Research conducted by School of Pharmacy MSc (Clinical Pharmacy) student Caoimhe Bolger was presented at the Prescribing and Research in Medicines Management (PRIMM) Conference 2025, held on 12 December 2025 in Manchester, UK.

Researchers from the School of Pharmacy, UCC were recognised for excellence in research, engagement, industry impact, and professional development at the 2025 SSPC Awards. SSPC is the Research Ireland Centre for Pharmaceutical Research. 

Throughout December, staff and students from the School of Pharmacy engaged with secondary school pupils in schools and on campus, creating opportunities to explore careers in pharmacy and healthcare.

Congratulations to Robert Callaghan, a PhD candidate with the School of Pharmacy and the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics at University College Cork, who was honoured with the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching in the Postgraduate Tutor and Demonstrator category on 4 December 2025.

The University College Cork Entrance Scholarship Awards Ceremony for the College of Medicine and Health took place in Devere Hall on Wednesday, 3 December, followed by a reception for awardees and their families in the Hub.

The School of Pharmacy is delighted to congratulate MPharm student Olga Andriyashchenko, who received a Dr Henry Hutchinson Stewart Medical Prize at the National University of Ireland Awards Ceremony held on 2 December 2025 in the RDS, Dublin. 

The School of Pharmacy has been recognised with the Pharmacy Excellence Award for Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at the 2025 Pharmacy Excellence Awards, which celebrate leadership and achievement across the pharmacy profession in Ireland.

Congratulations go to a team of School of Pharmacy researchers and colleagues in the Health Service Executive (HSE) for winning a poster award at this year’s HSE Integrated Healthcare Conference.

Congratulations to three of our Pharmacy undergraduate students on being awarded Quercus College of Medicine and Health medals for their exceptional academic performance in the Summer 2025 examinations.

Congratulations to Christian Waeber, Professor of Pharmacology at University College Cork, Head of the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, and joint appointee in the School of Pharmacy, who has been awarded the 2025 John Feely Medal by the Irish Association of Pharmacologists. 

To mark World and European Antimicrobial Awareness Week (18 to 24 November), University Hospital Kerry Antimicrobial Pharmacist Dr Síle O’Connor and colleagues welcomed MPharm students Éibhín Cronin and Emma Kearney, and Dr Aoife Fleming to their WAAW event.

On 19 November, we marked International Men’s Day, a global celebration recognising the positive contributions men make to their families, their communities and to the world. The 2025 theme, “Celebrating Men and Boys”. highlights the importance of uplifting and acknowledging the role they play in shaping a better society. This year, in honour of his significant contributions to their School and the wider College of Medicine and Health, the CoMH EDI Steering Group presented the International Men’s Day Appreciation Award to Dr Ken Devine.

The School of Pharmacy at UCC is proud to congratulate Rithwik Pradeep, PhD researcher, along with his supervisors Dr Alexander Zhdanov and Dr Evin Allen, on their recent publication in Analytical Biochemistry titled: 'Comparative analysis of common potency assays for assessing human TNF-alpha neutralising antibodies.'

As part of module PF1011, first-year students undertook an onsite visit to Boots Community Pharmacy in Half Moon Street. During the visit, pharmacy staff exposed students to different aspects of working in a community pharmacy including the dispensary, healthcare counter, consultation room and the business aspects of community pharmacy.

The School of Pharmacy congratulates Tanweer Al-Dagamin, who has successfully defended her PhD thesis titled 'Drug–Silica Systems: The Impact of Drug-Loading Process Parameters on Drug Solid-State and Release.'

For the first time, first-year pharmacy students at University College Cork took part in a workshop designed to help them understand how vision impairment can affect patients’ experiences of care.

Congratulations to our MPharm, PhD, MSc in Industrial Pharmaceutical Sciences, and BPharm graduates, all conferred on Thursday, 30 October 2025.

We celebrate the achievements of all our graduates and look forward to witnessing their bright futures. As our BPharm graduates transition to the MPharm program, we wish them continued success.

The School of Pharmacy, UCC is delighted to congratulate MPharm student Owen Collins, Mrs Ruth McCarthy and Professor Laura Sahm on their recent publication in the peer-reviewed journal MDPI Pharmacy, titled “Barriers and Facilitators of Using MyDispense From The Student Perspective : A Systematic Review”.

