Neuroscience Research at UCC - University College Cork

Mission Statement 

Mission Statement for research in the Department of 

Anatomy and Neuroscience 

To develop an internationally recognized research unit in the 

neurosciences and to advance knowledge, and to educate both 

students and society of the mechanisms and potential treatments 

for brain disorders

Department Location and Contact Details 

The department of Anatomy and Neuroscience is located in the Western Gate building on the Western 

Road, and in the Biosciences Institute at Gaol Cross. 

CONTACT DETAILS 

Ms. Miriam Dorgan, 

Senior Executive Assistant 

Department Of Anatomy and Neuroscience 

Room 2.33, 2 nd Floor, 

Western Gate Building 

University College 

Cork 

Western Gate Building 

Telephone (021) 420-5497 or 420-5461 

Fax (021) 427-3518 

Email anatomy@ucc.ie 

http://www.ucc.ie/en/anatomy/ 

Office hours: 

9.15 - 4.00 Monday to Friday 

Office remains open during lunch time. 

|Biosciences Institute

Department Staff Details 

Principal Investigators/Lecturers 

Professor John Cryan Ext 5426 j.cryan@ucc.ie 

Dr. Kieran McDermott Ext 5429 kmcd@ucc.ie 

Dr. Yvonne Nolan Ext 5476 y.nolan@ucc.ie 

Dr. Aideen Sullivan Ext 5427 a.sullivan@ucc.ie 

Dr. Denis Barry Ext 5481 d.barry@ucc.ie 

Dr. Eric Downer 

Ext 

Dr. Olivia O’Leary Ext 5480 o.oleary@ucc.ie 

Dr. Gerard O’Keeffe Ext 1305/1309 g.okeeffe@ucc.ie 

Dr. Siobhain O’Mahony Ext 5479 somahony@ucc.ie 

Dr. Kathy Quane Ext 5428 k.quane@ucc.ie 

Dr. André Toulouse Ext 5477 a.toulouse@ucc.ie 

Senior Medical Demonstrators 

Dr. Amgad Ashour Ext 5412 a.ashour@ucc.ie 

Ms. Orla Duggan Ext 5412 oduggan@ucc.ie 

Dr. Jenifer Hayes Ext 5412 jenniferhayes@ucc.ie 

Dr. Mairead McDonnell Ext 5412 mmcdonnell@ucc.ie 

Dr. Ahmad Sheikh Ext 5412 aahmad@ucc.ie 

Administration 

Ms. Miriam Dorgan Ext 5497 m.dorgan@ucc.ie 

Ms. Mary Moynihan Ext 5874 m.moynihan@ucc.ie 

Research Technician 

Mr. Pat Fitzgerald Ext 1712 paxfitz@hotmail.com 

Departmental Technicians 

Ms. Suzanne Crotty Ext 1350 s.crotty@ucc.ie 

Ms. Tara Foley Ext 5494/1309 t.foley@ucc.ie 

Dr. Don O’Leary Ext 1350 d.oleary@ucc.ie 

Mr. Gerry Moloney Ext 5495 g.moloney@ucc.ie 

Ms. Bereniece Riedewald Ext 2237 b.rea@ucc.ie 

Flame Laboratory Technicians 

Ms. Mags Arnold Ext 5461 m.arnold@ucc.ie 

Mr. Michael Cronin Ext 5461 michaelcronin@ucc.ie 

Dr. Sue Grenham Ext 5461 s.grenham@ucc.ie 

Technical Operative 

Ms. Deirdre Kelleher Ext 5461 deirdre.kelleher@ucc.ie

Current Department Researchers Staff Details 2012/2013 

Postdoctoral Researchers 

Supervisor(s) 

