherine Howell
Williams, Laura J MD Epidemiological, clinical and genetic aspects of adult onset isolated dystonia; expanding our knowledge of phenotype and endophenotype Dr Sean Finbarr O'Riordan
Xu, Qian PhD Accelerated Diabetic Wound Healing by Hyperbranched Macromer -Composed Injectable Hydrogels Encapsulating ADSCs Professor Wenxin Wang

School Medals and Prizes

In a break from usual tradition, the School took the opportunity to present a range of subject-specific School medals and prizes.  These included:

John McGrath Memorial Medal in Forensic and Legal Medicine

In honour of the late Professor John McGrath, this award is given to the student who obtains the highest marks in Forensic & Legal Medicine

Winner: Dr Cillian Michael Casey

Geoffrey J. Bourke Medal

Named after Dr Geoffrey Bourke, UCD Professor of Public Health Medicine & Epidemiology, this medal is awarded to the student who takes first place in the module – Public Health Medicine, Epidemiology & International Health

Winner: Dr Diarmuid Casey

Brian McGovern Perpetual Medal and the DK Donovan Medal in Medicine

Established by his UCD classmates in memory of Dr Brian McGovern, the Brian McGovern Perpetual Medal is awarded to the student who obtains the highest marks in the Medicine I and Medicine II modules. 

The student who has won this medal also claimed the D.K. O’Donovan Medal in Medicine for securing the highest combined scores in modules Medicine I, Medicine II, Medicine in the Community and our capstone Professional Completion module.

Winner: Dr David Connellan

Professor Niall O’Higgins Medal for Surgery and the Surgeon Hugh Boyle Kennedy Prize

A recent medal created to honour our Emeritus Professor of Surgery, the Professor Niall O’Higgins Medal and the long-established Surgeon Hugh Boyle Kennedy medal recognise first place in Surgery

Winner: Dr Mark Dowley

Eimear Walsh Memorial Medal

Named in memory of one of three UCD students who lost their lives in the 2015 Berkeley Balcony tragedy in California, the Eimear Walsh Memorial Medal is award to the student with the highest combined GPA in the module of Clinical Diagnostics & Therapeutics

Winner: Dr Cormac Edward Everard

Dr Mary J Farrell Medal for General Practice

This is the inaugural awarding of the Dr Mary J Farrell Medal for General Practice.  We are delighted to welcome Dr Farrell’s niece, Ms Patricia O'Kelly and members of the Farrell family here today.  Their generous donation has allowed the School establish the medal in honour of an exceptional UCD Medicine Alumna. Dr Mary J Farrell graduated with first class honours in 1911 and with a distinguished career in England, Africa and Ireland, she laid the foundations for modern general practice care in Ireland.  The Farrell family are also supporting a research elective for a medical student in a country general practice in her honour. 

The winner of the inaugural Dr Mary J Farrell Medal for General Practice is Dr Sean Gerard Griffin

The 1941 Medal

Created by the Class of 1941, this medal is awarded annually to the candidate with the highest GPA across the final two years of the Medicine programme

Winner: Dr Molly McGuckin

Lorcán Miller Memorial Medal

A classmate of Eimear Walsh, Lorcán Millar also died in 2015 in the Berkeley accident.  The Lorcán Miller Memorial Medal in Professional Clinical Practice and Clinical Skills is awarded to the student with the highest combined GPA in these two clinical modules.

Winner: Dr Alison McHugo

UCD Colman Saunders Medal

The UCD Colman Saunders Medal is awarded by Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin following a written examination in Paediatrics.  Receiving a certificate in recognition of his achievement in this competition is

Winner: Dr Lukas O’Brien

Paediatrics Medal

We award the next medal for the student who took the first place in the subject of Paediatrics

Winner: Dr Anthony James O’Riordan

Professor Sean Malone Medal in Psychiatry

Named in memory of the legendary UCD Professor of Psychiatry, the late Professor Sean Malone, this medal is awarded to the student who takes first place in the subject of Psychiatry

Winner: Dr Ellen O’Rourke

Professor Aongus J Curran Medal in Otolaryngology

The student who attains first place in the subject of otolaryngology receives the Professor Aongus J Curran Medal which is named in honour of our former colleague who we lost in 2016.

Winner: Dr Stephanie Christine Pfister

Kirwan Medal and Prize in Ophthalmology

Named in memory of the late Lt. Col. E.W. O’G Kirwan, one of the first medical graduates of this University, the Kirwan Medal recognises performance in the subject of Ophthalmology

Winner: Dr Sinéad Ryan

Honorary Degree Awarded to Dr Kate Coleman

An honorary degree of Doctor of Medicine honoris causa was conferred on a former member of School staff, Dr Kate Coleman, consultant ophthalmologist in recognition of her tireless philanthropic work that has contributed to the elimination of preventable blindness across the globe, through her charity, Right to Sight.  The charity has restored sight to over half a million people in developing countries since its establishment in 2006 by training local surgeons and support staff and through the provision of clinical equipment.  The citation was read by Professor Colm O'Brien, UCD Professor of Ophthalmology at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital. [Report here]

Presidential Address

The formal ceremony was concluded with a Presidential address to new graduates by UCD President, Prof Andrew Deeks in which he outline the changes in medical education since the School first opened its doors in Cecilia Street over 164 years ago.  He highlighted the global perspective which the School of Medicine has long since adopted, the changing demographics of student intake and the enduring demands and expectation on our healthcare professionals.

I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge our clinical training partners.  In the latter years of your education, you have spent many, many hours in clinical placement at Ireland's finest teaching hospitals and with general practitioners. These relationships work because together we place our focus on three priorities - patient care, professional education and translational research.  It is fitting to pay tribute to the GPs and the staff of these hospitals and to thank them for the role they play in your training.

Professor Deeks also acknowledge the support which our students have received from parents, families, partners and friends throughout their studies at UCD.

And finally, as you prepare for the next stage in your life journey, please remember that you are now a member of a very proud network of 279,000 UCD alumni in 165 countries worldwide who will offer you friendship and support wherever your journey takes you.

The day you joined this great university you were given a scarf of St Patrick's Blue and Saffron as a welcome gift. I hope that the pride of those colours - which you wear again today – remains with you and that whenever you see the UCD crest or colours in the future you will remember your teachers, your friends and classmates.  I hope also that you keep in touch with your university and let us know how your career is progressing.  It is your success which establishes our reputation.

Once again congratulations, I hope that you enjoy celebrating this special day with your families and friends!

Event Photographs

A selection of photographs - a larger collection can be found on the School's Flickr account.  High resolution copies may be downloaded for private, non-commerical use. 

 


Maternal Obesity Trends in a Large Irish University Hospital

Tue, 28 May 19 16:42

Researchers at the UCD Centre for Human Reproduction and the School of Health and Human Performance in DCU have published a study tracking recent trends in maternal obesity in the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital from 2010-2017.

The study, published in the European Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Reproductive Biology, was based on BMI measurements of almost 68,000 mothers taken at the first antenatal hospital visit. It was found that there was an increase in maternal obesity of almost 20% between 2010 and 2017.

The study reports that this increase is too fast for genetic explanations but is most likely due to increased consumption of cheaper, less healthy convenience foods and decreased physical activity in work and recreation. These sociodemographic factors may be able to provide focus for public health interventions and policies. This increase may also be due to the fact that women are now more likely to stay in full time education and to wait until their 30s to have children.

“Apart from the rise in maternal obesity rates, which increases case complexity in the hospitals, what is interesting is that this is driven in part by Irish women deferring motherhood until their 30s,” said co-author Professor Michael Turner, Full Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at UCD. “Women are putting off having their first baby as more stay on in full-time education and, in the last 10 years, employment rates have improved relative to men. During the downturn, men were more likely to emigrate while women stayed and upskilled.”

These findings will have implications in clinical practice and will affect public health policy and finance. Increased obesity rates will increase the need for services including antenatal testing, dietary advice and specialised clinics.

Original article: C.M.E. Reynolds et al. / European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology 238 (2019) 95–99

Coverage in Irish Times: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/obesity-rates-among-new-mothers-up-20-in-coombe-hospital-1.3906256


Managing Uncertainty in Inherited Cardiac Pathologies

Mon, 20 May 19 16:35

An International Multi-Disciplinary Survey

Advances in broad-based genetic analysis has resulted in substantially increased quantities of diagnostic data in a very time-efficient and cost-efficient manner.  However, in oligogenic conditions, such analysis may provide essential information to guide therapy but also generates information of unknown significance.  As heritable cardiac pathologies can be phenotypically and genotypically diverse, whole exome or whole genome sequencing can result in variants of certain, likely or uncertain pathogenicity.  This range of possible outcomes raises concerns about the management of variants of uncertain pathogenicity. 