The School of Pharmacy recently held its annual Wobble Week - a week of activities, held mid-semester, to acknowledge that academic life can be challenging and that it's perfectly normal to feel a little off-balance sometimes. Through a series of engaging events, workshops, and wellness activities, the initiative helps students find their footing and support one another.

Congratulations to Chloe Frewen and Emma Walsh, who both graduated with an MSc. Research at University College Cork last Friday. 

It was a proud moment for the School of Pharmacy on 31st October 2025, as Lotte Ejskjær was awarded her PhD degree at the College of Medicine and Health Conferring Ceremony.

Our 2025 School Assembly talk was delivered by Dagogo Hart, a UCC Pharmacy graduate and Nigerian-Irish writer, poet, and theatre-maker. Through his talk, entitled ‘Why Everyone Should Be an Artist’, he shared the many benefits that art can bring to our lives, brought to life by powerful performances of his poetry.

Congratulations to School of Pharmacy PhD researcher Ethan Morrisey, who has been awarded the Dr Lawrence Salvati Jr. Award at the 2025 BioInterfaces Conference in Tempe, Arizona.

We were delighted to welcome Ms Lorna Quigley, Programme Manager, HSE National Clinical Infectious Disease Programme to speak to our fifth-year students about sepsis.

First-year pharmacy students at University College Cork were delighted to receive complimentary copies of the 90th edition of the British National Formulary (BNF), generously sponsored by Boots Ireland.

Congratulations to Dr Aoife Fleming, who has been awarded the 2025 University College Cork Staff Recognition Award for Leadership in recognition of her outstanding contributions to leadership at UCC.

The Pharmacy Society (PharmSoc) hosted the annual Pharm Cup 2025 on 6 October at LeisureWorld Bishopstown, bringing together students from across the School of Pharmacy for an exciting evening of competition and camaraderie.

Five researchers from the School of Pharmacy, UCC have once again been named among the top 2% of most-cited academics in their fields worldwide in the 2025 Elsevier/Stanford University World Rankings of Researchers.

The official ceremony marking the renewal of the Cooperation Agreement between University College Cork (UCC) and Future University in Egypt (FUE) took place at FUE on 22nd September 2025. A UCC team including Professor John O’Halloran, Professor Brendan Griffin, Head of School of Pharmacy UCC, visited Future University in Egypt for the official signing of the renewal agreement.  

The UCC School of Pharmacy welcomed a special guest speakers, Sinead Power and Audrey Baker, Cancer Nurses from the Irish Cancer Society, who delivered an inspiring talk on the wide range of supports available to people affected by cancer in Ireland. 

Congratulations to PhD researcher Nancy Moore on her award of the PCCA Prize for Best Poster Presentation at the recent 17th Conference of the European Paediatric Formulation Initiative (EuPFI), held in Bordeaux, France.

UCC Futures - Future Medicines, in association with GENEGUT, will host an online seminar with Professor Garret FitzGerald on Opportunities and Challenges: Building Capacity in Translational Science on 18 November at 2pm

The School of Pharmacy, UCC is pleased to announce that Maja Railic has successfully defended her PhD thesis entitled “Preclinical Evaluation of Dissolvable Microneedle Patches for Allergy Treatment: Key Factors Governing In Vitro and In Silico Assessment.”

The School of Pharmacy, UCC held its annual Prize Giving Ceremony on 8 September 2025 as part of the School's annual Business Seminar, with faculty, sponsors, and visiting speakers gathering to recognise the hard work of 5th year pharmacy students.

The Pharmacy Building was buzzing with excitement this week as we officially welcomed the newest cohort of students to the School of Pharmacy in UCC. The new BPharm1 class kicked off their academic journey with a vibrant orientation session that set the tone for the year ahead. Strong emphasis was placed on the sense of belonging and opportunity within the programme and beyond.

On Monday 8 September, the School of Pharmacy was delighted to host the annual MPharm Business Seminar to welcome our MPharm students to the new academic year and inspire them for the future.

The School of Pharmacy, University College Cork, was proud to host the 44th All Ireland Schools of Pharmacy (AISOP) Conference on 4–5 September 2025. The meeting brought together more than 100 PhD researchers and academic staff from schools of pharmacy across the island of Ireland, reflecting the strong collaborative spirit that underpins the advancement of pharmacy education and research.