Email Address 

Janelle Pakan K. McDermott j.pakan@ucc.ie 

Sinead Walsh A. Sullivan/G. O’Keeffe sinead.walsh@ucc.ie 

Richard O’Connor J. Cryan richard.oconnor@ucc.ie 

Anna Golubeva J. Cryan avgolubeva@gmail.com 

Harriet Schellekens J. Cryan/T. Dinan h.schellekens@ucc.ie 

Andrew Allen J. Cryan andrewallen@ucc.ie 

Cristina Torres J. Cryan c.torres@ucc.ie 

Lieve Desbonnet J. Cryan l.desbonnet@ucc.ie 

PhD Students 

Pamela O’Donoghue K. McDermott pamela_o_donoghue@hotmail.com 

Louise Collins Y. Nolan/A. Toulouse louisemcollins@gmail.com 

Sinead Ryan Y. Nolan sineadr86@gmail.com 

Konstantin Grygoryev K. McDermott konstantin.grygoryev@tyndall.ie 

Sean Crampton G. O’Keeffe sean1ucc7@gmail.com 

Aisling Gavin A. Sullivan/G. O’Keeffe gavinaisling@gmail.com 

Aoife Nolan G. O’Keeffe eefers@gmail.com 

Shane Hegarty A. Sullivan/G. O’Keeffe hega64@yahoo.co.uk 

Valeria Felice S. O’Mahony/J. Cryan 110224033@umail.ucc.ie 

Laura McKelvey G. O’Keeffe l.mckelvey@ucc.ie 

Elaine O’Loughlin K. McDermott/D.Yilmazer-Hanke 110224306@umail.ucc.ie 

Fabian Sweeney J. Cryan f.sweeney@student.ucc.ie 

Daniela Felice O. O’Leary/J. Cryan danyf84.df@libero.it 

Bruno Godinho J. Cryan/C. O’Driscoll bmcruzgod@gmail.com 

Paul Kennedy J. Cryan/T. Dinan/G. Clarke 109224008@umail.ucc.ie 

Rachel Moloney J. Cryan/T. Dinan 105049954@umail.ucc.ie 

Fionn O’Brien J. Cryan/B. Griffin f.e.obrien@student.ucc.ie 

Kevin Lomasney N. Hyland/J. Cryan k.lomasney@student.ucc.ie 

Gerry Moloney K. Nally/J. Cryan g.moloney@ucc.ie 

Triona McCarthy J. Cryan triona.mccarthy@hotmail.com 

Megan Straley G. O’Keeffe meg2992@msn.com 

Matteo Pusceddu J. Cryan/T. Dinan matteo.pusceddu@gmail.com 

Maria Donovan J. Cryan/B. Griffin/G. Boylan 107309023@umail.ucc.ie 

Wesley van Oeffelen J. Cryan/T. Dinan w.vanoeffelen@umail.ucc.ie 

MD Student 

Sunny Ogbonnaya O. O’Leary/J. Cryan eskay0177@yahoo.com

Recent Department Graduates Staff Details 

Dr. Aoife O'Mahony Prof. John Cryan and Dr. Harriet Schellekens 

Dr. Yvonne Nolan and Dr. Holly Green 

2012 Supervisor(s) 

Caroline Browne PhD John Cryan 

Grace Collins PhD 

Aideen Sullivan/André Toulouse 

Holly Green PhD 

Yvonne Nolan 

Richard O'Connor PhD John Cryan 

Aoife O'Mahony PhD 

John Cryan/Caitriona O'Driscoll 

Harriet Schellekens PhD John Cryan/Ted Dynan 

Tara Foley MSc 

Deniz Yilmazer-Hanke 

Sarah-Louise Long MSc Gerard O’Keeffe 

Ian O’Brien MSc 

André Toulouse/Yvonne Nolan 

Soraya Pasalar MSc 


Ricardo Pizzo MSc 

John Cryan 

Niall Savage MSc 


2011 

Lorna Farrelly PhD 

Beate Finger PhD 

Ayman Khalil MSc 

Emmet Power MSc 

Eimear Treacy MSc 

Deniz Yilmazer-Hanke/André Toulouse 

John Cryan/Ted Dynan 


Kieran McDermott 

Yvonne Nolan/Gerard O’Keeffe 

2010 

Aoife Keohane PhD 

Conor O’Leary PhD 

Sean Crampton MSc 

Yvonne Nolan/Aideen Sullivan 


Gerard O’Keeffe/Aideen Sullivan 

2009 

Louise Collins MSc 

Barbara Farrell BSc 

Kumlish Dev 

Kieran McDermott

Recent Department Graduates Staff Details 

2008 

Caitriona Long PhD 

Orla O'Donoghue PhD 

Edel Mc Guane MSc 

Owen O'Connor MD 

Yvonne Nolan/Aideen Sullivan 

John Fraher 

Yvonne Nolan/John Cryan 

Peter Dockery 

2007 

Robert Barrett PhD 

Sinead Gibney PhD 

Daniel Shanley PhD 

James O'Neill Cahill MD 

Aideen Sullivan/Kieran McDermott 


Aideen Sullivan 

2006 

Kevin Clayton PhD 

Denis Barry PhD 

David O’Sullivan PhD 

Katie Spitere PhD 

Suzanne Crotty MSc 

