Explore UCD

UCD Home >

Meet the Team

Research Team

Professor Brian O’Donoghue

Professor Brian O’Donoghue

​Brian O’Donoghue is Chair & Professor of Adult Psychiatry at UCD & St Vincent’s University Hospital and a Consultant Psychiatrist with Dublin South East mental health service. Brian has expertise in the area of early psychosis and treatment
resistance, having worked at the Early Psychosis Prevention​ and Intervention Centre (EPPIC) in Melbourne for nearly 10​ years. Brian’s research interests include developing​ preventative strategies to improve and maintain the physical
health of people with severe mental health disorders,​ pharmacotherapy of psychotic disorders and epidemiology.​ Brian leads the PROGRESS research group which has been​ funded to undertake a programme of research in and
develop Irish clinical guidelines for the treatment of​ psychosis. Brian is an associate editor with Early Intervention​ in Psychiatry and a co-lead of the international Physical​ Health in Youth Stream (iphYs).

Role:

Professor John Lally

Professor John Lally

​John Lally is a Clinical Professor at UCD and is a Consultant Psychiatrist in North Dublin City Mental Health Services and at St Vincent’s Hospital Fairview, Dublin. He has clinical expertise in psychotic disorders and psychopharmacology, and his specialist field of research is in psychotic disorders, treatment-resistant schizophrenia, clozapine use and physical health comorbidities in severe mental illness.
Clinical Professor Lally gained specialist experience over a 4 year period working with the world leading National Psychosis Service, London, UK. He has extensive experience in medical education, teaching and examining undergraduate and postgraduate students and trainees. Prof Lally leads the clozapine and treatment resistance workpackage on the PROGRESS project.

Role:

Professor Fiona McNicholas

Professor Fiona McNicholas

Fiona McNicholas is a Consultant in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in Lucena Clinic, Rathgar and Children Hospital Ireland CHI, Crumlin. She trained in
Psychiatry in Guys Hospital, and in Child Psychiatry in Great Ormond Street Hospital, London. She carried out a research fellowship in Stanford University, CA in 1999-2001 and returned as visiting professor in 2013/2014. She was
Assistant Professor at Columbia University, NY prior to her appointment as chair in UCD in Oct 2001.
She has many international collaborations, and joint research activity and has published widely with over 350 publications. Her primary clinical interests include rare diseases, ADHD, and eating disorders. She is deeply committed to advocating for evidence-based and accessible mental health services for children and adolescents, with a particular focus on improving transitions between services and addressing clinician burnout.

Role:

Assoc Professor Keith Gaynor

Assoc Professor Keith Gaynor

Keith Gaynor is an Associate Professor in Clinical Psychology in the School of Psychology, UCD and a member of the UCD, Clinical Psychology Training Programme. Keith is also a Senior Clinical Psychologist with the DETECT Early Intervention in Psychosis Service.
For the last 20 years, Keith has researched particularly in the area of psychosis and early intervention, publishing a wide range of research papers specifically looking at psychological approaches to psychosis and he is the principal investigator of POPlab UCD (the Psychology of Psychosis research lab, UCD).
He has engaged widely with traditional and social media with the goal of sharing as much information as possible about mental health difficulties. He is author of the self-help book Protecting Mental Health and his Youtube videos have over 3 million views.

Role:

Profile photo of Assoc Professor Anne Doherty

Assoc Professor Anne Doherty

Anne Doherty is Head of Subject for Psychiatry in UCD and a consultant in liaison psychiatry at the Mater Misericordia University Hospital Dublin. Prof Doherty’s clinical and research interests lie in the interface between mental and physical illnesses and in the integration of care for people with these comorbidities. Prof Doherty also had expertise in the area of women’s mental health and supervising PhDs and MDs on this topic.