The School of Pharmacy is delighted to welcome our new first-year and returning MSc in Clinical Pharmacy students, who recently took part in their online orientation sessions.

The College of Medicine and Health (CoMH) hosted its annual research conference on Wednesday, 3rd September, in the Western Gateway Building.

The Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD has today published the report of the 'Patient & Healthcare Staff Stories Project: Experiences of Sepsis, Infection & Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)'.

The School of Pharmacy, University College Cork has opened registration for 'An Introduction to Health Literacy for Health and Social Care Professions', a ten-week microcredential delivered by Prof Laura Sahm and Dr Michelle O’Driscoll in collaboration with the National Adult Literacy Agency.

We were delighted to welcome the MSc in Industrial Pharmaceutical Sciences, Operations and Management Class of 2025/26 at their recent orientation.

It is with great sadness that we announce the untimely death of our colleague, Professor Pat O’Mahony. Pat was an Adjunct Professor here in the School of Pharmacy and a strong supporter of many of our initiatives, particularly in the area of Regulatory Science.

The School of Pharmacy at University College Cork will host the 44th All-Ireland Schools of Pharmacy (AISOP) Conference on Thursday 4 and Friday 5 September 2025. The annual event brings together pharmacy students, educators, and researchers from across Ireland for two days of presentations, discussion, and academic exchange.

On 15 July, the School of Pharmacy hosted a research seminar led by CarboHyde, a partner in the Horizon Europe-funded GENEGUT project. The event brought together members of the GENEGUT consortium to share insights and progress in the area of cyclodextrin research.

On Friday 27 June 2025, members of the UCC Clinical Pharmacy and General Practice Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Partnership delivered a workshop at the University of Limerick PPI Summer School. Their session, Starting Together: Reflections on Co-Creating a PPI Partnership in Chronic Disease and Medication Management, shared insights from their collaborative work in health research. 

GENEGUT, an EU‑funded project coordinated by Prof Caitriona O’Driscoll, aims to develop a first in class oral RNA-based medicine for Crohn’s disease. In a recent interview with Health‑NCP‑Net 3.0, part of the Horizon Europe support network, she outlined GENEGUT’s goal and impact.

Dr Jatin Nagpal, who holds roles in both the School of Pharmacy and the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, has been elected to the ALBA Network Board of Directors.

The School of Pharmacy is delighted to share that Professor Laura Sahm has been elected Vice-President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI) Council at its meeting on 20 June 2025. 

Professor Caitriona O’Driscoll has been awarded the 2024 UCC Research Career Achievement Award in recognition for her pioneering research, her academic leadership in Pharmacy, and her global impact in advancing drug delivery technologies.

The School of Pharmacy congratulates Professor Anita Maguire on receiving the 2025 Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Bader Prize for Organic Chemistry, recognising her exceptional contributions to organic and pharmaceutical chemistry.

The School of Pharmacy is reminding prospective EU applicants that the deadline to apply for the MSc Clinical Pharmacy programme (2025–2026 entry) is 30 June 2025.

Staff and researchers from the Pharmacy Building, including colleagues from the School of Pharmacy, Biochemistry, and the Analytical & Biological Chemistry Research Facility (ABCRF), came together on Tuesday 17 June for the annual summer ice-cream social.

It was a proud moment for the School of Pharmacy on 20 June 2025, as two of our PhD candidates were officially conferred at the College of Medicine and Health Conferring Ceremony.

We joyfully welcomed the 6th-class students of St Columba’s GNS Facility for Deaf Children to our School. 

AIPEC, the All Ireland Interprofessional Healthcare Challenge for Students, won across two categories at the recent Irish Education Awards in Dublin. AIPEC won the Best Collaboration Project category, and was awarded the prize for Overall Excellence at the awards. 

Pharmacy student Rachael O'Sullivan (BPharm4) was part of the winning team representing UCC at the 2025 All Ireland Interprofessional Healthcare Challenge (AIPEC) for students, held at University College Dublin on Friday, 28 March.

Congratulations to Ita Fitzgerald on the successful defence of her thesis on 1 May 2025, exciting times ahead!

