Our Team

Joanne Walsh Crowley

Joanne is the Director of Operations & Clinical Trials at the HRB Clinical Research Facility at UCC (CRF-UCC) and Deputy Director of the CRF-UCC. The CRF-UCC facility is co-funded by the University and by the Health Research Board and supports the design, conduct and analysis of Patient Focused Research throughout UCC and its affiliated Medical Centres.

Prior to joining CRF-UCC in 2019, Joanne worked in large multinational organisations for over 27 years and held Senior leadership positions in technical operations, new product introduction, engineering and strategy across Pharmaceutical and Consumer Healthcare businesses. She has extensive experience leading large global teams, delivering transformational change, setting strategic direction and delivering business targets.

She has expertise across multiple dose forms and regulatory environments, and has worked across R&D, Manufacturing and Commercial.

Joanne has a BEng in Chemical and Process Engineering, is a Chartered Engineer and a Fellow of the Institute of Chemical Engineers. She also has an Executive MBA from UCC.

Maeve Kelsey

Maeve is the Site Management and Operations Manager with the CRF-UCC. She acts as the functional lead for the trial conduct portfolio of the CRF-UCC, with responsibility for the assessment, selection, set-up and delivery of studies and trials, ensuring consistency with the CRF-UCC quality plan, study contracts and budgets and in compliance with applicable regulations, ICH-GCP Guidelines and applicable controlled documents. Maeve assists in feasibility assessments, oversees the conduct and progress of industry sponsored trials and the work schedule of staff working within the portfolio.​

Maeve has extensive experience in the conduct of phase 2 to 4 academic and HPRA regulated trials and has been part of the CRF-UCC research team since 2012. She is a Registered General Nurse (Hons) and Midwife. She obtained a MSc in Clinical Trials with distinction with the University of Edinburgh in 2017. She also holds a level 9 post graduate certificate in Clinical Research Nursing (distinction) from the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland.​

UCC Internal Coaching Panel Member since 2019​.

Maeve was appointed as a member of the UCC Internal Coaching Panel in 2019 and has completed the UCC PG Certificate in Personal and Management Coaching.

Affiliations

Acts as the HRB Clinical Research Co-ordination Ireland (HRB CRCI) Feasibility and Study Start-up facilitator for the CRF-UCC and help connect academic and industry sponsors with potential investigators locally.

Member of the HRB CRCI Budget working group which aims to streamline and standardise the protocol review and budget development process nationally.

Member of Irish Research Nurses Working Group since 2012.

Prof. Frances Shiely

BA, PhD (UL), MA Teaching and Learning (UCC), PG Diploma Clinical Trials (Edinburgh)

Prof. Frances Shiely is Director of Education and a Professor in Patient Focused Research at the HRB Clinical Research Facility at UCC and a Senior Lecturer in Epidemiology in the School of Public Health. She is founder and director of the MSc Clinical Trials at UCC on which she teaches, UCC lead for the HRB Trials Methodology Research Network and leads TRAMS (Trials Research and Methodologies Unit). Frances’ research expertise is in trial methodology. She has a research income in excess of €8m Euro. She co-leads the Communication working group for the MRC-NIHR-TMRP (Trials Methodology Research Partnership) and is an Associate Editor for the journal, Trials. She has graduated seven PhD students, 1 MD, currently supervises 1, and has extensive experience supervising Masters and undergraduate student research projects. Frances Chairs the Graduate Students Committee in the School of Public Health and is a regular contributor to School, College and University Committees.

For research information, visit the Trials Research and Methodologies Unit (TRAMS) webpage.

Dr Evelyn Flanagan

Dr Evelyn Flanagan undertook her primary degree in physiology in University College Cork. Following graduation Evelyn embarked on her PhD studies in ‘The role of TGF-β1 in chronic renal failure’, under the guidance of Professor Edward Johns in the Physiology Department University College Cork. On graduating Evelyn began developing her interest in clinical data management and has been involved in numerous national and local data management projects. In addition Evelyn has a particular interest in the role of electronic data capture systems in clinical research and has an MSc in Clinical Research from the University of Liverpool.

Dr Darren Dahly

Dr Darren Dahly is the Principal Statistician of the HRB Clinical Research Facility University College Cork, and a Senior Lecturer in Research Methods in the UCC School of Public Health. He consults and collaborates on a wide variety of patient-focused studies in and around Cork, and teaches postgraduates about clinical trial study design and analysis, reproducible research methods, and critical appraisal skills. You can also find him talking about trial methods on Twitter @statsepi.