As the average human genome contains between 4 and 5 million variants, determining which variants are clinically significant represents a particular challenge for clinicians.  Clinical geneticists have defined a classification of variants depending on the probability of pathogenicity. 

Researchers at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin and the Children’s University Hospital, Temple Street have completed an international survey of colleagues across different specialties and departments internationally to compare management of patients with class 3 (variants of uncertain significance) or class 4 (likely pathogenic) variants in genes associated with non-syndromic cardiomyopathy or arrhythmia. The electronic survey on clinical management of variants was distributed to colleagues internationally via professional bodies and direct email. Of the 150 respondents (88 centres, 27 countries) who completed the survey, most were Clinical Geneticists or Genetic Counsellors.

Although some variability existed between and within centres and specialties, most respondents (97%) offer pre-symptomatic testing to asymptomatic relatives of an individual with class 4 (likely pathogenic) or class 5 (pathogenic) variants.  A minority of respondents (12%) would offer pre-symptomatic testing for class 3 variants.  There was clear variability in the management of carriers and non-carriers of class 4 variants and there was concern regarding duty to review variants of uncertain significance.

This study demonstrates that variability in management of likely pathogenic/uncertain variants exists and that close multi-disciplinary input is essential. The researchers conclude that the development of disorder or gene-specific evidence-based guidelines might ameliorate uncertainty in management.  They highlight the importance that clinicians consider the possibility of re-interpretation and re-classification of variants when returning results to patients so that patients can be appropriately counselled.  The researchers conclude that standardisation of practice and ongoing intra-departmental and inter-departmental audits of reporting and management of affected families would benefit both patients and clinicians alike an improve confidence in testing.

Original Paper

Managing uncertainty in inherited cardiac pathologies—an international multidisciplinary survey

McVeigh TP, Kelly LJ, Whitmore E, Clark T, Mullaney B, Barton DE, Ward A, Lynch SA.

Eur J Hum Genet. 2019 Apr 12. [link]

Article adapted from paper abstract reproduced with the permission of the senior author.


Alumnus Professor Stephen O’Rahilly wins major US award

Mon, 20 May 19 18:24

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) will present its highest award to Professor Stephen O’Rahilly, one of the world’s foremost experts on the genetics of obesity.  A graduate of medicine from University College Dublin, the Finglas native will receive the Banting Medal for Scientific Achievement in June.  The award recognises significant, long-term contributions to the understanding, treatment or prevention of diabetes.

Stephen O’Rahilly

Professor O’Rahilly pioneered work on the causes of obesity and Type 2 diabetes – including discovering the obesity gene that affects children and identifying numerous genes important in metabolic function and dysfunction.

His diagnostic and therapeutic applications are now the established norms in clinical practice.

President of Medicine and Science at the ADA Dr Louis Philipson said the work by the UCD graduate had made “paradigm-shifting contributions” to the understanding of diabetes.

“Dr O’Rahilly’s illustrious contributions include the discovery of novel genetic mutations associated with defects in insulin signalling. [He] was also the first to identify and describe several mutations causing human obesity,” added Dr Philipson.

Professor O’Rahilly will receive the Banting Medal at the ADA’s 79th Scientific Session, the world's largest scientific meeting focused on diabetes research, prevention and care.

Nearly 15,000 leading physicians, scientists, health care professionals and industry representatives will attend the five-day conference, during which Professor O’Rahilly will deliver his Banting Medal lecture.

Serving as Professor of Clinical Biochemistry and Medicine, and head of the department of clinical biochemistry, at the University of Cambridge, Professor O’Rahilly was knighted in 2013 for his services to medical research.

Following his qualification in medicine at UCD, he undertook graduate training in London, Oxford and Boston before his appointment in Cambridge.

For his work in helping to better understand the molecular mechanisms leading to diabetes, obesity and related disorders, Professor O’Rahilly has received many international awards including the Heinrich Wieland Prize and the Inbev Baillet Latour Prize. 

He has also been elected as fellow of the Royal Society in the UK, named a Foreign Associate of the National Academy of Sciences in the USA, and an Honorary Member of the German Society for Internal Medicine.

In recognition of his outstanding research contribution, in 2013 Professor O’Rahilly was awarded the UCD Ulysses Medal, the highest honour that the University can bestow and was recognised by the School with its Distinguished Graduate Award in 2014.

By: David Kearns, Digital Journalist / Media Officer, UCD University Relations


Medical Graduates Association Reunion 2019

Mon, 20 May 19 11:45

The School of Medicine was delighted to welcome our alumni back to UCD for the 2019 Medical Graduates Association Reunion. This event is a key highlight of the School of Medicine calendar. The 2019 reunion took place on Friday 17th May 2019 and celebrated the Medicine Classes of 1959, 1964, 1969, 1974, 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2009 and 2018.

The reunion included a series of presentations from alumni followed by tours of the UCD Health Sciences Centre and the UCD Student Centre. The afternoon symposium was followed by a Gala Dinner in UCD’s O’Reilly Hall. This was the first time the Gala Dinner has been held in O’Reilly Hall since 2013 and attendees were delighted to be back on the Belfield campus.

During the dinner the Medical Graduates Association Distinguished Graduate Awards were presented to two of our previous Deans of Medicine, Prof Muiris FitzGerald (Class of 1964) and Prof William Powderly (Class of 1979).

The Alumni talks were chaired by Professor Fionnuala McAuliffe, President of UCD Medical Graduates Association and UCD Full Professor of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at the National Maternity Hospital. Professor Michael Keane, Dean of Medicine and Head of UCD School of Medicine, welcomed our alumni back to UCD and introduced each speaker. The symposium consisted of four alumni talks and a panel discussion on the topic of Sports and Medicine.

MGA2019

From left to right: Dr Declan O'Callaghan, Assoc Prof Pat Felle, Prof Fionnuala McAuliffe, Prof Michael Keane, Prof Muiris FitzGerald, Dr Mick Molloy, Prof Donal O'Shea, Dr Susan FitzGerald, Dr Matt Sadlier

Speakers at UCD Alumni Reunion 2019:

  • Professor Muiris X. FitzGerald – Former Dean of Medicine, University College Dublin (Class of 1964)
  • Dr Margaret O’Donnell – Consultant Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeon, Blackrock Clinic and St Vincent’s University Hospital (Class of 1984)
  • Professor Donal O’Shea – Consultant Endocrinologist, St Vincent’s University Hospital & St Columcille’s Hospital, Adjunct Full Clinical Professor, University College Dublin (Class of 1989)
  • Dr Susan FitzGerald – Consultant Microbiologist, St Vincent’s University Hospital & St Columcille’s Hospital (Class of 1994)

Sports and Medicine Panel Discussion:

  • Dr Jack McCaffrey – Intern in Our Lady of Lourdes, Drogheda (Class of 2018)
  • Dr Christine Quinlan – Higher Surgical Trainee in plastic and reconstructive surgery (Class of 2009)
  • Dr Joanne Cuddihy – Irish 400m record holder, European finalist, Olympic and World semi-finalist athlete (Class of 2009)
  • Dr James Ryan – Consultant for Mater Private in Cork and doctor for Limerick Hurling team (Class of 1999)
  • Dr Diarmuid Smith – Consultant endocrinologist in Beaumont Hospital, current Honorary Secretary for the Irish Endocrine Society and doctor for the Dublin Senior Football team (Class of 1994)
  • Dr Pat O’Neill – Consultant in Orthapaedic and Sports Medicine at the Mater Private Hospital and Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital and University Lecturer in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine at Trinity College Dublin (Class of 1974)

Attendees of the afternoon symposium also had the opportunity to attend tours of the Health Sciences Centre, which has been home to the UCD School of Medicine since 2006, the Charles Institute of Dermatology and the state of the art UCD Student Centre. Lunch was served in the Kevin Barry Gallery, which is home to the historic Kevin Barry Memorial Window by Richard King of Harry Clarke Stained Glass Studio. This artwork was commissioned by classmates of Irish rebel Kevin Barry, a first year UCD medical student who was executed at the age of 18 for his part in the War of Independence.  First unveiled in 1934 by President of Ireland, Eamonn de Valera in the School’s original Earlsfort Terrace home, the window was relocated in 2011 to UCD Belfield.

