TCD Genetics Student Wins 2004 Irish Times/RIA Biochemistry Writing Competition

Posted on: 22 November 2004

Laoise Moore, a PhD student in the Department of Genetics was awarded first prize in the 2004 Science Writing Competition run by The Irish Times and the Royal Irish Academy on 22 nd November 2004. Laoise’s winning essay, entitled ‘Y-Chromosome Variation and Human Evolution’, emphasizes the important role the Y chromosome plays in the study of human evolution as male lineage can now be traced by studying mutations in the male Y-chromosome, which is a part of the genetic code passed down from father to son. Second prize went to Melanie Späth, also from the Department of Genetics, whose essay focused on the search for the causes of and a cure for Retinitis Pigmentosa, a disease that causes progressive loss of vision and eventual blindness. Sponsored by Yamanouchi, the competition’s first prize is €1,000, a specially commissioned John Coen sculpture and publication of the article on the Irish Times science page, with a second prize of €400.