Trinity College researchers were awarded with all three research scholarships and one of three research fellowships recently (November 24th) from the inaugural Irish Cancer Society's scholarship and fellowship award schemes. The awards, which are part of the Society's commitment to funding cancer research in Ireland, seek to cultivate the next generation of cancer researchers and reward exceptional people with outstanding research ideas in the area of cancer research.
The six awardees beat off competition from researchers from all areas of cancer research including biomedical, epidemiology, nursing, psycho-oncology and social research. All applicants were rigorously assessed by an international panel of pre-eminent scientists and clinicians and were presented with their awards at a special ceremony by President Mary McAleese.
Dr Patrick Kiely, UCC; Christine White TCD/CWUH; Dr Eva Szegezdi NUIG; President Mary McAleese; Dr Claire Donohoe TCD; Maria Pertl TCD; Dr Antoinette Perry, TCD
Commenting on the awards TCD's Dean of Research, Dr David Lloyd said: "I am delighted that TCD researchers have been successful in this rigorous peer review process. It demonstrates the talent and capacity we have in cancer research in our university and associated teaching hospitals and emphasises the importance of investing in young talent to allow it to flourish."
The TCD winners include Dr Antoinette Perry in the Research Fellowship category. Dr Perry who is based in the Institute of Molecular Medicine, St James's Hospital, is working on ways to harness abnormalities in human DNA which act as an early warning system for the presence of aggressive prostate cancer. The Research Fellowship awards were established to assist cancer researchers develop their research ideas and offer them the support they need to direct their own research teams. Awards in this category were also made to Dr Patrick Kiely of UCC and Dr Eva Szegezdi of NUI Galway.
The three Research Scholarship awards, established to fund young postgraduate students starting out on a career in cancer research, went to TCD researchers.
Dr Claire Donohoe of the Trinity Health Sciences Centre at St James's Hospital is currently researching the link between obesity and gastrointestinal cancers. The links between obesity and cancer are particularly important given the rising incidence of obesity in Ireland and abroad.
Ms Maria Pertl's research represents an innovative psychology let multidisciplinary collaboration between the School of Psychology and the Psychological Medicine Service in St James's Hospital. Ms Pertl's research will explore the causes of cancer related fatigue and examine the interactions between psychological, behavioural and biological factors in the development and maintenance of this pervasive and debilitating condition.
Ms Christine White of Trinity College Dublin/Coombe Women's and Infant's Hospital based her research on the role of the human papillomavirus and the effect of smoking in the development and progression of cervical pre-cancer and cancer. Her research has the potential to not only benefit patients with cervical cancer but also assist in identifying women who have a high risk of developing cervical cancer.
The Irish Cancer Society, the single largest voluntary supporter of cancer research in Ireland, is now inviting applications for the 2010 Fellowship and Scholarship Awards scheme. The Fellowship and Scholarship scheme is open to all scientific, medical and paramedical disciplines that are committed to cancer research. Each Fellowship award is worth €75,000 per annum for up to three years and each Scholarship award is worth €40,000 per annum for up to three years. The closing date for entries is Wednesday February 10th, 2010 and applications must be submitted online.
Click on the link below to hear last year's successful applicants explain their research: Irish Cancer Society Researchers 2009
Christine White has been awarded an Irish Cancer Society (ICS) 3-year PhD Fellowship. The project will explore 'HPV mRNA and p16INK4a detection for improved diagnosis and management of cervical neoplasia in smokers'.
On 24th of November, President Mary McAleese will present the Irish Cancer Society Research Scholarships and Fellowships at an award ceremony. CERVIVA will be featured at this ceremony.
CERVIVA participated in the Women's World Show 2009, RDS, Dublin [30th May - 1st June 2009] by entering a CERVIVA women's mini-marathon team. It was a very successful day and our members would like to express sincere thanks to all those who either participated or sponsored our consortium in this years Flora Women's Mini Marathon 2009.
Prof John O'Leary and Dr Cara Martin were recently interviewed on The Women in Business Radio Show. A podcast is available here.
We have added a new page to list our scientific publications and presentations. There are links to downloadable versions of the papers where these are available.
Cerviva participated in the Women's World Show 2008 in the RDS, Dublin [30th May - 1st June 2008].
Cerviva distributed an information leaflet to 43,000 women participating in the Dublin Women's Mini-Marathon event to increase awareness on cervical cancer screening among Irish females.
If you would like a copy of the information leaflet available please click on this link to download a copy.