Emma McDonnell MSc 



Aideen Sullivan/Patrick Harrisson 


Aideen Sullivan/Peter Dockery 

Aideen Sullivan/André Toulouse 

2005 

Marcella Burke PhD 

Gerard O’Keeffe PhD 

Danny Costello MD 

Margo Harty MSc 

Peter Dockery 




2004 

Terri Wood PhD 

Jennifer Godsell MSc 

Susan Moloney MSc 



Peter Dockery 

2003 

Danny Shanley MSc 


2002 

Fiona Hurley MSc 

Joanne Tracey MSc 

Malini De Almedia MMedSC 

Kumar Doddakula MMedSc 


Peter Dockery 

Peter Dockery 

Peter Dockery 

2000 

Siobhan McMahon PhD 

Kieran McDermott

Department Research Interests

Department Research Interests 

The research program consists of coherently linked projects in the 

fields of development, degeneration and regeneration. It ranges 

from fundamental studies to the development of strategies for neuroprotection, 

neuroregeneration and restoration of function of 

damaged tissue in neuroinflammatory disorders. 

Most of the experimental programme is multidisciplinary, within 

and outside the group. The experimental programme encompasses 

genetic, molecular, cellular, tissue, system and behavioral levels. 

The range of techniques and expertise available is broad and is particularly 

strong in relation to post-genomic and cellular studies, 

whereby molecular events are analysed and are located with high 

precision in cells and tissues, in order to understand the complex 

interplay of events. 

Neuroscience Research Thematic Programme 

Neural circuitry underlying stress-related disorders 

Neurogastroenterology 

Developmental Neuroscience and Regeneration 

Neurodegeneration 

Neuroprotection and Therapeutics 

Neuroinflammation 

All of these areas are being energetically developed over the forthcoming 

5 years, specifically as defined below.


NEURAL CIRCUITRY UNDERLYING STRESS-RELATED 

DISORDERS 

Researchers: John Cryan, Olivia O’Leary, Siobhain O’Mahony, 

Yvonne Nolan 

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Neurobiological basis of stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders 

including depression, anxiety and drug dependence. 

Understanding the interaction between brain and gut and how it 

applies to stress and immune-related disorders, including irritable 

bowel syndrome, obesity and sepsis. 

The impact of early life stress on the developing gastrointestinal 

microbiota 

Applying novel approaches to facilitate drug/siRNA delivery to the 

brain in vivo. 

NEUROGASTROENTEROLOGY 

Researchers: John Cryan, Siobhain O’Mahony 

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√ 

√ 

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Understanding the interaction between brain and gut and how it 

applies to stress and immune-related disorders, including irritable 

bowel syndrome, visceral pain, obesity and sepsis. 

Investigation of dysfunctional communication within the brain gut 

axis in the emergence of functional bowel disorders 

Examination of GPCRs in the development of visceral hypersensitivity 

particularly within the lumbar-sacral spinal cord 

The role of the gut bacteria in anti-psychotic associated obesity.


DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROSCIENCE AND 

REGENERATION 

Researchers: Kieran McDermott, Ger O’Keeffe, Yvonne Nolan, 

Aideen Sullivan, Olivia O’Leary, André Toulouse 

√ 

√ 

√ 

Investigation of glial-neuronal interactions in the developing 

nervous system. 

