Dr Catherine King
Burden of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection: an overview of reviews
Evidence Synthesis Ireland
Catherine King is a Specialist Registrar in Immunology, currently working in St James’s Hospital. She graduated from Trinity College Dublin in 2015 and completed her Basic Specialist Training in Galway University Hospital. She is particularly interested in the field of inborn errors of immunity and the role for bone marrow transplantation and gene therapy in management. She is looking forward to developing experience in evidence synthesis on this review with the aim of informing policy and practice.
Dr Sean Donohue
Burden of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection: an overview of reviews
Evidence Synthesis Ireland
Dr Seán Donohue is a specialist registrar in Infectious Diseases, and is currently working in St Vincent’s University Hospital. He received his medical degree from NUI Galway in 2017, and completed his basic specialist training in medicine in University Hospital Galway. He has an MSc in clinical research from the University of Galway, and has been involved in several research studies in the area of infectious diseases.
He is interested in severe acute respiratory infections (SARI), and is a member of the SARI surveillance team in St. Vincent’s University Hospital. He also has considerable clinical experience in managing patients with acute respiratory infection, including COVID-19, RSV, and influenza. He is looking forward to working with Evidence Synthesis Ireland to examine the impact of RSV.
Dr Nadra Nurdin
SARS-CoV-2 testing strategies to limit community transmission, morbidity, mortality and associated costs
Evidence Synthesis Ireland
Dr Nadra Nurdin is a Specialist Registrar in Infectious Diseases. She graduated from RCSI in 2016. She completed the Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene with the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in 2018. Following this she worked with an NGO delivering healthcare to indiginous communities in Panama.
She has been involved with numerous research projects including clinical trials, retrospective cross sectional studies, systematic reviews and service development projects. Nadra is particularly interested in preventative healthcare through policy on a global scale. She is looking forward to working with the research team on this evidence synthesis project to produce a high quality review with the aim to impact policy.
Dr Lena Murphy
SARS-CoV-2 testing strategies to limit community transmission, morbidity, mortality and associated costs
Evidence Synthesis Ireland
Lena Murphy is a Specialist Registrar in Occupational Medicine. She currently works in the Healthy Workplace Unit, Dublin North. She is a medical graduate of University College Dublin, where she also obtained a Bachelor of Medical Science. She completed a MSc in Infectious Diseases with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. She holds membership of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, membership of the Irish College of General Practitioners and licentiateship of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine. She is currently studying for membership of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine.
Dr Hannah O’Hara
Effectiveness of quality improvement strategies for type 1 diabetes in children and adolescents
Cochrane Endocrine and Metabolic Disease
Dr Hannah O’Hara is a General Practice trainee in Belfast. She graduated from Imperial College London in 2013 having completed an intercalated PhD where her research focussed on the neuroendocrine regulation of appetite. Whilst undertaking her General Practice training, Hannah commenced an Academic Clinical Lecturer post within the nutrition group in the Centre for Public Health, Queen’s University Belfast. Her research interests lie in how glucose tolerance in pregnancy relates to subsequent cardiometabolic risk, and in the modification of cardiometabolic risk factors in women with a history of gestational diabetes in the Primary Care setting.
Dr Neil Heron
What is the evidence on the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions aimed at the management and treatment of long COVID?
HIQA
Dr Neil Heron is a Clinical Lecturer in General Practice (GP) at Queen’s University Belfast, and is an NIHR Clinical Lecturer in GP at Keele University, England. Neil’s clinical work involves undertaking regular GP and Consultant in Sport, Exercise and Musculoskeletal Medicine (SEM) clinics, including diagnostic and interventional musculoskeletal ultrasound. His research interests are within primary and community care, cardiovascular disease prevention, musculoskeletal medicine and elite sport medicine. Neil regularly teaches under- and post-graduate students and is the 4th year medical student lead for fracture teaching.
Dr Sarah Dillon
Extending the age of eligibility for cancer screening services (BreastCheck or BowelScreen) in Ireland; review of clinical effectiveness of screening
HIQA
Dr Liam Kennedy
Cognitive behavioural therapy plus standard care for first episode psychosis
Cochrane Schizophrenia
Dr Daragh Bradshaw
Methods for deriving prediction intervals in meta-analysis and network meta-analysis and enhancing their clinical readability and uptake: A scoping review
SPOR Evidence Alliance
Dr Aislinn Conway
Developing and evaluating automation methods and tools in evidence synthesis
EPPI-Centre, UCL
Dr Matthew Blair
Interventions for post COVID Syndrome
Evidence Synthesis Ireland
Matthew Blair is a Specialist Registrar in Infectious Diseases. He graduated from University College Cork and completed his basic specialist training through the RCSI Hospital Group. He has been working on the front-line throughout the pandemic as an Infectious Diseases doctor. Matthew has a keen interest in research, particularly in the areas of evidence synthesis and clinical trials. During the pandemic, he was a sub-investigator on the SOLIDARITY, SOLIDACT and COVIRL trials. He is currently an MSc in Clinical Research candidate at the University of Galway. He was recently part of a research group at Evidence Synthesis Ireland that produced two systematic reviews on interventions for post COVID syndrome. He is looking forward to continuing this work as an ESI Fellow.
Dr Sean Whelan
Interventions for post COVID Syndrome
Evidence Synthesis Ireland
Dr Seán Whelan is a specialist registrar in Clinical Microbiology, currently working in Galway University Hospital. He graduated from University College Cork in 2018, having completed an intercalated degree in Neuroscience in 2016. He completed his internship in the RCSI intern network, winning the Lyons Medal in Medicine and Beaumont Prize. He then completed his Basic Specialist Training in Paediatrics and obtained MRCPI in 2021. He started training in Clinical Microbiology in 2021, and is undertaking a Diploma in Paediatric Infectious Diseases with the University of Oxford. He is looking forward to continuing working on as an ESI Fellow on the WHO reviews on the effect of vaccines and pharmacological interventions for management of post-COVID condition as further evidence emerges.
Dr Jennifer Ryan
Testing new methods for exploring contextual influencers within meta-analytic data in an Irish context
EPPI Centre, University College London
Jennifer Ryan is a Lecturer in the Division of Population Health Sciences at RCSI. Her first degree was a BSc (Hons) in Physiotherapy, which she completed in Trinity College Dublin. She received a PhD from Trinity College Dublin in 2014 and an MSc in Medical Statistics from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in 2017. She became a Fellow of Advance HE in 2015.
Jennifer’s research primarily focuses on chronic disease risk, physical activity and exercise interventions, and health services for people with cerebral palsy and other disabilities. Jennifer is currently Principal Investigator of projects examining transition from child to adult health services for young people with cerebral palsy in Ireland, the use of digital technology to deliver disability services remotely, and health services for adults with cerebral palsy.
Dr Ishanka Weerasekar
Developing and evaluating automation methods and tools in evidence synthesis
EPPI Centre, University College London
Dr Ishanka Weerasekara has a background in Physiotherapy and a particular interest in Evidence Synthesis into clinical and education research. She currently works as an Applied Research Fellow at Holmesglen Institute, Victoria, Australia and Adjunct Associate Lecturer to the University of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia and the University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. Her greatest passion is to promote ‘end-user engagement’ and ‘evidence-based research’ in medical and health science research.
