On 7th June, Prof Colum Dunne (SOM Director of Research) and colleagues in University Hospital Limerick and, separately, Dr Patrick O’Donnell (Research Fellow) with SOM co-investigators won Medals at the prestigious Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland (RAMI) Research Awards held in the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland (Dublin).
In certain circumstances, and for a variety of reasons, patients choose to refuse medical treatment. [1] These decisions, in the absence of cognitive impairment, are typically respected by clinicians. Similarly, situations arise when medical professionals decline to care for a patient. [2] Such refusal is fraught, with arguments made that this represents abdication of duty. However, in practice, it is generally accepted that a doctor cannot be forced to treat a patient and, indeed, doctors’ freedom of choice is protected in international law. [3]
A pioneering University of Limerick professor of surgery whose groundbreaking research led to the reclassification of an organ has published new evidence detailing the fundamental order of the abdomen.
J Calvin Coffey, Foundation Chair of Surgery at UL's School of Medicine in Ireland, whose major discovery led to the reclassification of the mesentery as a new organ in 2016, has published new research on the makeup and structure of the abdomen.
In January 2022, Professor Colum Dunne, School of Medicine Foundation Chair and Director of Research, presented to a global audience of more than 1,400 clinicians and scientists focused on diagnostic technology for COVID19 detection in detection in hospital settings. This webinar, organised by multination company Abbott, was based on published Dunne et al research, performed in UL/UHL, that used Point Of Care Testing (POCT) in the Emergency Department to identify patients with respiratory viruses before they entered the general admitted patient population.
Dr. Alan Cusack (School of Law), Professor Gautam Gulati (School of Medicine & School of Law) and Professor Colum Dunne (School of Medicine) of the University of Limerick were recently invited to address a team of officials within the Department of Justice with regard to the terms of the draft the Garda Síochána (Powers) Bill.
There is a “direct link” between fatty tissue in the gut and Crohn’s disease, new Irish research suggests.
Crohn's disease is a chronic, life-long inflammatory bowel condition that results in the gut becoming inflamed in patches of varying sizes and severity.
About 40,000 people in Ireland suffer from Crohn's and Colitis — conditions collectively known as inflammatory bowel disease(IBD) — most of whom are diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 35.
Congratulations to SoloPep, winners of the 2021 University of Limerick Innovation Award. The Innovation Award is presented to a research team whose research has delivered outstanding impact through successful knowledge transfer to industry #ULInnovationAwards #ULCommercialisation.
The Founders and Inventors of the SoloPep technology included the School of Medicine’s Professor Colum Dunne (CEO, SoloPep Ltd), Professor Deirdre McGrath (Head of School) and Professor Barry Linnane (Consultant Respiratory Paediatrician, UHL).
On 22nd December 2021, University of Limerick School of Medicine researchers were recipients of two prizes of the six prizes in the annual Health Service Executive (HSE) Open Access Awards (https://www.lenus.ie/hse/).
In 2021, the Awards aimed to celebrate research performed and published while “Emerging from the Shadow of Covid-19”.
Highlighting these Awards, the HSE stated that:
Covid-19 has led to innumerable research initiatives internationally. Many of these are interdisciplinary; involving academic, industry, and frontline clinical researchers. In a recent opinion piece, Mike Clarke described many of the potential challenges of well meaning initiatives that may, nonetheless, represent duplication of effort and unfortunate diminishing of resources. [1] However, there are further aspects that warrant discussion if resources are to be best expended and opportunities for widespread benefit best grasped.
Gautam Gulati, Colum P Dunne, David J Meagher and Brendan D Kelly consider what measures need to be in place to protect both doctors and patients when death threats are directed towards doctors.
Death threats directed towards doctors lead to clinically and ethically complex situations which require a considered response to ensure the safety of the practitioner and the wellbeing of patients.
Closing date for receipt of abstract submissions for the Sylvester O’Halloran Perioperative Symposium #SOH2019, Friday 15th November 2019.
In December 2018, the Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland (RAMI) acknowledged research at the Graduate Entry Medical School, University of Limerick, where two Awards were made.
soloPEP is an innovative product for patients with respiratory conditions such as cystic fibrosis or COPD who need help clearing mucus from their airways.
