Dr Cathy Lordan

As a Research Support Officer for the University College Cork (UCC) Future Medicines programme, Cathy supports the successful delivery of research initiatives through the coordination of complex projects, research administration, grant activities, and collaboration across multidisciplinary teams and Principal Investigators.

Cathy holds a BSc in Microbiology from UCC and completed a PhD in Microbiology at Teagasc, where her research focused on the human gut microbiota and complex carbohydrates. She subsequently held an industry-funded research position at Teagasc, working on a collaborative project with UCC to investigate the impact of different carbohydrates on the composition and function of the early-life gut microbiota.

Dr Fatma Farag

Dr Fatma Farag joined the School of Pharmacy in University College Cork, Ireland as a research assistant in November 2006. In 2013, she awarded her PhD in Pharmaceutical science from School of Pharmacy, University College Cork, Ireland. Since then she has been working as researcher and lecturer in Ireland and Egypt. Since her return to Ireland in June 2016, Dr Farag has been a member of Synthesis and Solid State Pharmaceutical Research Centre, SSPC. She participated in collaborative projects between industry and SSPC representing UCC partner. She is also working as a part-time lecturer in Pharmaceutics department, School of Pharmacy, UCC. She has experience in designing and performing multidisciplinary research projects within the field of pharmaceutical formulation science and manufacturing. The focus of her research is the enhancement of formulation stability by studying and investigating excipient variability in pharmaceutical dosage forms.Dr. Farag graduated with a degree in Pharmacy from Asyut University, Egypt in 1997. In 2004, she completed a master degree from Faculty of Pharmacy, Minia University, Egypt, where she worked for a few years as a Lecturer after obtaining her PhD from UCC, Ireland.

Lisa Buckley

Lisa is a practising community pharmacist in Boots Ireland and a Teacher Practitioner in clinical pharmacy practice at the School of Pharmacy, University College Cork. She has worked in this role since 2016. Lisa obtained her BSc (Pharmacy) from Trinity College Dublin in 2002 and completed the PSI licensing examination in 2003. She completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education in UCC in 2017/2018.

Her role within Boots involves running the pharmacy intern training programme, pharmacy undergraduate summer placement programme, pharmacy undergraduate placements and training for pharmacists, dispensers and healthcare advisors. 

Prior to this role Lisa has undertaken many different pharmacist roles within Boots including, Pharmacist Store Manager, Supervising Pharmacist, Drug User Service Coordinator, Care Home Account Sales Manager and National Pharmacy Intern Programme Tutor.

Dr Fatma Betul Dincaslan

Dr Fatma Betul DINCASLAN completed a BSc and an MSc in Molecular Biology and Genetics at Bilkent University. She studied zebrafish as a model organism using both wet and dry lab approaches. She wrote her thesis titled Tissue Tissue-Specific Transcriptome of Zebrafish in AChE mutant embryos. Then, she joined the Biomedical Engineering Department at National University of Singapore (NUS) as a PhD research scholar funded by the Ministry of Education in Singapore (MOE). She completed her PhD thesis about high-throughput single-cell total RNA sequencing assay development under the supervision of Dr. Lih Feng CHEOW at iHealthtech. Moreover, she was an active member of local and international communities and involved in the organization of many student-led conferences during her graduate studies. These are the International Society for Computational Biology (ISCB), ISCB-Student Council (ISCB-SC), ISCB-RSG-Turkey, and eLife Community Ambassador Programme. She has been a postdoctoral researcher in Piotr Kowalski’s Lab at UCC Pharmacy since 2024. Her particular focus in the CIRCE-ERC Project is High Throughput Screening of circular RNAs (circRNA) in the context of therapeutics.

Dr Christina Kostantini

Dr Christina Kostantini holds a Pharmacy degree from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, and an MSc in Industrial Pharmacy and a PhD in Pharmacy (Biopharmaceutics) from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece. Her doctoral research focused on the evaluation of medicinal product performance in the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract, combining in vivo gastrointestinal aspiration studies, in vitro biorelevant systems such as BioGIT, and ex vivo drug degradation studies using human faecal material. She has authored five peer-reviewed publications in international scientific journals.

