Alumni Awards 2022

ALUMNI AWARDS 2022 ALUMNI AWARDEES

Every year, RCSI recognises six outstanding alumni, conferring on them RCSI’s highest honours, the Alumni Awards. Exemplary role models, RCSI Alumni Awardees for 2022 inspire all those who aspire to have an impact on healthcare and society

When the Alumni Awards 2020 became a casualty of restrictions imposed by the global pandemic, little did we expect that these same conditions would prevail in 2021 and in 2022. For the third year running, the University acknowledged its awardees virtually. e Awardees, one from each of the six Schools, were chosen on the basis of their extraordinary accomplishments in their own eld that have contributed to patient welfare and the business of healthcare, and have also enhanced the reputation of the University globally.

Alumni from all over the world were invited to nominate classmates and peers. Written submissions were assessed by a panel of judges led by RCSI Vice Chancellor and CEO, Professor Cathal Kelly; Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic A airs, Professor Hannah McGee; Professor Arnold Hill (Medicine); Professor Suzanne McDonough (Physiotherapy); Professor Tracy Robson (Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences); Professor Zena Moore (Nursing and Midwifery); Professor Darran O’Connor (Postgraduate Studies) and Sara McDonnell (Graduate School of Healthcare Management).

Aíne Gibbons, RCSI Director of Development and Alumni Relations said: “We are delighted to honour the recipients of these awards, our distinguished alumni who share an alma mater and are united by their experience at RCSI. From research to health equity to community practice – our Awardees are making signi cant contributions toward the betterment of human health. e awards have particular resonance because the nominations come directly from RCSI’s alumni community.”

RCSI ALUMNI AWARDS 2022 SPONSORS

■ School of Medicine: Lifetime Achievement Award supported by Medical Protection Society ■ School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences: Research & Innovation Award supported by Novartis ■ School of Physiotherapy: Positive Global Impact Award supported by Physiologix ■ School of Nursing & Midwifery: Humanitarian & Community Award supported by WaterWipes ■ School of Postgraduate Studies: RCSI Ambassador Award supported by HealthTech Ireland ■ Graduate School of Healthcare Management: RCSI Rising Star Award supported by Gloss Publications

ALUMNI AWARDEES 2022

1. Professor Tarik Massoud 2. Dr Sorca O’Brien 3. Jennifer Thornton-Jones 4. Gwen Regan 5. Professor Niamh Nic Daeid 6. Dr Ben Ryan

5. 2.

Lifetime Achievement Award

PROFESSOR TARIK MASSOUD

School of Medicine CLASS OF 1984

Rising Star Award

DR SORCA O’BRIEN

Graduate School of Healthcare Management CLASS OF 2021

Professor Tarik Massoud is Professor of Neuroradiology and Director of the Laboratory of Experimental and Molecular Neuroimaging (LEMNI), Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford University School of Medicine, which is dedicated to cutting-edge innovations in molecular neuroimaging and brain theranostics. He is an academic clinician-scientist with interests in molecular and translational imaging of the brain especially in neuro-oncology and cerebrovascular diseases, neuroradiological anatomy, research education and academic training of radiologists and scientists.

Trained in radiology and neuroradiology in Oxford, UCLA and Michigan, Tarik is a Fellow of the Royal College of Radiologists and holds a research MD from NUI in experimental neuroimaging, as well as a University of Cambridge PhD in molecular imaging and biology. From 2000 to 2013, he was a senior academic neuroradiologist at Cambridge before moving to Stanford University to establish a research programme in molecular imaging of glioblastoma. In 2019, he received the Distinguished Investigator Award from the Academy of Radiology Research, USA.

Tarik created the Stanford Initiative for Multimodality Neuroimaging in Translational Anatomy Research (SIMITAR) to conduct hypothesis-driven research in clinical neuroimaging anatomy and is the senior co-editor of six books and editor-in-chief of Reports in Medical Imaging.