Dr Richard Lombard Vance
A systematic review of resilience measures and their psychometric properties
Campbell UK & Ireland, Queens University Belfast
Richard is a Post-Doctoral Researcher at the Department of Psychology and Assisting Living and Learning Institute, Maynooth University. His research interests include cognitive, psychosocial, and participatory processes and outcomes in health, disability, rehabilitation, and enablement, how behaviour and environment interface with participatory healthcare, and evidence synthesis. He completed his PhD in neuropsychology and prosthetic and psychosocial rehabilitation outcomes for people with amputations at Dublin City University. He has subsequently worked as a lecturer and as a post-doctoral researcher on a range of projects, such as an evidence review of de-congregation for people with intellectual disabilities at Trinity College Dublin. At Maynooth, he has worked on psychological aspects—PROMs, cognition, behaviour—of projects focused on ageing and assistive technology.
He is delighted to have the opportunity to work with the Campbell UK & Ireland Team as an Evidence Synthesis Ireland Fellow, and to develop knowledge and skills in evidence synthesis.
Dr Selin Akaraci
What is known about the risk of transmission of COVID-19 within post-secondary institutions and the strategies to mitigate on-campus outbreaks?
National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools, McMaster
Dr Selin Akaraci is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Centre for Public Health, Queen’s University Belfast. Selin completed her PhD in public health at the University of Wollongong, Australia. She completed her Master’s degree in architectural design at Kumoh National institute of Technology, South Korea, and received her Bachelor’s degree in urban and regional planning at Yildiz Technical University, Turkey. Selin’s research focus brings public health, urban planning, statistics, and machine learning fields together. She has particular interest in understanding the complex interaction between built environment features and public health. She is currently engaging in various research projects with international collaborators to inform planning and public health policies to promote healthier cities. Also, she is investigating potential use of artificial Intelligence methods in review studies. Selin is very keen to enhance her skills in conducting evidence synthesis.
Dr. Amy Wong
Reviews: Home visiting for socially disadvantaged mothers; and Alternative therapies for children and young people with behavioural and emotional problems
Campbell UK & Ireland
Dr Amy Wong is a Lecturer in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Queen’s University Belfast. She has international experience in supporting students and educators in higher education. Amy completed her PhD study at The University of Queensland in Australia in 2019. Her PhD research explored the factors that influence examiner judgements of student performance and the effectiveness of providing examiners with feedback in a case study of competency-based assessment in medical education.
Amy has also trained as a secondary school teacher in special needs education. Her experience of supporting young people with special needs and their families made her realise the importance of co-constructing meaningful and relevant experience of evidence-based interventions to maximise success in every student’s personal and educational development.
Amy’s research focuses on promoting active engagement with evidence-informed teaching, learning and assessment practices. Her methodological expertise covers both quantitative and qualitative analyses. Amy also has broad experience in using co-design methodology to develop resources to support academic and clinical (practice) educators to make evidence-informed teaching, learning and assessment decisions. Her research interests include assessment, student support, faculty development, digital literacy and learning analytics.
Dr. Elayne Ahern
Review: Home visiting for socially disadvantaged mothers; and Alternative therapies for children and young people with behavioural and emotional problems
Campbell UK & Ireland
Dr. Elayne Ahern is a lecturer in the Department of Psychology at the University of Limerick. Her research is directed towards the enhancement of mental healthcare by incorporating neuro- and/or social psychological perspectives into prevention and recovery efforts. Related work has involved treatment cost-effectiveness, predominantly in evidence synthesis. Elayne was awarded an interfaculty Ph.D. in psychology with health economics at the University of Limerick in December 2020. Her doctoral research, funded under the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Programme, investigated the clinical and cost-effectiveness of neurocognitively-enhanced cognitive behavioural therapy for depression, utilising a range of research methods including evidence synthesis and trial-based intervention work. Elayne has collaborated as a visiting researcher at Dr. Dominic Trépel’s health economics lab in the Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin. Here, she assisted the completion of evidence synthesis work on the clinical and cost-effectiveness of neurorehabilitation for acquired brain injury. Currently, Elayne is a member of the GroWTH lab in the Department of Psychology where she engages in research as part of the ERC-funded project awarded to Professor Orla Muldoon on social identity and trauma.
Dr Eimear Morrissey
Tailored strategies to support implementation of healthcare interventions – Cochrane EPOC
NUI Galway and KU Leuven
Dr Eimear Morrissey is a postdoctoral researcher and project manager with the Health Behaviour Change Research Group at the School of Psychology at NUI Galway. She completed her PhD in Health Psychology in 2018. Her research centres on self-management of chronic disease, with a strong focus on Patient and Public Involvement. She has a special interest in intervention development and is currently managing the MIAMI study, which aims to develop and pilot an intervention to maximise medication adherence and minimise physician inertia to improve outcomes for people living with hypertension.
Ciara O’Meara
Occupational Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis – Cochrane review
Cochrane Multiple Sclerosis and Rare Diseases of the CNS
Ciara O’Meara is a Lecturer in General Nursing at the School of Nursing & Midwifery at the National University of Ireland Galway (NUIG). Ciara completed her undergraduate training at University College Cork and her expertise lies in the areas of cardiology and neurology, with a specific interest area in Multiple Sclerosis. Ciara is also a Registered Nurse Tutor, having completed her Masters in Health Sciences (Nursing Education) at NUIG. Her research thesis looked at ‘Parents’ Experiences of a Multiple Sclerosis Diagnosis in their young adult sons/daughters: An interpretative phenomenological approach’. Ciara is also a member of the recently established All Ireland Multiple Sclerosis Research Network (AIMS – RN). She brings experience and an enthusiasm for research, having worked at the Clinical Research Facility at University Hospital Galway with the Neurovascular Studies Cluster. Ciara has also completed a Masters in Applied Behaviour Analysis & Autism at the University of Georgia USA, where her interests focused on early intervention, social skill development and vocabulary acquisition through the use of instructive feedback.
Dr Aileen Conway
A suite of rapid, living evidence syntheses with the University of Ottawa, for the Irish Dept. of Healths Expert Advisory Group on Rapid Testing (RTEAG)
University of Ottawa
Dr Aileen Conway is a Specialist Registrar in Infectious Diseases currently working at St Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin. She completed her medical degree at University College Dublin and obtained MRCPI in 2020. Aileen has an M.Sc. in Biotechnology (Research) from Dublin City University and an M.Sc. in Molecular Pathology from Trinity College Dublin.
Prior to her career in medicine, Aileen worked in the clinical diagnostic industry developing assays for infectious diseases bringing these to clinical trials, full-scale production and FDA/CE mark approval. Aileen also has diagnostic clinical laboratory experience having worked at the National Virus Reference Laboratory (NVRL) with a particular focus on Viral Haemorrhagic Fevers (Ebola virus, Lassa virus), Arboviruses (West Nile, Dengue), SARS-CoV-1 and potential pandemic Influenza strains (H5N1, H7N9) and other emerging infections.
Aileen is looking forward to working with the team reviewing current evidence which will help inform policies associated with SARS-CoV-2.
Dr Rhea O’Regan
A suite of rapid, living evidence syntheses with the University of Ottawa, for the Irish Dept. of Healths Expert Advisory Group on Rapid Testing (RTEAG)
University of Ottawa
Dr Rhea O’Regan graduated from Queen’s University Belfast in 2014 and began her clinical training in Glasgow. She subsequently moved to Australia and after becoming a member of the Royal College of Rural and Remote Medicine, gained extensive clinical experience working with Indigenous communities throughout rural Queensland.