Designed to disrupt the existing market, where such devices are used typically for months at a time, soloPEP is manufactured from 100% recyclable materials and for daily use.
This removes the need to spend time cleaning devices and reduces risk of the device harbouring bacteria that may be harmful to the user.
Professor Deirdre McGrath (GEMS Director of Education and Respiratory Consultant), Professor Dunne (GEMS Director of Research) in partnership with colleagues from Science and Engineering (Dr Leonard O’Sullivan and Kevin O’Sullivan) and University Hospital Limerick (Dr Barry Linnane, Consultant Paediatrician) have received the Hospital Professional News GSK Excellence in Respiratory Initiative Award for their single use “SoloPEP” device aimed at reducing re-infection in adult and paediatric respiratory patients.
A medical device developed by a team from GEMS, Professors Colum Dunne and Deirdre McGrath, Engineering in UHL, and Dr. Barry Linnane, has made it to the final three of this year’s Cleveland Clinic – Enterprise Ireland Clinical Innovation Award. Dr. Linnane is director of the pediatric cystic fibrosis program at UHL. True bench to bedside translation and a great example of the synergies between UL and UHL.
Congratulations Dr Liz Kingston conferred with a PhD at the University of Limerick in January. Prof Colum Dunne supervised this successful research with co-supervisor Prof Nuala O’Connell of University Hospital Limerick.
The 4i Research Centre in a collaboration with UL Hospitals has won the HSE Acute Hospital Research Award. Led by Dr Suzanne Dunne with Canada Ireland medical student Mike Crickmer, Prof Colum Dunne (Director of GEMS Research and Director of 4i), Andrew O’Regan and Prof Calvin Coffey the following research paper gained the award:
Professor Colum Dunne, GEMS Director of Research and Director of 4i, was invited to deliver two keynote presentations at the COST Action conference in Pori Finland (6th & 7th June) targeting “Anti-Microbial Coatings in Healthcare: from Innovation to the Market”.
A new journal, ‘Mesentery and Peritoneum’ has been established by the GEMS Professorial Surgical team through AME Publishing Group. AME own more than 20 journals covering Medicine and is based in Hong Kong, China. The Editorial Board comprises some of the most renowned surgeons worldwide. The Editor-in Chief is GEMS Professor of Surgery and 4i Deputy Director J Calvin Coffey. The Journal will be inviting submissions shortly:
GEMS Professor of Primary Healthcare Research and 4i Principle Investigator, Anne Mac Farlane, led a successful bid to receive a €350k ‘PPI Ignite’ award under a new scheme offered by the Health Research Board and Irish Research Council to help researchers involve the public at the very start of the health research process. The bid was co-designed with representatives of the Limerick City Community Development Project, University Hospital Limerick Patient Liaison Group, HSE Community Care and Care Alliance
GEMS Professor of Surgery and 4i Deputy Director J Calvin Coffey delivered the Robert Smith Lecture at the Annual Congress of the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain & Ireland in Glasgow on Friday 3rd May 2017. Prof Coffey spoke on "The Foundation of Colorectal Surgery". The lecture is invited by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, and named for Robert William Smith (1807-73), an Irish surgeon who described Smith's fracture of the wrist in his book, the first written on fractures by an Irish author. Prof Coffey was also Keynot
Search for alternatives is focusing on antimicrobial properties of honey and certain metals
The introduction of penicillin in the 1940s heralded the antibiotic era. We are now in the era of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Can we fight back?
A network of European experts has begun examining the potential of antimicrobial coatings to prevent the spread of drug-resistant bacteria in hospitals.
Miranda Kiernan, GEMS Year 2 sPhD student, won the prestigious ‘Norman Williams Prize’ for best clinical paper presented at the 2017 meeting of the Society of Academic & Research Surgery of the UK and Ireland, held at the RCSI, Dublin.
The finding opens up 'a whole new area of science'
A new organ has been discovered hiding in plain sight inside the human body.
Known as the mesentery, it was previously thought to be just a few fragmented structures in the digestive system.