Congratulations to Marie Richardson on winning Best Poster Prize at the Hospital Pharmacist Association of Ireland Conference on 5 April.

PhD researchers Aida López Espinar and Lianne Mulder, under the supervision of Dr Piotr Kowalski, have published new research in ACS Applied Biomaterials examining polymer-lipid nanoparticles for mRNA delivery. 

This public engagement event on microbes, antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance took place on 6 April 2025, as part of the Carrigaline Community First Responders’ CPR Awareness Day.

Third-year School of Pharmacy students participated in a site tour of Pfizer , organised by the UCC Pharmacy Society (PharmSoc).

Congratulations to the MSc in Pharmaceutical Technology and Quality Systems students who graduated at the Spring conferrings on 28 March. 

Congratulations to the MSc Clinical Pharmacy graduates from the School of Pharmacy, who have celebrated their achievement at the spring conferring ceremony, University College Cork, on Friday, 28 March 2025.

We were delighted to welcome the MSc in Pharmaceutical Technology and Quality Systems (QP Masters) students to UCC recently for their Semester 2 workshop. This three-day workshop forms part of the blended learning aspect of this Master’s programme.

We're excited to announce the first collaborative initiative between UCC School of Pharmacy and Bon Secours Hospital Cork (BHSC) to enhance respiratory pharmacy education!

On Tuesday, 25th February, Professor Laura Sahm, Vice Dean of the School of Pharmacy and Professor of Clinical Pharmacy Practice, participated as a speaker in the Infection Prevention Society (IPS) webinar, Spilling the Tea with R&D – Chat with the Editors!

The Perrigo Scholarship Competition Award Ceremony took place on 26 February 2025, celebrating the winners of this year’s infographic-style poster competition.

The annual Pharmacy Ball took place in the Rochestown Park Hotel on Friday, 21st February. With the theme 'A Night at the OSCEs,' students swapped their lab coats for elegant attire and celebrated in style!

On 24 February 2025, Dr Cormac Mehigan spoke to BPharm4 students as part of module PF4014. Dr Mehigan, an emergency medicine consultant diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2019, provided students with a unique perspective on the condition and its treatment as both a patient and healthcare professional.

Sara Alsheikh, a first-year PhD researcher supervised by Dr Katie Ryan and Prof Cormac Gahan, recently took part in the first working group meeting for the EU COST Action CA23152 – Building Consensus on Biofilm Regulatory Decision Making (Regulatory Toolbox).

The MSc in Pharmaceutical Regulatory Sciences at University College Cork has been designed to address the growing demand for skilled professionals in regulatory science, quality assurance, and compliance within the pharmaceutical industry. 

The Pharmacy Department at the Mater Private Hospital Cork welcomed two BPharm3 students, Maeve Carroll and Enya Holt, for a one-day visit on 6 February 2025.

Applications are open for the Sept 2025 intake of the MSc in Pharmaceutical Technology and Quality Systems (QP Masters) programme at UCC.

2nd year Pharmacy student, Éimhear Flannery recently had the honour of representing Ireland at a prestigious music festival in the University of Granada, Spain, celebrating St. Brigid’s Day.

Dr Ayse Kont, School of Pharmacy, has received €63,659 for her project entitled ‘Quality by Design Approach to Medical Device Polymer Bead Process Optimisation.’ 

Two researchers from the School of Pharmacy, UCC have each received €30,000 in funding through the College of Medicine and Health Academic Health Sciences seed funding awards (AHS Awards). The grants will support innovative research into brain cancer treatment and peripartum depression, reflecting UCC’s commitment to addressing critical healthcare challenges. 

We know that the majority of those who die by suicide have had some level of contact with a healthcare professional in the months prior to their death. However, there is currently little to no suicide prevention training in most health and social care courses nationally, and an evident need to increase the knowledge and confidence of our healthcare professionals in navigating this space.

We are now accepting applications for the Sept 2025 intake of the MSc Clinical Pharmacy programme at University College Cork.

Congratulations to John Downey for defending his thesis with flying colours on Thursday, 9th January 2025.

Ten UCC School of Pharmacy students thoroughly enjoyed their 4-month Erasmus placements in universities across Europe in Croatia, France, Germany, Spain and Sweden, where they gained research skills and experienced new cultures.