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Arthur K. Champlin Gold Medal Award 2022
The Professor Art Champlin Gold Medal Award for academic excellence in Biochemistry, was presented to Donagh Gribbon by Professor John O’Halloran, President, UCC, and Professor Justin McCarthy, Head of School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, UCC on the 26th October 2022.
Donagh was joined by his very proud parents, Sinéad and Michael Gribbon, his brother Olan, his sister Ailbhe and his girlfriend Brónagh.
Donagh has been an outstanding student and was also the recipient of the Eli Lilly Award for academic excellence in Biochemistry in 2020 and 2021.
Donagh has now commenced an MRes in Biochemistry and Biosciences and is conducting a cancer biology research project under the supervision of Professor Rosemary O’Connor, UCC and Professor Ivan Gout, UCL.
The staff in the School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology would like to wish Donagh every success with his research and in his future career.
Donagh's Path to the Gold Medal
When I first started secondary school, I didn’t really know what subjects interested me the most or what area I wanted to work at later in life. It wasn’t until I had finished the Junior Cert that I realised Biology and Chemistry were the subjects that fascinated me the most. It was of complete surprise to my Business teacher that I decided to drop all Business subjects for the Leaving Cert, despite receiving the BSTAI award for achieving the highest result in Junior Cert Business Studies in Ireland. After studying Business for three years, it seemed to me that everything in the business world was already known, whereas with biology and chemistry there were so many questions that still remained unanswered. The idea of the unknown, that there was so much still to be uncovered and explained intrigued me. By the time it came to filling out the CAO, I still wasn’t fully sure what I wanted to do, so Biological and Chemical Sciences seemed like the best fit for me, seeing that I could take two years to get a taste of the various disciplines and then specialise in one.
The first year of the course was really helpful for me, as I developed a basic understanding of cell biology and the fundamentals of chemistry. We undertook a number of introductory modules in different disciplines and experienced working in the lab for the first time. After first year, I was sure that I wanted to go down the Biological Sciences route. My understanding and curiosity developed throughout the year as we undertook modules in different biological disciplines such as anatomy, neuroscience, physiology, biochemistry and microbiology. The modules that I enjoyed most were the Biochemistry modules. I was fascinated by the complex signalling pathways and the way in which cells controlled their gene expression in response to different stimuli. My second year college experience was cut short by the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in March. The one positive that I took from this was that the lockdown granted me ample time to sit down and dive deeper into additional reading that accompanied the lectures. This afforded me the opportunity to realise that I definitely wanted to specialise in Biochemistry.
In Third and Fourth year, as the material got more complex and we dove deeper into topics such as cancer cell signalling, cellular metabolism and immunology, my desire for research grew. What fascinated me most was learning about how a cell’s molecular processes and regulatory mechanisms became dysregulated in cancer cells and neurodegenerative diseases. I became particularly interested in cancer, becoming aware of just how unique different cancer types were, realising that two cancer cells within the same tumour might not even be the same. I enjoy problem solving and am never afraid of challenging myself, and I believe that is why I was drawn to the topic of cancer. I learned just how difficult it is to target and treat cancer, and the multitude of problems that could lead to a cell becoming cancerous. As I read more and more papers, I realised just how much was still unknown and how much was still left to be explored.
The highlight of my four years in UCC, was conducting my Final Year Project. Due to the pandemic, our practical experience was limited to virtual Labster simulations. Although it was good to learn the theory behind conducting experiments and different techniques, as well as carrying out experiments virtually, it just wasn’t the same as physically being in the lab. I was excited but at the same time nervous about going into the lab, having not been in one for so long. My FYP was entitled “Investigation of the PIKfyve Complex and its Relationship with Akt” and was conducted under the supervision of Professor Cora O’Neill. The PIKfyve complex consists of three proteins and is implicated in cancer, neurodegenerative disease and viral infection. The basis of the project was to measure the protein expression levels of the PIKfyve complex in different breast cancer and colon cancer cell lines and to see if there was a relationship with Akt activation. On my first day in the lab, I knocked over three different test tubes and at the end of that day, felt like I never wanted to go back into the lab again. However, by the end of my eight weeks of lab work, I would have gladly gone back to do another eight weeks. Despite my nightmare of a first day in the lab, that soon became a distant memory, as I thoroughly enjoyed coming into the lab each day. I gained confidence in the techniques of Western blotting and immunofluorescence, and enjoyed the atmosphere in the lab each day. Interpreting results and being able to come up with an explanation for what I was seeing was the most satisfying aspect of the lab work.
Looking back, I can now say that studying Biochemistry in UCC was the ideal degree for me. I have found an area that I am passionate about and with each passing day I am motivated to dive deeper into the unknown. I have met some amazing people and have made friends for life along the way. I also take satisfaction in seeing the awards I have received, such as The Eli Lily Award for Academic Excellence in Second and Third year, and this has shown me that my hard work has paid off. I am currently enrolled in a Research Masters investigating Protein CoAlation in Cancer under the co-supervision of Professor Rosemary O’Connor in UCC and Professor Ivan Gout in University College London and I am excited to see where this will take me. But what satisfies me the most is knowing that I am working in an area that can have such far reaching effects and the research that I will be doing could make a big difference to peoples’ lives.
Although my time as an undergrad has come to an end, I am excited to still remain part of the UCC community as I begin my Research Masters. Being within the School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology has been amazing, getting to know the excellent, dedicated staff who worked so hard in a very challenging time to provide us with an excellent degree and learning opportunities. I am looking forward to seeing where my research takes me and making a difference. “Even though the world is large, one person can still make a world of difference.” - Frank Sonnenberg.