Elucidation of spinal cord radial glial cell development and determination 

of the lineage relationships among different types 

of neuroepithelial cells in the spinal cord. 

Gene expression profiling in neuroepithelial stem and progenitor 

cells during development and in the adult CNS to elucidate 

mechanisms underlying fate decisions, differentiaton and phenotypic 

diversity. 

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Spatial and temporal patterns of oligodendrogliogenesis and 

myelination in vivo. 

“Developmental windows” – studying the molecular architecture 

of critical periods of development affecting the formation 

of the nervous system. 

Transcription factor networks controlling axonal growth. 

Examination of the development of midbrain dopaminergic 

neurons, including gene expression profiling using microarray 

technology and studies on phenotypic changes which occur 

during specification, maturation and differentiation of these 

neurons. 

Investigation of the effect of inflammation on neurogenesis in 

the embryonic and adult hippocampus. 

Elucidation of the migration patterns of newly generated astrocytes 

and oligodendrocytes.


NEURODEGENERATION 

Aideen Sullivan, Yvonne Nolan, André Toulouse, 

Ger O’Keeffe, Kieran McDermott, Eric Downer 

√ 

√ 

√ 

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Astroglial heterogeneity and role of astroglial in neuron's degeneration. 

Development of in vivo and in vitro models of cyclopaminemediated 

models of oligodendrocyte depletion and demyelination 

Study of mechanisms of cytotoxicity in spinocerebellar ataxias 

and Huntington’s Disease. 

Mechanisms of neuronal cell death in Parkinson’s Disease. 

Role of activated microglia and pro-inflammatory cytokines in 

degeneration of midbrain dopaminergic neurons pertinent to 

Parkinson’s disease. 

√ 

√ 

Identification of inflammation-induced intracellular signaling 

cascades mediating the death or survival of midbrain dopaminergic 

neurons and hippocampal precursor cells. 

Reorganization of dynastic circuitries and selective loss of neurons 

in the amygdala in human temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) 

and experimental epilepsy.


NEUROPROTECTION AND THERAPEUTICS 

Researchers: Aideen Sullivan, Yvonne Nolan, André Toulouse, 

Ger O’Keeffe 

√ 

√ 

Neuroprotective and immunomodulatory therapies for 

Parkinson’s disease 

Genetic manipulation of embryonic stem cells for Parkinson’s 

disease 

NEUROINFLAMMATION 

Researchers: Yvonne Nolan, Siobhain O’ Mahony, 

John Cryan, Ger O’Keeffe, Eric Downer 

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√ 

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√ 

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Deciphering the role of inflammation in the degeneration of 

dopaminergic neurons pertinent to Parkinson’s Disease 

Regulation of dopaminergic neural stem cell fate 

Imparment of embryonic and adult hippocampal neurogenesis 

Viceral Hypersensitivity associated with post infectious irritable 

bowel syndrome 

Inflammation as a “normal” neurodevelopment process 

Consequences of maternal immune activation on foetal brain 

development. 

Impact of inflammation on cognitive deficits associated with 

neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders.

Department Academic Staff Profiles

John F. Cryan 

John F. Cryan is Professor & Chair of the 

Department of Anatomy & Neuroscience, University 

College Cork. He received a B.Sc. (Hons) and PhD 

from the National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland. 

He was a visiting fellow at the Department of 

Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Australia (1997- 

1998), which was followed by postdoctoral stints at 

the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA 

and The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California. 

He spent four years at the Novartis Institutes 

for BioMedical Research in Basel Switzerland, as a 

LabHead, Behavioural Pharmacology, prior to joining 

UCC in 2005 where he was a Senior Lecturer in Pharmacology 

in the School of Pharmacy and in the Department 

of Pharmacology & Therapeutics UCC. 

Currently he is also a Principal Investigator in the 

Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre and Food Health 

Ireland 

Dr. Cryan has an H-Index of 35 having published over 

160 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters including 

articles in high-impact journals such as PNAS, 

Neuron, Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, Molecular 

Psychiatry, Biological Psychiatry, Progress in Neurobiology, 

Gastroenterology, Gut and Journal of Neuroscience. 