She began specialist training in Infectious Diseases in 2020 and has recently completed a Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene with the University of Glasgow.
In 2018, she secured pharmaceutical grant aid which was used to improve clinical services for patients living with HIV in Shinyanga, Tanzania. Rhea is passionate about improving healthcare outcomes in this corner of East Africa through both inservice training and mentoring provided during periodic visits to Shinyanga, as well as the development of telemedicine platforms offering remote support to district staff.
Dr Paul Reidy
Rapid, point‐of‐care antigen and molecular‐based tests for diagnosis of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and prioritised review of the impact of testing strategies with the World Health Organisation
University of Birmingham, Cochrane COVID-19 Diagnostic Test Accuracy Group
Dr Paul Reidy is a medical doctor currently in his third year of Higher Specialist Training in Infectious Diseases, at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital in Dublin. He has a long-held interest in global health and policy having undertaken an intercalated BSc in International Health at University College London, in addition to a Master’s Degree in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.
He has previously completed an internship at the World Health Organisation in Geneva working on health issues linked to trade and foreign policy. Alongside a clinical interest in emerging infections, he has a particular interest in the implementation of health policy and working on understanding and overcoming the barriers that are encountered.
Dr Jennifer Walsh
Rapid, point‐of‐care antigen and molecular‐based tests for diagnosis of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and prioritised review of the impact of testing strategies with the World Health Organisation
University of Birmingham, Cochrane COVID-19 Diagnostic Test Accuracy Group
Dr Jennifer Walsh is a specialist registrar in Clinical Microbiology currently working at The National Virus Reference Laboratory. She graduated from University College Cork in 2012 and was awarded the Medical Intern of the Year. She subsequently completed Medical Basic Specialist Training at the Mater Hospital, Dublin.
Jennifer began her specialist training in Clinical Microbiology in 2017. She has won awards for research in the area of multidrug resistant pathogens and the investigation of meningitis. She has published works in relation to COVID-19, antimicrobial stewardship and prosthetic joint infection.
She is a fellow of The Royal College of Pathologists and a member of The Hospital Infection Society’s trainee committee.
Dr Aaron Doherty
Rapid, point‐of‐care antigen and molecular‐based tests for diagnosis of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and prioritised review of the impact of testing strategies with the World Health Organisation
University of Birmingham, Cochrane COVID-19 Diagnostic Test Accuracy Group
Dr Aaron Doherty is completing higher specialist training in Clinical Microbiology. Aaron graduated from University College Cork in 2013. He obtained MRCPI in 2015, and completed basic specialist training in general medicine in 2016. He obtained FRCPath(UK) in Clinical Microbiology in 2020.
He is currently working as a Clinical lecturer with the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland and has commenced a MD in the area of novel anti-infective agents. He has experience in clinical audit and research, presenting and publishing both nationally and internationally. He is the Irish trainee representative for his specialty at the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, and the outgoing representative for Clinical Microbiology trainees in Ireland. Through the pandemic Aaron has worked in adult and paediatric centres, as well as the National Virus Reference Laboratory.
He looks forward to working with the team to establish and assimilate the best current evidence relating to SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics.
Dr Conor Moran
Pharmacologic treatments for COVID-19 for hospitalized patients: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.
COVID-NMA, Cochrane France
Conor Moran is a medical graduate from NUI Galway. After completing his basic medical specialist training in the Mater Hospital, Dublin he undertook a diploma in Tropical Medicine in Liverpool. During 2019-2020 he worked as the HIV/TB medical activties manager with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), in South Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He is now completing specialist training in Infectious Diseases and General Medicine in Dublin. He is also undertaking a part-time Masters in Public Health with the University of Edinburgh.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Conor has extensive clinical experience managing COVID-19 patients as well as helping to implement local guidelines and protocols. He is interested in infectious diseases, global health and health inequities, and is excited to work with an expert international group, develop his evidence synthesis skills and contribute to emerging evidence that may be effectively applied to inform decision-making in this ongoing pandemic.
Dr James Foley
Cognitive training for prevention of cognitive impairment in adult intensive care unit (ICU) patients
Cochrane Emergency and Critical Care
Dr James Foley is a Specialist Registrar in Emergency Medicine currently working in St. Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin. He received his medical degree from University College Dublin in 2013 and commenced specialty training in Emergency Medicine thereafter. He was recently awarded the Fellowship of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine and is currently undertaking a Masters in Sports and Exercise Medicine at the University of Bath.
James has experience in clinical audit and quality improvement and has collaborated on large multi-centre international research projects. In 2017 he was awarded the Irish Association of Emergency Medicine Research Bursary for his work on cycling trauma in Ireland. Recently, he co-founded the Irish Trainee Emergency Research Network (ITERN) which aims to provide research opportunities through collaborative project creation. This network has successfully completed two multi-site studies to date, improving access to research for Emergency Medicine trainees in Ireland. He looks forward to developing skills in evidence synthesis and dissemination, and to working with the esteemed academic team on this review.
Dr Prabhath Piyasena
What are the risk factors for glaucoma progression? A prognostic review
Queen’s University Belfast
Dr Mapa Prabhath Piyasena is a post-doctoral research fellow in public health ophthalmology at Centre for Public Health – Queen’s University Belfast since 2020. He obtained his medical degree (MB BS) and Diploma in Nano-Science (PgDip NSNT) from the University of Peradeniya and trained in Clinical Ophthalmology and Vitreo-Retinal Surgery as a Postgraduate In-service Ophthalmic Medical Officer under the Post Graduate Institute of Medicine of Sri Lanka.
His major research interest is in the area of diabetic eye screening using digital retinal imaging in low and middle-income countries. He was the first Sri Lankan scholar to complete a Doctorate in Public Health Ophthalmology. Dr. Piyasena is currently pursuing an academic career in Public Health Ophthalmology, with a special interest in evidence synthesis and policy analysis and development in global eye health. He has a strong desire to generate high-quality evidence to tackle avoidable blindness globally, informing policy. The ESI fellowship will be a strong foundation for his career pathway.
Dr Mika Mannenien
Effectiveness of school-based tobacco and alcohol use prevention programs: umbrella review
University of Newcastle, Australia
Mika Manninen is an Assistant Professor of Physical Education in the School of Health and Human Performance at Dublin City University. He received his BSc and MSc in Physical Education from the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, in 2012 and 2014. After receiving his master’s degree, he worked for two years as a Physical Education and Health Science teacher in two High Schools in Helsinki, Finland. In 2016, he started his doctoral studies at The University of Georgia with an emphasis on Physical Education and Exercise Psychology. In his doctoral studies, which ended in Spring 2019, he focused on Self-Determination Theory-based need-supportive instructional strategies and their effect on student motivation, emotion, and skill performance.
His current research interests revolve broadly around effective teaching practices and, in particular, their meaning for student motivation and learning. In addition, Mika is well-versed in meta-analytic methodology and is involved in several ongoing systematic review projects ranging from motor skills to mood states and health. Besides Finland, the USA, and Ireland, Mika has lived and worked in Norway and Switzerland.
