2005 Press Releases
Science for All - A Winner
Explaining their scientific research to a lay audience, was the task
set for the five finalists in a new UCC competition run under the
banner of Science for All which took place in UCC on 20 April.
The winner, Katie Spitere was chosen by a panel of judges chaired by
Jennie O'Sullivan from RTE Cork. Katie was awarded the prize for
her presentation entitled: "Making Connections: Using Stem Cells to
Rebuild the Parkinson's Disease Brain". All the participants
explained their research with clarity and confidence to an
enthusiastic audience.
Katie is in the third year of research for her doctorate with Dr Aideen
Sullivan from the Department of Anatomy/Neuroscience in UCC's
BioScience Institute. Katie's research, which is funded by IRCSET
(Irish Research Council for Science Engineering and Technology)
examines how stem cells can be used to create a large and healthy
source of dopamine neurons which may one day be transplanted in the
brains of Parkinson's disease sufferers. Success in this area of
research could have profound implications for the treatment of the
disease. In her spare time, Katie enjoys travelling and
music. She will put her iPOD prize, kindly sponsored by Stream
Solutions, to good use!
Suzanne Floyd, a native of Bishopstown, Cork, was awarded second prize
for her presentation which focused on understanding the link between
growth in cancer cells and the cells' appetite for energy. Suzanne is
just finishing the research for her Ph.D with Dr Rosemary O'Connor in
the Department of Biochemistry, UCC. Suzanne will shortly move to
Cambridge where she will continue her research at postdoctoral level.
The other finalists were Eoin Lettice under the supervision of
Professor Peter Jones from the Department of Zoology Ecology and Plant
Science, Eileen O'Connor a Microbiology graduate in her final-year of
postgraduate study based at Teagasc, Moorepark, Fermoy, working with
Professor Colin Hill and Professor Paul Ross and Shane Madden, a
Trinity Biochemistry graduate now a postgraduate student with Professor
Tom Cotter in the Department of Biochemistry, UCC.
Organised by Professor William Reville and Dr Anne Cronin from the
Faculty of Science, UCC in conjunction with Dr Catherine Buckley of the
SFI-funded Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre (APC), the competition, says
Professor William Reville, is designed to foster a culture in the
University where scientists feel at ease and comfortable about
explaining their work to general audiences. This year, the competition
was restricted to the biological sciences area, but from next year, it
will be expanded to include the physical sciences and engineering.
Twenty applications were received and there were interim heats to
choose the five finalists.
This competition was sponsored by Discover Science & Engineering,
Bank of Scotland (Ireland), Stream Solutions, UCC Travel and Snap
Printing.
056MMcS
« Back to 2005 Press Releases