He edited books on "Behavioural Neurogenetics" 

(Springer Press, 2012) and on "Depression: 

From Psychopathology to Pharmacotherapy" (Karger 

Press, 2010). 

Dr. Cryan has given over 40 Invited Lectures at various 

Institutions worldwide, and more than 30 Invited 

Oral/Plenary presentations at International Conferences. 

Dr. Cryan is an Editor of both British Journal 

of Pharmacology and Neuropharmacology. He is 

Advisory Editor of Psychopharmacology; on the 

Board of Reviewing Editors of Brain Research; an Associate 

Editor of Frontiers in Behavioural Neuroscience; 

an Associate Editor of Frontiers in Psychopharmacology; 

an Associate Editor of Frontiers in Gastrointestinal 

Pharmacology; an Editorial Board Member 

of Behavioural Pharmacology and has acted as 

Guest Editor of both Neuroscience and Biobehavioral 

Reviews and International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology. 

He is an adhoc reviewer for 72 different journals 

including Science, PNAS, J.Neurosci, Mol. Psychiatry, 

Arch Gen Psych, TiPS, Nature Methods and PLOS Biology. 

He organised a highly successful Conference 

for the European Behavioural Pharmacology Society 

in Cork in 2008 "From Mouse to Man: Behavioural 

Genetics and its Relevance to Psychiatric Disorders".and 

is on the Programme Committee for the 

24th Congress of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology, 

Paris, France, September, 2011. 

He is co-organiser of the 21st Neuropharmacology 

Conference in Washington DC in November 2011 on 

the topic of Anxiety and Depression. 

Dr. Cryan is a member of the International Union on 

Pharmacology (IUPHAR) Committee on GABAB receptors. 

He is a member of the Full Committee of 

the European Behavioural Pharmacology Society and 

served as its Meeting Secretary and Executive Committee 

Member from 2007-2009. Dr Cryan has been 

honoured with the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology 

(ECNP) Fellowship Award, the Wyeth 

Psychopharmacology Award from British Association 

of Psychopharmacology and the Young Scientist 

Award from the European Behavioural Pharmacology 

Society. 

He is currently External Examiner for University Birmingham, 

BMed Sci Degree and Galway-Mayo Institute 

of Technology, BSc (Hons) Degree in Applied 

Biology and Biopharmaceutical Sci. He has been an 

invited PhD thesis examiner at University of Bordeaux, 

France; Trinity College Dublin; Katholike Universiteit 

Leuven, Belgium; University Oxford, UK; 

University of Utrecht, The Netherlands; Univ Tartu, 

Estonia,Kings College London, Univ Aarhus, Denmark 

and the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.

Kieran Mc Dermott 

Kieran McDermott received a BSc (Hons) 

in Zoology from University College Cork in 1984. He 

obtained an MSc in Experimental Pathology and Toxicology 

(1985) and a PhD in Developmental Neurobiology 

(1990) from the University of London. Postdoctoral 

work in developmental neurobiology, funded 

by a Wellcome Trust Travelling Fellowship, and 

experimental neuropathology was subsequently undertaken 

at the Department of Anatomy and Cell 

Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, USA and the Department 

of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Cambridge, 

UK. In 1992 he was appointed Lecturer in the 

Department of Anatomy at University College, Cork. 

After taking up that appointment he played a key 

role in setting up the BSc (Hons) in Neuroscience at 

UCC, the first such degree in Ireland. In 2003 he was 

promoted to Senior Lecturer and his teaching is 

mainly in medical, dental, neuroscience and postgraduate 

programmes. 

He has served on the Neuroscience and Postdoctoral 

Fellowship committees of the Health Research Board 

of Ireland and undertakes international grant evaluations 

for the EU, INTAS and AOSpine among others. 

He has been an external examiner for the Universities 

of London, Portsmouth and Cambridge and is a 

reviewer for numerous neuroscience and developmental 

neurobiology journals. In 2003, he, jointly, 

won the Olympus-GIT Verlag International Microscopy 

Award and, in 2006, became the first elected 

President of Neuroscience Ireland, Ireland's new national 

neuroscience association. 