Role:

Professor Ian Kelleher

Professor Ian Kelleher

Ian Kelleher is Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Edinburgh University and an Academy of Medical Sciences Professor. He is adjunct professor at University College Dublin, Ireland, and University of Oulu, Finland. His research focuses on investigating mental health trajectories from childhood into adulthood – especially identifying and reducing risk for severe mental illness, including schizophrenia-spectrum and bipolar disorders. To do this, his team uses electronic health register data from Scotland, Wales and Finland, as well as working on inpatient and outpatient clinical studies. Clinically, he works as a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist in CAMHS in Edinburgh.

Role:

Mr Michael Norton

Mr Michael Norton

Michael John Norton is an Early Career Researcher and PPI Lead for the HRB funded PROGRESS project. Michael has his own lived experiences of psychosis and has a proven track record of utilising this experience to support the movement of mental health services to recovery orientation. He also utilises his lived experience in his research, with publications in high impact journals on subjects like peer support, co-production, social recovery and family recovery. In addition, Michael John has written three books in the areas of co-production, recovery and peer support work and currently has 40 publications. Michael is also an advocate for mental health, and works in co-production with a number of national and international working groups examining various aspect of the mental health recovery movement. Michael has established a PPI panel for the PROGRESS research project.

Role:

Ms Ewa Sadowska

Ms Ewa Sadowska

Eva Sadowska is a member of the Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) Consultation Panel for the PROGRESS research group.

Role:

Dr Yuhan Du

Dr Yuhan Du

Yuhan Du is a postdoctoral researcher in the School of Computer Science at University College Dublin. She specializes in medical informatics and artificial intelligence, focusing on the development of clinical decision support systems. Her research is dedicated to translating data into actionable tools that directly benefit patients, families, and caregivers. Yuhan is working on work package 6 of the PROGRESS project that focuses on discontinuation of antipsychotic medication. Yuhan will be developing a Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) to support people affected by psychosis and their caregivers to make an informed decision about the likely outcome if a trial of discontinuation is undertaken.

Role:

Dr Tara Burke

Dr Tara Burke

Tara Burke is a clinical researcher and Higher Specialist Trainee in General Adult and Liaison Psychiatry. Since graduating in Medicine from the University of Galway in 2016, she has worked across diverse mental health services in both Dublin and Melbourne. Tara’s research focuses on how the interplay between age, sex and hormones influences the course of psychosis. She is undertaking a Medical Doctorate with University College Dublin, investigating menopause as a critical period for women with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. As part of this MD, Tara will explore the factors associated with later onset psychosis in females, whether there needs to be specific dosing considerations across the lifespan for females and whether there are barriers to the initiation of HRT in females living with psychotic disorders.

Role:

Dr Brian O’Mahoney

Dr Brian O’Mahony

Brian O’Mahony is a Clinical Fellow at UCD and a current awardee of the HRB ICAT Programme. His PhD is focussed on antipsychotic-induced weight gain, Dr O’Mahony is a visiting scholar at the University of Birmingham and the University of Cambridge, where he will focus on quantifying the magnitude and trajectory of antipsychotic induced weight gain. In UCD, Dr O'Mahony is the Trial Lead for the START GAAIMS trial, which will investigate whether a supervised resistance training programme, initiated at the start of antipsychotic treatment, can prevent weight gain and metabolic syndrome by promoting muscle growth over fat storage. This work will combine clinical trial methodology with in-depth biochemical analysis and qualitative research to fully understand both the mechanisms and the real-world experiences of this health intervention.

Role:

Dr Faye Carrington

Dr Faye Carrington

Faye Carrington is a Clinical Research Registrar working at St. Vincent’s Hospital. She completed a Bachelor of Science degree in pharmacology before obtaining a degree in medicine. She has worked in psychiatric services across Dublin and Wicklow. Currently, she is pursuing a Medical Doctorate at University College Dublin focusing on the physical health of those experiencing first episode psychosis. Faye’s MD investigates blood markers of inflammation in this people with a first episode of psychosis, contributing to a growing body of evidence in this area and advancing understanding of their potential role in mental and physical health outcomes in those with psychotic illness.