Niamh Blanche

Along with a Degree in Early Childhood Education, Niamh has over 20 years’ experience in an administrative capacity. She joined the HRB CRF-UCC in January 2019 where she worked as an Executive Assistant.  In August 2022, Niamh took on a Senior Admin role, managing and co-ordinating all administrative aspects of the CRF’s HR requirements, and assets management . Niamh has also been supporting the team at the HRB National Clinical Trials Office since May 2021.

Dr Brendan Palmer

Dr Brendan Palmer joined the HRB CRF-UCC in 2017. Brendan works within the Statistics, Data & Analysis Unit (SDAU) in a role that focuses on providing data management and statistical supports to academic-led clinical trials. This includes, but is not limited to, advice on the data needs of project pre-initiation, design and construction of electronic databases, data visualisation, analytical pipeline development, reproducible reporting and data publication supports.

Brendan also contributes to the MSc Clinical Trials (CKU17) and delivery of the postgraduate module, Reproducible Research Practices using R (PG6030). Brendan is a Health Research Board data steward and is in place to advise researchers on approaches to, and the implementation of, the FAIR guiding principles for scientific data management and stewardship for investigators engaged in patient focused research.

Pierre Rocher

Pierre is the Financial Analyst at the Clinical Research Facility

He is a Chartered Accountant with 10+ years’ experience in accounting and auditing.

He previously worked at a local pharmaceutical company as a senior accountant for 4 years and prior to that he worked for 5 years at a Big 4 firm in Cork as well as in Cape Town, South Africa, where he is originally from. He studied at the University of the Free State, completing an undergraduate as well as a postgraduate in accounting. He also worked as the finance committee leader for one of the house residences at the University of the Free State for 2 years in charge of all budgeting and financial planning. Pierre has lived in Cork for the last 6 years – he enjoys the outdoors, travelling and sport.

Eoghan Cooke

Eoghan is a communications expert who began his career with a BA (Hons) in English and Philosophy from UCC, subsequently traveling to Scotland to study Philosophy of Science for his PgD in the University of Edinburgh. Having developed a deep affinity and respect for the scientific method, he went on to begin studying and researching the effectiveness of Virtual Reality as a communications tool in the medical space. This culminated in the development of the ‘E-MAT’ VR simulation, a tool for enhancing men’s awareness of testicular disorders. Eoghan developed this simulation during the course of an MSc in Interactive Media in UCC’s Computer Science Department. During this time period Eoghan also founded Cervindi Ltd., a business that helped SMEs in Cork to develop and publish their online presences.

In a HRB-funded trial designed to study E-MAT, it was Eoghan’s responsibility to engage various stakeholders through the use of social media outreach and to study the effectiveness of various recruitment channels in this clinical trial. Furthermore, Eoghan was responsible for the technical delivery of the VR simulation to participants from GAA clubs across Munster. This granted Eoghan a unique insight into the relationship between clinical trials, branding, and communications that he brings to his role as Comms Officer for the CRF-UCC.

Máire McCarthy

Máire graduated with a BSc in Public Health and Health Promotion from UCC in 2011. She went on to complete her Masters in Public Health, specialising in Epidemiology in 2012 and obtained her Diploma in Project Management. Previously, Máire has worked for the National Perinatal Epidemiology Centre and the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health. Máire joined us in September 2014 from the Health Information and Quality Authority where she worked on Research Ethics. Since Máire started with CRF-UCC back in 2014 she has completed a Diploma in Quality Management, internal auditor training and recently completed her ISO lead auditor course.

Orlaith Aherne

Orlaith studied Law and Irish in University College Cork, graduating in 2005. She went on to attend Blackhall Place and completed her Indentures of Apprenticeship in 2010. Previously Orlaith worked in- house with a leading security firm. Orlaith works part time with the HRB CRF-UCC in research administration. Orlaith joined the Clinical Research Facility in November 2013.

Lucy Deane

Lucy graduated with a BEng in Biomedical Engineering from CIT in 2006 and went on to complete a BSc in Advanced Manufacturing Technology in CIT in 2007. She then completed a Diploma in Quality Management from CIT in 2015.

Lucy has experience in a quality background having worked as a Quality Coordinator and Responsible Person for 3 years.

She joined the HRB CRF-UCC in October 2016 where she worked as a Quality Officer and since then has taken on the role of Quality Documentation Specialist in June 2022.