Over 340 guests attended a gala reunion dinner in UCD’s O’Reilly Hall. During the dinner the 2019 Medical Graduates Association Distinguished Graduate Awards were presented to Professor Muiris FitzGerald and Prof William Powderly. The citation for Professor FitzGerald was read by Professor Fionnuala McAuliffe, who described Professor FitzGerald’s substantial and invaluable contribution to the field of respiratory medicine, his mentorship of the medicine students and strong leadership of the UCD School of Medicine. The citation for Professor Powderly was read by his classmate Prof Tim McDonnell, consultant in respiratory medicine, St Vincent’s Private Hospital. Prof McDonnell reflected on Professor Powderly’s commitment to research, particularly HIV related clinical research, his tenure as Dean of Medicine and his friendship with his classmates since medical school. These awards were presented by Professor Fionnuala McAuliffe, President of UCD Medical Graduates Association.

mga dg2019

Prof Fionnuala McAuliffe and Prof Muiris FitzGerald

bill powderly

Prof Fionnuala McAuliffe, Prof William Powderly and Prof Tim McDonnell

A selection of photographs from the 2019 reunion can be found on the UCD School of Medicine Flickr Page.

Following such a highly successful event, the School will shortly commence planning for the 2020 Alumni Reunion which will feature the classes of 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1995, 2000, 2010 and 2019.  Further details will be posted on our Reunions Page in due course.


ASOI 7th Annual Conference & AGM 2019

Fri, 17 May 19 17:52

Date: 17-18th May 2019| The Convention Centre, Dublin

The Association for the Study of Obesity on the island of Ireland held its 7th Annual Conference and AGM on the 17/18th May, at the Convention Centre, Dublin.  This year, the theme for the conference was ‘Building Bonds: Bettering Practice – Patient advocacy and approaches to reduce obesity stigma’.

Findings from the UCD Perinatal Research Centre were represented in two oral presentations on the opening day of the conference. Collaborating researcher with our centre, Dr Sharleen O’Reilly, delivered an impassioned presentation providing insights into the barriers and enablers to successful extended breastfeeding in women with high BMIs. These insights were generated through qualitative interviews with women with high BMIs, which had been carried out by an experienced midwife in 2018. For this presentation, Sharleen was awarded first prize for best oral presentation.

 

Shaerleen ASOI

The second presentation sought to convey what researchers can learn from participant involvement. This research emanated from meetings of the ROLO Family Advisory Committee, a self-selected group of parents who are involved in the longitudinal follow-up of the ROLO Study. Dr Eileen O’Brien presented the findings from these meetings, while Samantha Reilly, a ROLO mother and member of this committee, described her perspective of taking part in research from a parent’s point of view, and what she felt she had contributed towards the research agenda. We are proud of the partnership that exists between the research team and ROLO participants in the form of the ROLO Family Advisory Committee, and this was deftly demonstrated in Samantha’s discussion.

In addition to the engaging oral presentations, there were 8 poster presentations highlighting the latest research and findings from current staff and students within the UCD Perinatal Research Centre. Approaching the end of their 10-month placement, third year BSc Human Nutrition students Anna Gouldson and Ellen O’Grady, each presented results from the ROLO Kids longitudinal follow up study. Anna investigated maternal perceptions of 5-year-old child weight status and factors influencing these perceptions.  Ellen described the association between breastfeeding exposure and dietary intakes at five-years of age.

Anna ASOI

Ms Anna Gouldson

Ellen ASOI

Ms Ellen O'Grady

Furthermore, Sarah Louise Killeen and Shauna Callaghan, two of our PhD current candidates, each presented two posters at the conference. Shauna’s first poster explored the effect of various factors on intention to breastfeed and breastfeeding duration in an Irish cohort. She concluded that maintenance of breastfeeding up to 3 months postnatal was significantly influenced by factors such as education, BMI, and whether this was their first baby. The second poster portrayed a protocol for work that Shauna is undertaking as part of her thesis, concerning the level of knowledge, among healthcare professionals, of specific health promotion advice in pregnancy. Similarly, in her two posters, for anyone interested in taking part, CLICK HERE.

Shauna ASOI

Ms Shauna O'Callaghan

Sarah Louise

Ms Sarah Louise Killeen

In addition to delivering an oral presentation the day before, Dr. Eileen O’Brien, post-doctoral researcher and clinical dietitian, reviewed the impact of the sugar sweetened beverage tax on drinks consumption among pregnant women. This poster provided a rapid review 6 months on from the introduction of the tax, and did not find an effect on consumption of beverages among pregnant women. A one-year post tax evaluation is planned. Finally, Dr Aisling Geraghty, post-doctoral researcher with the centre, presented findings from the ROLO Kids study. This poster detailed that high birth weight predicts high weight status and increased risk of obesity in early childhood. This highlights the need for monitoring and potential interventions, in both pregnancy and infancy, to curb the current childhood obesity crisis.

We would like to congratulate all of our team members, and thank the organising committee for delivering an excellent event.

 


Realising the Potential of Genomic Medicine

Mon, 6 May 19 16:38

It is 16 years since the achievement of one of the most critical scientific efforts that almost didn’t happen: the Human Genome Project.

Described by President Bill Clinton as “the most important, most wondrous map ever produced by humankind”, the mapping of the human genome was one of the most ambitious global research programmes ever undertaken, and a seminal endeavour in the advancement of scientific knowledge.

In the intervening 16 years, the landscape of human disease is being transformed through developments in the basic and clinical sciences, especially genomics and molecular biology.

As a result, we are now witnessing the rapid arrival of a new era of healthcare, one that is shifting from a curative paradigm, where the emphasis was on managing disease, to a pre-emptive paradigm, where the emphasis is on predicting and pre-empting disease using genomic information and molecular technologies.

Research efforts across academia, clinical research sites, public healthcare institutions and private companies are on the cusp of delivering the ‘holy grail’, the personalisation of medical care, or precision medicine, with the potential to achieve optimum medical outcomes for patients.

For example, genomic research has made it possible to identify an individual’s genetic inheritance and, combined with a research-based understanding of the molecular biological basis of disease, enables clinicians to predict the disease predisposition of individual patients.

With this knowledge, it is possible to tailor medical treatment to these predispositions, and to customise disease management to achieve optimum medical outcomes.

In time, this new paradigm will reduce the burden of disease, as well as the personal and societal costs of healthcare, by detecting and treating disease at earlier stages and pre-empting more serious consequences.

Critical to delivering precision healthcare to the patient will be the development of a robust Electronic Health Record platform combined with advanced genomic analysis which will pull together the disparate fragments of the patient’s genetic/genomic diagnosis and treatment into an integrated healthcare information package.

In the future, a significant amount of primary care that is delivered by general practitioners / community paediatricians will come from other healthcare professionals, equipped with secure access to the patient’s record and recommended pathways for diagnosis and treatment.

Therefore, it will be essential to train and equip all medical, nursing and allied healthcare professional for this new expanded role in the future of care.

The ultimate aim will be that the right patient receives, the right diagnosis, right treatment, at the right time and in the right setting; essentially, this is far more logical and more cost effective.

In the UK, one of many countries already advancing the integration of genomic medicine into healthcare delivery, the Government, through Genomics England, has already put in place a national genomics programme.

NHS England is building on the work of Genomics England, through its collaboration with a key commercial partner for data interpretation, to put in place the clinical infrastructure needed to deliver these advances at scale and pace to patients.

The clinical speciality of genetic medicine will change considerably over the next decade (as it has over the last decade) as genetic knowledge and technologies become a more integral part of the majority of speciality areas, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, prenatal, metabolic disease, neurology, paediatrics and infertility.

The potential that precision/genomic medicine could bring to our patients in Ireland is one we cannot allow to pass.

Our Government has already invested commercially in genomics through the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) but, to make it a reality will take a significant commitment at the healthcare interface.

Of course, we all appreciate that healthcare funding is under pressure. But not to invest — to do nothing — is the worst choice to make.

At present, the lack of preciseness in our understanding of patients’ DNA means that we waste money giving drugs to some patients who will not respond to such treatments. And beyond wasting money, we waste valuable time that these patients may not have.

Modern medicine needs to be research-led.