Role:

Dr Ailbhe Doherty

Dr Ailbhe Doherty

Ailbhe Doherty is a Higher Specialist Trainee in General Adult, Liaison and Perinatal Psychiatry. She graduated from King’s College London School of Medicine in 2016 with a distinction in clinical practice, having previously achieved a first class honours Psychology BA at Trinity College Dublin.
Ailbhe has a number of high impact publications, notably a meta-analysis of the efficacy of brief alcohol interventions in the military population, and a systematic review of research on suicidality in people with intellectual disabilities. Dr Doherty is undertaking an MD in UCD, evaluating a clinical guideline for prescribing metformin to prevent antipsychotic-induced weight gain, and exploring the barriers to using metformin.


Role:

Dr Louisa Gannon

Dr Louisa Gannon

Louisa Gannon is a Senior Registrar who graduated from University College Dublin and is currently in final year of Higher Specialist Training in General Adult Psychiatry on the academic pathway. Her MD research is focused on reducing hospitalisation rates in First Episode Psychosis at initial presentation, through determining demographic, clinical and service-related influential factors that may be managed or modified through alternative pathways of care.

Role:

Dr Paul Crowley

Dr Paul Crowley

Paul Crowley is a Senior Registrar at St Vincent’s University Hospital. He completed his BST in Dublin South East and Wicklow and is a member of both the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland and the Royal College of Psychiatrists in the UK. Paul previously spent 4 years practicing in Australia and worked with mental health services in Victoria and New South Wales. He is currently undertaking a Medical Doctorate with RCSI on negative symptoms and cognitive deficits in psychosis. Dr Crowley is supervised for his MD by Prof John Lyne of RCSI (primary) & Prof Brian O’Donoghue in UCD.


Role:

Dr Paul McLaughlin

Dr Paul McLaughlin

Paul McLaughlin is a clinical researcher with UCD and a Higher Specialist Trainee in general adult, old age and liaison psychiatry. He graduated from University College Dublin in 2018 and completed his basic specialist training in the UCD/Mater Deanery. Paul has completed an advanced diploma in medical law through The Honourable Society of Kings Inn’s. He was awarded the Standish Barry Prize for his results in the MRCPsych membership exams. Paul is undertaking an MD in UCD, focusing on reasons for clozapine discontinuation, clozapine prescribing rates and establishing guidelines for clozapine induced constipation. Paul is supervised for his MD by Prof John Lally.


Role:

Dr Oisin Conaty

Dr Oisin Conaty

Oisín Conaty is a clinical researcher with UCD, and Higher Specialist Trainee in General Adult and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. He is a member of the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland and the Royal College of Psychiatrists, UK. Oisín is undertaking an MD in UCD, with a focus on addressing barriers to clozapine treatment, including community initiation and point-of-care testing using capillary samples for haematological and therapeutic drug monitoring. Oisín’s clinical and research interests include psychotic disorders, psychopharmacology, youth mental health, and medical education.


Role:

Dr Victoria Teague

Dr Victoria Teague

Victoria Teague is a psychiatry trainee and has recently completed her basic specialist training. Victoria will commence working on work package 6 of the PROGRESS project in April 2026 and her MD will focus on the outcomes following discontinuation and the evaluation of a Clinical Decision Support System to support people living with psychosis and their caregivers make an informed decision about whether to undertake a trial of dose reduction or discontinuation.


Role:

Assoc Prof Dolores Keating

Assoc Prof Dolores Keating

Dolores Keating is Head of Pharmacy Services at Saint John of God Hospital, a registered Superintendent Pharmacist with the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland, and Honorary Clinical Associate Professor at the School of Pharmacy, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. She is a graduate of the School of Pharmacy, Trinity College Dublin, and holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Psychiatric Pharmacy from Aston University Birmingham, a Masters Degree in Clinical Pharmacy from Queens University Belfast, and a PhD from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. She has extensive experience in translating research into practice, and has a particular interest in guideline development, health professions education, quality improvement, medicines optimisation and physical health improvement.

