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NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Undergraduate Research in the school of medicine  

UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH DAY OCTOBER 21ST, 2011                                                                                Embedded within the School of Medicine’s Strategic Plan (2010-2014) is the overarching objective of supporting and developing undergraduate research activity within the Curriculum. By supporting and developing undergraduate research activity the School of Medicine is developing high calibre doctors with enormous research potential. Furthermore, it may encourage the development of the next generation of physician-scientists.

The Working Group for Undergraduate Research was established late 2010 and helped streamline and formalize a summer research program for undergraduate medical students. There was strong interest from the medical student body with over 60 candidates who partook in a summer research project. In addition, 40 medical and scientific faculty from both within the School of Medicine and Science, NUIG and the affiliated hospitals (i.e. Sligo General and Letterkenny) provided supervision for these projects. Students applied for external funding from grant agencies such as the HRB and Welcome Trust. In 2011, 18 students within the programme secured funding from sources external to NUIG. In addition, internal funding in the form of Curriculum Innovation Fund and Research Support Fund stipends (13 in total) were offered to students.

A formal induction session on research methodology and research support systems was delivered by NUIG faculty prior to the commencement of summer projects. Tutorials and support on statistical methods was provided by Dr. Gloria Avalos over the summer. All students having now completed their work will present their research either in oral or poster format at the Annual NUIG Medical Undergraduate Research Day on October 21^st, with many anticipating presentations at both national and international meetings. Some students have even managed to draft a research article which is a phenomenal achievement given the time constraints. The general feedback from the summer scheme has been very positive and it is inspiring to see so many hardworking, inquisitive and dedicated research-orientated medical students.

This year, the Undergraduate Research Day will be opened by Dr. Armand Keating, Prof. of Medicine, University of Toronto and will incorporate a Grand Rounds lunchtime lecture by Prof. Jozef Bartunek, Consultant Cardiologist, OLV Hospital, Belgium and will be closed with The John D Kennedy Lecture to be given by Dr. Ramona McLoughlin, Consultant Gastroenterologist, UCHG. We are anticipating a large turn-out from both medical students and faculty alike.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all NUIG faculty who contributed to the summer induction programme and to Prof. McCarthy for organizing a very successful event, Gloria Avalos for providing invaluable statistical support to the programme, The Undergraduate Research Committee for all their hard work throughout the year and finally to all the students and supervisors who have made it such a successful year for Undergraduate Research within the School.

Dr. Richard Flavin

On behalf of the undergraduate Research Committee

Henry Hutchinson Stewart Medical Scholarships 2011

The competition for the award of the Henry Hutchinson prizes is run annually across the NUI Universities and is a competition across 16 different categories open to students of Medicine, Nursing and related health areas. The profile of NUI Galway health-related degree programmes means that our students can compete in 18 of these categories. It offers an excellent framework to compare student excellence and achievement on a national scale, as it is open to students in most of the Medical Schools and the key Nursing Schools in Ireland.

Top performing students in each discipline in the School of Medicine are selected by the Professors of those Disciplines on the basis of their yearly summative assessment in that discipline.  The HHS are based on written exams in each discipline and these papers are set by extern examiners outside of Ireland in each discipline who are experts in that field. Students from UCD, UCC and RCSI also compete.

This year (2011) of 18 eligible categories, NUI, Galway students were awarded 8 Firsts, 6 Seconds, 4 Thirds and one commendation.  Speaking on the success of NUI Galway students and graduates, President Jim Browne said:  "This clearly highlights the high calibre of students studying in NUI Galway programmes and follows previous successes in these annual awards.  I congratulate each of the Award recipients on their achievement, which will add to their academic reputation.  I commend the Award recipients and I pay tribute to their teachers for their work in supporting students and helping them to achieve such high standards". These awards were presented at a ceremony in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin on November 1st 2011

The award recipients were Cilian McNamara and Karen McNamara (Biochemistry), Danielle Anstett and Julianne O'Shea (General Practice), Larissa Higgins and Teresa O'Dowd (Obstetrics & Gynaecology), Cliona Small (Medical Microbiology), Siobhan Eccles (Midwifery), Esther Afolalu and Laura Coyne (Nursing), Orla Ni Ghríofa and Mairead Crowley (Occupational Therapy), Larissa Higgins (Paediatrics),  Miroslawa Gorecka (Pathology),  Elaine Fallon (Public Health), Laura Tobin (Speech & Language), Yasir Loai (Pharmacology), Matthew Smyth (Physiology) and Gerard Healy MB, BCh, BAO Hons (Surgery)

NUI Galway 2011 winners with (front-from left) Professor Anthony Wheatley, Head of School of Physiology, NUIG, Professor Nollaig Mac Congall, Registrar and Duputy President, NUIG; Professor Mark Rogers, Acting Registrar and Deputy President UCD; Dr. Maurice Manning, Chancellor of the NUI; Dr. Attracta Halpin, Registrar of the NUI; Professor Patrick Fitzpatrick, Head of the College of Science, Engineering and Food Science, UCC; Professor Jim Walsh, Vice-President for Innovation and Strategic Initiatives, NUI Maynooth; Toni Uí Chiardha, School of Nursing and Midwifery, NUIG and Professor Gerry Loftus, Dean of the College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, NUIG

In (2010) NUIGalway School of Medicine achieved 14 of a possible 39 awards in 13 subject areas, six firsts, five seconds and three thirds. 

In 2009 Students of the medical school entered 13 disciplines; - Medical Microbiology, Medicine, Pathology, Pharmacology, Psychiatry, Physiology, Public Health, Paediatrics, Surgery, Anatomy, Biochemistry, General Practice and Obstetrics & Gynaecology.  Nursing students competed in the Nursing category.

