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Showcasing Pregnancy Loss Research at Bright Futures Research Day

6 May 2023
Members of the Pregnancy Loss Research Group pictured at Bright Futures, L-R: Dr Sara Leitao, Dr Laura Linehan, Marita Hennessy PhD, Caroline O’Connor, Tamara Escañuela Sánchez, Dr Emily O’Connor, Professor Keelin O’Donoghue

Researchers from the Pregnancy Loss Research Group participated in the College of Medicine and Health’s ‘Bright Futures – Celebrating our Researchers’ Day on 26 March 2023. Organised by Professor Yvonne Nolan, Vice Dean of Graduate Studies, UCC Medicine and Health, the event gave early career researchers across the College an opportunity to showcase and celebrate their research and innovation.

Two teams from the Pregnancy Loss Research Group participated in the Pro-Am Three-Minute Thesis event, where supervisors shared their PhD journey in a two minute presentation, followed by the student presenting their PhD journey in three minutes using a single slide. Professor Keelin O’Donoghue and Dr Emily O’Connor, presented on ‘Pregnancy Loss and Perinatal Mortality’, while Marita Hennessy PhD and Dr Laura Linehan’s focused on ‘Recurrent Miscarriage and Infertility’. Read more about Emily and Laura’s PhD projects on our website:

Other projects from the Group were also featured on the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology poster board. They included work from:

Three women standing for a photograph, poster boards in the background

Pictured at Bright Futures, L-R: Hannah O’Leary, Professor Keelin O’Donoghue, Marita Hennessy PhD. Photo credit: Tomas Tyner

Professor Philip Nolan, Director General Science Foundation Ireland, shared his career experiences delivering an inspiring keynote address: ‘The Uncertain Journey: My Winding Path in Science and Leadership’. Speaking about the event he said:

It is a real pleasure to participate in the UCC ‘Bright Futures’ celebration of research and researchers in medicine and health. The research presented here has the potential to enhance the health and change the lives of individuals, cohorts of patients, and communities. It’s really important we take the time to celebrate this work and share it with the public, and also that we inspire each other to push on with the sometimes difficult, sometimes frustrating, but ultimately very rewarding work of research and innovation.

Bright Futures also featured a fireside chat exploring career paths, experiences and opportunities, research speed dating, a research tradeshow, and an awards ceremony to celebrate the successes of doctoral students. Congratulations to all those presented with awards on the day, including our very own Dr Laura Linehan and Marita Hennessy PhD.

man handing silver trophy to a woman, shaking her hand 

Marita Hennessy PhD accepting the Pro-Am Three-Minute Thesis Trophy from Professor Philip Nolan on behalf of Dr Laura Linehan and herself. Photo credit: Tomas Tyner

Two women holding a trophy

Dr Laura Linehan and Marita Hennessy PhD with their Bright Futures Pro-Am Three-Minute Thesis Trophy. Photo credit: Gerard McCarthy Photography

Link to UCC press release here.

Pregnancy Loss Research Group

Pregnancy Loss Research Group, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University College Cork, Fifth Floor, Cork University Maternity Hospital, Wilton, Cork, T12 YE02, Ireland,

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