He has published extensively on the construction of targeted nanoparticles that carry therapeutic microRNAs. A recent exciting adaptation of this work has been the modi cation of gold nanoparticles to carry RNA or DNA encoding the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus for respiratory mucosal immunisation. He is currently focusing on further pre-clinical refinements of this vaccine prior to first-inperson testing.

Tarik’s interest in clinical anatomy dates back to his love of the subject as an undergraduate. “Professor Moira O’Brien was a Reader in anatomy during my pre-clinical years at RCSI – a superb but tough teacher. I knew a er those years under her tutelage that I wanted to be a surgeon so I could continue to enjoy anatomy. Little did I know that I would end up choosing academic neuroradiology as my career, or that I would still, a er all these years, consult her outstanding teaching notes in neuroanatomy.” Tarik also cites Professor David Bouchier-Hayes whom he wanted to emulate as an academic clinician-scientist.

Tarik says he is indebted to RCSI for the exceptionally strong biomedical foundation it created and for sowing the seeds of curiosity that shaped his subsequent research and innovation career in academic medicine: “ is is an enormous and quite unexpected honour from an institution that I vastly cherish, and to which I am indebted for many of my career successes.” Dr Sorca O’Brien received her medical degree from Queen’s University Belfast in 2010 following completion of an Honours Bachelor of Science Degree in 2004 and a Masters in Physiology in 2006 at University College Dublin. She completed Foundation Training in the NHS before returning to the Irish training system and specialising in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. She achieved membership of the Royal College of Physicians Ireland in 2014 and the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology UK in 2019. She has recently completed a Masters in Leadership with RCSI Graduate School of Healthcare Management, funded by a scholarship awarded by the 30% Club.

Sorca received her Certi cate of Completion of Specialist Training from the Royal College of Physicians Ireland and the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. She joined Merrion Fertility Clinic as an ASPIRE Fellow in Fertility and is a member of the British Fertility Society. She has a special interest in endometriosis-related subfertility and is particularly passionate about equitable access to fertility care. Her MD research focuses on the integration of assisted reproduction technology into the public hospital system.

“ e Masters in Leadership has been an excellent springboard for my current clinical role in the ASPIRE Fellowship in Fertility. A major part of the role involves research in development of a novel clinical service. e coverage of innovation, institutional culture and clinical leadership has given me the tools, skills and con dence that are necessary, not only for my current role, but for all future and potential roles ahead. It completely challenged my academic abilities and forced me to take a di erent approach to higher learning.” Sorca mentions how Dr Margaret Boland, Honorary Senior Lecturer at the Graduate School of Healthcare Management at RCSI, was a central gure in her learning experience. “Dr Margaret Boland, my supervisor and mentor for the thesis process, provided support and encouragement throughout and in a non-directive way managed to guide me to the nish line. She was open and approachable throughout, despite her own professional commitments. She really made herself available to us, above and beyond what might have been expected.”

Sorca says she is thrilled and surprised to receive the Rising Star Award. “It honestly feels a bit surreal to be nominated for and be selected to receive such an award. e class was full of amazing scholars. ere were so many assignments that were group oriented; other students improved my learning exposure as a result. I feel every one of them deserves an award and I would love to share this with them. e Masters highlighted that the main barriers to achievement in life are the ones we place on ourselves. ose barriers are moveable, with time and e ort. Goals are there to be achieved, aspirations are to be realised.”

Positive Global Impact Award

JENNIFER THORNTON-JONES

School of Physiotherapy CLASS OF 2013

RCSI Ambassador Award

PROFESSOR NIAMH NIC DAEID

School of Postgraduate Studies CLASS OF 2012

Jennifer Thornton-Jones is an APTA Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Women’s and Pelvic Health and Oncologic physiotherapy who works at Duke University Health System in Durham, North Carolina. She graduated from University of California, San Diego in 2007 with a BSc in Psychology before a postgraduate BSc in Physiotherapy from RCSI in 2013.