She began her career in the pharmaceutical industry in Greece, working as a Regulatory Intelligence Assistant at FAMAR S.A. in 2022, before joining PharOS Ltd. There, she held positions as CMC Officer (2023–2025) and CMC Junior Specialist (2025), gaining experience in Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls (CMC) and regulatory requirements for generic drug dossier submissions.

Dr Kostantini is currently a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellow in Dr Patrick O’Dwyer’s group, working on the SUPRA-MED project (Supersaturation and Phase-separation Research on Drug Absorption: Mechanistic Evaluation in Pharmaceutical Development), which investigates the role of supersaturation, liquid–liquid phase separation, and nanocrystal formulations in drug absorption.

Dr Carola Romani

Dr Carola Romani is a biomedical engineer with a background in the design of fluorinated polymeric and dendrimer-based systems for gene delivery and imaging applications. She obtained both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Biomedical Engineering (Cells, Tissues, and Biotechnology track) from Politecnico di Milano (Milan, Italy), where she also completed her PhD in Chemical Engineering and Industrial Chemistry in 2024. FluorNano (Fluorinated Polymer Nanoparticles for mRNA-based Cancer Therapy) is a project focused on developing innovative fluorinated polymeric nanoparticles to improve mRNA delivery for the treatment of aggressive cancers such as Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC). The project will be carried out at the UCC School of Pharmacy under the supervision of Dr Piotr Kowalski and co-supervised by Dr Malgorzata Krajewska at the UCC School of Biochemistry, in collaboration with the lab of Professor Bruno Sarmento from i3S Institute in Porto, Portugal.

Dr Nadina Zulbeari

Dr Nadina Zulbeari holds a MSc in Pharmacy (2022) and a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences (2025) from the University of Southern Denmark. Her PhD research focused on the characterization of pharmaceutical long-acting suspensions by combining interdisciplinary methods to understand critical formulation and process parameters during small-scale preparation and stabilization. Within her PhD research, she is the first author of 15 peer-reviewed publications, and two co-authored peer-reviewed publications in international scientific journals.

She started as an Assistant Professor (Adjunct) at the University of Southern Denmark in 2026 focusing on research related to drug development of drug candidates with poor oral absorption limited by low permeability and/or first-pass metabolism. Currently, she is working as a Postdoctoral Researcher in Brendan T. Griffin’s group at University College Cork, working on computational tools using artificial intelligence and machine learning models in order to advance drug formulation development in developing countries. 

Adjunct Professor Frank Hallinan

Frank Hallinan PhD  is a biopharmaceutical operations expert with many years industry and Regulatory Agency experience. He is the founder owner of Quality System Support a consultancy focused on providing support to pharmaceutical companies in the Quality Systems area. Frank graduated in Biochemistry from UCC, Ireland and received his PhD from the University of Southampton, UK.

After some years in biomedical research Frank worked with Schering-Plough in development, quality and regulatory functions for over 11 years. He was CEO of the Irish Medicines Board from1998-2002 during which period he was responsible for a number of new developments within the Agency including its taking responsibility as national competent authority for medical devices.

He joined Wyeth Biopharma in 2002 to head-up the Quality Unit at its new Grange Castle  facility and moved onto work in Pfizer Corporate Quality in Collegeville, PA for a period before starting Quality System Support in 2012.

Adjunct Professor Kamal Sabra

Professor Sabra previously held an Adjunct Professor appointment when the School of Pharmacy in UCC was being set up in 2003. He has a very high national and international profile in the area of hospital pharmacy. He is a Fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (our accrediting Body) and he was a past President of the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists.

He also holds Qualified Person (QP) Status for manufacturing with the Irish Medicines Board.

Professor Sabra has pioneered the development of clinical pharmacy services in Ireland. He was also responsible for developing and expanding the role of Hospital Pharmacists in the Irish Hospitals. This has resulted in promoting the interest and ensuring continued support for our MSc in Clinical Pharmacy since 2004.

Since then he worked with the HSE and the Minister of Health on drugs related issues where he had responsibility for the national policy relating to drug purchase and use in both hospitals and community and managed a €2 billion drug budget during this time.  He also advised the Minister for Health and the Cabinet on issues relating to drugs/medicines. He then took a career break from the HSE and went to work as Head of Pharmaceutical Services since 2008 where he was working for the World Health Organisation (WHO) in the North Africa region and also as the First Assistant to the Egyptian Minister for Health on Pharmaceutical Affairs.