But scientists have realised it is in fact one, continuous organ.
Although its function is still unclear, the discovery opens up “a whole new area of science,” according to J Calvin Coffey, a researcher at the University Hospital Limerick who first discovered it.
A medical device for Cystic Fibrosis (CF) sufferers which lessens their exposure to infections resulting in fewer doctors’ visits, reduced antibiotic usage and shorter hospital stays, is expected to be market ready within two years.
Professor Calvin Coffey of UL GEMS and 4i has turned more than a century of anatomy on its head by identifying a new organ in our guts. The remarkable discovery by J Calvin Coffey, professor of surgery at University of Limerick’s Graduate Ent
At the Sylvester O Halloran Perioperative Scientific symposium held in the GEMS on the 4th and 5th of March 1016 Dr Leon Walsh, a GEMS PhD student and Clinical Tutor was awarded the ASGBI/Sylvester O’Halloran Published Paper prize for his paper titled, “An appraisal of the computed axial tomographic appearance of the human mesentery based on mesenteric contiguity from the duodenojejunal flexure to the mesorectal level
Dr Ciara O’Connor, MD candidate at University of Limerick’s Graduate Entry Medical School, has been awarded the Irish Society of Clinical Microbiologists prize for best Oral Presentation at a meeting held in Dublin on 27th Feb 2016.
At the UHL Symposium held in the Strand Hotel Limerick on the 9th of October 2015, Miranda Kiernan, a GEMS PhD student gained the prize for best presentation for her abstract titled, “Relationship of mesenteric disease manifestations in Crohn’s disease with mucosal and systemic manifestations”. Miranda is supervised jointly by Professor Calvin Coffey and Professor Colum Dunne, both of whom form part of the 4i Executive team.
A University of Limerick study has found that mothers of overweight and obese children struggle to recognize their child as overweight or obese.
The Partnership for Health Equity at UL GEMS, directed by Professor Anne MacFarlane, GEMS Professor of Primary Healthcare research, launched a report into the health of the homeless on Wednesday September 23rd 2015. This was attended by HSE Deputy Director General Laverne McGuinness, and the HSE National Director of Primary Care, John Hennessy.
Pictured L->R: Dr Patrick O’Donnell, UL Graduate Entry Medical School; Prof Anne MacFarlane, UL Graduate Entry Medical School; Councillor Kathleen Leddin, Mayor of Limerick; Rachel Conway, Ana Liffey Drug Project
Professor David Meagher and his team organised a second Annual Study Day in Psychiatry at the GEMS on May 28th 2015. This was attended by 75 Psychiatrists from across the region who are involved in medical student and post-graduate education and training.
The Primary Healthcare Research Group have had a paper accepted for publication in Family Practice: the International Journal for Research in Primary Care: De Brun, Tomas; O Reilly -de Brún, Mary; van Weel, Chris; van den Muijsenbergh, Maria; van Weel-Baumgarten, Evelyn; Dowrick, Chris; Lionis, Christos; O'Donnell, Catherine; Burns, Ni
GEMS Professor of Psychiatry David Meagher and former GEMS Professor of General Practice Walter Cullen both demonstrated their prowess on guitar at the UL ‘Songs of Social Protest’ conference evening event band session on April 30th. Professor David Meagher spoke on the topic of 'Punk Rock Made Me a Psycho-Therapist' at the main conference event.
Patrick O'Donnell, Anne MacFarlane and Austin O'Carroll describe the work of the Partnership for Health Equity, which supports the provision of Primary Care for marginalised groups.
The cost of prescription drugs in Ireland was on the agenda of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children when it met with representatives from pharmacies, pharmaceutical manufacturers and academic voices.
Photo L-R: Professor Tara Fenwick, Dr Jonathan Silverman, Professor Deirdre McGrath, Professor Mike Larvin, Professor Peter Cantillon, Professor Don Barry at the recent INMED conference
GEMS Foundation Professor of Surgery, J Calvin Coffey delivered three invited lectures at
A University of Limerick study has found four distinct sleep profiles in 9-month old infants in Ireland with mothers of infants in the poorer sleep profiles more likely to report higher levels of stress and depression and poorer physical health.