This can only be achieved through partnership and collaboration between government, academic research institutions, hospitals and private companies working towards the common objective of improving outcomes for patients.

Of course, we need to safeguard personal privacy through stringent GDPR and in so doing we are no different to other European countries.

So, consistency between Health Research Regulations and GDPR needs to be resolved – not shelved.

Precision medicine means that patients will not be subjected to current treatments that won’t work for them. Genetically-informed research will lead to new drugs and new therapies.

Patients in Ireland deserve to be part of this system.

Owen P Smith, CBE, UCD Professor of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine, is also the executive director of the Genomics Directorate at Ireland East Hospital Group.

 
Original article published in the Irish Examiner, 3rd May 2019. Reproduced here with the author's permission.

CT Scan Simulator Wins Major European Award

From Student Research to International Research Collaboration

Mon, 22 April 19 12:52

Our colleagues in UCD Radiography & Diagnostic Imaging report an excellent example of the continuum of research which extends from undergraduate student research through to international research collaboration.

Under the direction of Dr John Stowe, the UCD group have been developing a Computed Tomography (CT) scan parameter simulator over the last number of years.  Commencing in 2016, the group developed a tool in conjunction with the University of Bergen (now Western Norway University of Applied Sciences) who carried out 6,600 Computed Tomography acquisitions on phantoms in accordance with a UCD experimental design.  Summer Student Research Award (SSRA) 2016 student, Ms Rachel Healy (UCD BSc in Radiography 2017) analysed all the images and collated a table of measurements that could be used in conjunction with the images.

From this dataset, Dr John Stowe then built a web-based tool to allow students to experiment with adjusting the scan parameters so they could see and measure the impact of adjusting the scan parameters (e.g. dose and image quality perspectives). The tool itself was successfully presented by Ms Healy at European Congress of Radiology (ECR) in 2017. 

Following a period of testing and refinement, the UCD Radiography & Diangostic Imaging Group hosted the Optimax Summer Research School here in UCD in Summer 2018 and had a group of international radiography students test its effectiveness in a structured self-directed learning exercise in a research project headed by Dr Stowe and Mr Carst Buissink from Hanze  University of Applied Science, Netherlands.  Following the statistically significant positive results from the summer pilot, the UCD group then took it to the next level by testing its use (with volunteer radiography student support) at the end of a CT module where again it demonstrated a statistically significant uplift in knowledge and understanding scores. 

This Summer pilot and the Semester 1 live tests were submitted as two separate abstracts to the European Congress of Radiology in March 2019 in Vienna and were both accepted for presentation. The first paper won one of three prestigious "Best Radiography Paper Abstract" awards from over 700 submissions.  The paper entitled ‘Impact of a CT scan simulator on student learning’ was presented by Mr Gregory Photopoulos, a Canadian radiography student from Dalhousie University who participated in our international Optimax summer research team.  Gregory was elected by the research team to present the work at ECR 2019. The second abstract was presented by another team member, Ms Caoimhe O'Halloran (Stage 3 UCD Radiography) who continued the work into the semester 1 module live testing.

Reflecting on the success of this initiative, Dr Stowe noted that this is an excellent example of how collaborative research within UCD can draw on the opportunities afforded in our undergraduate student research and our international research collaborations to excellent effect that can impact upon clinical practice.

“This collaborative research from SSRA through School research and the UCD Optimax Summer Research School implemented in through technology-enhanced learning is a fantastic journey that leveraged all the UCD School of Medicine has to offer. We actually deliver the simulator and questionnaires through the new Brightspace module portal too.  We now use this tool at undergraduate and postgraduate level and have shared this UCD-originated education technology through Creative Commons licensing with Norway, Denmark, Finland, Malta, UK, Netherlands and Chile to date.”

Given its increasing prevalence as an imaging modality of choice, CT represents a significant contributor to the public’s radiation dose exposure.  It is essential that radiographers have the necessary skills and understanding of scan parameters to ensure best image quality at the lowest possible dose.  This research demonstrates the impact of a simulation study tool to impact upon radiographer learning by better understanding CT scan parameters, patient dose and image quality.  It also demonstrates the continuum from undergraduate student research through to international research collaboration with potential to impact on clinical practice on a global scale.  


Prof Cusack Elected President of European Forensic Body

UCD Medicine Alumnus and Academic elected as President of European Council of Legal Medicine

Mon, 22 April 19 12:39

Professor Denis Cusack, who retired recently as UCD Professor of Forensic and Legal Medicine, has taken up the position of President of the European Council of Legal Medicine for 2019-2020 following his election by the ECLM Delegates from 35 European countries.

The ECLM is the official body dealing with matters relating to Forensic and Legal Medicine in Europe including all scientific, educational and professional principles and matters pertaining to the discipline on a European level and also recognition of the discipline and harmonisation of practices and quality assurance in the speciality at European level.

He also currently serves as Vice-President of the International Academy of Legal Medicine 2019-2021 following his election at the IALM General Assembly in Japan in August 2018.

Although he took early retirement from his academic role in the School, Professor Cusack continues in active forensic practice in his specialty as Head of the Medical Bureau of Road Safety in the Health Sciences Centre in the area of Road Traffic Medicine with some 40 UCD staff as his colleagues and collaborators in practice, research and education.

The MBRS celebrated its 50th Anniversary in November 2018 and part of that celebration was its long and close relationship with UCD and the School of Medicine since its establishment in 1968 in UCD premises in Merrion Street, to Earlsfort Terrace and now on the Belfield Campus. The MBRS continues its collaborative research with the Schools of Medicine and Public Health with an ongoing clinical study with colleagues St. Vincent’s University Hospital.

Professor Cusack also continues to play an active role in medico-legal matters and is the Immediate Past President of the Medico-Legal Society of Ireland. He also continues in professional forensic practice as Coroner for County Kildare and is very much involved in ongoing forensic clinical issues and the development of that area of medicine having served as the President of the Coroners Society of Ireland 2008-2010 and on its current Council. Professor Cusack continues an enthusiastic connection with his alma mater and with the School where he served on academic staff for over 30 years both in the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital and in the School itself and now as Full Professor Emeritus since December 2017.


Public and Patient Involvement in Teaching

Fri, 22 March 19 11:03

The UCD Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) Ignite Program is funded by the Health Research Board and is actively embedding PPI in health and social care research both within UCD and externally with our partners. Our working PPI definition stems from the UK National Institute for Health Research advisory group INVOLVE as “being carried out “with” or “by” members of the public rather than “to,” “about” or “for” them”.  By ‘public’ INVOLVE means patients and their relatives as well as members of the general public. 
 
The UCD PPI Ignite wish to capture what PPI related teaching is currently being delivered in the College of Social Sciences and Law and in the College of Health and Agricultural Sciences. This will enable us to collate share modules of best practice across the the colleges and so that we do not duplicate on and any new modules they may be developed. 
 
For this teaching audit we have broken down teaching involving PPI under 3 headings:
 
1. Engagement – where information and knowledge about patients/public is taught within a module e.g lived experience of a person with a rare disease;
 
2. Participation – where the public and or patient groups take part in classes within a module e.g session lead by members of the Travelling community on their access to the health and social care system system;
 
3. Involvement – where the public and/or patient groups are actively involved in the design and delivery of a module.
 
We would ask that you complete this short audit to share any relevant teaching to share activities of best practice.
 
https://docs.google.com/forms/ d/e/1FAIpQLSeCKU- LzgkzniqARFSwZpUZ- kl2GMvrL9evNYBBPNUjwEMAkw/ viewform
 
The UCD PPI Ignite program will be announcing seed funding in May 2019 for innovation in PPI in teaching. Please opt in at the end of this audit if you would like to be notified of the call.
 
This audit will remain opened until the 18th of April 2019. 
 
If you have any queries please contact: Dr Éidín Ní Shé:  eidin.nishe@ucd.ie or Professor Thilo Kroll:  thilo.kroll@ucd.ie 

CareHD Research Opportunity

Fri, 22 March 19 12:13

CareHD is a research project investigating how the use of Connected Health technologies may support and improve the care of people living with Huntington’s Disease (HD).

The project team is made up of a collaboration of cross-sectoral partners from a variety of different settings including: healthcare, academia, industry and patient organisations located across five European countries – Scotland, Ireland, England, France and Slovenia.

