ICAT Cohort 7 Fellows
Cohort 7 ICAT Fellows (2023)
Dr Alison Lee
Clinical Specialty: Veterinary Pathology
Dr. Alison M. Lee graduated from UCD’s School of Veterinary Medicine in 2013. She also completed an intercalated BSc degree in Veterinary Pathology from the Royal Veterinary Hospital College from 2010-2011. After spending a year practising veterinary medicine in the UK, she completed a residency in Anatomic Pathology in UCD from 2015 to 2019. In 2019, she became a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists and achieved her Doctorate in Veterinary Medical Specialisation. Her ICAT research project will examine the potential role of oral gram-negative bacteria in contributing to the development of feline oral squamous cell carcinoma through toll-like receptor signalling pathways.
PhD research area: Feline oral squamous cell carcinoma and the impact of toll-like receptors 2 and 4 and feline oral bacteria on tumour cell behaviour and growth
PhD Supervisors: Prof. Gary Moran, Trinity College Dublin; Prof. Hanne Jahns, University College Dublin; Prof. Ann Hopkins, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences
Trinity College Dublin
PhD research area: The effects of antipsychotics on human glial cells, neuroinflammation and demyelination
PhD Supervisors: Prof. Kumlesh Dev, TCD; Prof. Aiden Corvin, TCD
Trinity College Dublin (TCD)
Dr Catherine Duane
Clinical specialty: Clinical Haematology
Dr Catherine Duane is a Specialist Registrar in Haematology. Catherine graduated with a degree in Medicine from RCSI and holds a BSc in Human Health and Disease from Trinity College Dublin, for which she was awarded a Trinity College Gold Medal. Catherine worked as a Clinical Lecturer in Medicine in RCSI and completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Medical Education, in addition to completing Basic Specialist Training in General Internal Medicine and obtaining Membership of the Royal College of Physicians. As an ICAT fellow, Catherine will utilise a multi-omics approach to characterise the tumour microenvironment in patients with high-risk multiple myeloma, with the aim of identifying potential targets for cellular therapies.
PhD research area: Characterisation of High-Risk Multiple Myeloma and an Exploration of CAR-Cellular Therapeutics in this Cohort
PhD Supervisors: Professor Siobhan Glavey, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences; Prof. Michael O’Dwyer, University of Galway; Dr Irene Ghobrial, Harvard Medical School
RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences
Dr Eithne Nic an Ríogh
Clinical Specialty: Nephrology
Dr Eithne Nic an Ríogh graduated from University College Dublin in 2018 with a degree in medicine. Eithne completed an Academic Track Internship and postgraduate clinical training in the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital. In 2021 she was appointed to a specialist training post in Nephrology. As an ICAT fellow, Eithne is looking forward to exploring personalised medicine in autoimmune disease, focusing on relapse prediction in ANCA Associated Vasculitis.
PhD research area: Identification of Autoimmunity Reversal in ANCA Vasculitis
PhD Supervisors: Prof Mark Little, Trinity College Dublin; Prof. Alan Salama, University College London; Prof. Arthur White, Trinity College Dublin; Prof. Matthew Griffin, University of Galway
Trinity College Dublin
Dr Lisa Kiely
Clinical Specialty: Dermatology
Dr Lisa Kiely is a Specialist Registrar in Dermatology. She graduated from Medicine in 2016 from the University of Limerick and holds an honours Bachelor Degree (BSc) in physiology from University of Galway. She is completing a master’s degree in clinical education with Queens University Belfast and is an Adjunct Clinical Lecturer with University College Cork. Lisa has a particular interest in novel methods of diagnostics in dermatology. As an ICAT fellow, Lisa will explore new methods for the diagnosis and monitoring of localised scleroderma (Morphea).
PhD research area: Imaging Morphea – Advancements for Diagnosis and Intensive Evaluation
PhD Supervisors: Dr Mary Bennett, University College Cork; Prof. Aaron Golden, University of Galway; Dr Heidi Jacobe, UT Southwestern Medical Center; Dr Conor Judge, University of Galway
University College Cork
Dr Louise Kelly
Clinical Specialty: Clinical Microbiology
Dr Louise Kelly graduated from University College Cork in 2018, followed by the Academic Track Internship at Cork University Hospital. She subsequently completed Basic Specialist Training in General Internal Medicine in Beaumont Hospital prior to her appointment to the Clinical Microbiology Higher Specialist Training Scheme in 2022.
PhD research area: Invasive Group A Streptococcus: changing epidemiology and optimising management
PhD Supervisors: Dr Sinead O’Donnell, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences; Dr Peter Barrett; University College Cork; Dr Mark Davies, University of Melbourne
RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences
Dr Vincent Healy
Clinical Specialty: Neurosurgery
Dr Vincent Healy graduated from the Royal College of Surgeons in 2016 and completed his BST and early HST years in Beaumont Hospital. Vincent holds degrees in Surgery (MCh.) and Structural Molecular Biology (MSc.). As an ICAT fellow, Vincent will explore the synergistic mechanisms at the intersection of gliomagenesis and epileptogenesis, to understand how glioma-related epilepsy and glioma progression might be disrupted.
PhD research area: Interrogation of Mechanisms of Epileptogenesis in Glioma
PhD Supervisors: Prof. Mark Cunningham, Trinity College Dublin; Mr Kieron Sweeney, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences
Trinity College Dublin
Dr Nicola Raftery
Clinical Specialty: General Surgery
Dr. Nicola Raftery is a General Surgical SpR with a special interest in Upper GI surgery. She graduated as a scholar of Trinity college in 2018 with an intercalated MSc in Immunology and went on to complete her internship and initial SHO year in St. James Hospital, Dublin. She then went on to complete the Surgical CST, gaining her membership of RCSI (MRCSI) before commencing the HST in General Surgery in 2022. As an ICAT fellow, Nicola hopes to explore novel methods of detecting tumour molecular status in oesophagogastric cancers.
PhD research area: Advancing Precision Medicine in Oesophagogastric Cancer: Molecular Profiling and Liquid Biopsy Strategies for HER2 Characterisaion
PhD Supervisors: Prof. John Reynolds, Trinity College Dublin; Ms Claire Donohue, St James’s Hospital; Ms Jessie Elliott, Trinity College Dublin; Dr Mark Ward, Trinity College Dublin; Dr Richard Turkington, Queen’s University Belfast
Trinity College Dublin
Dr Sophie Duignan
Clinical Specialty: Paediatric Cardiology
Dr. Sophie Duignan graduated from University College Dublin in 2014 and is currently a Specialist Registrar in Paediatric Cardiology with a special interest in fetal echocardiography and advanced imaging techniques. As an ICAT fellow, Sophie plans to explore the use of novel imaging techniques and machine learning to improve antenatal diagnosis and prognostication of congenital heart disease.