This evening the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) will be one of 12 hosts of European Literature Night. The event, entitled ‘Words on the Street, will involve well known people reading from contemporary pieces of writing in 12 locations around the city of Dublin. Identical events will simultaneously take place in 12 other European cities on the night. Readings will take place in the Front Hall at 123 St. Stephens Green at 6.30pm.


Pictured (l-r) are Fair City actors, Bryan Murray and Eamon Morrissey. Eamon will read from Petrescu at RCSI.

Dublin actor, Eamon Morrisey (Fair City, Father Ted) will read at from ‘Small Changes in Attitude by Romanian medic-turned-writer, Razvan Petrescu at the College. A number of other familiar faces will take part in the readings across Dublin city on the night including actress Rosaleen Linehan, Naoise Ó Muirí (Lord Mayor of Dublin), Ray Foley (98FM DJ), Rick OShea (2FM DJ), and Sinead Desmond & Mark Cagney (both of TV3s Ireland AM) to name but a few.

RCSI will join a number of other locations in Dublin, including Stephens Green Hibernian Club, the Little Museum of Dublin, Taylor Galleries, Boston College, 6 Ely Place, Loreto College, The Sugar Club, Iveagh House, Newman House and Newman University Church.

First launched in Prague, European Literature Night has now become a major international event promoting European cultural heritage by presenting both well-known and new contemporary writers to the broader European public.

The twelve participating countries (along with Ireland) are Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Spain & the UK. Each country will be represented by a short piece (translated) from a novel, poem or short story which will be read every 30 minutes. Therefore people can wander from venue to venue in each participating city, taking the in readings. The first reading in each location will commence at 6.30pm and is repeated on the hour and half hour with the final reading at 9pm.

A map and information booklet showing the location of the venues with information about the readers and readings is available from libraries in Dublin, Failte Ireland tourist offices, National Library and in the venues themselves.

Download the programme for European Literature Night

This re-alignment of Irish Hospitals, with their medical school partners, will create six Academic Health Centres in Ireland. This is an important development for Ireland and will lead to improvements in patient care, increase the research output of Irish medical schools and facilitate the rapid deployment of new discoveries into patient care.

This development is consistent with the Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation 2009-13,
"A key priority is to develop a small number of centres of world significance in translational health research, each with strong foundations in both academia and the health services. Investment in such centres of excellence in translational medicine is required to extract full value from the resources that have been invested in basic biomedical sciences and biotechnology."

Academic Health Centres (AHCs) are an alliance of educational and healthcare institutions that combine the three major activities - health professional education, research and patient care. There is world-wide evidence of significant improvement in patients outcomes, efficiency of service and the economic impact (AHCs create an economic impact of over $500 Bn per annum in the USA), through the development of this model of health-care delivery.

The development of the RCSI Teaching Hospital Network AHC will lead to:

For patients
• Improved health outcomes and safety.
• Improved and more streamlined access to services.
• Better access to innovative treatments and clinical trials

For staff
• Emphasis on innovation, encouragement of learning.
• Increased opportunities for staff and students to be directly involved in education and research.
• An enriched learning environment that will increase exposure to sub-specialties, specialist training, and translational medicine.

For the Partnering organisations
• Cost-effective clinical services and administrative and management functions.
• Attraction and retention of high calibre staff.
• Advancement of the strategic plans of the partner hospitals.
• The opportunity for partner hospitals to build on each others strengths and further integrate with the community.
• Better access to research funding and a greater volume of patients for clinical trials.
• Opportunity to leverage RCSIs international presence.

Regarding patient services, there is evidence that specialist units performing larger numbers of cases achieve better health outcomes, particularly with more complex work. AHCs can combine the skills and expertise of clinicians across clinical sites in the most effective arrangement in terms of quality of care indicators such as safety, effectiveness and efficiency.

The RCSI Teaching Hospitals Network are committed to breaking down boundaries between primary and secondary care - community-based consultant-led services such as in diabetes and heart failure provide obvious opportunities for such linkages.

As part of integration, RCSI and the partner hospitals will form a single Research Office and a Health Professions Education Office.

Professor Cathal Kelly, CEO, RCSI, welcoming the Government initiative commented: "RCSI welcomes this important initiative in the development of our healthcare services. The College looks forward to working even more closely with its hospital partners for the benefit of patients, clinicians and health professions in training."

The AHC mission will inform all key management decisions: for example, all new consultant appointments will be agreed by the hospital and education partners to ensure that all new senior health professional appointments contribute to the triple mission of research, education and service.
Governance arrangements will reflect this integrated approach.

ENDS

SLE is an autoimmune disease whereby a persons immune system attacks the bodys cells and tissue, resulting in inflammation and tissue damage. SLE most often harms the skin, joints, blood vessels, kidneys and the nervous system. SLE is a rare condition in Ireland, affecting approximately 1,500 people. It can affect up to 10 times as many women as men (i). The research has identified Irish SLE patients that are susceptible to active disease and increased organ damage brought on by lupus as it progresses. This is due to the presence of high levels of a chemical messenger called B Lymphocyte Stimulator (BLyS) in the body. This messenger can cause the bodys cells to produce antibodies that attack its own tissues, thus causing organ damage.

The effects of BLyS are specifically targeted by a new drug called Belimumab (Benlysta). It is the first drug to be approved by the European Medicines Agency to treat lupus in more than 50 years. The research will help doctors identify patients that are most likely to benefit from the drug as not all patients may respond to the treatment.

Professor Caroline Jefferies, Associate Professor in Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics (MCT), RCSI and principal investigator of the study, commented, ‘Lupus is a very complex disease and one of the biggest challenges, currently, is identifying the patients who are most likely to benefit from new drugs as they are approved. Our research suggests that simply measuring BLyS levels in patients may identify those who will best respond to Belimumab, thus improving the long-term outcomes for these patients.

This research, recently published in Rheumatology, has been carried out by Dr. Eoghan McCarthy, under the supervision of Prof Caroline Jefferies, in conjunction with the rheumatology departments of Beaumont Hospital and St. Jamess Hospital, Dublin.

Belimumab is used to treat lupus patients who dont respond to usual medication comprising of a combination of steroids and immunosuppressive anti-inflammatory drugs, both of which have side effects following long-term use.

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The findings recently published online in the Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health show that body image had a stronger association with victimisation and bullying than objective weight classification.

These findings have potential implications for bullying education and policy in schools, in that children with poor body image need to be identified as an at-risk group along with those who are objectively defined as abnormal weight.

Commenting on the significance of the research, the lead author Dr Udo Reulbach, a medical practitioner and child health epidemiologist based in the HRB Centre for Primary Care Research, says;

While issues regarding weight are the common denominator for victimisation and bullying, the underlying factors are different, requiring different strategies for prevention and intervention.

This study presents findings from the first wave of data collection from Growing Up in Ireland - the National Longitudinal Study of Children. Growing Up in Ireland data have been funded by the Government of Ireland through the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. The project has been designed and implemented by the joint ESRI-TCD Growing Up in Ireland Study Team. The HRB Centre for Primary Research Care is a collaborative venture between the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and Queens University Belfast (QUB).

The journal can be viewed at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23530984

The annual REACH RCSI Sports Day aims to raise awareness and promote life-long recreation and community health. Students and staff volunteered to help run the event, organised by the REACH RCSI team, at the Colleges sports grounds in Dardistown, Swords. The action packed day of events included a session of fitness dancing, 5-a-side soccer, an obstacle course along with a range of traditional sports day games such as the sack race, wheelbarrow race and egg and spoon races. The event concluded with an exciting relay race, involving all eight teams.


The White team, the winners of the Sports Day, lining up for activities!

Ms. Maria Kelly, REACH RCSI Manager said, ‘The annual REACH Sports Day is a great opportunity for school children to develop their sports skills in a fun environment, which is a valuable way to encourage lifelong health and well-being. Spending a day with RCSI volunteers, some of whom coach and participate in established RCSI sports teams, can only encourage young people in our community to develop a greater interest in sport and health, which is one of the main objectives of the REACH programme.


Children enjoying the dancing class!

The REACH RCSI Programme is a unique Community Outreach and Access programme at RCSI, promoting Recreation Education And Community Health. The initiative is aimed at encouraging and facilitating third level participation and enhancing life chances for those traditionally underrepresented at third level, particularly those from Dublins South Inner City.


The yellow team having fun!

‘Gut Health, Colon Cancer & Colon Cancer Screening (Part 2)

Pictured (l-r) is Professor Cathal Kelly, CEO/ Registrar, RCSI and Professor Kevin Nolan

The days celebrations began with a Festschrift where academic colleagues from RCSI in Dublin and Bahrain along with colleagues from universities in Ireland, the UK, Belgium, Hungary and the USA honoured Professor Nolans enormous contribution to academia. Later in the afternoon, staff from across all areas of the College attended a celebration in the Colleges Boardroom, hosted by Professor Hannah McGee, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, RCSI.

Professor Kevin Nolan with some of his former RCSI PhD students who attended the Festschrift : Left to right: Dr Jedd Comiskey (Takeda), Dr Sharon Brady (Life Scientific), Dr Declan Gaynor (RCSI Medical University of Bahrain), Professor Kevin Nolan, Dr Colm Campbell (BioMarin Europe), Dr Aoife Flanagan (Food for Health Ireland), Dr Suzanne Atkinson (Merck, Sharp & Dohme), Dr Leo Ryan (Novartis), Dr Joe Jolley (Pfizer), Professor Niamh Nic Daeid (University of Strathclyde) and Dr Eimear OBrien (Pfizer).

Professor Celine J. Marmion, Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, RCSI addresses the Festschrift

Dr. Helen McVeigh, School of Postgraduate Studies, RCSI, addresses the Festschrift

Professor Nolan joined RCSI in 1987 as Head of the Department of Chemistry & Physics, which following re-structuring, became the Department of Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry. From 1997-2002, he held the position of Vice-Dean of the RCSI Medical Faculty with responsibility for research and was Chairman of the RCSI Research Committee. With the establishment of School of Postgraduate Studies, he was appointed Foundation Head of this School where his outstanding achievements included establishment of a structured PhD programme. He was President of the Biological Society 1998-1999 and was Chairman of the Royal Society of Chemistry, Ireland Section, 2003-06.

Professor Patrick Guiry, Head of the UCD School of Chemistry and Chemical Biology and Director of the UCD/RCSI/TCD Centre for Synthesis and Chemical Biology

Professor Nolan has received a number of teaching awards during his career include in the RCSI Students Union Award for best Pre-clinical Teacher (1999) RCSI Presidents Teaching Award (2012) and the NAIRTL National Award for Excellence in Teaching 2012.