Professor Clodagh O'Gorman, Foundation Professor of Paediatrics, was lead author for a paper on ‘Children’s Television and nutrition’ published in the Irish Medical Journal in February 2015. This attracted coverage in The Sun newspaper, and radio interviews on Newstalk Breakfast and Radio Longford on 10th February.
Professor Colum Dunne, Director of Research at the University of Limerick’s Graduate Entry Medical School (GEMS), has been presented with one of the Irish Health Services Executive (HSE) Inaugural Open Access Awards by HSE Director General, Mr Tony O’Brien.
Research completed at the University of Limerick’s Graduate Entry Medical School (GEMS) has been highlighted by the influential Generics and Biosimilars Initiative (GaBI). The initiative, founded in 2008, has become an authoritative resource for global news on the recent developments in the field of generics and biosimilars, a repository of worldwide guidelines and an archive of related scientific information.
Researchers at University of Limerick and University Hospital Limerick have identified several new genetic biomarkers which better predict outcomes for patients with bowel/colorectal cancer. The research team identified genes that are predictors of cancer recurrence and can also help to identify a patients’ suitability to specific types of chemotherapy.
Ground breaking anatomy findings lead to less invasive surgeries.
New research led by Professor of Surgery, J. Calvin Coffey, Graduate Entry Medical School, UL and Colorectal Surgeon, University Hospital Limerick (UHL) has refuted a century of mistaken abdominal anatomy by remapping the human mesentery in a way never described before. This research has significant implications for patient outcomes, leading to less invasive surgeries, fewer complications, faster patient recovery and lower overall costs.
Professional Competence Guidelines have been distributed to all Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) to inform them of the new requirements for continuous professional competence introduced for the first time in Ireland.
The All Ireland Institute for Hospice and Palliative Care (AIIHPC) recently held a research programme symposium for the All Ireland Palliative Care Research Network (P.C.R.N.) in Dublin.
The purpose of the event was to review existing research projects and expertise within the Network, develop relationships with new and potential research partners, provide opportunities to progress research potential and foster strategic leadership for future projects and to develop targeted grant proposals for submission to national and international funders.
Unhealthy food and drinks are common in children’s TV programmes broadcast in Ireland and England, and frequently portrayed in a positive light, according from new research from the Graduate Entry Medical School at the University of Limerick. Statutory legislation to curb children’s exposure to high sugar and fat food/drink in TV adverts was introduced in the UK in 2007, and similar regulations have recently come on stream in Ireland, however, these regulations are not being applied to programme content.
In a new study, led by researchers at the University of Limerick Graduate Entry Medical School, high levels of plasma “fibrinogen” – a clotting factor that can be measured in the blood stream - were associated with higher death rates in patients with kidney disease. The study evaluated data of 9,184 US adults, age 40 and over who were followed for up to 15 years as part of the US-based Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III).
The University of Limerick celebrated the graduation of 146 students today from the Graduate Entry Medical School (GEMS) and Clinical Therapies Department. Among the graduates 94 doctors were conferred with their medical degrees as they became the fourth graduating class of the Graduate Entry Medical School at the University of Limerick. 52 Clinical Therapies graduands received their awards - 26 from the MSc in Occupational Therapy and 26 from the BSc in Physiotherapy.
Professional Competence Guidelines have been distributed to all Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) to inform them of the new requirements for continuous professional competence introduced for the first time in Ireland. Since November 2013 Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), Paramedics (Ps) and Advanced Paramedics (APs) must be registered with the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council in order to legally practice in Ireland. The new guidelines will enable practitioners to update and develop knowledge, skills and attitude thereby supporting professional competent practice.
UL Study Examines Irish Confidence In Generic Medicines
31% of patients had no knowledge of generic medicines, 39 % of those exhibited confusion between the words ‘generic’ and ‘genetic’.
UL researchers have been awarded €175,000 by Ireland’s Health Research Board (HRB) and the All Ireland Institute of Hospice & Palliative Care (AIIHPC).