Dr Theo Ryan
Care bundles for use in maternity care: A scoping review
Trinity College Dublin
After completing his bachelor’s degree in Natural Science and subsequent Ph.D. in organic chemistry in Trinity College Dublin, Theo worked as a Research Fellow in the University of Bern on the multi-step synthesis of nucleotide analogues capable of recognising DNA and RNA. Theo then undertook positions in industrial research and development with Schering-Plough and Henkel. Theo later undertook his pharmacy degrees in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and worked in community pharmacy practice, and as a pharmacist with Leo Pharma.
Theo commenced as an Assistant Professor (Practice Educator) in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Trinity College Dublin in 2015 and then as Assistant Professor (Teacher Practitioner) in 2017, while continuing to practice part-time as a community pharmacist. His role as Practice Educator involved collaborating with pharmacists across all pharmacy sectors to secure and quality assure experiential learning placements for students as part of Trinity’s 5-year integrated M.Pharm programme, as well as his teaching and research commitments. His current role as Assistant Professor (Teacher Practitioner) involves teaching across all years of Trinity’s M.Pharm programme at undergraduate and post-graduate level. Theo’s pharmacy practice research interests span community pharmacy practice development
Dr Clare Reynolds
Topical anti-inflammatory treatments for atopic eczema: a network meta-analysis
Cochrane Skin
Clare Reynolds is an Assistant Professor at the School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, University College Dublin. She was awarded a PhD from the School of Public Health, UCD in 2009. Prior to returning to UCD, Clare worked as a Research Fellow at the Liggins Institute, University of Auckland. Clare’s current research centres on the identification of molecular targets which influence early life risk factors for obesity in offspring born to parents who are obese or consume a Westernized diet. Her research incorporates dietary and exercise-based intervention strategies during critical early life time-points (pregnancy, lactation and infancy) to examine the potential for reversal of negative health implications in the offspring. Recent work has examined the role of maternal diet on offspring skin wound healing ability. These research themes are addressed using small animal models of diet-induced metabolic dysregulation accompanied by immunological, biochemical and molecular methodologies along with birth cohort data to investigate the relationships between parental BMI/diet and childhood health. Clare coordinates and lectures on several modules within the School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, UCD. Clare is excited about expanding her skills and knowledge of skin disorders and the methodologies around evidence synthesis during this fellowship.
Dr Aoife Egan
Living systematic review in Diabetes Quality Improvement
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Aoife M. Egan, M.B., B.Ch., Ph.D., is a Consultant Endocrinologist and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Her clinical focus is on the management of diabetes mellitus and obesity with a particular interest in these conditions before, during and after pregnancy. In addition to her clinical work, Dr Egan is a scholar on the Mayo Clinic-National Institutes of Health K12 Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health (BIRCWH) program. Her research investigates the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes in women with a focus on the role of pregnancy and gestational diabetes mellitus.
Dr Egan is a graduate of the National University of Ireland, Galway (Medicine 2007, PhD 2017) and completed her postgraduate medical training with the Royal College Of Physicians of Ireland (Basic Specialist Training 2010, Higher Specialist Training 2017) and at Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minnesota (Endocrine Fellowship 2020). Aoife piloted the first ESI Fellowship and now joins a new model of living evidence synthesis Fellowships.
Professor Fidelma Dunne
Living systematic review in Diabetes Quality Improvement
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Fidelma Dunne is a Professor in Medicine at the National University of Ireland, Galway (NUI Galway) and a Consultant Endocrinologist at Galway University Hospitals group. She obtained her medical degree from NUI Galway, MD from UCC, PhD from the University of Birmingham UK, Masters in Medical Education from the University of Dundee Scotland and Masters in Clinical Research from NUI Galway. She was the Foundation Head of the School of Medicine (2009-2013), is Associate Director of the Clinical Research Facility at NUI Galway and is currently an executive board member of the Irish Medical Council (IMC) (2013-present). Professor Dunne is a member of the Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Group (DPSG) of the EASD and is the current President of the International Association Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Groups (IADPSG) 2016-2021. She was a Fulbright scholar for 2014-2015 at Columbia University New York and is an adjunct professor to the Steno Diabetes Research Centre in Odense, Denmark (2020-2025).
Her major research interest is in the area of pregnancy and diabetes with >220 peer review publications, 8,900 citations and H index of 49 with >15m euro in grant funding. Recently she has been the Irish lead for a pan European cohort study examining pregnancy outcomes of women with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes (EVOLVE) and the EXPECT study examining Degludec (Tresiba) insulin in women with Type 1 Diabetes in pregnancy, both sponsored by NovoNordisk. Finally, she is working with colleagues in the INSPIRED group on developing Core Outcome Sets (COSs) for use in Diabetes in Pregnancy.
Dr Neil Hyland
Systematic Review of Clinical Effectiveness and Safety of Metabolic Surgery for the Treatment of T2D
HIQA
Dr Neil Hyland is a medical graduate of NUIG from 2015. After three years in Wellington, New Zealand, training in emergency medicine he returned to Ireland in 2019 completing a Master’s in Public Health (Global) in Queen’s University Belfast and returning to the Junior A hurling fields. His dissertation researched health spending and economic factors in lower and higher income countries and their relationships with health outcomes.
He has since begun his Basic Physician Training in the Galway University Hospital. His recent research fields include Covid 19 in patients on non-invasive ventilation as well as an evaluation of EBUS procedures for lung cancer detection in the West of Ireland. He plans to apply for the Higher Specialist Training in Public Health next year.
Dr Deirdre Mulholland
Knowledge translation interventions for facilitating evidence-informed public health decision-making among managers and policy-makers
Cochrane Public Health
Dr Deirdre Mulholland, graduated from Trinity College Dublin, and trained and worked as a GP on Dublin’s north side and as a community doctor and Regional HIV coordinator for the Eastern Region. She undertook further training in the Speciality in Public Health Medicine. In 2008, Deirdre took up a position as Head of Standards with HIQA where she led on the development of The National Standards for Safer Better Healthcare. Deirdre was also Deputy Chief Medical Officer in the Department of Health, led the development of a National Healthcare Quality Reporting System and was a member of the National Clinical Effectiveness Committee. She was appointed a Consultant in Public Health Medicine working in HSE Dublin East in July 2015 with a particular focus and interest in patient safety, governance, health service quality improvement and reform.
As Director of Public Health for the HSE Dublin East, Deirdre has led the public health response to the COVID19 Pandemic in the Eastern Region since early 2020 until Feb 2021 when she was appointed the Interim Clinical Lead for Health Protection, Knowledge, Evidence and Quality Improvement in the National Office for Health Protection, HSE. The remit for this role includes the development of standards, guidance and guidelines for Health Protection in Ireland and the development and implementation of quality improvement initiatives.
Dr Aoife Murray
Thrombolysis for acute ischaemic stroke
Cochrane Stroke
Dr Aoife Murray graduated from the School of Medicine at NUI Galway in 2015 and worked as a clinician for 4 years. She holds a MSc in Healthcare Ethics and Law from RCSI and is a BioInnovate alumna (Pg Dip). Her master’s thesis examined the evidence-base and ethics of dysphagia interventions in the nursing home population.
In conjunction with her clinical training, Aoife has continuously participated in research and audits in both clinical and laboratory-based areas. She completed a summer research internship examining the relationship of the microbiome and autoimmune diseases at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester.