Professor Hannah McGee, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, RCSI presents Festschrift books to Professor Kevin Nolan

He is the author of more than 100 publications and in 2004, he was awarded a DSc from the National University of Ireland for research in Bio-inorganic Chemistry. In 2008, he co-founded and is current Chairman of the Irish Institute for Metal- based Drugs and was centrally involved in the establishment of the UCD/RCSI/TCD Centre for Synthesis and Chemical Biology in 2001.

Attendees at the Festschrift

Professor Nolan began his career with research and lecturing positions at the University of Stirling, University College London and the University of Surrey during the 1970s and 1980s including a year as Visiting Professor in Chemistry at the University of California San Diego. As well as a DSc, he holds a BSc degree in Chemistry and a PhD in Inorganic Chemistry from University College Galway.

Professor Kevin Nolan and his wife Conchita

Pictured (l-r) are Dr John Walsh (School of Pharmacy, TCD), Dr Grace Dowling (RCSI Alumnus, Guildford) and Professor Patrick Dowling FRS (former Vice-Chancellor, University of Surrey)

Professor David Croke, Quality Enhancement Office, RCSI and Professor Patrick Broe, President, RCSI.

Pictured (l-r) are Rosemary Donohoe and Emmet Campion, Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry; and Professor Hannah McGee, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, RCSI.

Pictured are colleagues from the Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry (l-r) Dr. Marc Devocelle, Emmet Campion, Patricia Whyte, Professor Celine Marmion, Suzanne Donnelly, Professor Kevin Nolan, Dr. Darren Griffith, Rosemary Donohoe and Professor Mauro Adamo

Attendees at the Festschrift

Pictured (l-r) are Professor Paddy Broe, President RCSI; Professor Kevin Nolan; and Professor Nick Farrell,Virginia Commonwealth University.

Pictured (l-r) are Dr Beatrice Doran, Former Chief Librarian, RCSI; Dr Grace Dowling, RCSI Alumnus, Guildford; Professor Les and Dr Jean Larkworthy, University of Surrey; Professor Kevin Nolan; Professor Angela Danil-de-Namor and Dr Melhem Namor, University of Surrey.

Day surgery is the practice of admitting patients into hospitals on the day of surgery for a planned, non-emergency surgical procedure and discharging them within hours of their surgery. The conference heard that the shortfall in day surgery is the result of a combination of issues. Firstly, there is no clear classification on what constitutes a day surgery procedure. Another factor is the use of day surgery beds to accommodate in-patients, resulting in the cancellation of day cases.

Additional barriers to the provision of day surgery include the closing time of theatre, lack of community support, patient factors including age, knowledge, education and geographical location and the custom in hospitals of carrying out surgery as in-patients.

The first national survey of provision of day surgery in Ireland carried out by the RCSI Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery and reported in 2010 found that more than 60% of hospitals do not have dedicated day surgery units (1). Additionally, the range and number of pre-operative investigations were higher when the patient was seen by a registrar or SHO, rather than a consultant, regardless of the surgery being performed (1). Since that time there have been substantial improvements in the delivery of day surgery in Ireland, sponsored through the National Clinical Programme in Surgery which is a partnership between RCSI and the HSE.

Professor Seamus Cowman, Principal Investigator and Head of the School of Nursing, RCSI said "Day surgery is viewed as the optimal environment for many surgical procedures and with the advancement in surgical techniques which require less recovery time for patients and reconfiguration in the health care system, increasing emphasis has been placed on day case procedures. Our research has identified the barriers and has shown that important strides have been made to develop a process for day surgery to be implemented across all hospitals in Ireland."

The joint RCSI, HSE & ESRI study led by Professor Cowman, RCSI and funded by the HRB devised six statements of best practice for day surgery following a review of the day surgery process. These are patient information, pre-admission, documentation, management of day surgery, discharge protocols and monitoring of services. Evaluation of these six statements of best practice is currently being carried out in the clinical setting.

The conference heard from a variety of healthcare professionals that are involved in day surgery. Mr Mark Skues, from the British Association of Day Surgery gave the keynote address on Benchmarking in Day Surgery. His lecture provided lessons and insights from the implementation of day surgery in England and Scotland. Professor Frank Keane, Joint National Clinical Lead in Surgery outlined the National Clinical Programme in Surgery and its role in day surgery. Dr Alan Smith, Special Delivery Unit in the HSE discussed ‘Change and the Challenge of Reform. His lecture looked at the task of implementing reform and the challenges this can bring.

Professor Seamus Cowman, RCSI provided an update on the ‘Standards for Day Surgery in Ireland - HRB project. Mr Kieran Ryan, Irish College of General Practitioners outlined the impact of day surgery on primary care and general practice.

A full copy of the programme is available at www.rcsi.ie/daysurgeryconference

Prof Seamus Cowman, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, RCSI; Mr Kieran Ryan, ICGP, Dr. Darach O Ciardha; Dr Bobby Meshkat, SPR General Surgery

Dr Sean Johnston; Mr Kieran Ryan, ICGP; Prof Frank Keane, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

Dr Georgina Gethin, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, RCSI; Dr Elizabeth Anne Bourke, Mid-Western Regional Hospital; Prof Seamus Cowman, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, RCSI.

Dr Sean Johnston; Dr Ellen OSullivan, College of Anaesthetists; Mr Kieran Ryan, ICGP.

(Back row) Prof Seamus Cowman, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, RCSI; Dr Georgina Gethin, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, RCSI; Suzanne Moore, Connolly Hospital; Syrina Canning, Connolly Hospital; Dr Bobby Meshkat
Front (Maura Wrynne, Connolly Hospital; Eileen Daly, Connolly Hospital; Laura McEvoy, Connolly Hospital.

Speaking at the event was Dr Nicol Korner-Bitensky, Professor in the Faculty of Medicine, School of Physical and Occupational Therapy. McGill University, Canada and a member of the Rehabilitation and Recovery Theme for the Canadian Stroke Network (CSN). She discussed the role of outcome measures in the early assessment of stroke survivors including the challenges of assessment for the upper limb, cognition, executive function, unilateral spatial neglect and the upper limb.

Speaking in advance of the workshop, Dr Frances Horgan, Senior Lecturer in the RCSI School of Physiotherapy and Chairperson of the Irish Heart Foundation Council on Stroke said: ‘We are very honoured to have Professor Korner-Bitensky deliver this workshop and share her expertise with us. Stroke affects 11,000 people in Ireland every year, one of the challenges we face is to deliver cost-effective and evidence-based interventions, the key to achieving this is the appropriate application of outcome measures which are critical to the evaluation and assessment of treatment approaches.

Dr. Korner-Bitensky is a research member of the Center for Interdisciplinary Rehabilitation Research of Montreal (CRIR) and REPAR, the provincial consortium of rehabilitation research. She is an honorary life member of the Stroke Society of Australasia. She has produced 120 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters and over 400 talks related to stroke rehabilitation, interdisciplinary health service delivery, community engagement and driver-retraining post-stroke. Her research agenda is designed to impact on the public by enhancing health service delivery in stroke rehabilitation using innovative best practice websites that are funded by the CSN and Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, including "StrokEngine" www.strokengine.ca. These sites bring information on best practices to clinicians, policy makers, patients and families. Her research also focuses on identifying effective knowledge translation strategies to increase best practices in stroke rehabilitation and eliminate ineffective practices. She works with an international team of stroke researchers, clinicians, policy makers and stroke foundations who together are dedicated to improving stroke rehabilitation.

(L-R) Mr Dermot OFlynn, RCSI Institute of Leadership; Prof Patrick Broe, RCSI President; Dr. Michael McBride, Chief Medical Officer for the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Northern Ireland; Professor John Burgoyne, Professor of Management Learning, Lancaster University Management School, UK; Sibéal Carolan, RCSI Institute of Leadership, and Professor Cathal Kelly, CEO, RCSI.

Prof Burgoyne said "Leadership, as we know it, is coming to an end and a new form is now beginning to emerge. To date, leadership has been too much about ‘human relations, missions, visions and empowerment, and not enough about the analytics. A significant cause of the credit crunch occurred because of the neglecting of the scientific spotting of the ‘rotten apples in the sub-prime mortgage boxes and other areas of business. But now, new work trends are emerging and moving towards a more scientific version of leadership.

Prof Burgoyne has done a lot of work with the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom and has looked at ways of evaluating leadership and processes in order to make the system more effective.

Professor Ciaran OBoyle, Director of the RCSI Institute of Leadership said "We started the "Lessons in Leadership lecture series to highlight the increasing importance of leadership in the modern hyper-connected world and to help professionals, especially those working in the health sector, to develop appropriate leadership competencies. We are honoured to have someone of Prof Burgoynes international stature joining us this evening to share his research and experience."

John Burgoyne is Professor of Management and Leadership in the Department of Management Learning in the Lancaster University Management School. He is also a Visiting Professor at the School of Business, Leadership and Enterprise at the University Campus Suffolk, which is jointly owned by the University East Anglia and Essex University. He is an Associate Professor at Ashridge Business School and the Henley Business School (Reading University), a Trustee of the Brathay Trust (outdoor management development), a Fellow of the British Academy of Management and a Fellow of the Leadership Trust.

Professor Burgoynes research interests include the learning organisation; corporate management development; the nature of management, knowledge and competence; theories of learning and teaching; training and development methods.

Dermot OFlynn, RCSI Institute of Leadership; Sibeal Carolan, RCSI Institute of Leadership; Dr Michael McBride, Chief Medical Officer for the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Northern Ireland; Prof John Burgoyne, RCSI Guest Speaker & Professor of Management Learning, Lancaster University Management School, UK

The RCSI contribution to the team presenting at the Forum focused on the new area of forensic cyber-psychology. The proposals presented at the Forum are part of a series of technology based concepts which are aimed at tackling the growing international problem of human trafficking. This is one of a number of international projects involving Irish researchers and Ireland is rapidly becoming a leading centre in the emerging discipline of CyberPsychology.

Ms. Mary Aiken, CyberPsychologist and RCSI Research Fellow said "These proposals conceptualize cyber augmented potential solutions to human trafficking, particularly trafficking facilitated by cyber technologies. This problem is not confined to the USA, with more than 20 million victims of human trafficking around the world; it is an issue of global importance. RCSI, as an international organisation dedicated to education and research in healthcare, is proud to play its part in addressing this critical humanitarian issue."

Mary Aiken presented at the White House with Steve Chan, Network Scientist and Senior Research Fellow at MIT and the Harvard Kennedy School.

At the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) in September 2012, President Barrack Obama said "We are turning the tables on the traffickers. Just as they are now using technology and the Internet to exploit their victims, were going to harness technology to stop them".

The aim of the Forum is to highlight the progress that has been made to combat human trafficking since President Obama delivered his speech on the fight to end trafficking at the CGI in September 2012.

