TRiCC Researchers: Faculty of Health Sciences

School of Dental Science

• Anne O’ConnellAssociate Professor, Dental Science. Head of Paediatric Dentistry, Dublin Dental University Hospital and Tallaght University Hospital Dublin Research Interests / Projects: Developmental defects of the dentition; Caries; Aesthetic restorative materials; Psychological well-being of children; Trauma; Professional education. Current research project: ’Prospective evaluation of clinical performance of zirconia crowns in children‘
• Michael O’SullivanAssociate Professor, Dental Science. Consultant, Dublin Dental University Hospital Research Interests / Projects:

School of Medicine

The School of Medicine is recognised as one of the world’s top medical schools. The School operates across multiple sites, both within the College and adjacent, including several major clinical campuses such as St James’s Hospital and Tallaght Hospital, delivering multidisciplinary education across all levels of healthcare, and carrying out world-class research.

The School of Medicine is home to 20 disciplines, departments and centres, all working towards innovative, research-driven, interdisciplinary and international programmes. The School promotes interdisciplinarity and collaboration, with the Discipline of Paediatrics acting as the main hub of child health research.

More than 90 researcher/clinicians from the School of Medicine are members of TRiCC. Deriving from a range of disciplines and departments including Clinical Medicine, Occupational Therapy, Paediatrics, Psychiatry, Public Health and Primary Care, and the Unit of Nutrition and Dietetics, they reflect the rich array of child health related research underway at Trinity College Dublin.