He served as Head of Department of Anatomy on a 

number of occasions, most recently from February 

2010 until July 2011. 

His research interests include the developmental 

origins and lineage determinants of neural cell 

types, including neural stem cells and the pathophysiology 

of neurodegenerative diseases such as 

Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis and has 

received research funding from SFI, HRB, Wellcome, 

PRTLI, IRCSET, the Anatomical Society and the Multiple 

Sclerosis Society. 

He has been a Principal Investigator in the UCC's Biosciences 

Institute since 2002 and Director of the Bio- 

Sciences Imaging Centre since 2007.

Yvonne Nolan 

Yvonne Nolan graduated from NUI, Galway 

with a BSc (Hons) in Biochemistry (1996), and a PhD 

in Neuropharmacology (1999). She was a visiting fellow 

at McGill University Montreal, Canada (1998) 

and worked as a postdoctoral researcher in the 

Physiology department with Prof. Marina Lynch, 

Trinity College, Dublin (1999 – 2003) where her research 

focused on age- and inflammatory related 

deterioration in neuronal function. In 2003 she was 

appointed as Lecturer in the Department of Anatomy 

and Neuroscience, UCC and in 2011 she was promoted 

to Senior Lecturer. In 2006 she was awarded 

a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning 

in Higher Education (UCC), and in 2008 she received 

a National Academy award for the Integration of Research 

and Teaching and Learning. Yvonne is currently 

involved in teaching and co-ordinating anatomy 

and neuroscience modules for Occupational 

Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy and Neuroscience 

students. 

Dr. Nolan’s research focuses on how neuroinflammation 

affects neurogenesis (the birth of new neurons) 

in the developing and in the adult brain, its 

impact on stress-related cognitive and psychiatric 

function as well as its contribution to the degeneration 

of neurons in Parkinson’s disease. She leads an 

active research group of MSc and PhD students, and 

her research has been funded by Science Foundation 

Ireland, the Irish Research Council for Science 

Engineering and Technology, Vasogen Inc., Canada, 

and Marigot Limited, Ireland. She has served as an 

expert reviewer for the EU FP7 programme for research. 

She is a member of the School of Medicine 

Postgraduate Affairs committee, Chair of the Departmental 

Graduate Studies committee and is the UCC 

representative on the Neuroscience Ireland committee.

Siobhain O' Mahony 

Siobhain O' Mahony graduated with a 

B.Sc. (Hons) in Neuroscience from University College 

Cork. She then went on to complete a Masters in 

Neuropharmacology in the National University of 

Ireland, Galway. Siobhain spent one year in the Department 

of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology in the 

University of Maastricht, the Netherlands, which 

was funded by a Marie Curie Fellowship. Siobhain 

obtained a Ph.D. from the department of Psychiatry, 

UCC and continued her research on early life stress 

during a post-doctoral post in the Alimentary 

Pharmabiotic Centre, UCC. She then took up a post 

with GlaxoSmithKline in Cork validating lead compounds 

targeting visceral pain in irritable bowel syndrome. 

In 2008 Siobhain was appointed as Lecturer in the 

Department of Anatomy at UCC. She is involved in 

teaching the B.Sc. in Neuroscience and anatomy to 

the Graduate Medical Entry students. Her research 

group is in the Biosciences Institute and is focused 

on the involvement of early life stress in the development 

of visceral pain in adulthood


Aideen Sullivan leads an active research 

group, based in the Biosciences Institute at University 

College, Cork. Her research is focused on novel 

approaches to the treatment of Parkinson's disease, 

in particular neuroprotective therapies, which have 

the potential to slow or even reverse the progression 

of this disease. Her research programme is 

funded by the Health Research Board and the Irish 

Research Council for Science Engineering and Technology. 

Dr Sullivan graduated from University College Dublin 

in 1992 with a BSc (Hons) in Pharmacology. She obtained 

a PhD in Neuropharmacology from the University 

of Cambridge, UK, in 1995. She worked in the 

Imperial College School of Medicine, London, as a 

post-doctoral researcher from 1995-1998, on a project 

funded by the Parkinson's Disease Society. In 

1998, she was appointed as Lecturer in the Department 

of Anatomy at UCC and was promoted to Senior 

Lecturer in 2006. 