The White House Forum to Combat Human Trafficking brought together advocates, service providers, researchers and academics, business leaders, faith leaders, leaders in the technology community, law enforcement, local, state and federal government leaders to discuss strategies for countering trafficking in persons.

Professor Ciaran OBoyle, Director of the RCSI Institute of Leadership, said "Human trafficking is an area of growing concern and one of the major goals of RCSI is to engage with the national and international community and to conduct and disseminate research for the benefit of human health.

The team from RCSI, MIT and Harvard was formed following a technology and trafficking meeting convened in Washington in July 2012, by the White House Office for Science and Technology and the Council on Women and Girls.

The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), the Irish Dental Hygienists Association and Dublin Dental University Hospital today launched a medical information leaflet for patients to raise awareness of gum disease; a silent disease that can damage a persons general health and is a potential risk factor for cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, bacterial pneumonia, rheumatoid arthritis and other systemic disorders.

The medical information leaflet which explains the causes, symptoms and how to prevent gum disease is available today for patients to pick up free from dental surgeries, dental hygienists, cardio departments in hospitals and pharmacys around the country or online at www.rcsi.ie/infoleaflets .

Dr Steve Kerrigan, Senior Lecturer in Pharmacology in RCSI said "Gum disease is a chronic infection of the tissues surrounding the teeth, leading to red, swollen and tender gums. When most people think of a healthy smile, they picture straight white teeth. Many people never stop to consider the health of the gums and bone supporting the teeth that allow for a nice smile. Over time, the inflammation as a result of gum disease causes the gums and bones surrounding the teeth to recede and teeth to fall out, changing the overall look of a persons face, mouth and smile."

Gum disease is a silent disease, because often at the early stages, there are no symptoms and many people may not be aware they have a problem until it turns in to a severe case.

Symptoms of gum disease include:
- Dark red or swollen gums
- Tender or bleeding gums
- Pain when biting on food
- Gums that have been pulled away or low down from the tooth
- Persistent bad breath

Gum disease affects four out of five people in Ireland and the level of gum disease worsens as we get older. Common lifestyle and dietary factors such as smoking, obesity and stress in addition to hormonal changes and some prescription medications can cause gum disease.

To maintain your dental health, Ms Susan Johnston, president of the Irish Dental Hygienists Association commented that "By maintaining your dental health, not only are you helping to support your overall health, but also ensuring your smile lasts a lifetime". She further recommends brushing teeth and gums twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, and flossing teeth or using interdental brushes once a day. Avoid sugary snacks between meals and visit your dentist and dental hygienist at least once a year.

You can download a copy of the information leaflet here.

RCSIsmj is a multidisciplinary publication which includes articles and submissions from medical, physiotherapy, and pharmacy students. The articles range from original research, audits, and special interest pieces to the publication of abstracts, case reports, and elective reviews.

Article topics in this years edition include the migration of healthcare workers from Ireland, as a future in Ireland ‘for many, is not on the table anymore. The journal will include exciting new research developments in cystic fibrosis (CF) as well as original research on the hormonal factors that influence CF. Much work is done in the field of cystic fibrosis at RCSI and an article will look at the new gene-modulating treatments for the disease (which target the cause of the illness rather than the symptoms), which includes the recent, potentially controversial in the long term, approval of Kalydeco.

Other research articles will explore female genital mutilation, advancements in breast cancer, stem cell therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS) and the Ethics Challenge competition challenges students to think critically about a patients cognitive faculties and treatment wishes.

Professor Hannah McGee, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, RCSI complemented the student editorial team on the production of a very high quality product. ‘The quality of the journal is a testament to the students who have worked very successfully as a team, and to those committed academic staff who support the students in achieving their goals.

‘The importance of research cannot be underestimated in the quest to advance understanding and treatment of disease, which in turn leads to better clinical care and best practice patient care. By providing healthcare students with the opportunity to develop their research skills and interests at an early stage in their career, it gives students a better understanding of how research can be translated from the bench to the patients bedside, Prof. McGee continued.

The RCSIsmj is to provide a forum for RCSI student contributions to the field of medicine, in any discipline. The journal publishes student research ranging from basic laboratory science and clinical work to humanities analyses of medicine in society. The goal of the the RCSIsmj is to encourage student research, writing and submission for publication, whilst reaching a broad international readership through both our print and electronic versions of the journal.
For more information, visit www.rcsismj.com

The lecture gave an overview of the issues addressing the use of psychotropic medication in US foster children and discussed the actions taken by the State of Texas to reduce the use of such medication amongst this group, and provide a description of the new Texas Psychotropic Medication Utilization Parameters for Foster Children and Youth.

Professor Crismon said "In the United States, the use of psychotropic medication in children, in particular foster children, who are a vulnerable population group that are often fraught with mental or psychiatric disorders, has come under a lot of scrutiny. The introduction of state-wide psychotropic medication usage limits and a prospective monitoring program for foster children has been associated with a decrease in the use of psychotropic medication and a decrease in polypharmacy."

Professor Paul Gallagher, Head of the School of Pharmacy said "We are delighted to have Professor Crismon give this lecture. It is apparent from research undertaken at the Health Promotion Research Centre at the National University of Ireland, Galway that children in care in Ireland report experiencing negative health and well-being outcomes in comparison to children who are not in care. In particular children in care are more likely to participate in risk behaviours and have poorer social relationships. There is little published evidence in Ireland on psychotropic medication use for children in care and so Professor Crismons presentation is important at a national level as we learn from the experience of the United States of America in order to effect an improved model of service delivery for this vulnerable cohort of our society.

Professor Crismon is Dean, James T. Doluisio Regents Chair and Behrens Centennial Professor at The University of Texas College of Pharmacy. He teaches in the clinical psychopharmacology courses for Psychiatry Residency Programs at UT Southwestern. Prof Crimson has served as a visiting professor for the Institute of Mental Health, National Health Group, Singapore and for the pharmacy programme at the University of Technology, Kingston, Jamaica. His research, scholarship and practice focus on the development and evaluation of strategies to improve the pharmacotherapy, pharmaeconomics and health outcomes of adults and children with severe mental disorders.

Dr. Helena Kelly, School of Pharmacy RCSI, Mr Paul Gallagher, Head School of Pharmacy RCSI, Prof. M Lynn Crismon, Pharm.D.,FCCP, BCPP Dean James T. Doluisio Regents Chair & Behrens Centennial Professor of Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Texas, Prof. Hannah McGee Dean, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences RCSI, Ms. Leonie Clarke, Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland.

Michelle Flood, Ben Ryan, Mathew Lynch

Dr. Helena Kelly, School of Pharmacy, RCSI & Sheila Ryder, Trinity College Dublin

Dr. Judith Strawbridge & Tamasine Grimes

With April being National Bowel Cancer Awareness month, this RCSI MiniMed talk aims to give attendees a better understanding of all aspects of gut health and Bowel Cancer (also known as Colon Cancer). The onset of bowel cancer occurs when cells in the bowel change and grow quickly. This can lead to the formation of a tumour. Bowel cancer is the most common form of cancer prevalent in both men and women in Ireland (i). Bowel cancer comes second only to lung cancer as the most common cause of cancer death in Ireland (ii).

The lecture will give an overview of certain bowel disorders that could lead to or contribute to the formation of bowel cancer. Information will be given on how to diagnose, treat and manage conditions such as constipation, faecal incontinence and diverticular disease as well as bowel cancer itself. The second half of the lecture will be dedicated to the screening process for colon cancer. All of the benefits and risks of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Programme, the first screening programme in Ireland to involve both men and women, aiming to detect unsymptomatic bowel cancer or pre-cancerous polyps, will be discussed. This new programme, part of National Cancer Screening Service (NCSS), invites members of the public who are most at risk to colon/bowel cancer (aged between 55-74) to get tested every two years.

Speaking on the importance of bowel cancer awareness, Joan Kehoe said, ‘With April being National Bowel Cancer Awareness month, this lecture will help heighten the importance of early detection of bowel cancer. A recent study demonstrated that patients survival outcome was significantly better in the population who were screened for bowel cancer so this screening initiative will play a vital role in early diagnosis.

The RCSI MiniMed Open Lecture Series is free of charge, however registration is essential in order to guarantee a place. Attendees can register online at www.rcsi.ie/minimed and you can join the conversation online, on the night, on Twitter at #RCSIMiniMed. To view previous MiniMed lectures from this series on the RCSI YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/TheRCSI123.

References:

[i] Irish Cancer Society (cancer.ie)

[ii] Irish Cancer Society (cancer.ie)

Professor Patrick Broe, President of RCSI said "The Guthrie heel-prick test cards are a unique and precious National archive. As a medical institution, RCSI strongly believes the archived test cards are a great National resource for basic and clinical research. The genetic information contained on these cards has already saved lives and alleviated immense suffering within Ireland and they are a precious resource for future genetic studies of the Irish population. These cards put us in a unique place to study patterns of disease within Irish society over many years and their importance should not be ignored."

Prof Broe continued "Given the rapid advances being made in medical sciences, it is highly probable that the use of these cards in ethically approved research will lead to future discoveries that will alleviate suffering from many additional syndromes in the future."

"I greatly welcome Minister Reillys decision to review in greater detail the protection of these cards and hope that the expert group Minister Reilly is convening will include medical and scientific experts who understand the immense medical and societal value that these cards possess," Prof Broe continued.

Professor Brian Harvey, Co-ordinator NBIP Ireland and Professor of Molecular Medicine at RCSI, welcomes delegates to the Conference

The conference is hosted by the National Biophotonics and Imaging Platform Ireland (NBIP Ireland) in association with the Royal Microscopy Society, Irish Research Council and Science Foundation Ireland. The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) is the local organiser of the event. BioPIC 2013 will discuss new discoveries made through the application of light based technologies to biology and medicine. This area of research is called biophotonics and is a rapidly growing field which uses light to view and analyse living tissues and cells to detect, diagnose and treat diseases such as cancer, heart disease and Alzheimers.

Dr. Paola della Porta, Associate Director of Research, RCSI and Professor Hugh J Byrne, DIT.

Professor Katerina Svanberg, Lund University Hospital, Sweden will speak about how ‘Laser Induced Fluorescence can monitor very early chemical changes in tissue as it progresses from normal to abnormal to cancer. These chemical changes can be visualised before any physical changes can be observed. If malignant tumours are identified during the non-invasive stage, the cure rate can be as high as 90%, reinforcing the benefits of this novel technology.

Professor Martin Leahy, Scientific Director NBIP Ireland; Dr. Antje Keppler, Euro-BioImaging; Professor Brian Harvey, Co-ordinator NBIP Ireland and Professor of Molecular Medicine at RCSI, Dr. Manus Ward, Science Foundation Ireland.