• John AllenAssistant Professor/Specialist Registrar, PhD Researcher. Discipline of Paediatrics Research Interests / Projects Conducting a PhD study entitled “SERENITY: SEveRE Neurological Impairment and children with medical complexity. Supervised by Professors Denise McDonald and Eleanor Molloy.”
• Saima AslamPhD Researcher. Discipline of Paediatrics Research Interests / Projects: PhD Study - Persistent systemic inflammation in Neonatal Encephalopathy. Supervised by Professor Eleanor Molloy.
• Joanne BalfeClinical Senior Lecturer in Paediatrics, Discipline of Paediatrics Research Interests / Projects: Children with hearing loss, special needs, palliative care
• Annemarie BennettAssistant Professor in Dietetics. Unit of Nutrition and Dietetics, Department of Clinical Medicine Research Interests / Projects: Infant growth and diet, and the relationship between breastfeeding and maternal mental health. Consultancy projects include a primary school-based health promotion project in CHO 8; a childhood obesity initiative in Carlow; and upcoming study on breastfeeding from the maternal, paternal, and HCP perspective in the Coombe hospital.
• Cormac BreatnachSenior Clinical Lecturer in Paediatric Intensive Care. Discipline of Paediatrics Research Interests / Projects: Novel modes of mechanical ventilation, oxygen kinetics, post-operative pharmacokinetics and systems of care
• David CoghlanClinical Senior Lecturer in Paediatrics. Discipline of Paediatrics Research Interests / Projects: Acute Childhood Asthma; Allergy; Cerebral Palsy; Childhood Asthma; Vitamin-D Supplementation
• Katie CreminAssistant Professor. Discipline of Occupational Therapy Research Interests / Projects: Children’s participation and engagement; Autism Spectrum Disorder; schools and inclusion; sensory processing; play; occupational therapy practice with children and young people
• Suzanne CroweSenior Lecturer in Paediatrics / Paediatric Anaesthetist/Intensivist. Discipline of Paediatrics Research Interests / Projects: Anaesthesia; Pain Management and Paediatric Intensive Care
• Mark CunninghamProfessor of Neurophysiology of Epilepsy. Discipline of Physiology Research Interests / Projects: Impact of early life stress on neuronal activity
• Cuisle FordeAssistant Professor, Discipline of Physiotherapy Research Interests / Projects: Individualised exercise prescription for paediatric clinical populations,particularly aerobic exercise prescription based on the objective measurement of activity levels and cardio-respiratory fitness. Projects have included the use of activity promoting video games as tools to encourage moderate intensity exercise among children with obesity and those with cystic fibrosis; and the efficacy of exercise rehabilitation among adults with chronic communicable diseases including those living with HIV and Hepatitis C.
• Montasser Nadeem GadelsayedClinical Senior Lecturer in Paediatrics / General Paediatric Consultant. Discipline of Paediatrics Research Interests / Projects:
• Louise GallagherProfessor Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. Discipline of Psychiatry Research Interests / Projects: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD); Autism; Child Mental Health; Genetics of Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Neurodevelopmental Disorders
• Peter GreallyClinical Associate Professor / Respiratory Paediatrician. Discipline of Paediatrics Research Interests / Projects: Host-microbe interactions, inflammation and polymicrobial infections in the CF airway
• Aileen HartnettPhD Researcher PhD Research: Investigating the molecular epidemiology of E.coli associated with neonatal sepsis using whole genome sequencing.
• Catherine HayesAssociate Professor/Specialist in Public Health. Discipline of Public Health & Primary Care Research Interests / Projects: Development and implementation of interventions based on epidemiological research to address risk factors in the prevention of chronic diseases such as obesity, nutrition and smoking across the life course and transferring this to practice via the emerging discipline of implementation science
• Martina HealySenior Lecturer in Paediatrics / Consultant Paediatric Intensivist & Anaesthetist / Clinical Lead Paediatric Critical Care Medicine. Discipline of Paediatrics Research Interests / Projects: Cerebral Function Monitoring in Paediatric Intensive Care population; Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia - Treatment and outcomes; Electronic Health Records in PICU; Audit in PICU – Interpretation of PICANet and ICCA data; Use microcuff ET tubes in PICU
• Elizabeth (Eleisa) HeronAssistant Professor. Discipline of Psychiatry Research Interests / Projects: Bayesian Inference; Bioinformatics; Biostatistical methods; Genetics; Mathematical modelling; Statistics
• Dean HuggardPhD Researcher. Discipline of Paediatrics Research Interests / Projects: PhD Study - DISCO project: Down syndrome, Infection and Clinical Outcomes
• Alan IrvineProfessor of Dermatology. Discipline of Clinical Medicine Research Interests / Projects: Mechanisms associated with the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis in children; Mechanisms associated with the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis in children; Atopy; Dermatitis; Dermatology; Eczema; Genetic/Molecular Epidemiology; Genomic Structure and Function, Molecular Approaches to Gene Function; Human Genetics; Mammilian and Human Genetics and Genomics; Molecular Population Genetics