Role:

Mrs Caroline Hynes-Ryan

Mrs Caroline Hynes-Ryan

Caroline Hynes-Ryan is an advanced specialist mental health pharmacist at St John of God Hospital, Honorary Clinical Lecturer at the RCSI School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences and an Adjunct Lecturer/Associate Professor at the UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems. She graduated from the School of Pharmacy, Trinity College Dublin, holds a master’s degree in Psychiatric Pharmacy Practice from Aston University Birmingham and is a credentialed member of the College of Mental Health Pharmacy in the UK. Caroline recently led the establishment of a medicines information resource – www.YouthMed.Info – which provides accurate and accessible medicines information videos to children and young people taking mental health medicines. Her research interests include health literacy, medicines optimisation and implementation of evidence-based practice in particular for those taking antipsychotic medicines.

Role:

Ms Aoife Carolan

Ms Aoife Carolan

Aoife Carolan is a Specialist Clinical Pharmacist at Saint John of God Hospital and a PhD candidate at RCSI, Ireland. Her research interests include medicines optimisation and improving physical health outcomes in people with severe mental illness. Aoife has collaborated with colleagues at RCSI and Saint John of God Hospital in the design and Delphi validation of OPTIMISE, a 63-indicator tool to prompt clinicians to optimise medicines and monitoring to protect the physical health of people with severe mental illness. The focus of Aoife’s PhD is the evaluation of pharmacological interventions to improve cardiometabolic outcomes and the development of theory-based interventions to overcome barriers to implementation. Aoife was the first author on the ‘guideline for the use of metformin to prevent antipsychotic induced weight gain’.

Role:

Ms Miriam Boland

Ms Miriam Boland

Miriam Boland works as a Senior Pharmacist at St John of God Hospital. Miriam previously worked as an Associate Professor in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, and has years of community pharmacy experience. Miriam obtained her BSc. (Pharm.) and Masters (MPharm) degrees in the Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin. Miriam recently completed her PhD in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Trinity College Dublin under the supervision of Dr Cathal Cadogan and Professor Agnes Higgins. Her PhD focused on understanding and supporting the withdrawal process from psychiatric medicines for people experiencing mental health problems. Miriam is working on the Discontinuation workpackage on the PROGRESS project.

Role:

Dr Karen OConnor

Dr Karen O Connor

Karen O Connor is a Consultant Psychiatrist and the National Clinical Lead for the Early Intervention in Psychosis Programme. Dr. O Connor is a medical graduate of University College Cork. She completed most of her postgraduate training in Psychiatry in Dublin but also spent one year on a fellowship at Orygen Youth Mental Health Service in Melbourne, Australia. Dr. O Connor has a Medical Doctorate in Early Intervention in Psychosis with RCSI. She is the clinical lead of the RISE service, an Early Intervention in Psychosis service in South Lee Cork. Dr. O Connor is the Vice Dean for postgraduate basic specialist training in psychiatry in the UCC Deanery.

Role:

Assoc Professor John Lyne

Assoc Professor John Lyne

John Lyne is a consultant psychiatrist in the Wicklow Mental Health Services and an Associate Professor in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. John has a Masters in Epidemiology from the University of London and his PhD was on negative symptoms in psychosis. John was the Editor-in-chief of the Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine from 2016-2025. He is an investigator on several funded studies in psychosis and has recently established a physical health working group to address the physical health of people with severe mental health disorders.
John leads the PROGRESS work package on the assessment and treatment of negative symptoms and cognitive difficulties for people affected by psychotic disorders.


Role:

UCD School of Medicine

UCD Health Sciences Centre, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
T: +353 1 716 6603 | E: school.medicine@ucd.ie