UCD School of Biomolecular & Biomedical Science

Scoil na hEolaíochta Bithmhóilínigh agus an Bithleighis UCD

What Our Students Say About Us

Alumni testimonials

Dr. Bronagh Hayden, BSc (Hons) Biochemistry, PhD
Medical Affairs Manager with Sanofi Pasteur MSD

I knew from an early age that I wanted to study Science and UCD was always my university of choice. Following an exciting four years of hard work (and a thoroughly enriching social life), I graduated with my B.Sc. in 1995 from the Department of Biochemistry at Merville House. I was determined to continue my studies and enrolled as a Ph.D. student. My Ph.D. in enzyme kinetics afforded me the opportunity to develop a range of research techniques, to work with wonderful people and to travel and present at international conferences, including a 3-week tour of Japan.

My introduction to the private sector began with Tyco Healthcare and was soon followed by the role of Scientific Advisor with GlaxoSmithKline. I am now the Medical Affairs Manager with Sanofi Pasteur MSD in Ireland. Despite my love of research, I have thoroughly adapted to the corporate environment.

My education has equipped me with the necessary skills to thrive in the private sector where the ability to comprehend complex scientific information and communicate effectively are valuable assets.

The Protein Assay Blues by Thomas Lau
In this photo Bradford reagent has been added in a test where different shades of red to blue correspond to protein concentration. Dr. Declan Healy, B.Sc. (Hons) Biochemistry, PhD
Programme Manager, Science Foundation Ireland (SFI)

It was an obvious choice for me to study Science in UCD, since Chemistry, Physics and Maths were my favorite subjects at school. I chose UCD because of the reputation of the Science course and the excellent sporting facilities on campus. I particularly enjoyed the mixture of lectures and practical classes that the Science course provided. I graduated with a BSc in Biochemistry in 1997. Both the Stage 4 research project and an earlier opportunity to spend a summer at the R&D department of Alltech Inc in Kentucky, USA at the end of Stage 3 were important factors in helping me to decide to continue my education and training at graduate student level. My PhD project focused on dietary factors that influence the biochemistry of immune cells and helped me to learn new research techniques, taught me to be a self-starter and afforded me the opportunity to travel and to work abroad.

Following the completion of my PhD studies in 2001, I have worked in industry with Olympus Diagnostica in Paris, France, and on post-doctoral research projects in UCD Conway Institute and DCU. I developed an interest in the business and commercialization side of scientific research and completed a full-time MBA degree at the UCD Smurfit Business School in June 2007. Since then, I have worked as a Programme Manager at Science Foundation Ireland. I have responsibility for the Strategic Research Cluster Programme, a €150 million investment aimed at developing research partnerships between University and Industry researchers in areas of high strategic and economic importance to Ireland.

Students: Past and Present

Current students

Peadar Rooney, Stage 4 Biochemistry Hi, my name is Peadar Rooney and I'm going into fourth year biochemistry. I chose Science because I was interested in science in school but I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, and it turned out that biochemistry is really interesting. One of the great things about UCD is the wide range of subject options available in Science. I had a lot of trouble choosing what to study in first and second year because I wasn't sure what I wanted to do and there were so many subjects available to me. I have had a lot of fun doing this degree and have made a lot of friends, especially in labs. I also got involved in Science Day which raises money for charity; I got involved in doing the cycle to Galway, a parachute jump and going on the nights out which all helped raise money for Our Lady's Children's Hospital. It also means that I know a lot of people from different years and in different subject areas. I have to say that science has a very close community and there's a lot of support for students. As a third year I was able to help out with the orientation and peer mentoring programmes which were a lot of fun, and I hope I'll be doing it next year. Science is unique in the fact that it has a peer mentoring programme which means that all of the first years in science are assigned an older undergraduate student who will meet with them throughout the year to give them advice about college life. After this year I'll have finished my degree (hopefully) and I was thinking of continuing my study by doing a PhD in disease research. We started a topic last year that really got me interested in going into research, something I'd never really thought about before. Right here in UCD we have the Conway Institute, one of the largest research institutes in Ireland, so hopefully I'll be able to do my PhD here as I really don't want to leave UCD anytime soon, I have way too much fun!
Aisling O' Toole, Stage 4 Biochemistry I was interested in many areas of Science and the broad spectrum of option modules available to me in my first two years in UCD allowed me to delay choosing a specialty until my third year. Biochemistry was a great choice for me as it is so broad, we learn about everything from genetics, endocrinology and immunology to protein engineering. You end up with a really broad knowledge of science and have the opportunity to branch into almost any area. I found one of the best parts of the course was the final year project. This gave me the opportunity to really find out what research science is about and be part of a research team. The postgraduate and postdoctoral students in the lab gave us a lot of help and guided us through it and I really got to see and participate in the cutting edge molecular research that is being done in Biochemistry in UCD. Now in my final year I have found that I am really interested in disease research and therapeutics. Hopefully I can follow that up either in the academic setting by doing an MSc or PhD, or in an industrial/pharmaceutical lab.

Peadar Rooney, Stage 4 Biochemistry

Hi, my name is Peadar Rooney and I'm going into fourth year biochemistry. I chose Science because I was interested in science in school but I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, and it turned out that biochemistry is really interesting.

One of the great things about UCD is the wide range of subject options available in Science. I had a lot of trouble choosing what to study in first and second year because I wasn't sure what I wanted to do and there were so many subjects available to me.

I have had a lot of fun doing this degree and have made a lot of friends, especially in labs. I also got involved in Science Day which raises money for charity; I got involved in doing the cycle to Galway, a parachute jump and going on the nights out which all helped raise money for Our Lady's Children's Hospital. It also means that I know a lot of people from different years and in different subject areas. I have to say that science has a very close community and there's a lot of support for students.

As a third year I was able to help out with the orientation and peer mentoring programmes which were a lot of fun, and I hope I'll be doing it next year. Science is unique in the fact that it has a peer mentoring programme which means that all of the first years in science are assigned an older undergraduate student who will meet with them throughout the year to give them advice about college life.

After this year I'll have finished my degree (hopefully) and I was thinking of continuing my study by doing a PhD in disease research. We started a topic last year that really got me interested in going into research, something I'd never really thought about before. Right here in UCD we have the Conway Institute, one of the largest research institutes in Ireland, so hopefully I'll be able to do my PhD here as I really don't want to leave UCD anytime soon, I have way too much fun!

Aisling O' Toole, Stage 4 Biochemistry

I was interested in many areas of Science and the broad spectrum of option modules available to me in my first two years in UCD allowed me to delay choosing a specialty until my third year.

Biochemistry was a great choice for me as it is so broad, we learn about everything from genetics, endocrinology and immunology to protein engineering. You end up with a really broad knowledge of science and have the opportunity to branch into almost any area.

I found one of the best parts of the course was the final year project. This gave me the opportunity to really find out what research science is about and be part of a research team. The postgraduate and postdoctoral students in the lab gave us a lot of help and guided us through it and I really got to see and participate in the cutting edge molecular research that is being done in Biochemistry in UCD.

Now in my final year I have found that I am really interested in disease research and therapeutics. Hopefully I can follow that up either in the academic setting by doing an MSc or PhD, or in an industrial/pharmaceutical lab.