Also speaking at the conference is Professor Daniel Choquet, CNRS Institute for Neuroscience- Bordeaux University, France who will deliver a key note speech, explaining how it is now possible to visualise single molecules within the brain. Using super resolution imaging to track the movement of neurotransmitters, a clearer picture of how the complex pathways of the brain communicate and how errors in these signals may lead to neurological and psychiatric disorders, can now be observed.

Pictured (l-r) are Vinciane Sant-Crig, Lorraine Nolan, Siobhan Hendrick and Raphael Rapetti-Mauss all from Department of Molecular Medicine, RCSI, Beaumont Hospital.

Professor Brian Harvey, NBIP Director and Professor of Molecular Medicine at RCSI, believes that BioPIC 2013 is hugely important for promoting Irish excellence in the field of photonics: ‘BioPIC 2013 will build on Irelands reputation for scientific excellence and showcase our involvement in the best imaging research to an international audience. By bringing those with high impact biological problems to solve together with those developing sensing and imaging solutions, BioPIC 2013 will stimulate innovative solutions for discovery and treatment.

Pictured (l-r) are Professor Paul Whelan, DCU; Professor Hugh J Byrne, DIT; Kasper Claes, University of Antwerp; and Dr. Mario Rojas, RCSI/DCU.

NBIP Ireland was established in 2007 under HEA PRTLI Cycle 4. The platform consists of a consortium of imaging and biophotonics laboratories from across seven Universities, including RCSI, two Institutes of Technology in Ireland, and three EU partners; CNRS Montpellier (France), the CNR Institute of Biostructure and Bioimaging, Naples (Italy) and The Nordic Imaging Network.

Pictured (l-r) are Professor Brian Harvey, Co-ordinator NBIP Ireland and Professor of Molecular Medicine at RCSI, Dr Sheeona Gorman NBIP Ireland Programmes Manager, Professor Peter Dockery, NUI Galway; Professor Noel McHale, Dundalk IT.

For further information visit: www.nbipireland.ie/events

In todays conference, Trócaire is examining what it means to be poor in society today and where the international community needs to focus its activities and work towards a more just and sustainable world.

An Tánaiste, Mr. Gilmore will speak at the conference along with a number of special guests including Mohan Munashinghe, former Vice-Chair of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and Professor of Sustainable Development, University of Manchester and Frank La Rue, UN Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression to name but a few.

This year Trócaire reflects on 40 years of groundbreaking work with the poorest and most vulnerable people in the developing world. Trócaire tackles the root causes of poverty, addressing issues such as food security, human rights, gender equality and HIV. It works with local partner organisations that understand the challenges faced by communities in the hardest hit regions of the world. Trócaire strives to educate and inform the Irish public on issues of global justice.

Voting is being conducted through the Medical Councils online portal for doctors which was launched in May 2012. While many doctors have successfully activated their accounts since then, in recent days, there has been an increased demand for support by doctors to activate and navigate this process.

Doctors can vote, and also view video guidance on activating their portal accounts at: http://bit.ly/MCE2013. Dedicated supports will remain in place via email to online@mcirl.ie or via phone at 01-498 3160.

A vast array of international cuisine was available on the night

The nights main event pitted each country against one another, to impress the judges across six categories (Appetizer, Main Dish, Dessert, Vegetarian Dish, Decorated Stall & Best Dish) setting the stage for a belly-busting competition. The judges were impressed by the taste, quality and abundance of the dishes and commended all of the participants on their efforts.

A student tries in vain to master the surf simulator

In addition to the delicious range of dishes prepared by the 11 participating regions, other entertainment on the night was supplied by the Gourmet Society (with a Pie Eating contest and Doughnut Race), as well as a Surf Simulator to test your balance. Music from Luke Reilly and the Music Society provided the perfect atmosphere for an evening full of flavour!

A great evening was had by all!

International Food Night continues to be one of the most inclusive and highly anticipated nights of the year, with the committee members from the Gourmet Society pulling out all the stops to ensure a memorable occasion for everyone in attendance.

Niamh visited Kampala, the capital city of Uganda, as well as Gulu, a city in the north of the country. Gulu has been hard hit by conflict; it is the major city in the region most affected by the rebel Lords Resistance Army led by Joseph Kony. In 2001 St. Marys Hospital Lacor in Gulu was the only institution which cared for victims of Ebola outbreak which led to the deaths of 13 nurses and doctors. Niamh also visited Mulago hospital in Kampala, made famous by the film The Last King of Scotland. Both of these hospitals are COSECSA accredited training hospitals and are supported by RCSI through this collaboration programme.


Pictured (l-r) is Breda Boyne, Manager of the Northside Civic Centre, Coolock and Niamh Griffin.

COSECSA is the regional surgical training college for ten countries across East, Central and Southern Africa, an area with a population approaching 300 million. The RCSI/COSECSA programme is funded by Irish Aid and is particularly active in training surgical trainers in various disciplines, provision of IT labs, examination support, capacity building and online surgical training & other training material within COSECSA.

Niamh Griffins trip was supported by the Simon Cumbers Media fund. This fund honours the memory of Irish journalist and cameraman Simon Cumbers who was killed while filming a report for BBC Television News in Saudi Arabia. The aim of the Fund is to assist and promote more and better quality media coverage of development issues in the Irish media.

View the lectures below on the RCSI YouTube Channel:

‘Dublin Fire Brigade Paramedics - An insight into a pre-hospital emergency care service

‘Reducing your risk of experiencing subfertility/infertility

RCSI Rugby team


UPMC/San Antoine rugby team

The activities commenced with a welcome dinner in the College Hall and Board Room, RCSI. The visitors were welcomed to The College by the RCSI rugby team and College staff including Professor Arnie Hill, Professor Alan Johnson (retired), RCSI team captain, Conor Keogh and the Student Services team; Corriena Brien, James OHagan, Caoimhe OGorman and Ivan Carty. The celebrations were quickly in full swing and an array of College and rugby songs could be heard billowing through the building.


RCSI & UPMC/San Antoine battle it out for possession on the soggy pitch

The following day, both teams took to RCSIs sports grounds in Dardistown and battled each other, as well as the harsh weather and a waterlogged pitch. However an exciting game of rugby ensued. At half time there were no points on the score board, so both teams revisited their game tactics and came out for the second half with even more gusto than before. Despite a close fought game, RCSI edged the match with a 6-5 win. This ensured that the beautiful bronze trophy remains in the RCSI trophy cabinet - at least for another year.


RCSI Rugby win the ball in the line-out

Following the match, commemorative medals were presented to the visitors and both team captains made closing speeches.

Corriena Brien, Student Services Manager commended both teams and supporters who came out on the day despite extremely cold and wet conditions. She said; ‘History and tradition are of great importance to RCSI and this extends across student events including this one. It is really important that we all play a part in keeping such sporting endeavors alive. This particular one is over 20 years in existence and it is wonderful to see the comraderie events such as this bring. She went on to add; ‘The Student Services Office is delighted to support such sporting exchanges and we hope this one continues for many more years to come.


The players were not the only ones to brave the elements as Corriena Brien (far left), Student Services Manager, RCSI; Ivan Carty, RCSI Accommodation Manager, and other supporters cheer on the teams from the sidelines.

Pictured (l-r) are club captains Conor Keogh (RCSI) & Jules Prieur (UPMC/San Antoine) with the coveted trophy which will stay in Dublin this year

The RCSI soccer club and graduate teams before the game, with Jim Sherlock (far left).

Jamie Phillips, a Pharmacy student, opened the scoring before, graduate, Eoin OConchuir equalised. In the second half, Jamie Phillips reinstated the students lead before Thomas "The Mink " OCarroll levelled once again. The RCSI Graduates came out on top, winning 5-4 in a penalty shootout.

Eugene McDonagh and Eoin OConchuir warm up for the game

Jim Sherlock, Head Porter, RCSI, who was at the game said, ‘It was nice to see such a close and entertaining game go all the way to the wire and then be decided on penalties. From a spectators point of view, it was a great match. Well done to both teams.


Pictured is Anthony Hoban making an acrobatic save!

The game coincides with the upcoming launch of the RCSI Gathering 2013, a Celebration of RCSI - Past, Present and Future. From 12th to 14th September 2013, RCSI is welcoming its alumni back to Ireland to reconnect with old friends and colleagues and celebrate RCSIs unique heritage and global connections. Programme details and registration information will be available in due course. For more information visit www.rcsi.ie/gathering2013.

Pictured (l-r) are Professor David Whitford, RCSI Bahrain and Dr Frances Meagher, Dept of Medicine, RCSI and Beaumont Hospital.

More than 300 researchers attended this annual forum which provides RCSI scientists with the opportunity to showcase their most recent research findings and emphasises the importance of research within the College.

Pictured (l-r) are Dr Tommy Kyaw Tun and Dr Pauline Joyce, Institute of Leadership

The emphasis for the day was on oral and poster presentations by investigators early in their career, post-doctoral fellows, post-graduate and undergraduate scholars and academic staff. All oral presentations and poster presentations were judged and awards were presented at an evening ceremony.

Pictured (l-r) are Annachiara Mitrugno and Professor Niamh Moran, Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics.

Professor Ray Stallings, Director of Research at RCSI said: ‘RCSI is committed to supporting and nurturing an active research community and the annual Research Day is a vital platform for highlighting the scope of research taking place across the different disciplines in the College. As one of Irelands premier research institutions, exposure to world-class research begins at undergraduate level right up to the highest-calibre research-active academic staff, enabling us to train new generations of researchers and clinician scientists.

Pictured (l-r) are RCSI medical students Layveeniea Ananthan and Rebecca Horgan

The annual John J Ryan Distinguished Lecture was delivered by Professor Timothy OBrien who spoke on the subject of "Translating Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy to the Clinic: Challenges and Opportunities". Professor OBrien is the Director of the Regenerative Medicine Institute (REMEDI) at NUI Galway.

Pictured (l-r) are Dr John McDermott, Consultant Endocrinologist, Connolly Hospital; Professor Timothy OBrien, Director of the Regenerative Medicine Institute (REMEDI) at NUI Galway who delivered the John J Ryan Distinguished Guest Lecture; and Professor Ray Stallings, Director of Research, RCSI.

Pictured (l-r) is Professor Cathal Kelly, CEO, RCSI and Dr Frank Doyle, winner in the Health Professions Education Award category.

Pictured (l-r) is Professor Cathal Kelly, CEO, RCSI and Ayman Saeed, winner of the Dr. Harry OFlanagan Prize for Excellence in Undergraduate Research.