• Joseph KeaneClinical Senior Lecturer in Paediatrics / Consultant Neonatologist. Discipline of Paediatrics Research Interests / Projects: Apoptosis; Host, Pathogen interactions; Infectious diseases; Innate immunology; Lung Cancer; Medicine; Respiratory System
• Lynne KellyResearch Fellow. Discipline of Paediatrics Research Interests / Projects: ELISA; Flow Cytometry; Gender Differences; Immunomodulation; Inflammasome-Mediated Inflammation; Neonates; Paediatrics; PCR
• Niamh LaganAssistant Professor / Registrar. Discipline of Paediatrics Research Interests / Projects: PhD study - DREAM project: Down syndRome, nEurodevelopment And Multiorgan outcomes. Supervised by Professor Eleanor Molloy
• Mark LittleProfessor/Consultant of Nephrology. Discipline of Clinical Medicine Research Interests / Projects: Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies; Biomarkers of Disease; Crescentic Glomerulonephritis; Immune-Complex Glomerulonephritis; Inflammation; Mouse Models; Nephrology; Neutrophil Adhesion; Rat Model; Registry; Systemic Vasculitis; Vasculitis
• Lorna LopezResearch Assistant Professor. Discipline of Psychiatry Research Interests / Projects: Project: Discovery to clinical utility of whole genome sequencing of neurodevelopmental disorders
• Barry LyonsAdjunct Assistant Professor / Consultant Anaesthetist Research Interests / Projects: Medical law, professional regulation, end of life care, emotional aspects of medical care. Shame & Medicine Project
• Kevin McCarthyClinical Senior Lecturer in Paediatrics / Consultant in Paediatric Anaesthesia & Pain Medicine. Discipline of Paediatrics Research Interests / Projects: Sensory phenotyping in paediatric pain, pain education, learning theory, novel analgesics, paediatric neuromodulation
• Cathal McCrorySenior Research Fellow, Centre For Medical Gerontology Research Interests / Projects: The processes, pathways and mechanisms through which socially mediated variations in risk exposures come to influence health and mortality across the life-course
• Ciara McDonnellClinical Senior Lecturer in Paediatrics / Paediatric Consultant Endocrinologist. Discipline of Paediatrics Research Interests / Projects: Diabetes and diabetic complications; Endocrine function and disease; Foetal, maternal and neonatal physiology; Hormone physiology and biochemistry; Metabolism and metabolic diseases; Neuroendocrinology; Nutrient metabolism, obesity and clinical nutrition; Osteogenesis imperfecta; osteoporosis; Reproduction, fertility and contraception; Skeletal dysplasia; Technology in diabetes
• Matthew McGovernPhD Researcher. Discipline of Paediatrics Research Interests / Projects: PhD study - GENIE project: GEnder and Neonatal Inflammation in prEterm outcomes. Supervisor Professor Eleanor Molloy
• Irene McIntyrePostdoctoral Research Fellow. Discipline of Paediatrics Research Interests / Projects: Infant Digestion
• Ana McLaughlinPhD Researcher. Discipline of Psychiatry Research Interests / Projects: Motivation and Learning in Autism Spectrum Disorders using fMRI; under the joint supervision of Prof. Louise Gallagher and Dr. Clare Kelly.
• Ross McManusProfessor in Molecular Medicine. Discipline of Clinical Medicine Research Interests / Projects: Autoimmunity; Chronic Inflamation; Coeliac Disease; Gene Expression Analysis; Gene Polymorphism; Genetic Analysis of Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SARS); Genetic Mapping, Gene Sequence; Genetics; Genetics of Inflammatory Disease; Genomes, Genomics; Genomic Structure and Function, Molecular Approaches to Gene Function; Inflammatory Bowel Disease; Molecular Genetics; Psoriasis; Sepsis
• Judith MeehanAssistant Professor. Discipline of Paediatrics Research Interests / Projects:
• Eleanor MolloyProfessor of Paediatrics & Child Health. Discipline of Paediatrics, and Co-Director of TRiCC Research Interests / Projects: Perinatal and early neonatal inflammatory responses in health and disease
• Mary Isabel O’DeaPhD Researcher. Discipline of Paediatrics Research Interests / Projects: Conducting PhD in Neonatal Neurology / Neonatal Brain Injury. Title - Underlying mechanisms in Neonatal Immune metabolic dysregulation, Circadian rhythm and bRain INjury: UNICoRN study. Supervised by Professor Eleanor Molloy
• Brendan O’HareClinical Senior Lecturer in Paediatric Anaesthesia. Discipline of Paediatrics Research Interests / Projects: Paediatric anaesthesia outcomes, environmental impact of anaesthetic practice and Paediatric cardiac anaesthesia
• Aengus S O’MarcaighClinical Associate Professor / Paediatric Oncologist. Discipline of Paediatrics Research Interests / Projects:
• Murwan OmerPhD Researcher. Discipline of Paediatrics Research Interests / Projects: PhD Study - PRISM: PReterm Infection and SysteMic inflammation and neonatal outcomes. Supervised by Professor Eleanor Molloy
• Elaine O’MullaneClinical Lecturer in Paediatrics / Clinical Trial Coordinator / Research Assistant. Discipline of Paediatrics Research Interests / Projects: Listening and education on the subject of listening; Narrative Healthcare Network