There is an opportunity for Early Stage Researchers (ESR) and Experienced Researchers (ER) who are currently employed or studying at University College Dublin to undertake secondments ranging from 2 months to 12 months in a variety of locations including Oxford, Glasgow, Paris Ljubljana and London. Further information and details on how to apply are attached.

Key research areas:

Health Sciences, Computer Science, Engineering, Social Sciences and Law

Closing date: 15th April 2019

 

This project has received funding from the European Commission's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action Research and Innovation Staff Exchange (RISE) grant agreement number: 777991. 


SSRA Project Submission

Fri, 22 March 19 11:28

Final Reminder that the deadline for project submission for the Summer Student Research Awards (SSRA) Programme 2019 is Friday, March 29th 2019.

Proposals are sought for eight-week laboratory, clinical, patient-centred or educational research projects, to be undertaken by our undergraduate students within the College of Health and Agricultural Sciences and College of Engineering and Architecture during summer 2019.

Further to this, now in its second year the Alfred Myles Smith Award of €1,000 will be made for the best project relating to Cardiology, Cardiac surgery, Vascular Surgery, Vascular Medicine, or if there are no suitable cardiovascular projects are available, a project relating to rare cancers will be awarded instead.

If your project has ethical approval, or is exempt from full ethics review, we ask that you upload a copy of the relevant approval letter to our online form. If you do not think your project requires ethical approval, or exemption from full review, there is an option on the form for you to select. However, we will ask you to state why you think this is the case (for example, the intended project might involve a student reviewing data that is already in the public domain or may involve commercially available cell lines).

These measures were put in place to assist us all in complying with the mandatory ethics requirements for UCD undergraduate students undertaking research as part of their degree programmes.

If you are interested in hosting an SSRA student in 2019, we would be very grateful if you can upload your project using the form that is available here so it can be advertised to our students as soon as possible.

Thank you for your support of the SSRA programme and please contact ssra@ucd.ie if you have any further questions about submitting a project.

Key Dates

SSRA Deadline for project submission: Friday 29th March 2019

SSRA Introduction Meeting: Monday 20th May 2019

SSRA Mid-Review Meeting: Tuesday 2nd July 2019

SSRA Poster Presentation Night: Tuesday 17th September 2019

SSRA Gold Medal Night: Wednesday 25th September 2019


Medical Traineeship - Physiology

Physiology Traineeships

Tue, 26 March 19 11:30

Medical Traineeship in Physiology

MD, MSc & PhD Scholarships

Leonardo Da Vinci’s ‘Vitruvian Man’ is a recognised symbol of the symmetry inherent in the universe. The canon of proportions puts our world in context with a concept which began with Protagoras’ declaration that “man is the measure of all things”.

At UCD we provide the right fit for Medical Trainees.

The research focus in Physiology at UCD currently involves but is not limited to:

  • Human Cells and Tissues (Cellular Physiology)
  • Endocrine Physiology
  • Cardiovascular and Respiratory Physiology
  • Experimental Physiology
  • Renal Physiology

The one year (or possible extension for the duration of research degree) full-time scholarship programme offers an €18,000 tax free stipend along with payment of 100% of EU student fees covered. Successful candidates will undertake a graduate taught or research degree programme and gain experience teaching in small groups along with adding to their research portfolio. Strong academic skills and competency in Physiology are desirable as part of the selection criteria, along with clinical training and proficient communication skills

Selection criteria

  • Good working knowledge of Biology/Physiology
  • BSc (2.1 or higher desirable)
  • Proven communication skills

Applications for September 2019/20

Steven Masterton

Course Administrator
e: physiology@ucd.ie
t: +353 1 716 6634

Closing Date

Wednesday 10th April 2019 at 5pm


Coakley Medal for Dissection 2019

Fri, 15 March 19 12:26

Applications are now invited for the James B. Coakley Medal for Dissection 2019.  Named in honour of former UCD Professor of Anatomy, the James B. Coakley Medal for Dissection is awarded annually for the best dissection of a given body part.

Competition Timelines

The deadline for return of completed applications for entry to the competition is 5pm Tuesday 23rd April 2019.  Dissections will be undertaken from Tuesday 2nd July (start date) to Thursday 22nd August (end date).

Eligibility

Competition for the James B. Coakley Medal for Dissection is open only to Registered Students in the:

  • Second and third stages of Medicine (undergraduate entry)
  • First and second stages of Medicine (graduate entry)
  • First and second years of the Bachelor of Radiography degree
  • First and second years of a Bachelor of Physiotherapy degree
  • First and second years of the Bachelor of Biomedical, Health and Life Sciences degree 

Application Procedure

Applicants should complete the application form and prepare a cv (maximum 3 page limit) and cover letter (maximum 300 word limit) detailing why you wish to undertake the competition and what you expect to achieve from the experience.

Coakley Medal for Dissection Application and Advertisement 2019

Completed applications should be submitted to Mr. Steven Masterton (steven.masterton@ucd.ie), Room C209 UCD Health Sciences Centre before 5pm on Tuesday 23rd April. Applications received after this deadline will not be accepted. Only one entry per candidate is permitted.

This is a highly sought after award that will provide a small select number of students a privileged opportunity to work with a precious educational resource.  The Professor of Anatomy reserves the right to apply internal criteria to determine which candidates may enter the competition for the dissection prize. 

Mr Steven Masterton

Award Administrator

e: steven.masterton@ucd.ie

t: 01 716 6634

About Prof James B. Coakley

Coakley2

James B. Coakley was UCD Professor of Human Anatomy and Head of the Department of Human Anatomy from 1962 – 1988.  To honour his distinguished career and dedication to anatomy teaching, the Coakley Medal is awarded annually for the best dissection of a given body part.


A Novel Bedside Index for the Early Identification of Maternal Sepsis

 

Wed, 20 February 19 16:48

International consensus reports have recently recommended that the Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) criteria for the diagnosis of sepsis should cease and that new bedside criteria need to be developed to improve prevention, early diagnosis and treatment.

Researchers at the UCD Centre for Human Reproduction at the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital describe the development of a novel bedside index for the early identification of severe maternal infection.  The group conducted a retrospective audit evaluating a suite of four bedside clinical criteria, called the Early Maternal Infection Prompts (EMIP), to help identify women with a suspected severe infection who were admitted to a High Dependency Unit (HDU) in a large tertiary referral stand-alone maternity hospital.

The four EMIP criteria were selected based on existing national obstetric guidelines and a review of the recent literature on maternal critical illnesses. The parameters align with the existing Irish Maternity Early Warning System (IMEWS) currently in operation across the country’s maternity hospitals.

In this audit, cases were identified from the HDU registry for the three years 2015-2017. Individual charts were retrieved, and the four EMIP parameters were measured at the time of the clinical assessment that led to the HDU admission. Clinical and sociodemographic details were computerised for analysis.

Of 73 women admitted with suspected severe maternal infection, the handwritten records were available in 69 cases. The mean age of the mothers was 31.3 years, 71% were multiparous and 26.1% were obese. Three quarters of cases were antenatal admissions. Infection was confirmed microbiologically in 56 (81.1%) of cases.  There were no maternal deaths among the cases studied.

There was no case of organ dysfunction diagnosed but two women required vasopressors to maintain blood pressure. Recordings of the maternal vital signs were not always fully completed before admission. In 69.1% (n = 47) of cases the temperature was elevated 37.5oC, in 81.2% (n = 56) of cases the heart rate was increased 100 bpm, in 51.9% (n = 27) cases the respiratory rate was increased  20 bpm, and in 25.4% (n = 17) cases the systolic blood pressure was 100 mmHg. At least one of the four EMIP criteria was abnormal in 91.3% (n = 63) of cases of suspected severe infection.

The audit confirmed that this bedside index has potential in helping to identify maternal infection early before sepsis develops. Prospective studies are required to evaluate the index in different settings, for different infections and at the different stages of maternal infection.  Prospective studies are required to evaluate the index in different settings, for different infections and at the different stages of maternal infections.

The research, published in the European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology and Reproductive Biology, was led by Prof Michael Turner, UCD Professor of Obstetrics & Gynaecology and the National Clinical Programme in Obstetrics & Gynaecology at the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital.

Sepsis is defined as infection plus life-threatening organ dysfunction, which is characterised by an acute change greater than 1 point in the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score.  The SOFA assessment is generally not suitable outside of a high-resource environment and hence a new bedside test is required to identify those patients with suspected infection who are at risk of a poor outcome outside of intensive care units.  Such tests need sufficient sensitivity and specificity to accurately detect otherwise healthy women who may be in a ‘pre-sepsis’ and should not require progression to significant organ dysfunction before alerting the clinical team.