Professor Sabra is also visiting Professors to a number of Universities and is also a member of the Management Board in the School of Pharmacy, university of Cairo.

Adjunct Clinical Senior Lecturer Ita Fitzgerald

Ita is a Senior Psychiatric Pharmacist working in both clinical practice and research in St Patrick's Mental Health Services, Dublin. Ita has worked in psychiatry since qualifying as a pharmacist and recently completed credentialing at an advanced level with the College of Mental Health Pharmacy in the UK, demonstrating attainment of specialist skills and knowledge consistent with an advanced practitioner.

Following completion of an MSc in Clinical Pharmacy with UCC, Ita is currently pursuing a PhD within the School of Pharmacy, focussing on improving obesity management within psychiatric settings, particularly overweight and obesity caused by antipsychotic medication. Aside from this, her research interests include methods to improve evidence-based prescribing of psychopharmacology amongst clinicians and implementing shared decision-making in psychiatric settings. Ita has convened several research groups as part of her MSc and PhD work, including with international collaborators, and has published her work in peer-reviewed, international journals.

Ita has also been involved in guideline development at a national level, is a member of the College of Mental Health Pharmacy and represents Irish Psychiatric Pharmacy within several groups, including the European Society of Clinical Pharmacy.

Adjunct Clinical Senior Lecturer Mala Shah

Mala Shah is a Chief II Antimicrobial Pharmacist with the HSE. She is an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at University College Cork.

She graduated in Pharmacy (BPharm) from the University of Nottingham, UK in 1998. She undertook her internship at Guys and St Thomas’ Hospitals NHS Trust, London. She embarked her career as a hospital pharmacist, working as a Resident Pharmacist at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, and then continued there as a Senior HIV/GUM Pharmacist. She undertook an MSc in Clinical Pharmacy Practice with the University of Brighton. In 2004 she moved to Ireland and worked as a Senior Pharmacist and then Senior Antimicrobial Pharmacist in Cork University Hospital until July 2020. In August 2020, she took up the new role of Senior Antimicrobial Pharmacist for Cork Kerry Community Healthcare before progressing to her current role.

She delivers the Infection Management Module of the UCC Postgraduate Masters in Clinical Pharmacy. She is also undertaking an employment-based PhD (part-time)  with the UCC School of Pharmacy on Antimicrobial Stewardship in Primary Care.

Experience:

August 2020 to present: Senior Antimicrobial Pharmacist, Cork Kerry Community Healthcare. Works with a team of Community Antimicrobial Pharmacists throughout the country to set up Antimicrobial Stewardship Programmes in the community setting. She coordinates the content review of the Respiratory Section of the Community Antimicrobial Guidelines.

2007-2020: Senior Antimicrobial Pharmacist, Cork University Hospital. Worked in a multidisciplinary team and lead the delivery of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Programme for a large tertiary hospital. Lead on the development of guidelines, prospective audit and feedback including frequent antimicrobial stewardship ward rounds, education for doctors, nurses and pharmacists, antimicrobial consumption monitoring. 

2004-2007: Senior Pharmacist, Cork University Hospital. Oversaw the pharmaceutical care needs for the HIV patient cohort. Provided a dispensary and clinical pharmacy service to inpatients.

2000-2004: Senior HIV/GUM Pharmacist, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London. Managed a busy HIV outpatient pharmacy. Was responsible for training and appraisal of rotational pharmacists. Deputised for the lead directorate pharmacist.  Set up clinical trials. Experience in directorate budget management. Provided a clinical pharmacy service to the HIV ward.

1998-1999: Resident Pharmacist, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. Part of a team of pharmacists providing an on-site, on-call service providing a clinical pharmacy service to inpatients at this tertiary hospital, to mental health units, outpatient pharmacy and HIV clinic.