Dr Sullivan is active in promoting Neuroscience and 

stem cell research in Ireland. As a member of the 

Cork Neuroscience Group committee, she is presently 

organising a series of public awareness talks in 

UCC about current research and treatments for neurological 

diseases. She visits PD patient and carer 

groups, and clinicians and nurses who work with PD 

patients, to speak about her research, or recent advances 

in the research field. She is a member of 

Neuroscience Ireland, FENS (Federation of European 

Neurosciences), NECTAR (Network of European CNS 

Transplantation and Restoration), the Anatomical 

Society of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Irish 

Network of Neuronal Stem Cell 

She was involved in establishing the BSc (Hons) in 

Neuroscience at UCC- the first Neuroscience degree 

in Ireland - and she has been active in teaching and 

co-ordinating this degree course since her appointment 

to UCC. In 2006, she was awarded a Postgraduate 

Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher 

Education from UCC. . 

She practices research-led teaching and encourages 

capable students to pursue research careers. She 

provides mentoring to undergraduate and postgraduate 

students and to colleagues. In 2001, she 

attained a FETAC cert (awarded Distinction) in Peermentoring.

Olivia O'Leary 

Olivia O'Leary is a lecturer in the Department 

of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College 

Cork. Olivia graduated with a BSc in Biotechnology, 

NUI, Galway, followed by an MSc in Neuropharmacology 

at the same institution. She was a visiting 

scholar for over three years at the University of 

Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA, where she conducted 

her PhD research in behavioural neuropharmacology. 

This was followed by postdoctoral research 

at the Neuroscience Centre at the University of Helsinki 

where her research was focused on the role of 

neuronal plasticity in pathophysiology and treatment 

of psychiatric disorders. In 2008, Olivia was 

awarded a prestigious Career Development Award 

from the Health Research Board to conduct her research 

at the School of Pharmacy, University College 

Cork, where she was appointed as lecturer in 

2011. Olivia then joined the Department of Anatomy 

and Neuroscience as a lecturer in 2012. 

Olivia's main research interest is in the neurobiology 

and treatment of stress-related psychiatric disorders 

with a particular focus on depression. Her research 

has been published in high-impact journals including 

PNAS and Science. In addition, Olivia has been the 

recipient of several awards from international professional 

societies including The Rafaelsen Young 

Investigator Award from the International College of 

Neuropsychopharmacology (2011) and the Fellowship 

Award from the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology 

(2010), as well the career development 

award from the Health Research Board Ireland 

(2008-2011). In addition to her teaching and 

research activities, Olivia is also an expert reviewer 

for 20 different international journals.

Gerard O'Keeffe 

Gerard O'Keeffe graduated with a BSc degree 

(1st Hons) in Neuroscience from University College 

Cork (UCC) in 2000. Subsequently he undertook 

a PhD in the Department of Anatomy in UCC in Developmental 

Neurobiology, where he studied the 

roles of members of the TGF-beta superfamily in 

regulating the development of midbrain dopaminergic 

neurons. During his PhD, Dr. O'Keeffe spent 4 

months in the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, 

Sweden on an Enterprise Ireland-funded International 

Collaboration grant developing his research. In 

2004, after graduating from his PhD, Dr. O'Keeffe 

moved to Cardiff University where he worked in the 

laboratories of Prof. Alun Davies. Here he expanded 

his research interest in neural development, by looking 

at the roles of members of the TNF superfamily 

of receptors, and the molecular mechanisms mediating 

their effects on neuronal survival and growth 

in the developing CNS and PNS. 

He was awarded a Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowship 

in 2008, but instead he returned to UCC in 

September 2008 when he was appointed as Lecturer 

and Principal Investigator in the Department of 

Anatomy. 

He is currently involved in teaching Anatomy and 

Neuroscience on the new graduate entry medical 

course, as well as undergraduate science students. 

