Prof William T O'Connor
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Prof William T O'Connor

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Prof William T
O'Connor
Phone: 
+353 (0) 61 233750
Room: 
GEMS3-006
Email: 
William.OConnor@ul.ie
Role: 
Foundation Chair, Head of Teaching and Research in Physiology
Profile: 

Google Scholar: Orchid: Scopus Author ID: 7101839283

Introduction: 

My main scientific focus is an understanding of illnesses of mind and brain as a disorder of the nerve network and spans biochemistry, functional anatomy, inflammation, metabolomics, pharmacology and physiology. 
I have a long-standing interest in the emerging field of neuroeducation - the brain science of learning. My decision to accept the first appointment in the new Graduate Entry Medical School in 2007 was driven for the most part by my desire to investigate new teaching and learning paradigms and in particular problem-based learning.
 

Academic Qualifications: 

Full Professor (Physiology), University of Limerick Medical School (2007)
Associate Professor (Pharmacology), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. (1994)
Ph.D. (Pharmacology), NUIG, Galway, Ireland.  (1986)
B.Sc.Hons. (Biochemistry), NUIG, Galway, Ireland. (1981)

Professional Experience: 

2013       Honorary Visiting Scholar, Flinders University School of Medicine, Adelaide. Australia.

2005       Head, Neuroscience Research, Conway Institute, University College Dublin. Ireland.

2001       Founder, Managing Director, Analytical Drug and Data Limited, UCD, Dublin. Ireland.

1995       Founder, Microdialysis Brain Research Unit, UCD, Dublin. Ireland.

1994       Principal Investigator, Pharmacology Department, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.

Professional Memberships: 

Professional Associations

Period

Post

International Brain Research Organization's (IBRO)

2006 - 2009

Academic Secretary

Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland  (RAMI)

1999 -

Fellow

European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP)

1999 -

Member

Collegium Internatioale Neuropsychopharmacalogicum (CINP)

1999 -

Member

Swedish Physiological Society

1991 -

Member

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

1991 -

Member

American Society for Neuroscience  (SFN)

1991 -

Member

New York Academy of Science (NYAS)

1991 -

Member

 

 

 

Institutes

 

 

Conway Institute, University College Dublin        

2005-2007

Leader, Neuroscience Strand

Conway Institute, University College Dublin

2004-2008

SFI Investigator

Conway Institute, University College Dublin        

2001-2007

Principal Investigator

Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden

1994-1995

Associate Professor

 

 

 

National Committees

 

 

Royal Irish Academy, Life and Medical Science Committee

2014 -

Member

Neuroscience Ireland

2005-2007

Co-Founder and Treasurer

Irish Neuroscience Group

1999-2005

Secretary

Mental Health Committee, Health Research Board, Ireland

2001-2005

Expert Evaluator

Annual Meeting, Irish Neuroscience Group (Organizing)

2005

Chair

Annual Meeting, Irish Neuroscience Group (Organizing)

2002

Chair

Maynooth University, Kildare, Ireland

2009-2013

External Examiner (Life Science)

 

 

 

International Committees

 

 

European Commission (Grant evaluation) including -

1999 -

Expert Evaluator

Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI)  €8.9m grant to NEWMEDS

2009-2015

Chief Rapporteur

11th International Conference on In Vivo Methods (Organizing)

2006

Member

10th International Conference on In Vivo Methods (Organizing)

2003

Member

9th International Conference on In Vivo Methods (Organizing)

2001

Chair and Host

8th International Conference on In Vivo Methods (Organizing)

1998

Member

11th  International Symposium on Bilingualism (Organizing)

2017

Member and Host
Research Interests: 

See below for my translational research interests and clinical application from the work.

Brain
1.    Analysis of CSF amino acids in young patients with generalised refractory epilepsy during an add-on study with lamotrigine. Epilepsy Research. 34, 75-83, 1999.
2.    Methods in the application of microdialysis to epilepsy surgery: the neurosurgeon's perspective in Monitoring Molecules in Neuroscience. 437-438, 2001. University College Dublin Publishers.
3.    Elevated extracellular levels of glutamate, aspartate and gamma-aminobutyric acid within the intraoperative, spontaneously epileptiform human hippocampus. Epilepsy Research. 54, 1, 73-79, 2003. 
4.    Hippocampal micro dialysis during spontaneous intraoperative epileptiform activity. Act Neurotic (Wien). 17; 146(2), 143-151. 2004.  
5.    Micro dialysis of the lateral and temporal lobe during temporal lobe epilepsy surgery. Surgical Neurology. 63, (1) 70-79, 2005.

Skin
5.    Optical coherence tomography: imaging architect for dermal micro dialysis in psoriasis. Proceedings SPIE 7898, Dynamics and Fluctuations in Biomedical Photonics VIII. 78980V, 2011.
6.    Rapid quantification of histamine in human psoriatic plaques using micro dialysis and ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. Journal of Chromatography B-Analytical Technologies in the Biomedical and Life Sciences. 880, 119-124, 2012.

Muscle
7.    An in vivo micro dialysis characterization of the transient changes in the interstitial dialysate concentration of metabolites and cytokines in human skeletal muscle in response to insertion of a micro dialysis probe. Cytokine. 71, 2, 327-333, 2015.
8.    Dynamic measures of skeletal muscle dialysate and plasma amino acid concentration in response to exercise and nutrient ingestion in healthy adult males. Amino Acids. 49, 1, 151-159, 2017.

Neuroeducation
9.    What can the brain science of learning teach us about cybernetics? 11th IEEE International conference on cybernetic intelligent systems. Book Series, 2012.   
 

Publication Record: 

Authored more than 450 original papers, chapters, editorials, reviews and one book; Monitoring Molecules in Neuroscience (2001). 

Publication in top journals as a senior author (Impact Factor>10): 6, total citations: >6,000, h-index: 46, papers with ≥100 citations:14; source: Scopus, 8th Nov. 2017.

Total Publications

Original articles

Conference papers

Times Cited

h-index

Co-authors

452

123

94

7750

50

<150
Research/Fellowship Awards: 

Received numerous awards for his research including the Conway Silver Medal for Achievement in the Biosciences (2001) and from Science Foundation Ireland (2004). International awards include the SCRIP Award (2005) for best partnership alliance with Wyeth for cooperative work on brain illness treatments, and research awards from the Stanley Foundation (USA) and the Medical Research Council (Sweden).

Higher Degree Supervision: 

M.Sc. students graduated: 2
Ph.D. students graduated: 13
 

Additional Information: 

My strong commitment to scientific outreach and communication is best illustrated through the popular popular Inside-the-Brain website, Twitter and Facebook

accounts which report on the latest findings from the world of brain research.  The Inside-the-Brain website has over a million visitors.  


I am chathaoirleach (Chair) of the Irish Language Committee, University of Limerick.