Niamh Kelly

Niamh Kelly qualified as a registered nurse in the UK in 1990 and worked in a large London hospital for 7 years before returning to Cork where she worked in ICU in the Mercy University Hospital.

In 2003, she joined Shandon Clinical Trials as a clinical research nurse before moving to the role of quality control officer. During this time, she gained extensive experience in the conduct of phase 2 to 4 HPRA regulated trials.

She then worked as a pharmacovigilance officer in SMPC Ltd, providing pharmacovigilance services to the pharmaceutical industry and also worked as a clinical research manager for Atlantia Food Clinical Trials Ltd., a CRO specialising in clinical trials in the area of food for health.

Niamh joined The INFANT Centre in CUMH in 2013 as Lead Study Monitor for an EU FP7 funded, multi-national, multi-centred study. In 2017, she moved to the Clinical Research Facility – University College Cork, and joined the dynamic team based in CUH, as a clinical research nurse/study coordinator for a number of new studies.

In April 2018, she was appointed the Clinical Research Nurse Manager II, taking a leading role in planning, coordinating and completing academic and sponsor led clinical trial protocols and supervising the work schedule of staff working on these projects.

Edmund Manning

Edmund Manning graduated from University College Cork with a BSc in general nursing in 2003 and worked in several areas in the clinical field ranging from medical to surgical as well as several years in the United States. With extensive years working in the Gerontological setting he joined the Centre for Gerontology and Rehabilitation in University College Cork as a research nurse in 2012 working on several projects over a 4 year period.

During this period Edmund also completed a Post Graduate Certificate in Clinical Research in the Royal College of Surgeons in 2015.

Following on from his time with the CGR he joined the Food and Nutritional Science department overseeing several food studies over a 3 year period before joining the HRB Clinical Research Facility in 2018. He is based on several studies between both the Cork University Hospital and the Mercy University Hospital in the field of neurological and colorectal research.

Jean Foley

Jean graduated from St Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin as a registered General Nurse. She holds a Certificate in Nurse Management, a Certificate in Practice Nurse and a post graduate certificate in Clinical Research from the Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin. Jean worked as a nurse in Dublin and Cork before joining Minerva where she worked as Research Nurse involved in large multinational trials. She joined Alimentary Health as Clinical Nurse specialist in research before joining the Clinical Research Facility University College Cork in 2012.

She obtained a MSc in Clinical Trials with the University of Edinburgh in 2020. She also holds a level 9 post graduate certificate in Clinical Research Nursing (distinction) from the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland.

Deirdre Flynn

Deirdre graduated from University of Limerick with a BSc in General Nursing. Her career in research started in Australia in 2007 when she worked on a diagnostic clinical trial in breast cancer. On her return to Ireland she joined Shandon Clinical Trials, Cork for over 2 years.

She holds a post graduate certificate in Clinical Research from the Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin.

Deirdre has extensive experience in the conduct of phase 2 to 4 academic & HPRA regulated trials & has been part of the HRB CRF-UCC research team since 2012.

Emma Cobbe

Emma is a registered general nurse with extensive clinical and research experience having worked both in Ireland and the USA in acute adult and paediatric settings.  She graduated from UCC with an MSc in nursing in 2013 having previously held a graduate diploma form University of Limerick. Working in research since 2010, Emma has gained a wealth of experience which she is now utilising and continues to build on in the HRB CRF-UCC paediatric immunotherapy trials.

Aisling Murphy

Aisling graduated from Cork University Hospital as a General Nurse and later undertook a Post Graduate in Clinical Research with the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland, Dublin.

Taking a break from nursing in 2008, she worked in the Sales field with Nutricia Medical, a division of Danone. Responsible for the promotion and education of Oral Nutritional Products in the community, she developed a keen interest in research-based evidence in health. Aisling moved to the ELDERMET project in 2013 studying the relationship between diet, gut bacteria and health status in a large number of elderly (>65 years) Irish subjects before joining the HRB-Clinical Research Facility in 2014 where she has focussed mainly in co-ordinating trials in rare-disease and nephrology disciplines. 

Kayleigh O’Keeffe

Kayleigh O’Keeffe is a dual-qualified Paediatric and General Nurse with extensive clinical experience in both fields.

She graduated from University College Cork in 2014 with a BSc in Children’s and General Nursing (Integrated). Upon qualifying she took up a post as staff nurse in Great Ormond Street Hospital London, specialising in the area of high-dependency paediatric cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery and heart and lung transplant.