Reference

Development of a novel bedside index for the early identification of severe maternal infection.  Catherine O’Regan, Eimer G. O’Malley, Karen A. Power, Ciara M.E. Reynolds, Sharon R. Sheehan, Michael J. Turner European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology 235 (2019) 26–29 [Link]


2019 UCD Medicine Clinical Commencement ‘White Coat’ Ceremony

Fri, 15 February 19 19:29

WhiteCoat

The 2019 UCD Medicine Clinical Commencement ‘White Coat’ Ceremony took place in UCD O’Reilly Hall on Wednesday 13th February 2019.  A key milestone for our medical students, the ceremony marks the formal transition from a predominantly class room-based education to full immersion into clinical training at our affiliated teaching hospitals and with general practices in the community.

The proceedings were led by Professor Michael Keane, Dean of Medicine and Head of School, supported by a selection of our academic faculty.  Students from Stage 4 of our direct entry undergraduate and Stage 2 of our graduate entry medicine programmes took part in the ceremony which was attended by many friends and family.  As part of the ceremony, students are ‘robed’ with white coats by members of faculty as an important symbol of their transition into the role of doctor in training.

WhiteCoat2

In opening the event, Prof Keane noted that this transition represents a landmark in the students’ education and one which he felt sure they would look back on fondly.  He noted that with the privilege of clinical training comes great responsibility as our students are expected to exhibit empathy, dedication and the highest standards of professionalism. 

The White Coat Ceremony is an important recognition of the extensive knowledge of biomedical science that has been mastered to date which puts the students in a position to apply this knowledge of the scientific basis of health and disease in the clinical arena.  In UCD, we think it is important to mark this transition formally, and this tangible marker of career progression is very much appreciated by students, their families and their friends.

WhiteCoat3

The awarding of a white coat is both practical and symbolic ;  In addition to protection of clothing and infection control, the white coat represents the increased professional privileges and responsibilities that accompany this transition.  In addition to meeting the expectations for professional practice, conduct and ethics, our students are joining a medical community in which it is the doctor’s primary responsibility to be a strong advocate for their patients, above all other considerations.

WhiteCoat4

This advocacy is particularly important in a period of shrinking healthcare resources, which reinforce the need for evidence-based best practice to guide patient care.  This role also mandates development of leadership and teamwork skills, which our students will continue to seek to develop right up to their graduation and beyond. Our students’ behaviour in the clinical setting is geared toward protecting patients and optimizing their outcomes, whether it be by rigorous hand hygiene, up to date vaccination against communicable diseases, or other aspects of evidence-based clinical practice.

WhiteCoat5

Prof Keane welcomed UCD Medicine alumna Dr Rita Doyle, President of the Medical Council of Ireland who gave the keynote presentation.  The Co. Wicklow general practitioner gave a thoughtful, reflective address which touch on many of the key lessons for our students as they embark upon full-time clinical training.  She highlighted the privileged responsibility, the nature of the doctor-patient relationship and the need for each student to develop their own particular communication style.

You are now going to enter into the really sacred world of both doctor and patient.  You and I are privileged, and I emphasize that word privileged, to be allowed to enter in this world.  We must never abuse that privilege.  The doctor-patient relationship is a truly unique and special one.  It is never an equal relationship and you must always remember that.  Never presume it's your right.

Dr Doyle described the formative early experience of the family doctor visiting her home to care for a loved one.  She remembered how influential that doctor’s domiciliary visit was on her subsequent career choice as a family doctor.  Dr Doyle offered a persuasive, passionate endorsement of her specialty which has an important gatekeeper role in healthcare.

Let me give you an example so that you can understand this.  A patient comes in to me with a lump. I listen to their story, elucidate their belief around that lump and then examine them.  I find it to be a benign cyst, reassure them and they go back to normal living.  I examined that lump and alarm bells go off in my head.  I don't know what it is and I decide to investigate it myself, maybe with a scanner maybe, taking a biopsy.  The patient is anxious and may become a little dependent while awaiting results.  I examined the lump and from the very beginning I know it to be neoplastic and I need to refer them to secondary or tertiary care.  Their lives are now changed. They become a sick patient and my role is to support them through their diagnosis and their journey into the world of hospital medicine.

Dr Doyle, who became the first female President of the Medical Council last July, reflected on the changing gender balance of the Class of 2021 compared with her class in which she was one of only 18 women among a class of 120 students.  She described her postgraduate training in the days before a formal GP training scheme, her time spent in St Ultan’s Children’s Hospital, learning about the effects of deprivation on people’s health.  Highlighting the late Professor Julian Tudor Hart’s Inverse Care Law, Dr Doyle observed,

The inverse care law is the principle that the availability of good medical and social care tends to vary inversely with the need of the population served.  Proposed by Julian Tudor Hart way back before I even qualified the term has since been widely adopted. It is a pun on the ‘inverse-square law’, a term and concept from physics.  The deprived areas have half the number of doctors that they need and the wealthy have twice the number.  The disparity between the life expectancy is truly staggering.  Often even in this city, oh but four kilometers apart there can be twenty years in the difference of life expectancy.

Dr Doyle reflected on how her patients and their conditions changed as they both aged, from paediatrics and antenatal care through to chronic diseases and complex co-morbidities.

I've been in the same practice now for nigh on 35 years.  so I've had have at times three generations of the one family under my care.  When I was young in practice most of my patients were young and I have aged with them.  I was an expert in paediatrics at that stage as well as antenatal care, sexual health and contraception as I aged so did they and I became an expert routine health and gynaecology.  Then began to care for a lot of older patients with chronic diseases and complex comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic obstructive airways disease but only all in the one patient.  So medically speaking the job has got harder.  

Drawing on the works of the late Professor James McCormack and late Professor Peter Skrabanek, authors of the influential 'Follies and Fallacies of Medicine', Dr Doyle invited the students to always remain inquisitive.

I know if James were here today he would be wishing you all a healthy dose of skepticemia.  He defined it as a condition almost unheard off in medical students, an uncommon, generalized disorder of low infectivity.  And he stated medical school education is likely to confer lifelong immunity!  Really what he was saying was you must never stop questioning.

In closing, Dr Doyle described the role of the Medical Council and the importance of investing in people in healthcare.  

Our role (Medical Counci) is dual one - patient safety and the support of doctors in delivering best care. Our vision is 'Excellent Patient Care, Public Confidence in the Medical Profession and Leadership in Healthcare'. 

Our health service is in crisis.  Mainly because we have not invested enough in people.  We've had the Cervical Check controversy, the Scally Report, Open Disclosure, Repeal of the Eighth Amendment, commencement of the termination of pregnancy act bringing with it all the ethical issues around conscientious objection.  All since I took over (as President of the Medical Council) last July.  So my life is busy!

If I were to give you one piece of advice, and I might, it would be this.  Always but only always keep the patient at the top of your agenda and you won't go far wrong.  Whatever argument you have put your patients first and you will be safe and they will be safe.  There is a small part of me that really envies you just starting your career.  Would I do it again?  Absolutely! 

We extend our sincere thanks to Dr Doyle for her excellent address and her inspiring words.

Want to See More?

  • A selection of photographs from this event are available on our Flickr site.
  • A recording of the main event is available on our YouTube channel.

Raising Voices for World Cancer Day 2019

Tue, 12 February 19 23:46

world cancer day

To mark  World Cancer Day, five secondary school and community choirs combined to highlight cancer awareness at a unique lunchtime choral event in the O'Brien Centre for Science with the help of Irish singer/songwriter,  Don Mescall.

Each choir sang a song that has a special meaning to them followed by a combined performance of the Don Mescall song, ‘Your Love Carries Me’.

Don Mescall and the pupils of  Mount Sion Choir, Waterford recorded ‘Your Love Carries Me’ in tribute to people whose lives have been touched by cancer.
 
In this first live performance of the new single, they led the UCD community choir, Midlands Irish Sign Language Learners choir, the  Solas Cancer Support Centre men’s choir and the choirs of  St Mary’s Newport Secondary School, Oatlands College and Loreto College Foxrock.

All proceeds from the recording of ‘Your Love Carries Me’ are being donated to the charities;  CanTeen, CanCare4Living and the Solas Cancer Support Centre.  The single is available for download.