Aoife completed the BioInnovate Fellowship programme in NUI Galway, where she learned to combine her clinical experience, research knowledge, and her passion for problem-solving, to develop solutions that improve patient outcomes. She co-led the successful rapid implementation of ‘ICU Familylink,’ a bespoke video-conferencing system for families in the critical care department in UHG, during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Aoife is currently a Research Associate in the Health Innovation via Engineering Lab (HIVE Lab) in NUI Galway, working on a CÚRAM funded study in telemedicine while completing her MD. Her research interests include telehealth, stroke and geriatrics, and healthcare ethics in the older person.
Dr Anne Johnston
Supporting children and adults with autism spectrum disorders: an evidence and gap map
Ulster University
Dr Anne Johnston is currently a Research Officer at Praxis Care and a Visiting Scholar at Queen’s University Belfast. She graduated with a BSc Hons in Health, Physical Activity and Sport from Stranmillis University College and was recently awarded a PhD from Ulster University. Anne’s doctoral research focused on developing and testing a school-based multi-component walking intervention for children with intellectual disabilities. Anne has a number of publications and has presented her work internationally. Her research interests include physical activity, intellectual disability, mental health and autism.
Dr Bearach Reynolds
COVID-19 Variants of Concern – A rapid scoping review and living evidence synthesis
Dalhousie University
Dr Bearach Reynolds is a medical doctor, currently working in Infectious Diseases. Bearach graduated from Trinity College Dublin in 2017. He has worked in Ireland and the UK, including Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London and Beaumont Hospital, Dublin. His areas of interest are Infectious Disease, Public Health and Health policy. He is currently undertaking an MSc in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Bearach has extensive clinical experience managing patients with Covid-19 and has presented research on the virus nationally. He is looking forward to working with a highly respected academic team to develop reviews that can have an immediate and sustained effect on policy.
Dr David Roche
Ultrasound guidance versus anatomical landmarks in neuraxial anaesthesia in adults
Cochrane Anaesthesia
Dr David Roche is a specialist registrar in anaesthesiology and Intensive care medicine. He received his medical degree from the University of Limerick graduate entry medical school and completed his internship at Limerick University Hospital prior to commencing specialist Anaesthesia training with the college of Anaesthesiologists of Ireland in 2015. He holds professional qualifications from the college of anaesthesiologists and the joint faculty of intensive care medicine of Ireland and has received awards for his clinical work both in anaesthesiology and Intensive care medicine.
David has experience in clinical audit and has been involved in the recruitment of participants for large international randomised controlled trials. He has recently co-authored one of Cochrane’s first scoping reviews, which was prioritised by the WHO to update clinical guidance on COVID19.
Dr Elaine Meehan
Factors that influence the decision-making process of adults in relation to pandemic vaccination uptake
University of Limerick
Dr Elaine Meehan is a Research Fellow at the Ageing Research Centre, University of Limerick. With a background in Public Health, Elaine completed her PhD at the University of Melbourne, investigating the use, costs, accessibility, and organisation of healthcare services for children with cerebral palsy. Prior to joining the Ageing Research Centre, Elaine worked as a Post-Doctoral researcher at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Melbourne, and more recently, at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork.
Elaine has worked on a broad range of population-based and health services research studies, primarily related to disability and ageing. Her current research explores unmet healthcare needs and inequities in access to healthcare for adults with disabilities and the effect that this has on morbidity and premature mortality in this group. Elaine is particularly interested in clinical databases and registries, and utilising data linkage methodologies to maximise the utility of health-related data.
Dr Karen McConnell
Video-based interventions for promoting positive social behaviour in children with autism spectrum disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Campbell UK & Ireland
Dr Karen McConnell is a postdoctoral researcher in the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queen’s University Belfast (QUB). She holds a BSc (Hons) in Physiotherapy from Ulster University and completed her PhD at QUB. Her doctoral research evaluated upper limb management in children with cerebral palsy. Prior to joining QUB as a postdoctoral researcher, she worked as a statistician for the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, and clinically as a specialist paediatric physiotherapist.
Karen’s research interests include trends in the prevalence and characteristics of cerebral palsy over time, the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions for the cerebral palsy population, and patient and public involvement in research. Karen is currently working on the Northern Ireland Cerebral Palsy Register, a confidential register of children with the condition born in Northern Ireland since 1977 or living in the area since 1992.
Dr Lisa O’Byrne
A suite of prioritised systematic reviews in ENT
Cochrane Ear, Nose and Throat
Dr Lisa O’ Byrne is a full time surgical trainee currently working in St Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin. After graduating from Trinity College Dublin in 2017, she began her early post graduate training in St James Hospital, Dublin and subsequently The Royal London hospital where Lisa developed a particular interest in Otolaryngology. She was awarded a Masters in Surgery (MCh) at NUI Galway in 2020.
Lisa has won multiple awards for her research across the UK and Ireland and has published works in the areas of Gastrointestinal surgery and Otolaryngology. Her work has been presented both nationally and internationally. Her research interests include and are not limited to simulation training in Otolaryngology, Dysplasia in Barrett’s Oesophagus, Tonsillectomy and Vertigo in Older age.
Dr Charlotte Silke
What are relevant, feasible, effective approaches to promote acceptance, uptake and adherence to physical distancing measures for COVID-19 prevention and control?
Cochrane Consumers and Communication Review Group
Dr Charlotte Silke, is a postdoctoral researcher at the UNESCO Child & Family Research Centre. She holds a BA in Psychology and a Structured PhD in Child & Youth Research from the National University of Ireland (NUI), Galway and an MSc in Applied Forensic Psychology from the University of York. Prior to joining the UNESCO Child & Family Research Centre, Charlotte worked as a postdoctoral researcher with the School of Psychology in NUI, Galway. Charlotte has carried out extensive work in the area of child and youth development, where her research primarily centres on exploring effective methods for promoting positive social and emotional development among young people.
Dr Sean O’Connor
Strategies to disseminate chronic disease prevention programs in community settings
University of Newcastle, Australia
Dr Sean O’Connor is a physiotherapist and researcher at the Centre for Public Health, Queen’s University Belfast. Sean completed a PhD investigating physical activity-based self-management interventions for chronic musculo-skeletal pain disorders. He has since worked on studies exploring the development and evaluation of digital interventions in various chronic illness populations. This includes current projects looking at secondary prevention of cardiovascular risk through lifestyle modifications. Sean has an interest in theory-based implementation models for maximising integration of evidence into practice, as well as in systematic review methods, including methodological quality / risk of bias assessment, and the examination of stakeholder perspectives. Sean is looking forward to working with an expert international group, developing his systematic review skills, and contributing to evidence that can be effectively applied to inform decision-making in a public health context.
Dr Sarah Jane Flaherty
Maternity care during COVID 19 – A qualitative evidence synthesis of i) women’s and ii) midwives’ views and experiences
Trinity College Dublin
Sarah Jane is a Health Information Research Officer with HIQA and was postdoctoral researcher at University College Cork. With a background in Nutritional Sciences and Public Health, she completed her PhD as part of the SPHeRE PhD Programme at the School of Public Health, University College Cork. During her doctoral research, she examined the individual experience of food purchasing behaviour change using a health app with a specific focus on women from a lower socioeconomic background. She subsequently worked in the School of Nursing and Midwifery where she was involved in a variety of systematic reviews including international approaches to the collation, collection, and reporting of serious patient safety incidents; international practice in relation to the development of clinical audit standards; and barriers and facilitators to cancer genetic testing and counselling. Prior to her PhD, she worked in the public and community sectors where she was engaged in a broad range of projects that aimed to inform health service delivery and support population health. Sarah Jane is looking forward to drawing on her previous experience while building skills in relation to evidence synthesis to shape policy and practice and guide future research in the area of maternity care.