• David OrrClinical Senior Lecturer in Paediatric Surgery / Paediatric Plastic Surgeon. Discipline of Paediatrics Research Interests / Projects: Adrenaline Infiltration; Burn; Epinephrine; Paediatric; Subcutaneous; Thickness Skin-Grafts
• Richard O’ConaillPhD Reseracher. Discipline of Psychiatry Research Interests / Projects: Memory ability and brain activity in Autism Spectrum Disorder, as well as brain activity in Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
• Maureen J. O’SullivanConsultant Paediatric Pathologist/Clinician. Discipline of Paediatrics Research Interests / Projects: Pathogenesis of Clear Cell Sarcoma of Kidney – establishing the relative roles of BCOR and 14-3-3e-NUTM2. (NCRC funded); The role of transcription Factors in sarcoma genesis with an emphasis on clear cell sarcoma of kidney and undifferentiated sarcoma (HRB Clinician Scientist Award)
• Emer RyanPhD Researcher. Discipline of Paediatrics PhD Study: PhD study - PROSPER: PaediatRic Outcomes and Serum biomarker Panel in acutE traumatic bRain injury/concussion to severe traumatic
• Hazel Ann SmithAdjunct Lecturer / Research Coordinator, Paediatric Intensive Care Unit. Discipline of Paediatrics Research Interests / Projects: Developmental origins of health and disease; Epidemiology (including social epidemiology); Neonatology. Current Projects include PARK-PICU (Prevalence of Acute Rehab for Kids in the PICU): https://park.web.jhu.edu/; Nurse-led weaning from mechanical ventilation; Paediatric Intensive Care Audit Network (PICANet) Post Arrest Care in Kids (NET-PACK) Custom Audit Study (PICU): https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/activity/inflammation-ageing/research/pack/index.aspx;
• Owen Patrick SmithChair of Haematology. Discipline of Paediatrics Research Interests / Projects: Current focus: Elucidating the relationship (at the molecular and cellular level) between the protein C (PC) activation pathway and the systemic inflammatory response sepsis syndrome
• Stephen SmithAssociate Professor, Director of Teaching and Learning Postgraduate, School of Medicine. Dept of Clinical Microbiology Research Interests / Projects: Antibiotics; Biological Markers; Brain; Cell Communication; Diagnostics; Digestive System; DNA; E.coli; Eschericia coli; Extracellular Matrix; Gastrointestinal Diseases/Disorders; Gene Expression; Gene Regulation; Genetically Modified Organisms; Genomes, Genomics; Infectious Diseases; Infectious Diseases/Agents; Meningitis; Microbial Biotechnology, Microbial Modelling; Molecular Biology; Molecular Genetics; Nucleic Acids; Pathogenesis; Proteins and Macromolecules; Proteomics; Recombinant DNA; Respiratory System; Salmonella; Urogenital System
• Aisling SnowClinical Senior Lecturer in Paediatrics / Consultant Paediatric Radiologist. Discipline of Paediatrics Research Interests / Projects: 3D Printing; Bone density; Diagnostics; DXA; Foetal Abnormality; Health Planning/Policy; Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI); MRI; Musculoskeletal System; Paediatric; Quality Assessment; Radiology; Radiology, Tomography and Medical Imaging; Ultrasound
• Michelle SpirtosAssistant Professor. Discipline of Occupational Therapy Research Interests / Projects: Children’s participation and engagement; children and young people with experience of disability; the transition to adulthood; play; occupational therapy practice with children and young people; schools and inclusion; Disability Studies
• Mani RamaswamiProfessor of Neurogenetics & Director, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience. Department of Genetics Research Interests / Projects: The role of inhibitory brain systems in perceptual modulation and their potential alteration in autism
• Nawal TaherPhD Researcher. Discipline of Paediatrics / Discipline of Immunology Research Interests / Projects: PhD study - T cell phenotype in neonatal brain injury and followup in childhood. Supervised by Professors Eleanor Molloy and Derek Doherty
• Eileen TreacyClinical Professor of Paediatrics / Metabolic Paediatrician. Discipline of Paediatrics Research Interests / Projects/Projects: ‘3rd Public Health Programme, Joint Action in Rare Diseases’, funded by EC, 2015-2018; ‘Galactosaeamia, translating novel monitoring approaches into improved clinical practice’, funded by HRB HRA-POR-2014, 2014-2017
• Patrick WalshAssistant Professor in Paediatric Immunology. Discipline of Clinical Medicine Research Interests / Projects: Paediatric Inflammatory Disease, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Diabetes, Immunology & Infection, Molecular Medicine. Based at National Children’s Research Centre, Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin and Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, St. James Campus
• Zunera ZareenPaediatrician (Paediatric Neurodisabilty) / PhD Researcher. Discipline of Paediatrics Research Interests / Projects: PhD study - Childhood Assessment of Multiorgan Dysfunction Post Neonatal Encephalopathy (CHAMPioN). Under supervision of Professor Eleanor Molloy and Dr Denise Mc Donald
• Lina ZgagaAssociate Professor. Discipline of Public Health & Primary Care Research Interests / Projects: 25-Dihydroxyvitamin-D; 25-Hydroxyvitamin-D Concentrations; Cancer Susceptibility Gene; Colorectal Cancer; Cortisol; Psychological Stress; Survival Analysis; Vitamin D; Vitamin-D Deficiency; Vitamin-D Status; Vitamin-D Supplementation