Pictured (l-r) is Professor Cathal Kelly, CEO, RCSI; Mr Simon Thorpe, Roche Diagnostics; and Jennifer Lynch, recipient of the PhD Scholars Oral Research Prize (The Roche Gold Medal).

Pictured (l-r) are Andrew Burke, Dr Safia Sayed, Dr Jacintha More OFerrall, Mr Philip OHalloran (winner of the Mr Kamal Sayed Prize in Neurosurgery), Professor Ray Stallings, Director of Research, RCSI, and Mr Amo Sayed.

Pictured (l-r) are Mr Bernard Kennedy Mundipharma, Dr Pathma Ramasamy, winner of the Post-graduate Oral Research Prize (The Mundipharma Pharmaceuticals Prize), and Professor Ray Stallings, Director of Research, RCSI.

Pictured (l-r) are Mr Matthew Barnes, Mrs Betty Barnes, Dr Kerstin Pohl, winner of the Early Career Investigators Oral Research Prize (The Barnes Medal) and Dr Kevin McGuigan, Research Day Academic Co-ordinator.

In her lecture, Ms Gerri Emerson will give an overview on the common types of infertility, how it affects male and female reproductive systems as well as tips on how one can enhance their own fertility. She warns that infertility and subfertility incidence is on the rise. ‘In Ireland one of the problems in obtaining accurate figures for infertility rates is that there are no records of whether people in the past were infertile or childless by choice, however, an increase is suggested says Ms Emerson, also a Research & Development Officer in the HARI unit. While sperm quality and number have generally declined in the last 30 years, Ms Emerson explains that, ‘Infertility has long been regarded as a womens issue however it has been established that a male factor is held responsible in roughly half of all cases of infertility. We hope that MiniMed attendees will leave with the full concept that while infertility is on the increase, by making small changes in lifestyle, each individual can take back control of their own fertility.

Paul Lambert and Martin OReilly from Dublin Fire Brigade will open the evenings lectures with an insight into a ‘day in the life of being both a fire-fighter and paramedic. Often being the first on the scene of an emergency, be it an accident or an inferno, both speakers will talk about life and their experiences in Dublin Fire Brigade. Mr. Lambert and Mr. OReilly, possessing 40 years combined experience, will discuss the benefits of combining fire and emergency medical service (EMS) for patients as well as providing information on range of pre-hospital treatment protocols. This lecture will feature footage from real on-scene incidents.

The RCSI MiniMed Open Lecture Series is free of charge; however registration is essential in order to guarantee a place. Attendees can register online at www.rcsi.ie/minimed and you can join the conversation online, on the night, on Twitter at #RCSIMiniMed. To view previous MiniMed lectures from this series on the RCSI YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/TheRCSI123.

€200 million of Irish exchequer funding will be invested in seven world class research centres of scale. The new funding will be delivered through Science Foundation Irelands (SFI) Research Centres Programme coupled with over €100 million in cash and in-kind contributions from industry partners, making it the largest ever combined state/industry co-funding announcement of its kind in the research field in Ireland. The funding will be provided over the next six years with a mid-term review.

Two of RCSIs research projects were announced as recipients of funding from the new scheme. The first is the Advanced Materials and BioEngineering Research Centre (AMBER) in collaboration with TCD and UCC, with Prof. Fergal OBrien as the RCSI lead Principal Investigator. The second is the Centre for Perinatal Translational Research (CaPTuRE) in collaboration with UCC and TNI, with Prof. David Henshall as the RCSI lead Principal Investigator.

Professor Ray Stallings, RCSI Director of Research said "RCSI welcomes the announcement made by SFI to fund two of RCSIs research projects that form part of major, multidisciplinary, inter-institutional Centre grants. RCSI is committed to world-class biomedical translational research and the integration of basic and clinical research, so that advances in medical science are translated as quickly as possible into improved diagnoses and treatments for the benefit of patients and the community."

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD said, "Todays announcement will lead to the establishment in Ireland of world-class centres of research excellence and scale which will be game-changers for Irish scientific research.

"The €300 million investment and the 7 new, large-scale, world-class research centres it will support, are aimed at achieving a step-change in the reputation and performance of Irelands research system. This will support more than 800 talented scientists, develop cutting-edge research and new technologies, attract dynamic partnerships with industry and ultimately help to create the jobs we need".

Speaking at the announcement the Minister for Research and Innovation, Sean Sherlock TD said, "This is a landmark moment in the evolution of Irelands research system which will deliver major economic and societal benefits for Ireland in the years to come. Todays unprecedented funding announcement will help deliver the quality jobs of the future for Ireland in a range of areas such as information and communications technology; internet based services; pharmaceuticals; medical technologies and energy amongst other things".

The seven research centres mark a new collaborative approach and bring together multidisciplinary teams comprising 800 scientists from across Irelands leading higher education and research institutions and interacting with 156 industry partners. The centres will be in the following areas:

1. Big Data - with the explosion of internet based information through this centre we will see the development of breakthrough data analytics technologies to make Ireland a global leader in this rapidly expanding area;

2. Marine renewable energy - Ireland is one of the best locations in the world in terms of marine renewable energy resources. This centre will look to generate energy technologies for industry from wave, tidal and floating wind devices.

3. Nanotechnology/engineered materials - will deliver world-leading research across a number of key enterprise sectors, most notably ICT, industrial technology and medical devices and delivery systems. Ireland is currently ranked 6th globally in nanotechnology and 8th in materials science.

4. Food for health/functional foods; the centre will address important issues such as disease prevention, healthy ageing and improved population health in general. Ireland is currently ranked 2nd in the world in probiotics research.

5. Photonics - which is the generation, manipulation and utilization of light, is an important enabling technology that underpins many areas such as future networks, communications systems and medical devices.

6. Perinatal Translational Research - which will focus on fast-tracking discoveries relating to most complications of pregnancy and newborn babies and service a huge societal and economic need globally.

7. Drug synthesis/crystallization - this centre will develop new mechanisms and better control processes to produce new and improved drug formulations and safe medicines. This centre is of major importance to Irelands pharmaceutical sector, a sector which generated over €56 billion in exports in 2012.

Professor Mark Ferguson, Director General of SFI, said, "These seven funded research centres were selected from 35 proposals following a highly competitive and rigorous international peer review process. This 20% success rate is comparable to international funding success rates. Each centre proposal was examined for scientific excellence through international scientific review by eminent scientists from the worlds leading universities and for potential economic impact through an international impact review by distinguished industrial R&D leaders, high technology investors, translational institute directors and tech transfer directors from world leading universities. Over 100 esteemed international reviewers have joined with Industry and agency experts to ensure that the centres supported have excellent science with the potential to deliver societal and economic impact. "

"Each centre will become a hub for platform research areas of national importance. This model enables the centres to add new industry and academic partners in ‘spokes or linked research streams to ensure that funding is used in a collaborative and consolidated way. This ‘hub and spoke model will allow every centre to maximize the potential of the platform research provide flexibility and scalability by allowing new and existing multi-national companies, SMEs and academic groups to partner in research projects and potentially create new research breakthroughs. "

The seven centres involve a collaborative partnership across research institutions in Ireland with participation from University College Cork, University College Dublin, Tyndall National Institute (UCC), Trinity College Dublin, University of Limerick, NUI Galway, Dublin City University, Cork Institute of Technology, Teagasc, the Marine Institute, Geological Survey Ireland, Royal College of Surgeons and CSO Cork amongst others.

The meeting was attended by consultants and surgical trainees from Sligo General Hospital, Roscommon Hospital, Letterkenny Hospital and University College Hospital Galway. Among the topics discussed were current issues in surgical practice and training; and the wider supportive role which the College provides for its Fellows and Members. The President was joined by Professor Sean Tierney, Dean of Professional Development & Practice; Mr Eunan Friel, Managing Director of the Department of Surgical Affairs; and Ms Louise Sherwin, Manager of the Fellows, Members & Alumni Office.


Pictured (l-r) is Timothy O Hanrahan and Emmeline Nugent

Professor Broe said ‘The meeting, which is part of a regional engagement process, was an opportunity to provide information and promote dialogue around issues relevant to our Fellows and Members. The feedback we receive at these meetings is very important for the College in helping us to understand the concerns and needs of our surgical community and how we can improve our support for Fellows and Members. We were delighted so many surgeons from the Northwest Region could attend.


Pictured (l-r) are Iftikhar Ahmed, Brendan Healy and Peter Morrison.


Pictured (l-r) are Michael Sweeney, Mary Bresnihan and Marcus Choo.


Pictured (l-r) are Professor Patrick Broe, Martin Cauldwell and Denis Quill.


Pictured (l-r) are Mukarram Anis Shaike and Gohar Naqvi.

In a major study, appearing this week in the prestigious journal Brain, the group identified a gene that may protect the brain against seizures. Led by Dr Tobias Engel and Professor David Henshall and involving collaborators at the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid in Spain, the study revealed that seizures activate a gene called CHOP. This gene had previously been linked to cancer but the authors found that CHOP does something quite different in the brain.

The researchers used a genetic technique to remove the gene from brain cells and found that this made the cells highly vulnerable to damage in epilepsy models. They linked this effect to a new signalling pathway, in which CHOP works to activate a second gene, called Mdm2, which itself puts a brake on cell death.

The study also involved Dr Norman Delanty and colleagues at Beaumont Hospital who provided brain tissue samples from patients with drug-resistant epilepsy which were found to also have altered levels of CHOP, indicating this pathway may be important in human epilepsy. Efforts will now turn to finding ways to control when this gene is turned on or off.

In a second study, published in PLoS One the same team used another genetic technique to increase levels of a protein called 14-3-3 in the brain. This protein works as a "scaffold" or bridge, helping enzymes and cell functions including metabolism and cell cycle. Previous research had uncovered a role in helping brain cells cope with stress and the research showed that by increasing the levels of the protein in the brain, this could protect against prolonged seizures.

The studies were funded by Science Foundation Ireland and the Health Research Board.

Professor David Henshall, Principal Investigator, RCSI Department of Physiology and Medical Physics said "Our group is engaged in efforts to understand the effects of seizures on the brain and in particular, learning about the cell and molecular mechanisms responsible for epilepsy and identifying ways to protect the brain. This research has uncovered two important advances in the understanding of epilepsy."

Epilepsy is a common, chronic neurological disorder characterized by recurrent, unprovoked seizures that are the result of abnormally synchronized neuronal discharges in the brain. Epilepsy affects approximately 37,000 in Ireland.

Pictured (l-r) are Professor Paddy Broe, President RCSI, Ms Edna Woolhead, Dean of the Faculty, Professor Rowaida Al-Maaitah who received an Honorary Fellowship of the Faculty, Dr Bashar Al-Khasawneh, Prof Seamus Cowman, Head of Department and Professor of Nursing, RCSI.