Left to right – Dr Sonja McIlfatrick (University of Ulster and Director of Reseach, AIIHPC), Dr Karen Ryan (Mater Misericordiae Hospital & St Francis Hospice), Prof David Meagher (University of Limerick), Prof Charles Normand (Trinity College Dublin and Network Lead, AIIHPC).
The Irish Delirium Society (IDS) was recently launched at a conference, hosted by the University of Limerick's Centre for Interventions in Infection, Inflammation & Immunity (4i), that brought together researchers from Ireland and across Europe who are focused on understanding the psychiatric and physiological elements contributing to patient delirium.
A paper published by a research team from the Graduate Entry Medical School (GEMS), UL won the General Practice category at the Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland (RAMI) Doctor Awards on 21st March.
UL Research Incentives Programme - Funded Studentships (x 3)
In Public & Population Health, Primary Care & General Practice, Health
Informatics and Law
The University of Limerick is set to host a major national conference exploring policy-practice links in primary care. The Annual Scientific Meeting of the Association of University Departments of General Practice in Ireland, will take place on Friday 8th March and is being organised by Professor of Primary Healthcare Research Anne MacFarlane and Professor of General Practice Walter Cullen.
Please could you outline the recent study into youth mental health in Mid-West Ireland?
Ireland, and many other countries, is witnessing increases in problematic and complex youth mental health challenges. In Ireland, specifically, there has been a rash of high profile cases where young people have unfortunately not been able to deal with stress, bullying and other issues.
On December 3rd, Professor MacFarlane, Chair of Primary Health Care Research at UL’s Graduate Entry medical School, led a workshop that showcased the European Union-funded “RESTORE” project at the North American Primary Care Annual Conference in New Orleans, USA.
UL researchers have been awarded €300,000 by Ireland’s Health Research Board to develop and evaluate psychosocial interventions for drug and alcohol users in primary care. Psychosocial interventions are described as aimed at reducing consumption behaviour or alcohol-related problems by using psychological approaches
Professor Calvin Coffey, Foundation Chair of Surgery at the University of Limerick’s Graduate Entry Medical School and Consultant Surgeon at University Hospital Limerick has been honoured by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), having been chosen to deliver this year's 35th Annual Millin Lecture.
A study by researchers at the Graduate Entry Medical School, University of Limerick and Dalhousie University in Canada has found 34% of children between 6-12 years old admitted to hospital are overweight or obese.
Professor Stewart Walsh, Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of Limerick has been appointed editor of the International Journal of Surgery. Professor Walsh is a Consultant Vascular Surgeon, Mid-Western Hospitals Group, HSE.
As a general surgical journal, covering all specialties, the International Journal of Surgery is dedicated to publishing original research, review articles, and offering significant contributions to knowledge in clinical surgery, experimental surgery, surgical education and history.
Minister for Health James Reilly has appointed an architect, two planners, a number of senior doctors and a British hospital executive to the group examining the decision to refuse planning permission for the new national children’s hospital.
The group, which is to be chaired by former HSE chairman Frank Dolphin has been asked to report back within 56 days.
The University of Limerick, welcomes the appointment of Anne MacFarlane as Professor of Primary Healthcare (Research) at the Graduate Entry Medical School (GEMS). Professor MacFarlane is the first social scientist to hold a Chair in academic primary care in Ireland and the first woman Professor in this discipline in Ireland.
Professor Calvin Coffey (Chair of Surgery, Graduate Entry Medical School, University of Limerick and Consultant General & Colorectal Surgeon, Limerick University Hospital) has been selected to receive a James IV Fellowship from the James IV Association of Surgeons (http://jamesivassociationsurgeons.com ). This Fellowship is awarded to candidates who have made outstanding contributions to the art and science of surgery.
Researchers at the Graduate Entry Medical School, University of Limerick (GEMS) have been awarded €175,000 funding to develop a portable automated device that can be used in any clinical or community setting to allow early diagnosis and treatment of delirium.
Graduate Entry Medical School, Director of Research, Professor Colum Dunne joins the Technical Advisory Board of global healthcare initiative - iheed Foundation www.iheed.org.
