Dr. david p. Finn

Background

Dr David Finn is a Lecturer in Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Science Foundation Ireland Principal Investigator, and Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Centre for Pain Research at NUI Galway.  Dr Finn graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Biotechnology from NUI Galway in 1997 and a PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Bristol in 2001.  From 2001 to 2004, Dr Finn worked as a Post-doctoral Research Fellow at the Institute of Neuroscience, University of Nottingham.  In 2004, he was appointed to a Lectureship in the Department of Physiology, NUI, Galway and took up his current position as Lecturer in Pharmacology in January 2007. 

The overall aim of Dr Finn’s research is to increase our understanding of the neurobiology of pain and psychiatric disorders including anxiety and depression. 

Dr Finn is a recipient of the President of Ireland Young Researcher Award from Science Foundation Ireland, the Wyeth Award for outstanding research in Preclinical Psychopharmacology from the British Association for Psychopharmacology and the Pain Research Medal from the Irish Pain Society. 

Dr Finn sits on the Council of the Biomedical Sciences Section of the Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland, the Council of Neuroscience Ireland and is a member of the International Cannabinoid Research Society, the Society for Neuroscience, the International Association for the Study of Pain and the British Association for Psychopharmacology.  He is Co-Director of the Centre for Pain Research ( http://www.nuigalway.ie/centre_pain_research/) and Leader of the Neuroscience Cluster ( http://ncbes.eurhost.net/neuroscience.aspx) at the National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Science (NCBES).  In addition to directing his research programme, Dr Finn teaches a range of Pharmacology topics to undergraduate and postgraduate science and medical students.

Summary of Research Interests

The overall objective of Dr Finn’s research is to increase understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the development and treatment of pain, inflammation, mood disorders and impaired cognition.  This work is concerned with elucidating the role of a number of different receptor types (cannabinoid, opioid, adrenoceptor, imidazoline, serotonin, vanilloid, N-type Ca²channels) in mediating and modulating behavioural, neurochemical and neuroendocrine responses relevant to pain, anxiety, depression and cognition. An integrative, whole systems neuroscience approach is employed, combining behavioural models with in vivo and ex vivo measurement of neurotranmitters, lipids (e.g. endocannabinoids), proteins or genes (e.g. cytokines, receptors, enzymes, signal transduction molcules, immediate early genes and transription factors) in discrete brain regions and assessment of hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis function.  This research, which is funded from a number of competitive sources including Science Foundation Ireland, the Irish Health Research Board, the Higher Education Authority, IRCSET and Industry (e.g. Covidien, Alkermes) aims to make a significant contribution to the knowledge-base on pain and stress-related psychiatric disorders and support the development of novel therapeutic agents for their treatment.

Research Techniques

Behavioural models of pain, inflammation, aversion and cognition; Systemic and central administration of drugs; In vivo microdialysis; HPLC; Liquid chromatography  with tandem mass spectrometry for measurment of endocannabinoids and related lipids; In vitro receptor autoradiography and [³⁵S]GTPyS autoradiography; ELISA; Western blotting; Radioimmunoassay; Radiometric enzyme activity assays;  In situ hybridisation; Immunohistochemistry.

Link to Recent Publications

CURRENT LAB MEMBERS

Post-doctoral researchers:                                                                                                                                           
Dr. Kieran Rea (2006-present)
Dr. William Devane (2011-present)
Dr. Bright Okine (2011-present)
Dr. Orla Moriarty (2007-present)

Post-graduate students: 
Yvonne Lang (2008-present)
Dara Bree (2011-present)
Elaine Jennings (2011-present)
Manish Kumar Madasu (2012-present)

Research Assistant:
Fiona McGowan (2012-present)

PREVIOUS LAB MEMBERS
Dr. Michelle Roche (2005-2008)
Dr. Ryan Butler (2006-2009)
Dr. Gemma Ford (2005-2011)
Dr. Karen Smith (2006-2009)
Dr. Weredeselam Olango (2008-2012)
Dr. Cliona O'Mahony (2011-2012)
Jacqueline O'Connor (2010-2012)

Contact details
Dr. David Finn
Pharmacology and Therapeutics
National University of Ireland, Galway
University Road
Galway
Ireland

Phone:             +353-91-495280
Fax:                 +353-91-495586
E-mail:             david.finnnuigalway.ie

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