In his keynote address, ‘Competence in Times of Austerity, Professor Sellman, author of the book ‘What Makes a Good Nurse, highlighted the importance of keeping focused on both kindness and compassion and not just technical skills, which are often the main focus of competency in times of austerity.

Pictured (l-r) are Professor Seamus Cowman, Head of Department and Professor of Nursing, RCSI, Professor Padddy Broe, President, RCSI, Mr Tommy Gorman, RTE Correspondent and Ms Edna Woolhead, Dean of the Faculty.

Approximately 130 nurses and midwives attended the RCSIs 32nd Annual International Nursing and Midwifery Conference entitled ‘Nursing Development in Times of Austerity, which took place on Thursday, 21st February 2013.

Pictured (l-r) are Ms Suzanne Moore, Eileen Daly, Professor Seamus Cowman, Head of Department and Professor of Nursing, RCSI, Professor Derek Sellman and Dr Dianne Cooney-Minor.

Speakers from North America, the United Kingdom, Europe, the Middle East and Ireland delivered presentations on the latest developments on a range of topics including nurse-led service developments; oncology; wound management and tissue viability; palliative care; mental health; and midwifery and womens health.

Pictured (l-r) are Professor Tom Collins, President, RCSI Bahrain, Ms Maryam Yaqoob, Ms Lamees Dawood, Prof Seamus Cowman and Prof Sameer Otoom, Vice-President, RCSI Bahrain.

Professor Seamus Cowman, Head of the Faculty and School of Nursing and Midwifery at RCSI said: ‘The RCSI 32nd annual international conference represents an exciting opportunity for nurses and midwives to come together to discuss the very latest evidence based practice and new research. Given the current challenges in our health care environment, it is very encouraging to see an increasing number of Irish nurses and midwives presenting alongside our international colleagues. This is a positive indicator for the future of the nursing and midwifery professions in Ireland.

Pictured (l-r) are Margaret Boland, Mary Tighe, Ms Elsbeth Finlay, Dr Zena Moore and Ms Mary Casey.

The conference opened yesterday evening with an opening address from Mr. Tommy Gorman, RTE Correspondent, followed by the conferring of an Honorary Fellowship on Professor Rowaida Al-Maaitah, Professor of Nursing at the Jordan University of Science and Technology. An internationally noted and eminent member of the nursing profession, Professor Al-Maaitahs notable achievements include being first Jordanian woman to be appointed as University President, University Vice-President, Director General of a 600 bedded teaching hospital and Dean in the academic sector. Three times a Senator in the Upper House of the Jordanian Parliament, in October 2011, Professor Al-Maaitah was the first woman to be appointed as Minister for Higher Education and Scientific Research with a portfolio for the responsibility of the organisation and regulation of vocational education and training.

Pictured is Mr Tommy Gorman, RTE Correspondent, opening the conference.

A copy of the conference programme can be viewed at: www.rcsi.ie/nursingconference

Pictured (l-r) are Dr Michael Bergin, WIT, Ms Lorraine Murphy, HSE and Mr Martin White, HSE.

Experts representing key stakeholder groups from industry, academia, public health and research institutes, funding bodies and other organisations will gather in Heidelberg on 26 February to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the European Vaccine Initiative (EVI) -Europe´s first Product Development Partnership- with a symposium on global health and diseases of poverty. Renowned speakers from different national and international organisations related to vaccine research and development, global health and international cooperation will present overviews of their current activities and developments in the field.

"EVI is playing an extremely important and effective role as Product Development Partnership in the development of vaccines against diseases of poverty", said Dr. Terry McWade, Deputy Chief Executive of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and current Chair of the EVI Board, "and we are proud that the generous support provided by Irish Aid has contributed to a very significant extent to the achievements made so far."

Initially established in 1998 as EMVI (European Malaria Vaccine Initiative) with seed funding from the European Commission and focusing exclusively on malaria, over the years EVI´s mandate has grown and currently includes other diseases of poverty. In addition to providing financial, operational and managerial support to the development of vaccines against these devastating diseases, EVI´s involvement goes very much beyond the support of scientific-technical activities, and includes support to capacity strengthening, infrastructure initiatives, and advocacy related to the cause.

To date, EVI has supported the development of 29 vaccine preparations, 15 of which have progressed into early clinical development. Three malaria vaccine candidates have been transitioned to partner organisations to undergo mid-stage clinical development in sub-Saharan Africa.

Dr. Odile Leroy, Executive Director of EVI, said that "EVI has grown in strength over the years. Our achievements have only been possible thanks to the unswerving support from our funders, our members and other colleagues and partners, not to mention the dedicated staff at our Secretariat."
EVI´s 15th Anniversary Symposium will be organised under the Patronage of the Minister for Science, Research and the Arts of the State of Baden-Württemberg, Theresia Bauer.

For further information visit www.euvaccine.eu

View the lectures below on the RCSI You Tube Channel

Benefits of a healthy lifestyle with exercise

From Aquajogging to Yoga - getting to the core of the myriad of exercise types

‘The challenge to distinguish small but normal babies from small at-risk babies, is one of the most common, controversial and complex problems in modern obstetrics, says lead researcher Julia Unterscheider, at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. ‘Standard international practice has been to consider those babies in the bottom 10% by weight to be at the highest risk of developing complications. These mothers and babies usually receive increased surveillance and monitoring. However, our study questions whether this is necessary for all cases.

The majority of babies whose weight falls into the bottom 10% from a weight perspective go on to be a healthy baby that is simply small for its gestational age. However, some develop serious health complications, and possibly even die. And there is recent evidence to suggest that unfavourable conditions in the womb may increase risk of diseases in adulthood such as hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease and stroke. So it is believed that close monitoring of this 10 per cent is necessary.

‘However, we conducted a study involving over 1,100 pregnant women at seven maternity hospitals across Ireland using state-of-the-art ultrasound equipment supplied by the Health Research Board (HRB), which allow very detailed monitoring of babies in the womb. We took a set of in-depth ultrasound measurements normally at two-weekly intervals, or more frequent if deemed appropriate, and recorded the babys medical status and condition following delivery.

The findings revealed that the highest risk for adverse outcomes are in the group of babies that fall into the bottom three per cent by weight and who have an abnormal reading on the ultrasound test that measures arterial blood flow in the umbilical cord.

‘In fact, the measurement of blood flow in the umbilical cord was the strongest and most significant predictor of an increased likelihood of complications, explains Dr Unterscheider. ‘Our data calls into question whether monitoring all of those in the bottom 10% by weight alone is necessary when predicting adverse outcomes.

Prof Fergal Malone, RCSI Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology & Chairman of the Perinatal Ireland Research Consortium commented; ‘The major benefit of this study is the potential to radically change the focus and intensity of current assessment for the apparently small baby in the womb.

The findings will also be published in full in the March edition of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Transition Year students pictured during a practical demonstration with Professor Riona Mulcahy, Waterford Regional Hospital.

As part of the programme, students witnessed a live operation, attended interactive lectures, gained hands-on training in clinical skills as well as practical experience in medicine and scientific tutorials.

Pictured are Transition Year students Tom ORourke and Niamh OGorman, St. Augustines College, Dungarvan with Mike Burke, Waterford Regional Hospital.

Leading medical professionals from RCSI and Waterford Regional Hospital delivered the programme, on a range of topics including human anatomy, respiratory medicine, obstetrics, paediatrics, psychiatry, radiology, geriatric medicine, emergency medicine, cardiology and general practice.

Pictured are Transition Year students Aisling French, Tommy Harty, Eadaoin McMahon and Tom ORourke, St. Augustines College, Dungarvan.

The 2013 Waterford Mini-Med Programme was coordinated by Professor Riona Mulcahy, Undergraduate Dean, Senior Lecturer in Medicine, RCSI and Waterford Regional Hospital ; Professor Fred Jackson, Department of Medicine, RCSI, Waterford Regional Hospital; and Mr. Joe OBeirne, RCSI Council Member and Honorary Senior Lecturer in Orthopaedics, RCSI, Waterford Regional Hospital.

Pictured is Janet Murphy, Advanced Midwife Practitioner with Transition Year students.

Waterford Regional Hospital is a teaching hospital of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Since 1998, RCSI has been sending students in their final two years to the hospital to attend clinical rotations in Medicine, Surgery, Psychiatry, Paediatrics, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Orthopaedics, Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology.

Pictured are Professor Riona Mulcahy, Undergraduate Dean, Senior Lecturer in Medicine, RCSI and Waterford Regional Hospital; Professor Fred Jackson, Department of Medicine, RCSI, Waterford Regional Hospital; Professor Hannah McGee, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, RCSI and Mr. Joe OBeirne, RCSI Council Member and Honorary Senior Lecturer in Orthopaedics, RCSI, Waterford Regional Hospital

Sibeal Carolan, Dermot Flynn, Prof. Ciaran OBoyle, Institute of Leadership, RCSI and John Brennan, CEO of Jurys Inn Hotel Group

Mr John Brennan, CEO of the Jurys Inn group said "No matter what industry or sector you are in, the key to becoming a leader who leads successfully, from someone who just understands leadership, is your ability to understand and use the appropriate leadership competencies. It is not just about understanding how to lead, but about practicing it in everything you do and developing leadership throughout organisations."

"Given the range of challenges facing public, private and even volunteer organizations today, leadership is required now more than ever as new political and financial challenges, technologies, market demands, and competition emerge", continued Mr Brennan.

Professor Ciaran OBoyle, Director of the RCSI Institute of Leadership said "The Lessons in Leadership lecture series are being held to open up the debate on why leadership is so important and to empower those working in the health sector to develop appropriate leadership competencies. We are delighted Mr John Brennan could join us this evening to share his experience of working in industry."

Dr. Suzanne Miller Delaney, RCSI, Maria Fahy, Lucena Clinic and Ms. Nora Ellard, St. Vincents Hospital

John is responsible for the 32 hotels in the Jurys Inn group across Ireland, the United Kingdom and the Czech Republic. Overseen by John and his team, Jurys Inn has undertaken an ambitious growth programme, opening 10 new hotels since 2008. It has invested £25 million in the repositioning and renovation of its hotels. Read Johns Lessons in Leadership Lecture (377KB).

Ms Kathy OBoyle, UCD and Padraig Ashe

The RCSI Institute of Leadership is Irelands only third level institution dedicated exclusively to developing the leadership and management capacity of health professionals. While the Institute is a fully academic institution, it maintains close connections with the world of healthcare delivery and its programmes are characterised by flexibility, speed of response, customer service and a blended learning approach that allows our students to learn while continuing to work. The Institute has campuses in Dublin, Bahrain & Dubai and it also deliver programmes in Abu Dhabi, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Mr. Padraig Ashe, Mr. John Brennan and Mr. Brendan Colclough

Brendan OHara and Karen Charnley, All Ireland Institue of Hospice and Pallative Care and Prof. Samuel McConkey, RCSI

Guest speaker to the event at the closing session was DCU President Professor Brian Mac Craith.