Committee appointments:

• Chair of the Cork Kerry Regional Antimicrobial Guidelines for Acute Hospitals Working Group, 2008-2019
• Member of the Editorial Board for the Irish Primary Care Antimicrobial Guidelines, 2016 to 2022
• Co-chair of the HSE AMRIC National Antimicrobial Guidelines Working Group for Community Settings (2022 to present)

Adjunct Clinical Senior Lecturer Virginia Silvari

Virginia is a Hospital Pharmacist working in Cork University Hospital, where she delivers specialised advanced pharmaceutical care to patients with cardiovascular diseases. She is an adjunct lecturer at University College Cork and clinical lecturer in Trinity College Dublin. She sits on the Scientific Committee of the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP).

She graduated in Pharmacy (MPharm) and was subsequently registered as a Pharmacist in 2000 in her native Italy. She went on to complete her Ph.D in Toxicology in 2004, at the University of Messina.

Having worked for several years as a Post-Doctoral Researcher in Stockholm University and University College Cork, she became a Hospital Pharmacist at CUH. She also worked for a number of years as a part-time locum Community Pharmacist.

While working as a Hospital Pharmacist she has continued her education by completing:

• Post-Graduate Certificate in Clinical Pharmacy Practice (2017), Robert Gordon University
• Post-Graduate course in Cardiology in Clinical Pharmacy Practice (2015), Trinity College
• Post-Graduate course in Anticoagulation Management (2014), University of Birmingham.

Experience:

2019 - present: Clinical lecturer, Cardiology in Clinical Pharmacy Practice (post graduate module) Trinity College Dublin- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

2016 - present: University College Cork - School of Pharmacy

Organises and hosts clinical pharmacy visits for Pharmacy students to the Cardiology and Respiratory wards in CUH as part of the M.Pharm course.

2014 - 2016: Tutor Pre-registration / National Pharmacy Internship Program

2008 – present: Senior Hospital Pharmacist delivering specialised advanced pharmaceutical care to patients with cardiovascular diseases.

2007-2016: Locum Community Pharmacist.

2006 - 2008: Post Doc. Researcher - Marie Curie Transfer of Knowledge (TOK) fellowship University College Cork - Biochemistry Dept. Carried out research on the health risks of airborne particulate matter exposure. Taught research skills to students.

2004 - 2006: Post Doc. Researcher - Marie Curie Research Training Network fellowship - Dept. of Environmental Chemistry, Stockholm University. Investigated vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) as trapping agent of genotoxic metabolites. Trained in in-vitro studies and analytical techniques (LC-MS/MS).

Committee appointments:

2018 - Present: Scientific committee member European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP). Provide education, CPD and networking opportunities to hospital pharmacists across Europe.

2016 - Present: Hon. Secretary of the Cardiology Specialist Interest Group (SIG) Hospital Pharmacists Association of Ireland (HPAI). Provide education and CPD to HPAI members with an interest in cardiology.

Adjunct Clinical Senior Lecturer Darren Walsh

Dr Walsh is an advanced specialist geriatric oncology pharmacist, with specialist interest in symptom management, palliative care, pancreatic cancer and medication optimisation in complex comorbidity. His research interests include unplanned hospitalisation due to adverse drug events, medication-related problems in older adults with cancer and pharmacological management of cancer-related symptoms and cancer treatment-related toxicity. He is a member of the National Cancer Control Programme Geriatric Oncology Steering Committee, the British Oncology Pharmacy Association Geriatric Oncology Specialist Advisory Group and the International Society of Geriatric Oncology Nursing, Allied Healthcare and Scientists group. His work in geriatric oncology has led to national and international recognition, being named the International Society of Geriatric Oncology Nursing and Allied Healthcare researcher of the year in 2023, and the HPN Irish Hospital Pharmacist of the Year in 2024.

As an adjunct senior clinical lecturer in the School of Pharmacy, Dr. Walsh will contribute to the curriculum design, teaching, delivery and research focus of oncology, haematology and palliative care within the school. He will also contribute practice-based research outputs through his clinical work in University Hospital Waterford, and contribute to the supervision of undergraduate and postgraduate research projects, where indicated.

Adjunct Clinical Senior Lecturer Kieran Walsh

Dr Kieran Walsh is a Deputy Director of Health Technology Assessment (HTA) in the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) and a Member of Young Academy Ireland (MYAI). He oversees the Strategy, Support and Research Function within the HTA Directorate with the overarching aim of supporting the provision of evidence-based advice to national policy- and decision-makers in the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the Department of Health.

