News Archive 2024

Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience Staff and Students gather to say farewell to Professor Aideen Sullivan

Professor Gerard O'Keeffe, Professor Aideen Sullivan and Professor John Cryan

Staff and research students from the Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience gathered on Thursday 6th June 2024 in the Western Gateway Building Cafe to bid a sad farewell to Head of Department Professor Aideen Sullivan, while also congratulating her on her appointment as Chair in Advanced Pharmacotherapy in the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, UCC.

Professor of Anatomy John F. Cryan, congratulated Aideen on her new appointment and wished her continued success in her career'. Thanking Aideen for her long service to the Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience and wished her well in her new role.

In her time in the Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience Aideen’s contributed greatly to the development of the departmentet and marked many firsts along the way. Aideen was actively involved in establishing the BSc in Neuroscience, the first Neuroscience degree in Ireland, she taught on this degree since 1998, and was Academic Director until 2017. Recently, she led the development of a new cross-College BSc degree programme in Medical and Health Sciences (CK707), which had its first student intake in 2018 she was the first full time female lecturer appointed in the department of Anatomy and the first female led research group established in the department and in 2021 was the first female Head of Department in 2021.

A friendly and approachable colleague, and an important mentor to her undergraduate and research students. Aideen has always been ambitious ever moving forward to improve and expand her role, in 2006, Aideen was awarded a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education from UCC. She practices research-led teaching and encourages capable students to pursue research careers. She provides mentoring to undergraduate and postgraduate students and to colleagues. In 2010, she attained a FETAC certificate (awarded Distinction) in Peer-Mentoring. She has been an active participant in UCC's "Through the Glass Ceiling" Programme for Female Academics and Researchers (2011-13). In 2015, she was awarded a scholarship to participate in the Leadership Foundation's Aurora programme for women in Higher Education. She is Chair of the 'Flexible Working' Working Group for UCC's Athena SWAN Institutional application in 2020, and a member of UCC's main Athena SWAN steering group and of the College of Medicine and Health's Athena SWAN steering group. As director of UCC Futures - Future Ageing & Brain Science, Professor Aideen Sullivan is dedicated to advancing the understanding of brain disorders and of ageing, and to promoting healthy ageing, and to improving diagnosis, prevention and treatment of age-related disorders.

She leads a very active research group, focused on novel approaches to the treatment of Parkinson's disease. Her particular interest is the development of neuroprotective therapies, which have the potential to slow or reverse the progression of this debilitating disease.

Aideen is active in promoting Neuroscience and stem cell research in Ireland. She visits Parkinson’s support groups throughout Ireland, speaking to patients and their carers, clinicians and nurses, about recent advances in the research field. She has organised several conferences in the areas of Parkinson’s disease, stem cells and Neuroscience research, including the highly successful BRAINTALK Parkinson’s Community Meeting and Exhibition in 2015 (https://www.ucc.ie/en/braintalk/) and Brain Connections in 2018 (https://www.ucc.ie/en/cns/news/cork-neuroscience-centre--brain-connections-open-day.html). She undertakes visits to primary and secondary schools, to promote understanding and awareness of science and medicine. She has delivered talks and organised the Neuroscience information stand at each of UCC's Open Days for Schools since 1998.

Professor Sullivan is Editor-in-Chief of Neuronal Signaling, an Open Access peer-reviewed journal published by the Biochemical Society through Portland Press (http://www.neuronalsignaling.org). She is a member of Neuroscience Ireland, FENS (Federation of European Neurosciences), NECTAR (Network of European CNS Transplantation and Restoration), the Anatomical Society of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Irish Network of Neural Stem Cell Investigators.

Professor Gerard O’Keeffe said that “Aideen has made an enormous contribution to the success of the Department over the last 25 years, and there are many staff and students, both past and present, who have benefited greatly from her mentorship during her time here. On behalf of the entire Department, we wish Aideen the very best of luck in her new role as Chair in the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics at UCC, and we look forward to continuing to work with her as part of UCC Futures – Futures Ageing & Brain Sciences

Links: Selection of News items reflecting Professor Sullivan's career in the Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience

Photo Gallery: Photo Gallery: Professor Aideen Sullivan's farewell party

Dr Olivia O'Leary & Professors John F Cryan, Aideen Sullivan & Yvonne Nolan Dr Olivia O'Leary & Professors John F Cryan, Aideen Sullivan & Yvonne Nolan

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News item and photographs Bereniece Riedewald

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Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience

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Room 2.33, 2nd Floor, Western Gateway Building, University College, Cork, Ireland

Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience Anatamaíocht agus Néareolaíocht