Earlier in the morning, the school choirs visited UCD Conway Institute to hear the very personal stories of those whose lives are touched by cancer as well as those of researchers focuses on finding new ways to diagnose and treat cancer.
world cancer day2
'Cancer Stories' participants included patient advocates, Vicky Phelan and Stephen Teap as well as Róisín Ní Chadhla and Jovana Gajic, second year students at  Ardscoil na Mara, Tramore whose HPV vaccine project was highly commended in the 2019 BT Young Scientist competition.
 
Miriam O'Callaghan, RTE was the MC for the session that was organised by Professor William Gallagher, Director, UCD Conway Institute and BREAST-PREDICT, the Irish Cancer Society’s first collaborative cancer research centre.

Cancer reserach is one the key areas of focus under the  Personalised & Translational Medicine strand of the Institute's research strategy.  
 
About World Cancer Day (https://www.worldcancerday.org/)
Each year on 4 February, World Cancer Day empowers people across the world to show support, raise our collective voice, take personal action and press governments to do more. 2019 marks the launch of the 3-year ‘I Am and I Will’ campaign. ‘I Am and I Will’ is an empowering call-to-action urging for personal commitment and represents the power of individual action taken now to impact the future. More than one third of cancer cases can be prevented. Another third can be cured if detected early and treated properly. By implementing resource-appropriate strategies on prevention, early detection and treatment, we can save up to 3.7 million lives every year.
 
In the Media:

Reproduced with kind permission from the UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research.


Graduate Entry Radiography Launched

 

Thu, 7 February 19 23:46

UCD Radiography & Diagnostic Imaging are pleased to announce the launch of a new graduate entry BSc (Hons) in Radiography programme with enrolment commencing September 2019.  The accelerated learning programme by Ireland’s national training centre for diagnostic imaging has been introduced to address the anticipated workforce needs of the Irish health system.  It is expected that demand for this programme will substantially exceed the initial intake of 20 students per annum. 

The increased prominence of advanced imaging techniques in routine clinical practice and the increased diffusion of this technology across the country has substantially increased the demand of radiographers.  Such is the demand for radiographers that the majority of students of our direct entry (school leaver) radiography programme have secured employment before their graduation.  Although other institutions offer postgraduate training in specific imaging modalities, this programme is only one offered by a European leader in radiography. 

UCD Radiography and Diagnostic Imaging offers Ireland’s only undergraduate entry radiography programme and is the national training centre for advanced diagnostic imaging through an extensive suite of graduate taught and graduate research programmes.  The School increased the annual intake to its undergraduate entry programme to 100 students per annum in September 2017.

With this new accelerated learning graduate-entry radiography (GER) programme and the increase in school-leaver entry over recent years, the School is substantially addressing the radiography workforce planning needs of the Irish health system.

Applicants must hold a minimum second class honours in a bachelor’s degree (Level 8, National Framework Qualifications) and have completed research activity within their primary degree.  Candidates should hold a minimum of O6 (OD3) in the Leaving Certificate (or equivalent) in a minimum of one science subject and meet the minimum English language requirements of the university. 

The programme will commence in September 2019. You should apply via the Central Applications Office (CAO) to the Level 8 course code DN411 Radiography - Graduate Entry. The application closing date is 5.15pm on 1 May prior to entry. (Applicants who add DN411 by change of mind up to 1 July will be considered if places remain after the 1 May applicants have been assessed).  

Please visit UCD admissions website https://www.ucd.ie/registry/ for more information.

About UCD Radiography & Diagnostic Imaging

UCD offers Ireland's only undergraduate degree in Radiography and the UCD Radiography & Diagnostic Imaging Group is both the national centre for graduate imaging training and a leading European centre for radiography research.


Understanding Tissue Damage in Rheumatoid Arthritis

 

Tue, 5 February 19 11:46

The UCD Centre for Arthritis Research have secured a rare chance to name an important gene which is associated with the development of several important autoimmune conditions.  This opportunity has arisen in recognition of their research in the functional significance of the gene, C5orf30 and its linkage to tissue damage.  Led by Prof Gerry Wilson (UCD Full Professor of Rheumatological Sciences at the UCD Conway Institute), the research group have examined genetic variants in C5orf30 which are associated with development of the autoimmune conditions, primary biliary cirrhosis and rheumatoid arthritis.

In rheumatoid arthritis, C5orf30 expression is cell-specific, with highest expression found in macrophages and synovial fibroblasts. C5orf30 is highly expressed in inflamed joints and is a negative regulator of tissue damage in a mouse model of inflammatory arthritis. Transcriptomic analysis from ultrasound-guided synovial biopsy of inflamed joints in a well characterized clinical cohort of newly diagnosed, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs–naive rheumatoid arthritis patients was used to determine the clinical association of C5orf30 expression with disease activity.

A combined molecular and computational biology approach was used to elucidate C5orf30 function in macrophages both in vitro and in vivo. Synovial expression of C5orf30 is inversely correlated with both clinical measures of rheumatoid arthritis disease activity and with synovial TNF mRNA expression. C5orf30 plays a role in regulating macrophage phenotype and is differentially turned over in inflammatory and anti-inflammatory macrophages. Inhibition of C5orf30 reduces wound healing/repair–associated functions of macrophages, reduces signalling required for resolution of inflammation, and decreases secretion of anti-inflammatory mediators.

In an animal model of wound healing (zebrafish), C5orf30 inhibition increases the recruitment of macrophages to the wound site. Finally, the group demonstrate that C5orf30 skews macrophage immunometabolism, demonstrating a mechanism for C5orf30-mediated immune regulation.

The UCD Research Group have been invited by the Gene Nomenclature Committee of the Human Genome Organisation (HuGO) to propose a suitable name for the gene which complies with their naming conventions.  Prof Wilson’s team hope to consult with Irish patients affected by Rheumatoid Arthritis to select a name from a shortlist for the gene.

The Researchers authors wish to thank the patients that donated their samples to the Arthritis Research Coalition biobank in Ireland and to the Pathobiology Early Arthritis Cohort (PEAC) in the UK. Without their participation this work would not be possible.  This research work was conducted in conjunction with the University of Sheffield, Queen Mary University of London and Genetech.  It was funded by the Arthritis Ireland, the Health Research Board and by the Irish Research Council.

More Information

About the UCD Centre for Arthritis Research  http://www.ucd.ie/car/

Recent Publication

The Autoimmune Susceptibility Gene C5orf30 Regulates Macrophage-Mediated Resolution of Inflammation

Emma R. Dorris, Simon J. Tazzyman, John Moylett, Nandhini Ramamoorthi, Jason Hackney, Michael Townsend, Munitta Muthana, Myles J. Lewis, Costantino Pitzalis and Anthony G. Wilson

J Immunol January 18, 2019, ji1801155; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.1801155

Lay Summary of Work

The UCD Centre for Arthritis Research have produced a short lay summary of their investigations.

The immune system is often looked upon as a response to infection. While it has this function, it also does so much more, including being crucial for the normal growth and replenishment of the cells in the body. We looked at a type of immune cell, called a macrophage, that has a role in the inflammation stage but also in the growth and healing phase. These cells are like conductors of an orchestra: they tell the other immune cells when to fight infection but also when to turn off “fight” mode and to turn on “healing” mode. Therefore, when they stop working properly, the whole immune system can go out of tune.....  


Record Attendance at ECR2019

Tue, 5 February 19 13:21

Always an important event for UCD Radiography & Diagnostic Imaging, this year’s European Congress of Radiology (ECR 2019) will see a record attendance by the UCD group.  Run by the European Society of Radiology (ESR) and one of Europe’s largest scientific meetings, ECR 2019 takes place in Vienna from the 27th February to the 3rd March 2019. 

In total there will be 43 presentations from UCD Radiography & Diagnostic Imaging including papers at the scientific sessions, and at both the Voice of EPOSTM (electronic presentation online system) and the MyT3 sessions.  The UCD group will provide invited speakers to the Research courses, Professional Challenges session, Special Focus events, to the European Federation of Radiographer Societies (EFRS) and to join ECR/EFRS sessions within the educational programme.  The UCD delegation will include staff, current and recent students as well as UCD-affiliated radiologists from across our nationwide clinical training network.  Their growing presence at this key European meeting is evidence of the increased stature of the UCD group and a testament to their recent research productivity. 