“Being exposed to a wide variety of electives and clinical experiences helped me to discover my passion for women’s health early on, and I graduated with a strong desire to specialise in this area of physiotherapy,” says Jennifer. “I looked up to Louise Keating and Dr Helen French, as they both have professional careers which are multifactorial, including elements of travel, research, and business ownership. Maeve Whelan, a guest lecturer, helped to spark my passion for women’s health and pelvic oor rehabilitation and Fiona Campbell, one of my clinical instructors in the fracture clinic at Cork Hospital, was so inspiring.”

Jennifer is Co-Director of the Women’s Health Physiotherapy Residency Programme and a Clinician Educator for the Duke DPT programme, assisting with teaching the Women’s Health elective. Her clinical focus is in pelvic oor and core muscle disorders leading to bladder, bowel, and sexual dysfunction, pre- and post-natal rehabilitation as well as rehabilitation in patients with breast, gynecological and colorectal cancers. She has helped develop multi-disciplinary clinics within Duke, including the Sexual Health Clinic for Survivors of Women’s Cancers and the Ventral Hernia Repair Clinic. She works on a multi-disciplinary task force focused on improving care, expanding healthcare access, and decreasing maternal morbidity and mortality for birthing at Duke. She is a certi ed lymphedema therapist and yoga teacher. She serves as a peer reviewer for the Journal of Women’s Health Physical erapy. Prior to working at Duke, she worked in Ireland at a number of private practices and at St Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin and served as the ISCP coordinator for the VHI Women’s Mini Marathon and Dublin Marathon.

She is passionate about improving holistic healthcare within the medical system, increasingly focusing on women’s health rehabilitation programme development, quality and patient access, and improving education and advocacy surrounding women’s health needs. “At RCSI, I de nitely received great exposure to all areas of physiotherapy, which ultimately helped me determine the right path for myself. ere is much more to do to improve recovery for patients a er pregnancy and delivery and oncological treatment, and receiving the Positive Global Impact Award is an encouragement to continue to pursue a higher standard of care for patients. It was a big surprise, and a huge honour. Many talented medical professionals have gone through the doors of RCSI, so it is humbling to be recognised among such a group.” Professor Niamh Nic Daeid holds two of its most senior positions at the University of Dundee – Director of the award-winning Leverhulme Research Centre for Forensic Science and Professor of Forensic Science/Director of Research in the Centre for Anatomy & Human Identification, the world’s leading research centre in forensic science/anthropology.

Niamh graduated in 1989 from DIT/TCD with a BSc in Chemistry and Mathematics. She completed her PhD at RCSI in bio-inorganic chemistry under Professor Kevin Nolan in 1993. “Professor Kevin Nolan taught me how to be a research scientist,” she says. “RCSI is a unique and special place because of its size and because of its truly international outlook. It embodies professionalism while embracing equality, diversity and inclusion.”

After her PhD, Niamh worked as an environmental consultant before being appointed Lecturer in chemistry at Strathclyde University where she established an international reputation in forensic science/drug research, education and professional development. She was rapidly promoted to Senior Lecturer, then Reader and finally Professor in 2011, the first female professor in natural sciences at Strathclyde in 218 years. Niamh was elected Fellow of the very prestigious Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2016.

Niamh has an international reputation in the areas of clandestine drug chemistry, fire investigation and explosives. She has also been involved at the highest level in policy and practice committees in forensic science with the UN, the UK Chartered Society for Forensic Science, INTERPOL and the International Criminal Court. She is a leading proponent of the practice and professionalisation of forensic science in the UK.