From these categories students were awarded four 1^st prizes; 2 2^nd; 6 3^rd; and 2 commendations.  These results build on the extraordinary achievements of previous years also, which place the Schools of Medicine and of Nursing and Midwifery to the fore nationally in student performance and student-focussed education, and which signify the dedication and the professional of approach of our students and staff.

The 2008 year was truly exceptional, - of 14 categories entered, NUI Galway was awarded nine 1st prizes; five 2nd prizes; five 3rd prizes and one commendation (highly ranked, already a Scholarship winner). 

Some historical background about the competition and about Henry Hutchinson Stewart can be taken from the website of the National University of Ireland ( http://www.nui.ie/) along with some information on the structure of the NUI federation.

Congratulations to all the Scholarship winners and to their teachers.

Cross Border Partnership on Diabetes Related Research                   

NUI Galway and the University of Ulster have joined forces with HSE West and the Western Health and Social Care Trust to create a collaborative cross-border partnership on diabetes-related research. The “Atlantic - Alliance for Cooperation on Research into Diabetes” (Atlantic - ACORD) initiative brings together clinicians and researchers from the health service, academia and industry, and patients to develop innovative solutions to problems related to the growing problem of diabetes.

Diabetes has been targeted because of its increasing prevalence and the associated health care costs. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is 4-5%, and 1 in 10 pregnancies develop gestational diabetes.

Participants will also include allied health professionals, including dieticians, podiatrists, diabetes specialist nurses, IT specialists and psychologists. Priority research areas for the partnership are health technologies, the use of geographical information systems in database analysis, diabetes in pregnancy, and beta cell engineering. These research themes represent some of the key needs for patients in the region and will form the initial focus of further collaborative research proposals.

Professor Fidelma Dunne, Head of the School of Medicine at NUI Galway, said: “Tackling diabetes has become an international healthcare priority in the western world. This new research alliance, Atlantic -ACORD, is all about joined-up thinking and pooling resources and expertise north and south of the border”.

The ultimate aim of the initiative is to enhance the quality of life for patients with diabetes mellitus, and to focus on prevention, treatment and management of the disease. The participant organisations are enthusiastic about the prospect of a formal cross-border initiative in diabetes research, helping tackle this disease, which is a both a growing problem in society and major healthcare service challenge.

Professor Finbarr O'Harte of the University of Ulster, said: “The Atlantic - ACORD initiative is an exciting opportunity for us all to pool our expertise in the field of diabetes research for the benefit of diabetes sufferers. This cross-border cooperation should help bring real improvements in prevention, treatment and management of diabetes in this catchment area”.

Welcoming the initiative, Dr Maurice O'Kane, Head of Research and Development, Western Trust, and C-TRIC, said: “The establishment of Atlantic-ACORD is another significant step forward in putting in place strong systems for research into prevention and treatment of diabetes. This will help us engage even more widely with experts both in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, which will lead to real benefits in how we understand and treat diabetes". It is planned to collaborate with other diabetes centres and work towards an all-island diabetes research network.

Federation of Infection Socities 2009 Award for Student at NUI Galway

Ms Fiona Boyle, a PhD student in the School of Medicine recently presented at the Federation of Infection Societies Meeting in Birmingham and was awarded the MSD award for the best research on ESBL's entitled "Characterisation of plasmids associated with a novel beta-lactamase phenotype (Cefepimase) in Salmonella Typhimurium".

The event was hugely successful and attracted over 700 visitors over the 3 day programme. Speakers at the conference included  Professor Neil Fergusson (MRC Centre for Outbreak Analysis and Modeling) and Dr Frank Rijsberman (Google.org) speaking on topics such as H1N1, MRSA and  Epidemics.  The event was broadcast on BBC and ITV channels in the UK.

The School would like to extend its graduations to Michelle on this fine achievement.

NUI Galway Lecturer wins Outstanding Young Person of the Year Award

Thursday, 21 May, 2009: Dr David Finn, Lecturer in Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Science Foundation Ireland Principal Investigator and co-director of the Centre for Pain Research at NUI Galway has received an award from Junior Chamber International (JCI) Ireland as one of Ireland’s outstanding young persons of the year aged 18-40 (TOYP). He was awarded winner of the Scientific Development category on the basis of academic and scientific achievements and community service/civic engagement in his research. David will now represent Ireland in this category in the World JCI TOYP competition.

By recognising the achievements of young people, JCI encourages them and others to seek excellence and serve others. It’s just one way that JCI contributes to preparing better leaders, who will create better societies. Awards are made in ten categories, which also include personal accomplishment; cultural achievement; political, legal and/or governmental achievement; and voluntary leadership.

Dr Finn, originally from Ballycahill, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, was nominated by JCI Galway for his contribution to neuroscience and pain research. Local president, Brenda Gannon says: “we are delighted to nominate a high calibre scientist and researcher from NUI Galway, and we have great hope for Dr Finn to succeed at the international event”.

On receiving the award in Dublin, Dr Finn addressed the audience about his work and gave significant note of thanks to past and present mentors, NUI Galway colleagues and collaborators, and the members of his research team.  Dr Finn also acknowledged research funding received from Science Foundation Ireland, the Health Research Board, the Higher Education Authority, the Irish Research Council for Science Engineering and Technology and the International Association for the Study of Pain.

For further information on Dr David Finn please click on the following link http://www.nuigalway.ie/pharmacology/Dr_David_Finn.html

    

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