She returned to Cork in 2016 and took a staff nurse role in an adult cardiology and haematology ward in Cork University Hospital.

She commenced employment with the CRF-UCC in late 2017, working in the role of Research Nurse. Currently she works on several clinical trials in the specialised areas of paediatric immunotherapy and adult asthma.

June Considine

June graduated from UCC in 2013 having completed a BSc (Hons) in Integrated General and Paediatric Nursing. On qualifying, June first gained experience working with acutely and chronically ill children in the medical and surgical Paediatric Department of Cork University Hospital.

From here, she then completed her Research Masters in University College Cork after being awarded the Dr HH Stewart Medical Scholarship award in 2014 from the National University of Ireland. June then began to work on observational trials in the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health in University College Cork, working with iFAAM on the diagnostic procedures of paediatric allergy in infants. June also works part-time lecturing the Integrated Children’s and General Nursing Students in UCC in both academic modules and nursing clinical skills.

June joined the HRB-Clinical Research Facility-UCC in April 2016. She works as a Clinical Nurse Manager and is currently involved in the co-ordination of regulated clinical trials in the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health.

Affiliations

June is a member of both the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology since 2016 and the Irish Research Nurse and Midwife Working Group since 2022.

Dr Ellen Murphy

Dr Ellen Murphy is a Lecturer in Clinical Trials on the Master’s in Clinical Trials Program at University College Cork (UCC). She completed her PhD in 2025, which explored how trial teams plan, implement, and communicate retention strategies in clinical trials. Ellen’s primary research focus is participant retention, and she is currently co-leading a qualitative evidence synthesis examining participant-reported reasons for non-retention. Improving participant retention in trials, helps to ensure the results have real-world applicability to a wide range of participants.

In addition, Ellen is involved in collaborative projects with researchers in Ireland and the UK in other areas of trial methodology, including participant recruitment, Studies Within Trials (SWATs), and improving communication of trial information to participants. Ellen also co-leads an MRC-NIHR TMRP Retention Working Group. Outside of work, sailing and hiking are two of her passions.

Jesus I. del Valle

Jesus is a laboratory technician with experience in both clinical and research settings. Before moving to Ireland, he worked in a clinical laboratory for the Spanish Healthcare System. In 2019, he joined CRF-UCC, where he is involved in the organisation and management of the biobank/biostorage facility; as well as providing technical support, management of risks and optimisation of processes.

Hanne Bruhn

Hanne’s personal pronouns are she/her. Hanne joined the CRF-UCC in April 2022 as a Senior Research Fellow working in Trial Methodology with Prof. Frances Shiely.

Hanne works part-time for UCC (two days a week) and continues working for University of Aberdeen where she has been working on Trial Methodology projects since 2017, often contributing to Trial Forge. Hanne is also a HRB-TMRN Research Associate.

Hanne’s background is as a Health Services Researcher, using both quantitative and qualitative research methods.

Dr Erin Crowley

Dr Erin Crowley is the Academic Study Co-ordinator for the Clinical Research Facility and the Cancer Trials Group, UCC. She acts as the liaison between clinical researchers and UCC, helping to promote, support and implement UCC-sponsored academic research. She navigates the set-up of new investigator-initiated trials, as well as providing ongoing support for existing trials run through the university.

Dr Crowley graduated from the University of Brighton with an MPharmHons and trained as a clinical pharmacist in Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust. She completed her PhD in the Dept of Anatomy and Neuroscience in UCC, and worked as a lecturer in Clinical Practice in the School of Pharmacy, UCC before joining the CRF-UCC.

Roisin O’Brien

Roisin holds a BSc in Biomedical Science and a MSc in Pharmaceutical Business and Technology. She joined the CRF-UCC as a Research Assistant working within Clinical Operations in August 2021 and then moved to the Quality and Regulatory Affairs department in July 2022 where she now works as a Study Monitor.

Lisa McSweeney

Lisa was appointed the role of Research Support Officer for the Clinical Operations team in January 2020. She works directly with the Site Management and Operations Manager by assisting with the feasibility and set up stages of Clinical trials and studies, she is responsible for the collection of relevant key metadata regarding study activities and progress within the CRF-UCC.

Lisa holds a BSc in Physiology from UCC and MRes in Biomedical and Translational Research from University of Liverpool. She has over 8 years experience working in Clinical Research in the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin and St Vincent’s Hospital.