Kieran is a registered pharmacist with experience in community, hospital and clinical trial settings. Kieran completed his undergraduate pharmacy degree in UCC in 2012 and undertook his internship year in Cork University Hospital through the RCSI. He undertook his PhD in UCC, between 2014 and 2018, on the topic of antipsychotic prescribing to nursing home residents with dementia. He has a strong research profile and has won several national awards for his work including the HSE Open Access Research Awards and the Royal Academy of Medicine (RAMI) Awards.

Experience:

Apr 2023 – Present          Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA)

Deputy Director of Health Technology Assessment (HTA)

Jan 2021 – Apr 2023        HIQA

Senior HTA Analyst, HTA Directorate

Jul 2020 – Jan 2021        HIQA

HTA Research Analyst, HTA Directorate

Oct 2018 – Jul 2020        HIQA

Health Services Researcher, HTA Directorate

Apr 2014 – Jan 2022       Allcare Ballincollig Pharmacy

Support Pharmacist (part-time)

Apr 2014 – Mar 2017     Clinical Research Facility, Mercy University Hospital

Clinical Trials Pharmacist (part-time)

Nov 2013 – Mar 2014    Various Pharmacies

Locum Pharmacist (part-time)

Sep 2012 – Sep 2013      Pharmacy Department, Cork University Hospital

Intern Hospital Pharmacist

Committee Appointments:

• Member of Young Academy Ireland (2023 to present)
• Chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Working Group, HIQA (2022 to present)
• Member of the HSE National Dementia Office, Education Working Group for the Implementation of NCG No. 21 (“Appropriate prescribing of psychotropic medication for non-cognitive symptoms in people with dementia”) (2022 to present)
• Chair of the Academic Publication Working Group, HIQA (2020 to present)
• Member of the Quality and Risk Implementation Group, HIQA (2020 to present)
• Member of the Diversity and Inclusion Working Group, HIQA (2020 to present)
• Member of the National SARS-CoV-2 Surveillance & Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) Working Group (January 2021)
• Writing group member of Guideline Development Group for NCG No. 21 (“Appropriate prescribing of psychotropic medication for non-cognitive symptoms in people with dementia”)  (2017 to 2019)
• Member of the Research and Postgraduate Affairs Committee (RPAC) in the School of Medicine, UCC (2017 to 2018)
• Member of the College of Medicine and Health Postgraduate Student Committee, UCC (2017 to 2018)
• Member of the Athena SWAN committee in the School of Pharmacy, UCC (2017 to 2018)
• Pharmacist representative on the TRUST trial Pharmacovigilance committee (2014 to 2017)

Awards and prizes:

• Received external research grant funding of over €460,000.
• Winner of two Royal Academy of Medicine (RAMI) Awards 2021 (Psychiatry and Epidemiology/Public Health Medicine categories)
• Overall winner of the HSE Open Access Research Awards 2021.
• Best poster awards at the 2018 SPHeRE and 2016 PRIMM Conferences.
• Best thesis-in-three oral presentation at the 2017 DNNI conference.
• College of Medicine and Health Doctoral Travel Bursary recipient worth €1000.
• Awarded Scholarships worth €2000 in total for the best results in 1st and 3rd year Pharmacy.
• Awarded the Prize for the best overall result in Pharmaceutics in the BPharm programme.

Adjunct Clinical Lecturer Elizabeth Barron

Elizabeth has over 40 years of working in Community Pharmacy and Hospital Pharmacy in Cork. Her main area of interest is in Inter Personal Learning (IPL) which takes place in the Mercy University Hospital. These involved final pharmacy and final medicine students. The theme of these sessions is on safe prescribing and medicines reconciliation for a real patient. Feedback from students on these sessions is excellent. This educational initiative has resulted in research publications at national and international conference including the International Federation of Pharmacy Conference.  Also she is involved in promoting medication reconciliation within the hospital to NCHD, Consultants, GPs, Community and Hospital Pharmacist with the correct medications that the patient is actually taken at all points of transfer within the Hospital, GPs and community pharmacy.

Adjunct Clinical Lecturer Laura Dillon

Laura Dillon is currently the National Pharmacy Innovation Fellow with the HSE Spark Innovation Programme, where she works to advance innovation and service transformation across the Irish healthcare system.

