Professor Paddy Mallon appointed as new Dean and Head of School

Congratulations to Professor Paddy Mallon, who has been appointed the new Dean and Head of UCD School of Medicine from 15 September 2025. 

Professor Paddy Mallon is a Full Professor of Microbial Diseases at UCD and an Infectious Diseases Consultant at St. Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin.

“I am delighted to be appointed as Dean and Head of UCD School of Medicine,” said Professor Paddy Mallon. “I look forward to guiding UCD School of Medicine and collaborating with the wider UCD community to deliver on the UCD Strategy to 2030 - Breaking Boundaries and ensuring the continued growth and success of UCD School of Medicine.”

Prof Mallon attended the Christian Brothers’ Grammar School in Belfast. He graduated from Medicine at Queen’s University Belfast before training in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases in London and Sydney, Australia, where he completed a PhD in HIV Comorbidities at the Kirby Institute at University of New South Wales. 

In 2007, he returned to Ireland to take up a clinical academic role in UCD and as a consultant in Infectious Diseases at the Mater Hospital. In 2018, he took up the role of UCD Full Professor of Microbial Diseases, moving to St. Vincent’s University Hospital. In 2019, he established the UCD Centre for Experimental Pathogen Host Research (CEPHR), which focuses on translational research into outcomes of infections such as HIV, COVID-19 and tuberculosis. CEPHR has grown to be the largest research centre in Infectious Diseases in Ireland, with international research programmes spanning major challenges in global infectious diseases. He has been involved in successful research grant applications totalling over €69 million in funding, resulting in more than 200 peer-reviewed publications. 

His own research interests include age-related outcomes in HIV and host biological determinants of outcome from infection. He is on the governing board of the European AIDS Clinical Society (EACS). As Head of Education for EACS, he oversaw the development of the first European Curriculum in HIV and the rollout of the EACS Diploma in HIV Medicine.

The School would like to take this opportunity to thank Professor Michael Keane, who was Dean and Head of School for the past seven years. Under his very successful tenure, the School grew its student numbers, research portfolio and both academic and professional support staff numbers. 

Prof Keane has commenced his new role as College Principal, UCD College of Health and Agricultural Science, and we wish him all the very best in his new position.