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2022 Eli Lilly Awards for Academic Excellence in Biochemistry and Biotechnology

23 Mar 2023
Professor Tommie McCarthy, School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology; Elaine O'Brien, Upstream Senior Scientist-TS/MS, Eli Lilly, Kinsale, Co. Cork; Kyle Meiklejohn, recipient of the Eli Lilly Award for Academic Excellence in Biochemistry in 2nd year; Fergal Cremin, recipient of the Eli Lilly Award for Academic Excellence in Biochemistry in 3rd year ; Sophie McCarthy, recipient of the Eli Lilly Postgraduate Award for Academic Excellence in Biotechnology; Gary Williamson, Associate Director-Biotech Operations, Eli Lilly, Kinsale, Co. Cork & Dr Sinéad Kerins, School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology UCC.

The Eli Lilly Awards for Academic Excellence in Biochemistry and Biotechnology were held on Wednesday 22nd March.

Congratulations to the recipients:

  • Kyle Meiklejohn, Eli Lilly Award for Academic Excellence in Biochemistry 2nd year
  • Fergal Cremin, Eli Lilly Award for Academic Excellence in Biochemistry 3rd year       
  • Sophie McCarthy, Eli Lilly Postgraduate Award for Academic Excellence in Biotechnology 

Kyle attended Ashton Comprehensive School and achieved excellent results in his Leaving Certificate examinations; including 1H grades in Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Kyle continued to attain exceptional results in Biological and Chemical Sciences and in Biological Sciences.  Kyle has secured an Amgen Scholarship at the University of Cambridge and will conduct a research project under the supervision of Dr Betty Chung, Department of Pathology, Cambridge.

Fergal Cremin received the Eli Lilly Award for Academic Excellence in third year Biochemistry. Fergal was also the recipient of the Eli Lilly Award for Academic Excellence in Biochemistry 2nd year in 2021. Fergal attained a School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology Summer Bursary Studentship in 2022 to conduct a research project entitled “Investigation into the Effect of the L452R Mutation in the SARS-COVID-2 Spike Protein on Spike Protein Cleavage” under the supervision of Professor Justin McCarthy.

Sophie McCarthy attained first class honours in the UCC MSc Biotechnology programme, obtaining the highest aggregate grade in the MSc Biotechnology class. Sophie completed a BSc Biochemistry degree and was awarded the title of College Scholar in First Year for excellent academic results and a Quercus College Scholarship for exemplary achievements in Second Year examinations. Sophie is currently employed by BioMarin Pharmaceutical, as a Manufacturing Biotechnician and she presented on her placement at BioMarin Pharmaceutical (https://ie.linkedin.com/in/sophie-mccarthy-a7b066221?trk=public_profile_browsemap).

The ceremony was compered by Professor Tommie McCarthy, Director of the MSc in Biotechnology programme and the recipients were presented with their awards by Gary Williamson, Associate Director - Biotech Operations, Eli Lilly and Elaine O’Brien, Upstream Senior Scientist-TS/MS, Eli Lilly. Both Gary and Elaine are BSc Biochemistry, UCC and MSc Biotechnology, UCC graduates and they presented on their experience of completing the MSc in Biotechnology and on their roles in Eli Lilly.

The staff in the School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology would like to thank Eli Lilly for sponsoring these academic awards and for their continued support.

School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology

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University College Cork

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