Prior to this role, Laura held senior clinical pharmacy and management positions in Cork University Hospital and the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, leading initiatives in medicines optimisation, medication safety, frailty care, and electronic medication reconciliation. She has extensive experience in multidisciplinary collaboration, healthcare leadership, and the development of patient-centred services.

Laura is passionate about education and professional development and has lectured on postgraduate pharmacy programmes, mentored pharmacists and students, and contributed to research, quality improvement, and innovation projects. Her teaching interests include healthcare innovation, human centred design, medication safety, quality improvement, and clinical pharmacy practice.

Through her adjunct lecturer position in the School of Pharmacy, Laura will contribute to the curriculum design, teaching delivery and innovation focus of the school’s undergraduate and MSc in Clinical Pharmacy programmes.

Adjunct Clinical Lecturer Peter Duddy

Peter graduated with an Honours Degree in Pharmacy from Trinity College Dublin in 2005. He completed a MSc in Clinical Pharmacy at UCC in 2010. He has worked as a pharmacist in The Coombe Hospital in Dublin since 2006 covering a wide variety of clinical roles. He specialises in Neonatal Intensive Care with a particular interest in parenteral nutrition, late onset sepsis & procedural sedation.

Outside of neonatology, Peter has a keen interest in perioperative medicines use, pharmacological interventions during labour and neuraxial administration of medicines in obstetrics. In 2017, Peter took on a dual role as Chief Pharmacist for Neonatal Services and Medication Safety, with an emphasis on developing and implementing the hospital's medication safety programme.

Peter is an executive member of the Irish Medication Safety Network and previously sat on the National Clinical Programme for Paediatrics & Neonatology’s Parenteral Nutrition Expert Group.

Adjunct Clinical Lecturer Norma Harnedy

Norma Harnedy is the National Liaison Pharmacist with the HSE Addiction Service, and a Guest Adjunct Lecturer with the School of Pharmacy at University College Cork. She has over 20 years’ experience as a pharmacist across hospital, community and is a specialist in Addiction Pharmacy, with a particular focus on the development and delivery of innovative, evidence-based pharmacy services for people who use drugs.

She established the Pharmacy Department within the Mid-West Addiction Service and has contributed to the development of pharmacy-led services at both regional and national level. Her work includes a national leadership role in the Pharmacy Needle Exchange Programme, supporting implementation across more than 80 community pharmacies. Her professional and academic interests include opioid agonist treatment, harm reduction, naloxone, Hepatitis C, medicines governance, pharmacy service development, health information systems and the integration of pharmacy within multidisciplinary addiction services.

She holds a Master’s degree in Leadership in Healthcare and a Responsible Person for the Irish Institute of Pharmacy Opioid Agonist Treatment course. She regularly contributes to professional education and national expert forums and is particularly interested in the role of pharmacists in improving access to evidence-based treatment and reducing drug-related harm.

Adjunct Lecturer Róisín Hickey

Róisín Hickey is an international quality and compliance leader with more than 25 years of experience across the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device sectors. She has held senior leadership positions with Pfizer, Hovione and Stryker, leading global quality organisations and supporting complex manufacturing and supply networks serving international markets.

Her expertise spans GMP quality systems, regulatory inspections, product launches, technology transfer, validation and quality transformation. She has led global quality organisations through regulatory inspections by authorities including the FDA, HPRA and PMDA and has overseen quality strategy across complex manufacturing and supply networks.

A graduate of University College Cork's Pharmaceutical Technology and Quality Systems (QP) programme, Róisín also holds BSc (Hons) Biotechnology and MSc (Hons) Operations Management. She recently completed a postgraduate programme focused on Artificial Intelligence and has a particular interest in how emerging technologies, digitalisation and AI will shape the future of GMP manufacturing.

Róisín is Founder and Principal Consultant of Qualirus. She is a co-author of PDA/ANSI standards, a member of the ISPE Pharma4Ireland Steering Group and a regular speaker on quality leadership, innovation and the future of regulated manufacturing.