Dr Kumar Cithambaram
Use of physiological track and trigger/maternity early warning scores in maternity practice: A qualitative evidence synthesis of clinicians’ views
Trinity College Dublin
Kumaresan Cithambaram is a Lecturer in Nursing at the Queen’s University Belfast. Kumar completed his primary degree in India and relocated to Ireland in 2003. His clinical experience is predominantly caring for adults and older adults with intellectual disabilities, and the provision of palliative and end of life care. Over the past 14 years, he worked as a staff nurse, clinical nurse manager one and clinical manager 2 in an intellectual disability service. He completed his PhD in 2017 at the Dublin City University under the direction of Dr Mel Duffy and Dr Eileen Courtney. The title is entitled “Preserving Self in the Face of Death and Dying: a grounded theory of the end of life care needs of people with intellectual disabilities”. This study included the perceptions of both service users and family members to explore the end of life care needs of people with intellectual disabilities. Kumar’s research focuses on the areas of intellectual disabilities, specifically, palliative and end of life care and older people with intellectual disabilities. His methodological area of expertise is the qualitative method.
Dr Leonor Rodríguez
Campbell UK & Ireland
Dr. Leonor Rodríguez is a postdoctoral researcher at the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre, National University of Ireland (NUI) Galway. She has experience in health and clinical psychology working with families, children and adolescents who experience chronic illness and completed a Maters in Clinical and Health Psychology in her native Costa Rica. Leonor completed her PhD in the School of Psychology, NUI Galway; her PhD dissertation was titled, ‘Understanding adolescent adjustment to maternal cancer: A study of personal experiences and psychological factors that promote adjustment’. As a postdoctoral researcher in the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre, Leonor has carried out research and evaluation in the area of children and family support for the Irish Child and Family Agency as well as with Rethink Ireland with an emphasis on programmes to promote mental health in children and adolescents. Leonor is interested in research methodologies, research ethics, data analytics and the translation of research findings into policy and practice to improve well-being and promote social change.
Dr Emmanuel Umama-Agada
Effect of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy on First Episode Psychosis
Cochrane Schizophrenia
Dr Emmanuel Umama-Agada is a consultant Adult Psychiatrist with the Community Mental Health Team in Longford, Westmeath Mental Health Service since 2019. He graduated from College of Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, Nigeria. Following completion of Basic Specialist Training with the Mater/University College Dublin scheme in Psychiatry, he went on to complete a Dual Higher Specialist Training in General Adult Psychiatry and Intellectual Disability Psychiatry with the College of Psychiatry, Ireland. During his Higher Specialist Training he completed a research study with Professor Brendan Kelly at Tallaght University Hospital looking at involuntary admission of psychiatric patients across three hospitals in Dublin over an eleven year period (Mater Miscericordiae Hospital, Beaumont Hospital and Tallaght University Hospital) with several publications. He also completed an original research study where he completed a 5 Year Review of A Multidisciplinary Team Epilepsy Outreach Clinic In An Intellectual Disability Service, Dublin, Republic Of Ireland, winning a 2nd prize at the 58th Mind and Brain Neuropsychiatry conference in Pula, Croatia. He is currently completing an LLM in Legal Aspect of Medical Practice at the Cardiff University, Wales.
Dr Ciaran Corcoran
Effect of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy on First Episode Psychosis
Cochrane Schizophrenia
Dr Ciaran Corcoran is a full-time consultant psychiatrist working in rehabilitation psychiatry in Longford, Westmeath. He graduated from University College Galway in 1995 and after the Mater/University College Dublin scheme in psychiatry completed his higher training in North East of England . He has been a consultant in St Loman’s Hospital since 2008. Following 6 months as a registrar in forensic psychiatry in the Central Mental Hospital, Dublin, he completed a combined clinical and research post with Dr Veronica O’Keane (and subsequently Professor Kieran Murphy) in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin. His research work involved examining the efficacy of a new device, a vagus nerve stimulator, in treatment resistant depression, as well as a series of neuroendocrine studies. Ciaran also completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Cognitive Therapy. His research gave him an interest in resistant mood disorders and he then went on to work in the affective disorders service in Newcastle, which cares for patients with severe resistant chronic depression, bipolar disorder and schizoaffective disorder.
Simone LePage
Audit and feedback: effects on professional practice and healthcare outcomes
Cochrane EPOC
Simone graduated with a biology degree from the University of South Florida in Tampa, FL. She has an M.Sc in Biology from Texas A&M University in College Station, TX; a nursing degree from Columbia University in New York; and a higher diploma degree in midwifery from the National University of Ireland, Galway. Her biology research experience ranges from marine resource and mammal conservation to the protein structures involved in neuromuscular function in vertebrates.
Simone has clinical experience in high dependency neurology nursing as well as intensive care nursing. Her research interests include maternal and neonatal well-being throughout the continuum of pregnancy, birth, and the post-partum periods, women’s health and health equity, and implementing health policy change based on up to date evidence. She plans on practicing as a midwife and pursuing a Ph.D.
Dr Martina Giltenane
Audit and feedback: effects on professional practice and healthcare outcomes
Cochrane EPOC
Martina is a Lecturer in Nursing at the National University of Ireland, Galway and an Adjunct Lecturer in University College Dublin. Martina graduated as a Registered General Nurse from the Institute of Technology Tralee in 2007 and a Public Health Nurse from NUI Galway in 2010. Martina completed a Master in Health Sciences (Specialist Nursing) at the National University of Ireland, Galway in 2013 and completed a PhD Scholarship at University College Dublin in 2019. Martina’s research focuses in fields of public health nursing, metric development, quality measurement and improvement. Her methodological areas of expertise are in qualitative, ‘modified Delphi’ and mixed methods. Martina had various nursing and project management roles within the Health Service Executive, most recently developing and implementing Nursing and Midwifery Quality Care-Metrics and implementing the National Healthy Childhood Programme.
Dr Jennifer Fortune
The relationship between social isolation and falls in older adults: A scoping review
Knowledge Translation Team, Unity Health Toronto
Dr Jennifer Fortune is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), Dublin. She holds a BSc (Hons) and PhD in Physiotherapy both from Trinity College Dublin. Prior to joining RCSI, she worked as a postdoctoral research fellow at Brunel University London and Trinity College Dublin. Jennifer’s research interests include physical activity, exercise and their role in the management of neurological conditions and disability. She is particularly interested in the application of behaviour change theory to increase physical activity, reduce sedentariness, and improve health behaviours for people with disability. Jennifer is currently working on a HRB funded study examining transition from child to adult health services for young people with cerebral palsy living in Ireland.
Dr Daragh Bradshaw
Evidence and Gap Map: Early childhood interventions in low and middle income countries
Campbell UK & Ireland
Daragh Bradshaw is a researcher in psychology at the University of Limerick. Daragh’s research explores topics such as identity, parental incarceration, discrimination, as well as interventions aimed at supporting children developing in risky environments. Daragh has worked extensively within disadvantaged, marginalised and vulnerable communities in national and international contexts, with a focus on supporting positive childhood development. Daragh’s work emphasises the role of positive family and community support in protecting developing children from future behavioural, psychological and educational difficulties.