Through its 40 member organisations, the European Federation of Radiographer Societies (EFRS) represents more than 100,000 radiographers and 8,00 radiography students across Europe.  It aims to “represent, promote and develop the profession of radiography in Europe, within the whole range of medical imaging, nuclear medicine and radiotherapy and moreover everything that is directly or indirectly related or beneficial to this role, everything in the broadest meaning”.  The EFRS is currently led by its President, Associate Professor Jonathan McNulty, UCD Associate Professor and Head of Subject, Radiography at the UCD School of Medicine.  Dr McNulty is currently Associate Dean for Graduate Studies within the School.  

More Information


Achieving Consistency in Clinical Genetics Triage

Irish Study highlights challenges in achieving consistency in Clinical triage in a tertiary referral specialty 

Thu, 31 January 19 18:05

An Irish-led study into clinical genetics services highlights the challenges in achieving consistency in clinical genetics triage in a tertiary referral service.  The study highlights the particular challenges in the Irish context given our larger average family size compared with UK centres.

Published recently in the European Journal of Human Genetics, Dr Terri McVeigh (consultant oncogeneticist at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin) & Assoc. Prof Sally Ann Lynch (consultant geneticist at the Children’s University Hospital, Temple Street) reported research demonstrating inconsistencies in the way referrals are managed both within and between Clinical Genetics units.

The study which was led by the Dublin team involved a total of 53 clinicians across 6 centres including Dublin, Belfast, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Manchester, & Cardiff.  Thirteen simulated referrals (comprising de-identified actual referrals and composed cases based on common referrals) were sent to each centre.  Participants were asked to triage each referral by type of appointment, urgency, designated clinician using a standardised triage protocol.  The results highlighted local issues that can result in differences between managing referrals between units.  Only three of the case referrals had greater than 80% consensus about whether the referral should be accepted for consultation. 

Using data from UK National statistics offices & data from UCD Emeritus Professor Tony Fahey (UCD School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice), the group estimated that the average 3 generation family size on the island of Ireland is approximately 64 individuals in comparison to the average English/Scottish or Welsh family size which consists of 19 individuals.  

This difference impacts on referral numbers to both Irish genetic centres (Dublin & Belfast), as clinical genetics involves cascade testing of at risk relatives and clearly there are many more relatives that need to be seen on this island in comparison to our neighbours.

The study documents group consensus on the management of several common referral scenarios & recommends a wider discussion on the topic in a European context.

Original Article

Towards establishing consistency in triage in a tertiary specialty.  McVeigh TP, Donnelly D, Al Shehhii M, Jones EA, Murray A, Wedderburn S, Porteous M, Lynch SA.  Eur J Hum Genet. 2019 Jan 8. doi: 10.1038/s41431-018-0322-0. PMID: 30622329  Link


UCD Researchers at HepHIV 2019

Mon, 28 January 19 12:05

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are a call for action by all countries to promote prosperity while protecting the planet. Goal Three focuses on health, and in part aims to "By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases." UCD is answering this call, with two collaborative and innovative cross-European health programmes.

HepCare Europe and the Joint Action Integrate are two large-scale programmes co-funded by the European Union 3rd Health Programme.  HepCare Europe is led by the UCD School of Medicine's own Prof. Jack Lambert (consultant in infectious diseases at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital) and Prof. Walter Cullen, UCD Professor of Urban General Practice.  The initiative focuses on providing an integrated care model for Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) treatment by bringing primary HCV care into the community.

UCD is also involved with the Joint Action Integrate, as Prof. Jack Lambert, Prof. Walter Cullen and Prof. Paddy Mallon, UCD Professor of Microbial Diseases at St Vincent’s University Hospital work to integrate prevention, testing and linkage to care across HIV, viral hepatitis, tuberculosis (TB) and sexually transmitted infections (STI’s). Both programmes are being showcased at the HepHIV 2019 conference in Bucharest, Romania January 29-30, highlighting UCD's collaborations with institutions to improve healthcare across Europe.

On behalf of both HepCare Europe and Integrate, Prof. Jack Lambert is moderating a session on Combination Prevention and he is presenting on "Service Integration- Reaching the homeless population" and "Hepcheck-Enhancing HCV identification and linkage to care for vulnerable populations through intensified outreach screening".  Also at HepHIV2019, Dr Irina Ianache MD (Specialist in Infectious Diseases at the Victor Babes Hospital for Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Bucharest, Romania) of HepCare Europe presents "HepLink: Findings from a Multi-centre Observational Study in Primary and Community Care".

Among the HepCare Europe Posters being presented at HepHIV2019 are:

  • HepCare Europe Manifesto
  • HepCheck-Enhancing HCV identification and linkage to care for vulnerable populations through intensified outreach screening 
  • HepLink: Findings from a Multi-centre Observational Study in Primary and Community Care

Further Information

 


Novel Genetic Insights into Evolution of Skin Colour

 

Mon, 21 January 19 12:32

Skin colour is one of the most visible and variable traits among humans and scientists have always been curious about how this variation evolved. Now, a study of diverse Latin American populations led by UCL geneticists has identified new genetic variations associated with skin colour.

The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, found that the variation of light skin among Eurasian people evolved independently from different genetic backgrounds.

The genetic study analysed pigmentation in over 6,000 Latin Americans, who have a mix of Native American, European and African ancestry.

It is well established that Native Americans are genetically closely related to East Asians, the initial settlement of the Americas occurring some 15-20,000 years ago, through migration from Eastern Siberia into North America. As a consequence, genetic variations in Native Americans are often shared with East Asians.

This study identifies five new associated regions involving skin, eye and hair colour. Genes affecting skin colour in Europeans have been extensively studied, but here researchers identified an important variation in the gene MFSD12 seen uniquely in East Asians and Native Americans.

They show it was under natural selection in East Asians after they split from Europeans around 40,000 years ago, and was then carried over to America by ancient migrations of Native Americans. It is the first time this gene has been linked to skin colour in Native Americans and East Asians.

Dr Kaustubh Adhikari (UCL Genetics Institute), said:

“Our work demonstrates that lighter skin colour evolved independently in Europe and East Asia. We also show that this gene was under strong natural selection in East Asia, possibly as adaptation to changes in sunlight levels and ultraviolet radiation.”

Human physical diversity has fascinated biologists for centuries and despite the discovery of hundreds of genes related to such variation, there is still a lot to be understood in order to gain a fuller picture. Scientists have been calling for more diversity in genetics research to ensure that everyone benefits from the medical outcomes of research.

Only recently scientists published the first major study on the genes linked to skin tone diversity in Africa. Latin Americans are similarly underrepresented in genetics research, in particular in pigmentation research.

“It is commonly thought that variation in pigmentation, such as skin colour, in Latin Americans primarily arises due to people's varying degree of European or African ancestry. But our new study shows that there is variation inherited from their Native ancestors as well”,

said Dr Javier Mendoza-Revilla (UCL Genetics Institute).

Co-author Professor Desmond Tobin (Professor of Dermatology at the UCD Charles Institute of Dermatology) explained:

“the pigment melanin determines our hair, skin and eye colour. The gene MFSD12 influences how melanin is produced and stored in the skin, thus affecting our skin. colour. A darker skin produces more melanin, which can help prevent UV light from damaging our DNA and so offers protection against skin cancer.”

 “Interestingly, this gene also turned up in the skin colour study in Africans, but the variants were entirely different than those we observe in our study, highlighting the huge genetic diversity in humans and the need to diversify our study populations”,

emphasized Professor Andres Ruiz-Linares (UCL Genetics Institute), who led the CANDELA project spanning participants from five countries: Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Mexico and Peru.

In addition to skin tone variation, the scientists also noted a wide variation in eye colour among Latin Americans.

“Just like skin colour, early research on eye colour was Europe-centric, and mostly focused on the distinction between blue vs. brown eyes. But we show that eye colour is a broad continuum, and by studying the subtler variation within brown to black, we found two new genes linked to it”,

said Dr Anood Sohail (University of Cambridge).

The study’s findings help explain the variation of skin, hair and eye colour of Latin Americans, shed light on human evolution, and inform an understanding of the genetic risk factors for conditions such as skin cancer.

Publication:

Kaustubh Adhikari, Javier Mendoza-Revilla, Anood Sohail, et.al. ‘A GWAS in Latin Americans highlights the convergent evolution of lighter skin pigmentation in Eurasia’ Nature Communicationsvolume 10, Article number: 358 (2019) .  DOI for this paper will be: 10.1038/s41467-018-08147-0