Alumni Spotlights
Professor Jack Gleeson - Consultant Medical Oncologist
Professor Jack Gleeson graduated from medicine in 2012 and completed his medical oncology training in Ireland through the RCPI. He was later awarded the Irish Society of Medical Oncology (ISMO) Advanced Oncology Fellowship award in 2018 to undertake a fellowship in Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.
After fellowship, Jack worked as a Locum Consultant Medical Oncologist in Cork University Hospital (CUH) before taking up a role as Consultant Medical Oncologist in kidney and hepatobiliary cancers at The Christie Hospital in Manchester, UK. Currently a Consultant Medical Oncologist at CUH, he was recently appointed as Professor (Scale II) of Medical Oncology at UCC - the first of two oncology professorships funded by UPMC Ireland, in collaboration with the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP).
Jack has achieved a number of prestigious publications and awards, including the UCC Ainsworth Scholarship, Merit Awards at the ASCO GU Cancers Symposium and International Kidney Cancer Symposium, as well as the prestigious ASCO/Conquer Cancer Foundation Young Investigator Award (YIA) for 2021/2022 for research. Jack is currently the principal investigator for the Irish Cancer Society sponsored LIAM Mc survivorship trial. His research interests include genitourinary and neuro-oncology cancers in particular, as well as clinical trial development and survivorship.
What did you study at UCC?
Medicine, Class of 2012
What drew you to medicine?
When I was growing up, I was fascinated by medicine and the idea of becoming a doctor and helping people. The complexity of human biology and illness, the interpersonal nature of the work and the day-to-day variety appealed to me.
Tell us a bit about your career journey - how did you get to where you are today?
After graduating from UCC, I completed my intern year in Cork before moving around Ireland to different hospitals on the BST & HST training schemes. A rotation in oncology in St. Vincent's University Hospital led me to the Mater first, and then Beaumont and Cork on the Medical Oncology SpR scheme. I won a scholarship to complete a fellowship in New York, at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center which is one of the world’s leading cancer centres and that started in June 2019. The Covid-19 pandemic hit in my second year on fellowship and when a locum consultant position came up in Cork we decided to come home in January 2021. I worked for a year as a locum consultant in CUH and UHK and then we moved to Manchester for my wife to complete a fellowship over there. I had the opportunity to work as a consultant at The Christie Hospital, one of the UK's leading cancer hospitals, and that was also a great experience. Having worked in two large international cancer centres, but also after spending two significant periods of time abroad, we moved home to Ireland and I took up my current role in March 2023.
What motivates you?
In work, I'm motivated by my patients and colleagues. Working in oncology, we meet people at one of the most challenging times in their life so it is a privilege to be able to try and help them through that as much as we can. Even small improvements can make a huge difference to my patients and their families.
Best memories from your time at UCC?
My best memories from UCC are the times I spent making friends and meeting people. The people I lived and studied with, my classmates and friends, some of our trips and events, all stand out to me as great memories. One particular highlight was the trip to Africa with the Surgeon Noonan Society as part of a medical elective in a hospital in Zambia.
Were you in involved in any clubs or societies?
Yes, I was on the committee for the Medical Society and Surgeon Noonan Society, and I was involved with the rowing club too. I was also roped into competing in the Intervarsities in canoeing and water polo through a friend because they were short on numbers.