School of Nursing and Midwifery

The School of Nursing and Midwifery in Trinity College opened in 1996 and has established itself as a leading force in national and international healthcare research. It is now ranked first in Ireland and 36th in the QS WU rankings by subject. As part of one of the world's leading research-intensive universities, researchers have an established track record in successful bids for large-scale research from national and international agencies – including the HRB and EU.

Staff at the School of Nursing and Midwifery support high quality research with children on their health, wellbeing and lived experiences. Staff associated with TRiCC apply their expertise using quantitative, qualitative and participatory research methodologies to investigate a wide range of topics such as shared decision-making, psychosocial care for childhood cancer, mental health service provision, transition to adult health services, healthy schools evaluation, needs of children of drug users, sexual health in adolescence, public health nursing and parenting support, palliative care services for children, medication adherence, chronic illness management, and management of children with complex care needs at the acute/community interface.

• Fatimah AlsaggafPhD Researcher PhD Research: The impact of chronic pain on daily activities of children and adolescents. Supervised by Professor Imelda Coyne
• Rasha AlsaighPhD Researcher PhD Research: Mothers’ Experiences of Caring for Children Receiving Growth Hormone Treatment. Supervised by Professor Imelda Coyne
• Thelma BegleyAssistant Professor / Head of Children’s Nursing Research Interests / Projects: Children’s nursing; nurse education and adolescence, specifically sexual health in adolescence
• Maria BrennerAssociate Professor Research Interests / Projects: The care of children living with complex care needs and their families, their transition to home and the management of children with complex care needs at the acute/community interface.
• Catherine ComiskeyProfessor Research Interests / Projects: Implementation, modelling of treatment and intervention outcomes with a special interest in substance misuse, infectious diseases and children.
• Ann Connolly McCannPhD Researcher PhD Research: The experience and care needs of adolescents with epilepsy in Ireland.
• Emma CookePhD Researcher PhD Research: To identify the optimum provision of respite care for children with complex care needs within an Irish healthcare context. Supervised by Dr Maria Brenner, Dr Valerie Smith and Professor Charles Norman
• Professor Imelda CoyneProfessor of Children’s Nursing and Co-Director of TRiCC Research Interests / Projects: Child participation rights, shared decision-making, child and family centred care, technological interventions for chronic illness management and transition from child to adult services.
• Carmel DoyleAssistant Professor / PhD Researcher PhD Research: Mothers’ experiences of ‘giving medicines’ to children with complex needs. See the TRiCC Doctoral Researcher Page for more information on Carmel’s PhD study
• Louise DoyleAssociate Professor Research Interests / Projects: Adolescent help-seeking behaviour; mental health ; mental health interventions; mental health care; self-harm; suicide and suicidal behaviour
• Karen GalliganPhD Researcher / Research Assistant Research Interests / Projects: Karen’s PhD, at the Institute of Population Health Science in Trinity College Dublin, is an investigation of the impact of parental substance misuse on children, which includes an assessment of the needs, risks, protective factors and evidence based interventions for children impacted by parental substance misuse.
• Sinead HanafinVisiting Research Fellow Research Interests / Projects: Qualitative and quantitative methods, child and family health, children’s wellbeing, community nursing and primary health care service delivery.
• Katie HillPhD Researcher PhD Research: Siblings’ experiences of living with a child who has a traumatic brain injury.
• Eleanor HollywoodAssistant Professor/Head of Children’s Nursing Research Interests / Projects: The family, obesity, childhood well-being, research with children, neonatal nursing, children’s rights and nursing education.
• Mary HughesAssociate Professor Research Interests / Projects: Health and wellbeing in chronic illness; adolescent health, asthma and chronic childhood illness.
• Helen MaloneResearch Assistant Professor Research Interests / Projects: 22q11 deletion syndrome, Cystic Fibrosis, Health care shared decision making for children and young adults, Transition to adulthood health services. Information needs of families caring for children with complex conditions.
• Rebecca McHughResearch Assistant As part of the Models of Child Health Appraisal (MOCHA project), Rebecca focuses on the provision of social care for children with complex care needs, as well as the integration of social and primary care for this group.
• Siobhán O’ConnorPhD Researcher Research Interests / Projects: Irish childrenás nursing model Care. Supervised by Professor Imelda Coyne
• Elena Montañana OlasoResearch Fellow Research Interests / Projects: Nursing education for the care of children with complex health care needs; substance misuse with a special interest in adolescents and young adults binge drinking. Elena is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow on Models of Child Health Appraisal (MOCHA project), undertaking the analysis of nurses’ preparedness to deliver care to children with complex health care needs

