Health Research Board

I am a HRB Clinician Scientist and a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at Cork University Maternity Hospital. I specialise in high risk pregnancy- which means I spend some of my time looking after pregnant women who have medical problems such as cardiac or renal disease. I also lead a research group, largely funded by the HRB, based in the Anu Research Centre and Cork University Maternity Hospital. My research group consists of midwives, scientists and doctors at various stages of training. We are all working a pregnancy condition called pre-eclampsia. Pre-eclampsia is a common condition- it affects about 2% of all pregnant women and is a leading cause of death of both pregnant mums and their unborn babies – particularly in the developing world. This is a devastating condition, not only because it affects such young people- but because we don’t fully understand it and therefore we don’t have an effective treatment. We are currently working hard on trying to understand the cause of this condition and also on developing a test that will predict women who are at the greatest risk.

My working day

It usually starts early at around 7.AM with a ward round. I check on all my patients with a team of junior doctors and we try to squeeze in time for some bedside teaching. Some mornings I either have a scan list or clinic. Other mornings I go to the lab to meet with my team of researchers. Once a week my research group meet to present our results to each other. We take it in turns to bring breakfast. Afternoons are normally filled with meetings or writing papers and grants. Babies are born at all times of the day and night and I can be called to the labour ward at any moment. My research group are used to me running out of meetings without warning! Many of our collaborators are overseas in America and Australia. We have regular teleconferences- which because of the time differences, can sometimes mean a very late finish to the day!

I do research because...

There is so much we don’t understand about why pregnancies sometimes don’t go according to plan. Even the most basic of questions still remain to be answered. Developing a test for pre-eclampsia would make an enormous difference to women and their unborn babies all over the world. I also love the variety of each day. In any one day I can work in the lab looking at small cells or tiny blood vessels and I can also deliver a baby, perform ultrasound scans and teach medical students. Working in research has also meant that I have met some wonderful people in other research groups in lots of different countries and I have visited some very nice places!

What subjects did I take in secondary school and college?

I went to school in the UK. I did science A-levels (physics, chemistry and biology) and then I did Medicine at Liverpool University. After I decided to specialise in obstetrics and gynaecology, I moved to Nottingham to work in a big pregnancy research group. I originally took a 2 year research post but enjoyed it so much I stayed for 4 years and completed a PhD. My research project focused on abnormal blood vessel behaviour in pre-eclampsia. My boss, Prof Baker, then moved to Manchester to set up a new research group and I moved too to continue my research and complete my clinical training.

How did I end up here?

I was working as a consultant and senior lecturer in Manchester in the UK when I heard about the new maternity hospital in Cork. I came to visit the unit and was very impressed not only by the hospital, which is a beautiful, new state-of the art building but also the impressive commitment of the University who had built an exceptional research facility on the top floor. I moved in 2006 - into a large suite of empty laboratories - and then took up the task of raising funding to build a research team. There are now 12 people in my group- and we are growing all the time.

One interesting fact about me

I love snowboarding. I have been boarding for about 10 years now and have been lucky to snowboard in some great places in Canada, America and Europe. I taught both my boys to board when they were very little. They are now much better then me. If my research group could work at the bottom of a big mountain I would be very happy!