Adjunct Clinical Lecturer Ciara Ni Dhubhlaing

Ciara is the Pharmacist Executive Manager in St Patrick's Mental Health Services, Dublin. She has worked in Community and Hospital settings in the UK and Ireland and has over 20 years experience in psychiatry. Ciara is credentialed at an advanced level with the College of Mental Health Pharmacy (CMHP) in the UK, demonstrating attainment of specialist skills and knowledge consistent with an advanced practitioner, and is a former President of the CMHP and a current member of the Executive of the Hospital Pharmacy Association of Ireland (HPAI).

She completed the PgDip in Psychiatric Pharmacy with Aston University in the UK and also qualified as an Independent Non-Medical Prescriber. On returning to Ireland she completed the MSc in Clinical Pharmacy with UCC and subsequently published her MSc research on the impact of pharmacist counselling on clozapine knowledge. She has also co-authored publications on improving benzodiazepine and hypnotic prescribing, monitoring of high dose antipsychotic therapy, and weight management strategies for people taking antipsychotic medication. Ciara has been a peer reviewer and contributor to several journals and a local tutor/supervisor for postgraduate students for a number of universities.

She believes strongly in the importance of facilitating ongoing learning and research within St. Patrick’s Mental Health Services Pharmacy Department.

Adjunct Clinical Lecturer Keith O’Hourihane

Keith O’Hourihane is a Community Pharmacist working as the Superintendent of the Pharmacy First Plus Group in Cork. Keith graduated with MPharm (Hons) from the Robert Gordon University in 1999 and joined the register of pharmacists in Ireland in October 2000.

Having worked for several pharmacy groups, national and multinational, Keith joined with two others in forming a pharmacy group in the summer of 2002. Since then, Keith’s greatest interest is in the development and evolution of the role of the community pharmacist. He believes that community pharmacists are the most accessible healthcare professionals and therefore can help patients in many ways other than solely dispensing prescriptions.

Keith was instrumental in setting up UCC Healthvine to encourage undergraduate pharmacy students to, “think outside the pharmacy box”, helping pharmacy students to develop strategies and informative healthcare campaigns. He continuously supports undergraduate pharmacy students with placements at his pharmacy group and regularly gives of his time to speak with and present his vision to students during their academic year.

Adjunct Lecturer Stan O'Neill

Mr. Stan O’Neill is an experienced pharmacist with a strong international profile in the pharmaceutical industry. A registered pharmacist (MPSI), he began his career in industry roles across Regulatory Affairs, Marketing, and Quality Assurance before joining the Irish Medicines Board (now the HPRA), where he spent ten years imcluding his position as a Senior Inspector. In this role, he conducted global GMP inspections, contributed to European regulatory standards, and delivered inspector training at national and international levels.

In 2009, he founded The Compliance Group, leading a specialist team focused on regulatory compliance, problem resolution, and risk mitigation across pharmaceutical and related sectors. He has advised companies, hospitals, NGOs, and government bodies, with experience spanning over 40 countries and hundreds of facilities worldwide.

Mr. O’Neill is also a dedicated advocate for the pharmacy profession, with extensive experience in mentoring and education. He was the founding Chairperson of Pharmacists in Industry Education and Regulatory (PIER) in 2010 and returned to the role in 2020 to mark its ten-year anniversary.

Through his adjunct Lecturer in the School of Pharmacy, Mr. O’Neill will contribute to the curriculum design and research focus of the School’s industrial focused taught Master's programmes; Pharmaceutical Regulatory Science, Pharmaceutical Technology and Quality Systems, and Industrial Pharmaceutical Sciences, Operations and Management and guest lectures on the CPD module in Pharmaceutical Auditing.

Adjunct Clinical Lecturer Muriel Pate

Muriel Pate joined the HSE National Quality and Patient Safety Directorate in 2018 as Medication Safety Specialist Pharmacist.  She completed her undergraduate training in The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh before moving to Dublin, working in a number of acute hospital roles as a clinical pharmacist, in formulary development and in medication safety roles. 

During the Covid-19 pandemic, she has co-ordinated development of HSE clinical guidance and patient information on a number of medicine-related issues and chaired the subgroup for medication management in the HSE centralised vaccination centres.  She has a particular interest in e-health developments to support safe medication use and is also keen to promote patient engagement to improve knowledge and clear communication about medicines.