Professor Mac Craith delivered a visionary speech encouraging the importance of keeping a broad understanding of Education at the forefront of student-life activities. Professor McCraith spoke about the multiple challenges that people face in their lives and the need to have responses that are holistic and embracing of innovative and inclusive approaches.

At the heart of responding to complex challenges Professor McCraith reminded us that pro-active and creative approaches were required to stimulate cultural and social changes as part of the wider goal of transforming lives.

Tapping creatively into the diversity of cultures, beliefs and opportunities that are available to students and staff at third level so as to build healthier and more holistic educational and learning environments resonated loudly as a vision to be embodied for shaping future outcomes.

The session was completed with a parting shot of participants from 3U partner colleges present in DCU to the event.

Noreen Shankey, RCSI Chaplaincy, Professor Brian Mac Craith, DCU President and Dee ODonnell, RCSI Chaplaincy

Prof Paddy Broe, President of RCSI; Prof Michael Solomon, RCSI Alumnus & Honorary Fellowship recipient, Dr. James Reilly TD, Minister for Health & RCSI Alumnus; Prof Cathal Kelly, RCSI CEO

Honorary Fellowships of the College were presented to Professor Ralph Dacey and Professor Michael Solomon on the night.

Reading Professor Michael Solomons citation, RCSI Council Member Professor P. Ronan OConnell said "As a graduate of the College, we would like to welcome Michael back to RCSI. Michael has published widely with more than 200 publications on all aspects of colorectal surgery, focusing particularly on clinical outcomes and quality of life. Michael is considered a world authority on exenterative techniques, and yet, in the midst of such great achievements it is his humility and humanity that come through his writings and teaching."

Prof Ralph Dacey, Honorary Fellowship recipient; Prof Paddy Broe, RCSI President; Prof Michael Solomon, Honorary Fellowship recipient & RCSI Alumnus

Reading Prof Daceys citation, RCSI Council Member Mr Ken Mealy said "Dr. Dacey is internationally recognised for his contributions to the understanding and treatment of conditions affecting the blood vessels in and around the brain. In 1998 he performed the first human magnetic neurological surgery.

Prof Paddy Broe, RCSI President & H.E. Mr Abdulaziz Abdulrahman Aldriss, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Dr Jim Kiely, Prof Freddie Wood

Prof Lord Ara Darzi, Prof Noel Williams

Mr Seamus ORiain, Mrs Roberta ORiain, Mrs Eileen Mealy, Prof Cliona OFarrelly, Mr Fonsi Mealy

Mr Robert Moran, Mrs Kathy Hennessy, Dr Sean Kelly, Mrs Lisa Hennessy, Mrs Sarah-Jane Hennessy, Mr Michael Hennessy

View the full gallery of RCSI Charter Day Dinner photographs here

Pictured (l-r) is Professor Patrick Broe, President, RCSI, and Professor Ralph G. Dacey Jr as Prof Dacey signs the visitors book in the Presidents office, RCSI.

The day will kick off with five speciality parallel sessions focussing on trauma and orthopaedics, colorectal surgery, neurosurgery, ENT & plastics and urology. The Johnson & Johnson lecture will be given by Prof Ralph G. Dacey, Jnr, Chairman of Neurosurgery, Washington University Hospital, Missouri. Prof Daceys lecture will focus on "Training Surgeons for the 21st Century: Current Challenges for Surgical Educators."


Pictured (l-r) is Professor Patrick Broe, President, RCSI, and Professor Michael Solomon, as Prof Solomon signs the visitors book in the Presidents office, RCSI.

In 2004, Prof Dacey along with two of his colleagues established a two way resident rotation between Neurosurgery in Beaumont Hospital and Barnes Hospital in Washington University. Neurosurgery residents from the United States and Ireland rotate between the departments every six months. To date, 24 US and four Irish residents have exchanges on this very successful programme.


Pictured (l-r) at the Charter Day Meetings are Mr. Philip OHalloran, Ms Kantharuby Tambirajoo and Mr. Stephen Young.

The afternoon plenary session addresses "Infection and the Surgeon: current and future challenges". Later in the afternoon Professor Patrick Broe, RCSI President will give his Presidential Address to Fellows and Members. Prof Broe said "As part of my Presidential agenda, my number one item is to shorten the duration of surgical training in Ireland. A lot of work has been done to date to implement these changes and we plan to launch the new programme in July 2013. One of the most crucial changes to the programme is the elimination of the gap years between Basic and Higher Surgical Training."


Pictured (l-r) at the Charter Day Meetings are Mr. Devon Heydon, Mr. Rory Murphy, Mr. Anthony Chaffee and Dr. Rebecca Murphy.

"There is still considerable work to be done in terms of clarifying selection criteria, establishing robust methodologies of assessment and identifying high quality training posts, but it is intended that the new training paradigm will place the trainee centrally in all clinical operative and scientific pursuits within the surgical department," Prof Broe continued.


Pictured (l-r) at the Charter Day Meetings is Professor Wal McGowan and Mr. Vincent Lynch

Charter Day will continue on Friday evening when Professor Michael Solomon, a graduate of RCSI and Professor of Surgery at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney, Australia will give the 88th Abraham Colles Lecture on "The Evolution of Radical Pelvic Exenteration".

On Saturday, the Irish Higher Surgical Training Group (IHSTG) will hold their annual meeting. The topic for discussion is surgical training and mentorship and the meeting will discuss further the new surgical training pathway.


Pictured (l-r) at the Charter Day Meetings are Professor Thomas Lynch, Mr. Peter Murchan, Professor Tom Walsh, Countess Laura Viani, Member of RCSI Council, and Mr. Sean Johnston.

On Saturday evening, Professors Dacey and Solomon will be presented with Honorary Fellowships of the College. Reading Professor Solomons citation, RCSI Council Member Professor P. Ronan OConnell said "Michael has published widely with more than 200 publications on all aspects of colorectal surgery, focusing particularly on clinical outcomes and quality of life. Michael is considered a world authority on exenterative techniques, and yet, in the midst of such great achievements it is his humility and humanity that come through his writings and teaching."


Pictured (l-r) at the Charter Day Meetings is Mr. Ali Zaki and Mr. Liam McMullin

Reading Prof Daceys citation, RCSI Council Member Mr Ken Mealy said "Dr. Dacey is internationally recognised for his contributions to the understanding and treatment of conditions affecting the blood vessels in and around the brain. In 1998 he performed the first human magnetic neurological surgery." Prof Broe said "The RCSI Charter Day meetings are held to commemorate the establishment of RCSI by Royal Charter on 11th February 1784. The meetings provide the surgical community with an opportunity to come together and discuss the challenges, issues and new developments within surgery. This year we have the largest number of attendees at Charter Day and it is great to see such interest and enthusiasm for the meeting."

View the full gallery of Charter Day photographs here

The RCSI signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the University of Sharjah in 2012 and the two institutions will offer an MSc in Leadership in Health Professions Education from September 2013.

(L-R) Dr Kenny Winser, RCSI Department of Physiology & Medical Physics; Prof Kevin Nolan, Head of the School of Postgraduate Studies & Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry; Dr Helen McVeigh, RCSI School of Postgraduate Studies; Mr Declan Magee, RCSI Vice-President; Dr. Nayf Al-Hajraf, Kuwait Minister of Education & Minister of Higher Education; Prof Waleed Shuaib, Kuwait Cultural Attaché in Dublin; Mr Philip Curtis, RCSI Head of Admissions; Mr Michael McGrail, RCSI Director of Corporate Strategy.

Dr. Nayf Al-Hajraf (right), Kuwait Minister of Education & Minister of Higher Education signs the RCSI Visitor book with Mr Declan Magee, RCSI Vice-President

As January comes to a close, many of us have made the same old New Year resolutions to finally get fit or at least step our exercise levels up a gear. Whether or not weve kept up these promises, we are all aware of how exercise is an essential part of maintaining a healthy weight. Exercise can also play an important role in preventing or treating various diseases.

Exercise is frequently prescribed by doctors as a management strategy for ailments such as back injury, diabetes, heart disease, cancer and obesity. Apart from the obvious benefit of improved well-being, physical activity can also lead to stress reduction, improved sleep and better function of the immune system. Physiotherapists, such as Dr. Helen French, play a key role in exercise prescription for health and wellness, as well as treating various conditions. Dr. French states that although there is a vast array of exercise types available to the public, not every kind is going to suit every person.

She said, ‘There are a plethora of exercise types available and it can be a minefield to navigate in deciding which type is best for an individual. In her lecture, Dr. French will discuss the different types of exercise and how they can be used to manage disease across a range of clinical specialties such as musculoskeletal & neurological conditions, heart & lung disease and cancers.

Dr. L. Joe Conway, who has previously worked with an array of professional athletes, emphasizes the importance of achieving the balance between exercise and recovery in sustaining a healthy lifestyle. He said, ‘As humans we have evolved as hunter gatherers and we physiologically remain as such and exercise is probably our most effective medicine. He warns that most people do not take enough exercise, while some people need to better manage their exercise routines by balancing training load with adequate recovery to enhance the benefits and reduce problems with exercise. Appropriate fluid intake, eating properly and reducing excess negativity are also key to being healthy. Dr. Conway believes that investment is needed in seven key areas[i] (Schools, Transport, Urban Design, Healthcare, Public Education, Community and Sports for All) to improve physical activity in society.

Dr. Conway continues, ‘We as doctors, those in the health care systems and the legislators need to work out how we can facilitate changes in the seven areas as well as working closely with our colleagues in the health and fitness world. This is a lifestyle choice, where a sedentary lifestyle will come at a potentially high cost to individuals and society as a whole, not just in terms of quality of life.

The RCSI MiniMed Open Lecture Series is free of charge; however registration is essential in order to guarantee a place. Attendees can register online at www.rcsi.ie/minimed and you can join the conversation online, on the night, on Twitter at #RCSIMiniMed. To view previous MiniMed lectures from this series on the RCSI YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/TheRCSI123.

The 80th Biological Society Meeting was held on Friday 25th January in the Albert Lecture Theatre at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI). The Biological Society is the oldest student society in RCSI and this annual event was organised by the Biological Society Committee with assistance from the Student Services team.

Pictured at the RCSI 80th Biological Society Meeting (far right) is Mr Tom Doorley with members of the Biological Society

The keynote speaker at the event was RTEs The Restaurant resident critic, Mr Tom Doorley. Mr Doorley, also a columnist with the Irish Daily Mail, marketing consultant and copywriter, addressed the audience with a talk entitled ‘Balance in which he spoke about the importance of balance in lifestyle and diet.


