UCD Conway Institute has come a long way in developing the careers of its postdoctoral research fellows. From the original investment by the Government that funded 16 research fellowships for new interdisciplinary collaborative research projects, UCD Conway is now home to 120 postdoctoral and research fellows; making it Ireland’s largest postdoctoral training facility. The international flavour of the institute is boosted by the fact that over 50% of the 350 early career researchers who have trained here in the past decade came from abroad. The high quality training received has led to many Conway postdoctoral alumni being appointed to prestigious positions in academic institutions and industry around the globe.
First awardee under SFI-HRB Wellcome Trust Biomedical Partnership
Dr McGillicuddy, Nutrigenomics Research Group, UCD Conway Institute
As levels of obesity reach record proportions worldwide, it is essential to improve our understanding of the potential causes, and the impact that this will have on our cardiovascular health. In 2012, Dr Fiona McGillicuddy won the first award under the SFI-HRB Wellcome Trust Biomedical Partnership to investigate the links between obesity, ‘good cholesterol’, diet and coronary artery disease.
This research career development fellowship worth €750,000 euros over five years will allow Dr McGillicuddy to examine how obesity affects the function of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), sometimes referred to as ‘good cholesterol’. HDL plays an important role in removing cholesterol from the body, which in turn reduces the risk of heart attack brought on by cardiovascular disease.
This novel PhD programme bridges this gap by equipping students with the skills necessary to negotiate the cultural and linguistic barriers that separate biological and computational research disciplines. Conway Fellows from these disciplines co-supervise students in this programme. Prof Denis Shields and Prof Geraldine Butler are deputy director and director respectively of this PhD programme.
The areas of investigation include the host response to infection, identifying therapeutic targets and developing novel drugs. One unique aspect is that the programme investigates pathogenesis in both animals and man, addressing the Wellcome Trust ‘One World, One Health’ initiative, linking human, animal and environmental health.
”This prestigious award to Fiona is testament to the calibre of early-stage career scientist that is the fibre of our institute.””
Professor Walter Kolch, Director, UCD Conway Institute
Dr Emer Gilligan
Senior Regulatory Affairs Analyst,Oriflame Research & Development Ltd
“ It’s the people that make the Conway Institute and they are who I remember and miss the most; their passion, their enthusiasm, their intelligence and their wit.”
Dr Denis Barry
Assistant Professor in Anatomy, Department of Anatomy, Trinity College Dublin
“Working at the Conway Institute allowed me the opportunity to conduct dynamic research at the best levels of science and with top quality scientists, within a highly professional and socially rewarding environment.”
Conway research fellowships (2002–2003)
Many of the first 16 research fellows have now established careers in academic and funding organisations in Ireland and abroad.
Dr James Murphy
Science Foundation Ireland Stokes lecturer, Institute of Technology Sligo
“Being in the Conway Institute at its inception equipped me with many new skills both directly and indirectly and the experience gained there has served me well through my subsequent career path.”
Dr Darren Finlay
Research Assistant Professor, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, La Jolla, California
Dr Mary Kelly
Branch Manager, Strategy and Programs, Australian Research Council
Dr Marion Butler
Head of Cell Signalling Laboratory, NUI Maynooth
Dr Sharon Cookson
Flow Cytometry Specialist, Newcastle University
Dr Lorraine Brennan
Conway Fellow, UCD School of Agriculture & Food Science
“The Conway fellowship was an excellent opportunity for me to return to Ireland. It allowed me to work in a multidisciplinary project and develop collaborations in Ireland. Following this successful fellowship, I was awarded a HRB Career Development Fellowship which allowed me to establish my own research projects.”
Dr Tara McMorrow
Conway Fellow & Senior Lecturer, UCD School of Biomolecular & Biomedical Science
“The Conway fellowship award played a very significant role in my career development allowing me to develop novel research in the area of renal molecular pharmacology using the state of the art facilities available.”
Dr Debra Higgins
HRB Translational Medicine Fellow, UCD School of Medicine & Medical Science
“Having spent five years in one of the top Ivy League Institutions in the US, the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, I can attest to the high standards of biomedical research undertaken within the Conway.”
