The School of Biomolecular & Biomedical Science is a relatively new entity, particularly in comparison to some of its components. Formed in 2005, it hosts the combined expertise from the former departments of Biochemistry, Industrial Microbiology, Pharmacology and a small number of staff from Physiology.
This webpage is a collection of dates and memories kindly provided by staff of the school, both past and present. If you would like to contribute photos or memories, please contact Mary Gallagher .
- Departments of Biochemistry and Pharmacology
- Department of Industrial Microbiology
- Department of Physiology / Neuroscience
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Departments of Biochemistry and Pharmacology
The Departments of Biochemistry and Pharmacology were first established in 1932, with the appointment of Edward J. Conway, F.R.S. as Professor of Biochemistry & Pharmacology. The departments were located at Earlsfort Terrace until 1960, when they transferred to Merville House, Belfield; the first science departments on the new campus. For many years, only a dirt track connected Merville House to the other campus buildings. Academics delivering lectures in the other science buildings had a choice of going via the Stillorgan Road or risking turning up to lectures with muck on their shoes and clothes!
Staff of the departments of Pharmacology and Biochemistry enjoyed their own pitch&putt course, as well as being surrounded by football fields. Many staff competed in lunchtime football and 'tip rugby' matches, with a good-spirited rivalry between the two departments. Field days and Christmas parties were particular highlights of the social calendar for staff in Merville; indeed, Pharmacology staff boasted their own traiditional music group, DJs and catering for their parties.
Upon the completion of the UCD Conway Institute (named in honour of Prof. E.J. Conway), the Departments of Biochemistry and Pharmacology were re-housed in 2003 to these modern facilities for teaching and research. To mark the move from Merville House, Professor Paul Engel arranged the commission of four line drawings by a local artist to commemorate the building in which both departments developed into a strong home for research and produced many graduates.
Department of Industrial MicrobiologyThe UCD Department of Industrial Microbiology was established in 1958, initially as a research unit with an industrial relationship with large organisations such as Bord na Móna and Guinness. The Department has been based in Ardmore House since its inception, which was swapped with RTE for Montrose House. A gatehouse on the Stillorgan Road served the building in the early days.
Professor Custer was appointed the first Head of Industrial Microbiology, with Mrs. Divine as the secretary to the department. He developed the department into a full teaching and research unit, with the first small undergraduate class graduating in 1972. Since then, Microbiology has seen many graduates of undergraduate and graduate programmes, including Professor Jack Gardiner (previously of the UCD Department of Crop Science, Horticulture and Forestry), Gabriel Fulcher (rugby player for Ireland, 1994-1998) and Aidan McLoughlin.
The two beautiful front rooms were used as a laboratory and teaching room. Staff from the Department's early days recalls sheep grazing in the field adjacent to Ardmore House, as well as tomatoes being grown in the basement. There was one telephone in the building during the 1960’s, which would be moved to different rooms when needed. A family lived in a small number of downstairs rooms in the very early days, with young children who played along the corridors on the weekends.
Up to and during thr 1970's, most staff worked on a Saturday morning, during which the technical staff washed the Head of Department's car. Football was a very popular activity with staff, technicians and some professors playing during lunch, and indeed a sporting rivalry between them and the Department of Chemistry. A ‘bubble car’ was carried in by staff as a practical joke on the owner, hence the claim that Ardmore House is the only period house in UCD to have had a vehicle in the foyer!
Ardmore House remains the base for microbiology research and teaching in UCD, however a move to the Science Centre is envisaged under the current plans for the preservation of period houses in UCD and the development of the Science District.
Department of PhysiologyThis section will be added soon - please contact Mary Gallagher with photos and/or details.
Pharmacology staff at a Sports Day, 1990