School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

The School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Trinity College was established in 1977. It is the oldest academic pharmaceutical institution in Ireland and is ranked first in Ireland. Our mission is to lead in the discovery, development and safe use of medicines, and address the healthcare needs of patients and society. We achieve this mission through innovative research at the frontiers of Drugs, Medicines, Patient Care, and Health.

Staff within the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences use their expertise to improve health outcomes for specific patient populations including paediatrics patients, children and breastfeeding mothers, through advances in drug discovery and drug development, formulation science, pharmacokinetic modelling, in-vitro drug release testing, pharmaco-epidimology and qualitative study designs. For example, Professor Anne Marie Healy is currently leading a programme of work involving the development of novel, age-appropriate liquid formulations to meet unmet needs in paediatric patients.

• Deirdre D’ArcyAssistant Professor, Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology Research Interests / Projects: Clinical pharmacokinetics and drug delivery, includes: simulation of dissolution conditions, in particular in low velocity hydrodynamic environments; simulation of dissolution and drug release from particulate systems; and the application of pharmacokinetic principles to everyday clinical situations, such as drug interactions on smoking cessation and drug use in breast feeding. Lead PI of the clinical pharmacokinetics research group, with collaborations in Tallaght Hospital and St. Vincent’s University Hospital.
• Anne-Marie HealyProfessor, Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology Research Interests / Projects: Pharmaceutical material science, preformulation and formulation of pharmaceuticals, amorphous solids, co-crystals, formulating poorly soluble drugs, pharmaceutical processing, pulmonary drug delivery and formulation stability.

TRiCC Collaborators and Associates

• Professor Cecily L Betz, USA Collaborating with Professor Imelda Coyne on the development of a textbook
• Professor Inger Kristensson Hallström, Sweden Collaborating with Professor Imelda Coyne on the project, "How is the child’s best interest expressed during their stay in hospital?"
• Dr Malin Rising Holmström, Sweden Collaborating with Professor Imelda Coyne on the project, "Diabetes in school – support for teens with type 1 diabetes and parents."
• Professor Betsy Sleath, USA Collaborating with Professor Imelda Coyne on the project, "Your Opinion Counts: How to Make the Most out of Talking to Health Care Providers"