His research is based in the laboratories of the Department 

of Anatomy in the state-of-the-art Biosciences 

Institute in UCC

Eric Downer 

Eric Downer graduated from Trinity College 

Dublin (TCD) with a first class honours degree in 

Physiology (2001), and a PhD in Neuroscience 

(2005). He began his postdoctoral research career in 

the Physiology department at TCD with Prof. Marina 

Lynch (2005-2008) where his research focused on 

the signalling events underlying the neuroinflammatory 

conditions that are associated with brain ageing, 

particularly the mechanisms controlling microglial 

cell activation. Subsequently he was awarded a 

postdoctoral fellowship from the Irish Research 

Council for Science Engineering and Technology that 

enabled him to develop a research programme focused 

on the neuroimmunomodulatory effects of 

cannabinoids. This research programme was based 

with Prof. Paul Moynagh at the Institute of Immunology, 

NUI Maynooth (2008-2010). In 2011 he returned 

as a senior research fellow with Prof. Marina 

Lynch at the Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, 

TCD, also acting as co-ordinator of the structured 

PRTLI PhD programme at TCD during this time 

(2012). 

therapies, particularly in Multiple Sclerosis. 

Currently Eric is the secretary of the Cannabinoid 

Ireland research committee, and acts a council 

member for the Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland 

(Biomedical Sciences section). 

He was recently appointed to a Lectureship in Anatomy 

and Neuroscience in UCC (January 2013) and is 

currently involved in teaching anatomy and neuroscience 

modules for Dental, Occupational Therapy, 

Speech and Language Therapy students. 

Dr. Downer’s research interest is in neuroimmunology, 

with emphasis on the role of the innate immune 

system in neuroinflammatory conditions. He has a 

particular interest in the cannabinoid system, and its 

role in regulating neuroinflammation. His research in 

this field has made significant contributions to our 

understanding of cannabinoids as anti-inflammatory

André Toulouse 

André Toulouse received a B.Sc. degree in 

Biology from Université Laval (Québec, Canada) in 

1991. He then developed his expertise in cellular 

and molecular biology by completing a M.Sc. (1993) 

and a Ph.D. (1998) in Molecular Biology at Université 

de Montréal (Montréal, Canada). His interest in Neuroscience 

led him to undertake post-doctoral work 

with Dr Guy Rouleau in the Centre for Research in 

Neuroscience at McGill University (Montréal, Canada) 

where he also worked as a research associate in 

the Neurogenetics Laboratory. His research areas 

included pharmacogenetic studies of schizophrenia, 

gene cloning and the study of molecular mechanisms 

of neurodegeneration. In 2003, he moved to 

University College Cork to undertake a post-doctoral 

fellowship on the molecular biology of neurotrophic 

factors in the laboratory of Dr Aideen Sullivan in the 

Biosciences Institute. 

His research interests are now focused around two 

themes: the mechanisms of neurodegeneration in 

polyglutamine disorders and the genetic manipulation 

of embryonic stem cells. 

He was appointed College Lecturer in Clinical Anatomy 

in September 2005 and is involved in teaching 

Developmental Biology, Anatomy and Neuroscience 

to UCC students.

USEFUL LINKS 

For further information on postgraduate-related issues contact the Graduate Studies Office; 

http://www.ucc.ie/en/graduatestudies/ 

The Research Student Learning Plan. http://www.ucc.ie/en/media/Research-Student-Learning- 

Plan,-2010-Pilot.pdf 

Policy on Resolution of Difficulties for Postgraduate Research Students. http://www.ucc.ie/en/ 

media/QuickGuidetoPhDThesisSubmissionforStudents.pdf 

A quick guide to thesis submission for Master (major) students. http://www.ucc.ie/en/media/ 

QuickGuidetoMasters(major)ThesisSubmissionforStudents.pdf 

A quick guide to thesis submission for MD students. http://www.ucc.ie/en/media/ 

QuickGuidetoMDThesisSubmissionforStudents.pdf 

Useful Forms for UCC Research Students. http://www.ucc.ie/en/graduatestudies/current/ 

UsefulForms/ 

College of Medicine and Health Graduate School Webpage. http://www.ucc.ie/en/ 

collegesanddepartents/medicineand health/graduateschool/ 

GSHK OCT 2012 _2V_8

Neuroscience Research at UCC - University College Cork

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