Dr Therese McDonnell
A systematic review of healthy eating interventions delivered in early childhood and education care settings to improve the dietary outcomes of children less than 6 years
Cochrane Public Health
Dr. Thérèse McDonnell is an economist and post-doctoral researcher at the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin (UCD). She currently works on the CUPID Project which is assessing the patterns, outcomes, decision making processes and parental preferences associated with paediatric healthcare utilisation in Ireland, with a specific focus on the impact of the introduction of free GP care for children aged under 6 years. Thérèse completed her PhD on the impact of maternal employment and childcare on child health and development in UCD in 2017 and subsequently worked as a Postdoctoral Lecturing Fellow with the UCD School of Economics. Prior to commencing her research career, she worked as a chartered accountant in the financial services and non-profit sectors.
Dr Gary Mitchell
Interventions for social isolation in older adults who have experienced a fall: A systematic review
Knowledge Translation Team, Unity Health Toronto
Gary is a lecturer at Queen’s University Belfast. He is a registered nurse with significant clinical & academic experience in care of older people, nursing education, care homes, dementia, frailty, delirium, palliative care, oncology, quality improvement & mixed-methods research. Gary has published a book, written over 50 peer-reviewed articles in healthcare journals & presented at a range of international conferences. Gary is also a non-executive director of Age NI, a dementia-friendly community champion for the Alzheimer’s Society, awarded the title of Queen’s Nurse by the Queen’s Nursing Institute & was named as Nurse of the Year by the British Journal of Nursing in 2016.
Dr Orlagh O’Shea
Regular treatment with formoterol and an inhaled corticosteroid versus regular treatment with salmeterol and an inhaled corticosteroid for chronic asthma: serious adverse events
Cochrane Airways
Dr Orlagh O’Shea is a lecturer in the School of Physiotherapy in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Orlagh is a chartered physiotherapist and co-editor of the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists journal: Physiotherapy Practice and Research. Orlagh has a specific interest in respiratory care, her PhD explored the feasibility and fidelity of a physical activity intervention for people with COPD. She then spent some time working in the Northern Ireland Clinical Research Network, respiratory division, coordinating research trials involving cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis patients. Orlagh is now the module coordinator for the respiratory and cardiovascular modules in the School of Physiotherapy. Orlagh is excited to enhance her skills and knowledge of evidence synthesis and the optimal management of asthma.
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Dr Margarita Corry
Comparative effectiveness of influenza vaccines in adults 65 years of age and older: a systematic review and network meta-analysis
Knowledge Translation Team, Unity Health Toronto
Dr Margarita Corry is an academic member of staff in the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin. She is a registered general nurse, registered nurse teacher, and specialised in neurological/neurosurgical nursing. She has extensive clinical and educational experience providing teaching, research supervision and leading on programmes at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. Her research interests focus on the development and testing of complex interventions to support both people with acute and chronic illnesses and their caregivers.
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Dr Juliette O’Connell
Defensive Medicine: a systematic review of qualitative evidence
EPPI-Centre
Dr Juliette O’Connell is a registered pharmacist and Assistant Professor in Pharmacy Practice in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Trinity College Dublin. Juliette completed her BSc (Pharm) in Trinity College and MPharm in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and qualified as a pharmacist in 2014. She worked in community pharmacy, with a special focus on providing medication services to people with an intellectual disability, prior to commencing her doctoral research in 2016. Her PhD focused on data from the Intellectual Disability Supplement to the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (IDS-TILDA). Her areas of research interest include medication burden and associations with adverse effects, physical function and frailty in older adults with intellectual disability. In addition, Juliette co-ordinates and lectures on several modules within the School of Pharmacy.
Dr Orla Fennelly
Implementation of artificial intelligence in healthcare: a scoping review
Unity Health Toronto
Dr. Orna Fennelly is a chartered physiotherapist and post-doctoral researcher at the Insight Centre for Data Analytics and the School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, University College Dublin (UCD). Orna completed her PhD on the evaluation of a national physiotherapy-led health service initiative in orthopaedic and rheumatology services using a mixed methods approach. Most recently, Orna has been working on a number of projects with collaborators across the Health Service Executive (HSE) and UK National Health Service (NHS). These projects respectively aim to synthesise the available literature related to the implementation of an electronic health record (EHR) and the capture of clinical data within an EHR resulting in several reports and key considerations, and to evaluate the implementation of a technology-enhanced waiting list management system across several hospitals. Additionally, Orna co-ordinates and lectures on several modules within the School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science and continues to work as a clinical physiotherapist. With a keen interest in leveraging digital technology and data to augment health services, as well as informing the development and optimisation of such technologies based on the most up-to-date literature, Orna is very excited to continue developing her skills in evidence synthesis during this fellowship.
Dr Maria Noonan
Physiological track and trigger/early warning systems for use in maternity care
Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group
Maria Noonan is a lecturer at the Department of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Limerick since 2006. She is a registered midwife and registered tutor and has worked in a variety of clinical settings in midwifery and as a midwife tutor in the University Maternity Hospital Limerick. Maria’s clinical interests lie in women’s psychological health and care during the continuum of pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood. Maria’s research plan centres around the following themes: midwives and Public Health Nurses’ knowledge perceptions and practice in relation to perinatal mental health, development of effective assessment strategies for student midwives and student midwife education.
Dr Olga Cleary
Exploring the Existence of Gender Inequity with an Intersectionality Lens in Academic Health Care, Health Sciences and Health Policy and Interventions to Optimise Gender Equity
Unity Health Toronto/Joanna Briggs Institute
Dr. Olga Cleary is a PhD graduate in Health Services Research with over fifteen years’ experience working across health research, policy and practice sectors. Dr. Cleary examined the prevalence and patterns of multimorbidity in an Irish population for her PhD studies and has been working on integrated care in the Irish health services since 2017. She has strived to embed healthcare policy reform in national health programmes, most recently in her role as Senior Programme Manager on the Integrated Care Programme for the Prevention and Management of Chronic Conditions under the Office of the Chief Clinical Officer in the Health Service Executive. She is currently engaged in Primary Care Development in South East Community Care (HSE) and holds an Adjunct Teaching Fellowship at the Centre for Health Policy and Management, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin.
Dr Kwok Ng
Strategies for enhancing the implementation of school‐based policies or practices targeting risk factors for chronic disease
Cochrane Public Heath
Dr Kwok Ng is a postdoctoral researcher at the Physical Activity for Health Cluster and Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Limerick. At UL, his main research area is on health and health behaviours during early adolescence through the Healthy Ireland Demonstration Project (HIDP) led by Professor Catherine Woods (UL) and Professor Donal O’Shea (St. Vincent’s University Hospital, UCD). A core area of the HIDP is the school-based policies and practices for reducing sedentariness, increasing physical activity and improving healthy eating and health literacy. Dr Ng is also a member of the Finnish Health Behaviour in School-aged Children Study – a WHO collaborative study – where he is the co-chair of the chronic conditions and disability working group. He has led chapters in Finnish national Physical Activity reports in relation to young adolescents with long term illnesses and disabilities. Dr Ng is the Vice-President of the European Federation of Adapted Physical Activity (EUJAPA) and the European Representative of the International Federation of Adapted Physical Activity (IFAPA) since 2015. Dr Ng serves as an editor of open access journals BMC Public Health, European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity and Injury Epidemiology.