If you are interested in supporting Cervical Cancer research, please consider participating in the 2009 Women's Mini Marathon in aid of Cerviva.
Cerviva Contact No: 01 4085245
These are links to pdf files. You will need a pdf reader such as Adobe Acrobat to open them.
The consortium has recently been written up in the DMMC newsletter
Dr. Cara Martin will be speaking at Eurogin 2007. Download the brochure here for more details.
Three of our lead scientists have published a description of our work in the journal Cancerwise. A copy is available here (page 17).
Photographs from the launch of Cervia in November.
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Dr. Cara Martin was interviewed recently on The Women in Business Radio Show about cervical cancer and the work of Cerviva.
The interview can be downloaded as a podcast and played on your computer or mp3 player. The file is 6.3Mb and will take about 15 minutes to download using a 56kb modem.
Irish Medical News have an article here about the Cerviva launch
Newspaper articles about the Cerviva launch
These are links to pdf files. You will need a pdf reader such as Adobe Acrobat to open them.
PRESS RELEASE
Ireland's first and most comprehensive Cervical Screening Research Consortium - CERVIVA - launched with €1.25 million funding from Health Research Board
(Embargo Wednesday 1st November 2006 @ 0700) A ground breaking cervical screening and cancer research initiative known as CERVIVA will be launched today at the Burlington Hotel, D4. CERVIVA is the umbrella name for the Irish Cervical Screening Research Consortium which is a multi-investigator collaboration encompassing researchers at seven Irish universities, eight hospitals and ten commercial diagnostic/ biotechnology companies. The purpose of the Health Research Board funded Consortium is to instigate and advance high quality peer-reviewed research programmes that provide the best possible information and guidance in the delivery of cervical screening services to women living in Ireland. It is anticipated that the Consortium will deliver the results of its research within five years.
The key aims of CERVIVA - the Irish Cervical Screening Research Consortium have been cited as follows;
Speaking about the launch of the Consortium Professor John O'Leary, Professor of Pathology, Trinity College Dublin, Coombe Women's Hospital (the hospital which is leading the Consortium) and St James Hospital said 'This exciting and potentially powerful research initiative has brought together a group of 56 scientists, gynaecologists, microbiologists, pathologists and histopathologists, genito-urinary physicians and virologists amongst others from seven Irish universities, eight hospitals and ten commercial diagnostic/ biotechnology companies across the country. Over the next five years these experts will conduct revolutionary research and find ways for all women to have access to the very best cervical screening procedures and the very best treatment opportunities. We are also fully committed to ensuring that all women living in Ireland understand that exposure to Human Papilloma Virus can cause cervical cancer and understand the appropriateness of receiving a vaccination against Human Papilloma Virus to prevent cervical cancer, in conjunction with regular screening".
There are eight individual component projects within the CERVIVA Research programme and two of these will be highlighted at the launch today;
The work of CERVIVA - the Irish Cervical Screening Research Consortium is one of six projects funded by the Health Research Board (HRB) this year under the health services R&D awards. The aim of these awards is to help develop a research culture within the health system which enables research to take place and in turn helps to ensure that the findings translate into improved patient care and help to achieve the health system's goals.
According to HRB Chief Executive, Dr Ruth Barrington 'We are investing in research and development projects that will provide quality evidence that can be used to address particular challenges of health, social well-being and service delivery in Ireland. I am confident that this cervical screening project will have both a significant impact on increasing the research capacity of Irish health services, and have a positive impact on health care and service delivery in an area where there is a clear need'.
The eight individual component projects proposed within the CERVIVA - Irish Cervical Screening Research Consortium are:
The National Cancer Registry estimates that there are approximately 1,000 new cases of cervical pre-cancer where abnormalities in the cervix have been detected, 200 new cases of cervical cancer and 70 deaths from cervical cancer every year, which is one of the highest rates in Western Europe. Ireland has no free nationwide cervical screening programme unlike many of its European counterparts however following the publication of the National Cancer Strategy in June 2008, the Government has undertaken to roll this out by 2008.
For further information on the cervical smear tests and/or cervical cancer Freefone the National Cancer Helpline on 1800 200 700 (week days 9am - 5pm, Tuesdays until 9pm).
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For further information and/or to arrange a speaker interview, please contact Jane Curtin (Tel.: 01 2310 517 or 087 938 0779) or Helena O'Donnell (Tel.: 01 2310 516 or 086 3859944) at the Irish Cancer Society Communications Department.