Niamh runs a large multidisciplinary research group dedicated to drug and forensic science research, working closely with practitioners, including appeal court and supreme court judges, across the criminal justice system. She has supervised over 20 PhD students, published over 132 peer-reviewed research papers, edited six books and made numerous international conference presentations. Recently she co-chaired a landmark meeting at the Royal Society in London and acted as a guest editor for the Royal Society’s Philosophical Transactions Special Issue. She recently featured on BBC Radio 4’s A Life Scientific. “My work now deals primarily in bringing science and operational practice together to address real world problems of relevance to the investigation of alleged criminal activities. To do that we need a common understanding of what scientific analysis can achieve and where the limitations are. My time at RCSI instilled the need to be able to communicate complex science to audiences from different disciplines so we are all on the same page. I am truly humbled by this award and enormously proud to be selected as an RSCI ambassador.”

Humanitarian & Community Award

GWEN REGAN

School of Nursing and Midwifery CLASS OF 2011

Research & Innovation Award

DR BEN RYAN

School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Science CLASS OF 2009

Gwen Regan is the HSE Director of Nursing Infection Prevention and Control in Community Healthcare: Quality and Patient Safety. Gwen’s work is focused on supporting healthcare workers to improve the control of healthcare-associated infection and antimicrobial resistance in the community and to bring a more consistent approach to infection prevention and control and antimicrobial stewardship practice across the country. With a wealth of experience in community infection prevention and control, general nursing, primary and community care, nurse practice development and advanced nursing practice, Gwen’s outstanding contribution had a particularly signi cant impact during the COVID-19 pandemic, where Gwen provided infection prevention and control expertise to the COVID-19 response in Dublin North City and County.

When Gwen quali ed from the School of Nursing in Beaumont Hospital in 1994, there were very few nursing jobs in Ireland and she worked in London for a few years, obtaining a Diploma in Neuroscience Nursing. On her return, she worked in the Mater Private and St James’s Hospital, studied for a BSc in Management at night, and also worked for a private company as an auditor on clinical trials before being drawn to community nursing. “ is year marks my 20th year in the community: I can honestly say it is where I will be for the rest of my career.”

She returned as a postgraduate student to RCSI in 2009 while working as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Infection Prevention Control (IPC) in Dublin North City and County just as the H1N1 pandemic began, graduating in 2011 with a postgraduate Diploma in Infection Prevention & Control. “At that time, there were a few IPCNs dotted around the country, all individually doing great work, but very little joined-up work or standard practice. e Diploma was very exciting – at last I was networking with peers with the same interest and passion for the subject. Community IPCNs were still a fairly new development at that time – we challenged our teachers when the focus appeared to lean too much towards the acute setting, but they were open to learning from our experience across services such as mental health, intellectual disabilities, nursing homes and homecare.”

Gwen is the rst person to hold the role of Director of Nursing Infection Prevention and Control in Community Healthcare: Quality and Patient Safety. “We now have nine highly quali ed Assistant Directors of Nursing leading IPC services across each Community Healthcare Organisation. We have also recruited a team of CNSs and CNM2s to support the ADONs IPC, working alongside IPCNs who are sharing their wealth of knowledge and experience with newer sta . Many completed their specialist training at RCSI.

“Nurses have demonstrated their exibility, dedication and ability to constantly adapt to evolving evidence and practices. Nurses are senior healthcare leaders and should speak up to improve care for our patients,” says Gwen. “It has been a privilege and joy for me to work across community services over the past 20 years. Receiving this award is an incredible honour, and I am very grateful to the RCSI for choosing me as a recipient.” Dr Ben Ryan is Senior Lecturer in Pharmacology in the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences at RCSI and also Head of the Neuropsychoendocrinology Research Group. In 2021 he was appointed as Programme Director of the BSc (Advanced erapeutic Technologies) degree, which will take its rst students in September 2022. His research interests focus on depression with particular emphasis on how endocrinological dysfunction may contribute to treatment-resistant depression. Ben is a Pharmacy graduate of RCSI, and also holds a PhD in Neuropharmacology and a BA (Mod) in Biochemistry from Trinity College Dublin.