Dr Michael Connolly
Communication Between Healthcare Professionals And Patients Regarding End Of Life Care
Cochrane Consumers And Communication Group
Michael Connolly was appointed Joint Associate Professor of Clinical Nursing at UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems and Our Lady’s Hospice and Care Services. Michael qualified as a Registered General Nurse in 1992 and has worked mainly in acute medicine, older person care and palliative care. He graduated from the Milltown Institute in 1998 with a BA (Hons) degree in Philosophy and from UCD in 2002 with an MSc (Nursing) (Education). He completed his doctoral research with the UCD Equality Studies Centre.
Michael began working in UCD in July 2001 and is currently the Programme Director for the Graduate Diploma/MSc in Palliative Care and is Head of Subject of Adult General Nursing at UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems. Michael has considerable experience in palliative care education and research and was centrally involved in the development of the Palliative Care Competence Framework (2014).
Samantha Dick
Digital Interventions In Drugs And Alcohol Prevention And Treatment: A Systematic Review Of Research And Service Provision
EPPI-Centre
Samantha holds a BSc in Public Health from University College Cork, and an MSc by research from the Health Information Systems Research Centre at University College Cork. Her thesis examined randomised controlled trials as a method of evaluating mobile health interventions.
Samantha is currently working as part of a multi-disciplinary team on the development of a digital behaviour change intervention for illicit substance use among third level students.
Dr Aoife Egan
Rapid Review On The Effects Of Recreational Cannabis Use In Patients With Diabetes
Unity Health Toronto
Dr Aoife Egan graduated from the School of Medicine at NUI Galway in 2007. She completed her clinical training in General Medicine and Endocrinology in 2014 and was awarded a PhD from NUI Galway in 2017. The title of her doctoral thesis was “The Importance of a Continuum of Care Before, During and After Pregnancy in Women with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes along the Irish AtlanticSeaboard”.
Aoife is currently working as a fellow in the Division of Endocrinology at Mayo Clinic Rochester, USA dividing her time between clinical and research activities.
Dr Jenny McSharry
Scoping Review On Knowledge Acquisition Assimilation And Use At The Organizational Level
Unity Health Toronto
Dr Jenny Mc Sharry is a lecturer in the School of Psychology and Assistant Director of the Health Behaviour Change Research Group (HBCRG) at the National University of Ireland, Galway. Jenny is a chartered Health Psychologist and current chair of the Psychological Society of Ireland Division of Health Psychology. Jenny’s research uses systematic evidence synthesis and intervention development approaches to explore and target behaviour change in healthcare. Jenny has a particular interest in implementation science, and the application of behaviour change to promote the uptake of research into practice. Through an Irish Research Council New Foundations Grant, Jenny led on the development of IMPlementation science Research NeTwork (IMPRNT) to develop implementation science capacity in Ireland.
Jenny has received a number of awards in recognition of her work including the Psychological Society of Ireland Division of Health Psychology Hannah McGee Excellence in Research and Practice Award (2017), the European Health Psychology Society Early Career Award (2015) and the Psychosocial Aspects of Diabetes Early Career Researcher Travel Award (2015).
Dr Hannah Delaney
Mobile-Based Technologies To Support Client To Healthcare Provider Communication And Management Of Care
Cochrane Effective Practice And Organisation Of Care
Dr Hannah Delaney is an experienced mixed-methods researcher with expertise in both qualitative and quantitative methods. She is a Post-Doctoral researcher with the HRB-Trials Methodology Research Network at NUI Galway and Trinity College Dublin. Prior to this Hannah worked as a Senior Researcher on the health policy team at the Scottish Centre for Social Research in Edinburgh, where she led multiple studies relating to: health behaviour, alcohol and tobacco control, and research with children and young people.
Hannah obtained her PhD from the University of the West of England in 2016, her research in active travel behaviours explored the experiences and sharing practices of cyclists and pedestrians on shared-use paths; through in-depth interviews, video ethnographies and on-site surveys.
Hannah is currently working on a 3-year HRB funded study where she is applying her health research skills and mixed-methods experience to trial methodology, specifically trial recruitment. The TRAIN study (Training tRial recruiters; An educational INtervention) will develop and evaluate an education and training intervention for recruiters to randomised trials.
Ciara Gleeson
Pulmonary Rehabilitation For Adults With Asthma
Cochrane Airways Australia
Ciara Gleeson has over 20 years clinical experience as a physiotherapist. She works as a Clinical Specialist in the multidisciplinary Respiratory Assessment Unit in St. James’s Hospital Dublin. The service offers comprehensive chronic respiratory disease care from exacerbation through to stable disease management including the delivery of a hospital-based PR programme.
Ciara has a postgraduate Diploma in Statistics and a MSc Physiotherapy both from Trinity College Dublin (TCD). She has led initiatives such as a joint Hospital/ community based PR programme and lectured at undergraduate and postgraduate level in TCD on chronic respiratory disease management. She has clinical audit and research skills along with experience in the dissemination of research findings at national and international conferences. She looks forward to developing skills in evidence synthesis and the fantastic mentorship opportunity with the high quality review team that this Fellowship offers.
Dr Paul Macdaragh Ryan
Quality Improvement Strategies For Diabetes
Cochrane Effective Practice And Organisation Of Care
Dr. Paul M Ryan is a researcher within the Centre for Research in Vascular Biology and a medical trainee (MB BCh BAO) in his final year of study within the School of Medicine in University College Cork. He holds a PhD in Microbiology, examining the interaction between the gut microbiome and host cardiometabolic function, as well as the influence of commonly prescribed hypocholesterolemic and anti-diabetic therapeutics on the gut microbiome.
Dr. Ryan contributes to ongoing research exploring the gut microbiome and bile acid metabolism in the context of heart failure in a porcine model of metabolic syndrome. He currently has 23 peer-reviewed publications with 290 citations, as well as nominations and awards relating to research and its dissemination.
Dr Pauline Meskell
Adult Specialist Services For Victim-Survivors Of Sexual Violence And Abuse
EPPI-Centre
Pauline is a senior lecturer in the Department of Nursing and Midwifery, EHS Faculty at the University of Limerick. Pauline’s research interests lie in the areas of self-management of chronic diseases including renal disease, Ageing, Dementia, outcome measurement, and Evidence Synthesis. She has been involved in both Cochrane and non-Cochrane systematic reviews and qualitative evidence syntheses.
Pauline has expertise in mixed method research having been involved in research studies using mixed methodology. Pauline has a keen interest in gaining experience and developing expertise in mixed method evidence synthesis and is really looking forward to working as a member of the mixed method synthesis team.
Dr Dervla Kelly
Lecturer in the Graduate Entry Medical School
University of Limerick
Dervla Kelly is a lecturer in the Graduate Entry Medical School at the University of Limerick and part time community pharmacist. Dervla graduated with a B.Sc. in Pharmacy and a PhD in Epidemiology from Trinity College Dublin. She has been a postdoctoral research fellow at New York University. Her research interests are in the area of safe and effective use of medicines, including antibiotics, medication for mental health conditions and primary care medication management initiatives. She is one of the leads of Patient Perspectives arm of the UL Cancer research cluster at the University of Limerick.