Pictured at the RCSI 80th Biological Society Meeting is the winner of the Dr Arthur Stephen ffrench-OCarroll Medal, David Hakim (centre) with Stephanie & Paul ffrench-OCarroll.

In the absence of outgoing President of the Biological Society, Mr Harold Browne, Professor Mary Leader, Department of Pathology, RCSI stood in to give the opening address in which she highlighted Mr Brownes contribution to the Biological Society over the past year, and his contribution to the college over the last sixty years.


The RCSI 80th Biological Society Meeting

Incoming President of the Biological Society, Professor Clive Lee spoke on The Art of Anatomy. In this humorous talk, Prof Lee spoke on the history of art in anatomy which ranged from the Ancient Green Bronzes to the artistic achievements of some of RCSIs current Council Members currently on display in the Royal Hibernian Academy. Prof Lee said, ‘I am very honoured to have been invited by the students of the Biological Society to be their President and I look forward to working with Correspondence Secretary, Kieran Lohan, and his committee on their case competitions and quizzes over the coming year. I was delighted to welcome our guest speaker, Mr Tom Doorley who spoke on food, wine and a balanced life. Toms talk was seasoned with humorous anecdotes from his career as a journalist and broadcaster and he encouraged his audience in the Albert Theatre to always question received wisdom. Evidence-based diet is the essential first step in evidence-based healthcare.


Pictured (l-r) at the RCSI 80th Biological Society Meeting is Professor Clive Lee, Incoming President of the Biological Society, and Professor Mary Leader, Department of Pathology, RCSI

Professor Hannah McGee, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, took to the stage to propose the motion: ‘That the Biological Society is worthy of support of the students of the College. Prof McGee also took the opportunity to commend the Biological Society on their continued activity in college life at RCSI. This was echoed by Mr Kieran Lohan, Honorary Correspondence Secretary, who thanked the participants at all biological society events throughout the year.


Pictured is Professor Mary Leader (far left) Department of Pathology, RCSI; and Mr Kieran Lohan, Honorary Correspondence Secretary (far left) with the Harold Brown Anatomy quiz winners Taylor Petropoulos, Angela Verrelli & May-Anh Nguyen.

Prof Leader presented awards to a number of students at the meeting. These included Zaid Almarzouq (RCPI Council Medal); Constantin Bartels (Alan Browne Medal in Obstetrics and Gynaecology); Jennifer Billington (Denis Gill Medal in Paediatrics); and David Hakim (Dr Arthur Stephen ffrench-OCarroll Medal).

Professor Cathal Kelly, CEO/ Register of RCSI, closed the event and expressed his thanks to those who made the evening possible. The 80th Biological Society Meeting concluded with a reception in the Board Room.

Scientists at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and Beaumont Hospital have developed a new method of predicting which patients with bowel (colorectal) cancer will respond effectively to chemotherapy. The results of this study are published in the current issue of the prestigious Cancer Research journal.

The discovery could, in the future, help identify individuals who will not respond to chemotherapy, before they commence treatment, and may therefore require additional therapies. The new tool measures the amount of drug required for a cancer cell to die without harming healthy tissue. This prediction tool may also be used in clinical trails to develop new drugs to treat bowel cancer.

Commenting on the results, lead researcher, Professor Jochen Prehn, Director of the Centre for Systems Medicine at RCSI said: "Our study has enabled us to predict which patients are likely to be resistant to chemotherapy by examining how certain proteins in their cancer cells interact. We hope that the clinical decision-making tool that we have designed will enable doctors to develop personalised therapies for patients to ensure the best outcomes and potentially avoiding unnecessary chemotherapy and the negative side effects that go with it."

Professor Jochen Prehn, Director of the Centre for Systems Medicine at RCSI

Chemotherapy destroys cancer cells by bringing on a process of programmed cell death, known as apoptosis. However, sometimes mutations in cancer cells alter the levels of certain proteins and prevent this process of cell death occurring which results in chemotherapy being ineffective in some individuals with bowel cancer. In other patients, mutations in cancer cells have the opposite effect and promote the destruction of the cancer cells.

"The prediction tool also has the potential to be used in clinical trials so that new drugs can be developed for bowel cancer patients who are resistant to chemotherapy. The model we developed in this study could eventually be applied in other cancers." Professor Prehn concluded.

The first author on the study is Andreas Lindner, a PhD researcher who carried out the research with Professor Prehn and RCSI colleagues (Dr. Caoimhin Concannon, Dr. Gerhardt Boukes, Dr. Suzanne Hector, Dr. Heinrich Huber) in collaboration with clinicians (Deborah Ryan, Mary Cannon, Karen Boland, Ms. Deborah McNamara, Professor Elaine Kay, Prof Frank Murray) and research nurse Joan Kehoe at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, and collaborators at St. Judes Childrens Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee (Dr Fabien Llambi and Professor Douglas Green).

Bowel cancer is the second most common cancer in Ireland. In 2009, 2,271 people were diagnosed with the disease. It is also the second most common cause of cancer death in Ireland. ⁽¹⁾

The research was funded by grants from the Health Research Board, Science Foundation Ireland, European Union FP7 and a Higher Education Authority PRTLI Cycle 4- Clinician Scientist Fellowship Award.

(1) Source: Irish Cancer Society

As part of the programme, students will witness a live operation, attend interactive lectures, gain hands-on training in clinical skills as well as practical experience in medicine and scientific tutorials. Topics covered include human anatomy, cardiology, psychiatry, trauma and orthopaedics.


Pictured is Bryan Horan, Transition Year student from Kylemore College, Ballyfermot; with a model ear at the first day of the TY programme.

Leading medical professionals from RCSI and Beaumont Hospital will deliver the programme, including Professor Marie Cassidy, State Pathologist and Head of Forensic Medicine, RCSI who will give a lecture on Forensic Medicine.


Pictured is Tawfiq Cali, Transition Year, Firhouse Community College; practicing key hole surgery in the Surgical Skils lab.

Professor Hannah McGee, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, RCSI said "The TY Mini-Med programme is a great opportunity for students to experience what it is like to train as a medical professional. This is the 6th year of the programme and demand for the programme outweighs the number of places available. Students will have an opportunity to use innovative technology and learn from some of Irelands top healthcare professionals from RCSI and Beaumont Hospital, giving them an excellent insight into careers in medicine, science and research. Thanks to the School of Postgraduate Studies for organising the programme and to the staff involved for enabling this exciting opportunity".

The event was opened by Professor Seamus Sreenan, Director of GEP, who welcomed the attendees and provided an overview of RCSI. This was followed by a series of short talks about the GEP programme, RCSI facilities, the structure and style of the curriculum, details of the CAO application process, GAMSAT and bank loan facilities presented by Prof. Sreenan and Céleste Golden, EU Admissions Officer, RCSI.

Prof. Sreenan, a Consultant Endocrinologist at Connolly Hospital, introduced a diabetes patient to the attendees in the style of the ‘case of the week; a weekly clinical case presented each Monday during the first two years of the programme which informs the teaching for the week. The case was followed by a series of small group interactive sessions.


GEP participants were introduced to basic clinical skills relevant to diabetes.

Dr. Wan Mahmood and Nurse Eithne Kavanagh introduced the prospective students to Diagnostic Investigations, which provided an introduction to basic clinical skills with an emphasis on endocrinology. Other break-out sessions included an introduction to how the RCSI Virtual Learning Environment Moodle supports learning in the programme, delivered by Eric Clarke, Lecturer in Health Informatics at RCSI and a session focusing on the importance of good communication skills to clinical practice, given by Dr. Asiya Suleiman, GEP Clinical Tutor and RCSI Graduate. Attendees also met current GEP students for to hear their experiences of the programme. Dr. Martin Rourke, (RCSI GEP Graduate) presented and discussed the transition from Medical Student to Internship. The Open Day concluded with a question and answer session.

Speaking about the GEP Open Day, Céleste Golden said, ‘Open Days are important showpiece events for RCSI and no doubt result in many students deciding that medicine and more specifically, RCSI GEP is for them. GEP Open Days undoubtedly contribute to the success of the programme which was recognised in 2010 by accreditation by the Irish Medical Council.

The GEP Open Day evaluation was very positive with some feedback comments below:

"Thanks for a great day, it was fantastically organised and incredibly informative. I am crossing all fingers and toes that I get offered a place in RCSI in August. It would be a dream come true. Its so refreshing to see a medical programme that is focused on patient needs, communication and clinical practice from such an early stage.

Thanks so much for today I found it particularly enlightening and comprehensive.

I found this day very useful. I thought it gave a good flavor of what all aspects of the four year programme contains from teaching methods and facilities to the practicalities of student life.

Well organized, well timed, excellent interaction.

Really helpful all were very enthusiastic and welcoming.

Very organized, well presented. I thoroughly enjoyed the day.

Brilliant! Cleared up a lot of burning questions.

Great day good to speak to current students.

Intern speaker was very good and helped understand whats involved."

The students were addressed and welcomed by Professor Kevin Nolan, Head of School of Postgraduate Studies, RCSI and were than given an induction to the MIPS course by the programme director, Dr. Zeibun Ramtoola.


Pictured (l-r) at the MSc Industrial Pharmaceutical Science induction day are Lydia Fennessy, Melanie Lynch, Suzanne Culleton and Dr James Barlow, School Pharmacy, RCSI.

The Pharmaceutical Industry is a key sector in the Irish and European Economy and accounts for over 50% of Irelands exports. In Ireland, the sector employs over 25000 people directly. The sustainability of this sector relies on the on-going availability of a talented pool of Pharmaceutical Scientists with the necessary tertiary educational formation, skill-set and professional experience to undertake the various key roles within pharmaceutical manufacture and regulation. This course meets the educational requirements for ‘Qualified Person status, a role specified in European Union legislation and unique to European Pharmaceutical Manufacture.


Pictured is the MSc Industrial Pharmaceutical Science group at their induction day at RCSI.

The MSc in Industrial Pharmaceutical Science course is run over two years, primarily online, and is suitable for candidates wishing to undergo further training and improve their knowledge of and gain further skills in the pharmaceutical sciences. The course, jointly offered between RCSI and the School of Science at the Institute of Technology Sligo, was launched in response to the needs of the pharmaceutical healthcare sector in Ireland. In recent years, the course has attracted students from outside Ireland including UK, Europe, Africa and Australia.


Pictured (l-r) at the MSc Industrial Pharmaceutical Science induction day are Ross Gallagher, Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, RCSI; Fiona Duffy, Dr. Fiona OBrien, MIPS Programme Director of Studies; and Sinead Kiernan.