“When I began my pharmacy degree in 2005, the School of Pharmacy had recently been established. Professor Judith Strawbridge was the Programme Director for the BSc (Pharmacy) programme. Her willingness to consider students as partners in the education process was evident and ahead of its time. Judith set very high academic standards but also focused on the pastoral aspects of a university education. In my new role I hope to emulate Judith, to deliver an exceptional student experience in a supportive and welcoming university environment.”

Ben has a student-centric approach to education. “As a student at RCSI, I experienced rst hand the positive impact of undertaking a degree programme in a healthcare institution focused on delivering an exceptional student educational experience, preparing us for future professional practice,” he says.

Ben established an independent research group in neuropsychopharmacology, which has achieved signi cant research funding. He has supervised PhD students and Masters students to completion; his students have been very successful in their careers. He has developed collaborations with colleagues within the University and collaborative industry-academic research as well as providing extensive service to the School of Pharmacy through numerous educational leadership roles.

Ben’s role as Academic Liaison O cer was also vital in establishing key clinical partnerships to deliver hospital experiential learning for students, summer work experience opportunities and enhanced teaching and research. He credits RCSI with preparing him well for collaboration. “ e importance of collaboration, diversity and respect in achieving meaningful work or life-related goals has always resonated with me.”

Ben has been an RCSI ambassador at careers fairs, TY MiniMed programmes, Primary Level STEM programmes and open days. Responsible for the design and development of Graduate and Mature Entry open days, he continues to deliver on this important aspect of student recruitment, in keeping with his ethos of wider participation and diversity.

At the news of his nomination, Ben said: “RCSI counts among its graduates so many inspiring individuals and to have been chosen as this year’s Awardee is an incredible honour.” ■

“WE ONLY GO AROUND ONCE… “

Professor David W Kennedy (Class of 1972) and his wife, Professor Elina Toskala Kennedy, and family.

I have always been immensely grateful to RCSI for the incredible medical education I received there as well as the enduring connections that I made during my student days. e tutelage I received at RCSI was truly the springboard for my career, which has taken me from the Richmond Hospital, to Johns Hopkins, to the University of Pennsylvania. For me, RCSI provided a superb medical education and also inspired a global outlook on life. I have been immensely lucky to teach across the globe, merging my passion for clinical practice, administration and teaching, with the opportunity to experience new places and cultures.

Over the years, my fond memories of RCSI have combined with an ever-increasing respect for the College. I remember when the keystone for the ‘new building’ was laid. John McAuli e Curtin, my uncle, participated as RCSI President, and I still have the ceremonial bricklayer’s hammer. e ambition that

I witnessed in the 1970s has continued unabated as the College has evolved and ourished. e singular commitment to excellent medical teaching has been supplemented by new infrastructure, expansion of research opportunities and educational innovation. I am immensely proud of how the College has evolved into the

University it is today. ese are some of the reasons that I recently made the decision to play some small role in RCSI’s ambitious vision of educating future healthcare leaders for Ireland and across the world. In particular, I wanted to make a contribution to enhance RCSI’s research capabilities as well as to reduce the cost of medical education through scholarships. In conversation with Aíne Gibbons and her team, I learned of the additional tax bene ts that accrue from ‘giving while living’ and with the support of my wife, Elina and my kids, I made the decision to leave a legacy to RCSI during my lifetime.

I was incredibly moved by the University’s decision to acknowledge my legacy by naming a space in my family’s name. I like to think that my grandfather – Doc Kennedy, who also attended RCSI – would be as honoured as I am by this touching gesture. I also like to hope that my kids and future generations will get to appreciate my enduring connection to RCSI for years to come.

I am a rm believer in the adage ‘we only go around once’ – we have a limited time in this life and it is important that we make the most of it and leave the world a better place if we can. I wanted to share my story so that others who can bene t from ‘giving while living’ would know that the College acknowledges and celebrates our legacy gi s, so that we can enjoy our giving to RCSI.

Professor David W Kennedy, Class of 1972

If you would like further information on legacy giving, please call Aíne Gibbons, Director of Development on +353 (1) 402 5189, or email ainegibbons@rcsi.ie