Structured Population and Health-services Research Education
Cohort 2025
Ashley Morgan
HEI: Trinity College Dublin
Supervisor name: Dr Irina Kinchin and Professor Iracema Leroi
Funding Source: Trinity College Dublin
Area of research: Health Policy & Systems Research, Dementia
Project title: How can healthcare systems deliver timely and equitable access to Disease-Modifying Therapies (DMTs) for Alzheimer's Disease? ___________________________________________
I am delighted to be joining the SPHeRE programme. As part of my PhD I will explore health system adaptations that may be necessary to facilitate timely and equitable access to disease-modifying therapies for Alzheimer’s Disease in Ireland. I am particularly interested in exploring the role of earlier intervention and prevention of dementia on health outcomes and health service infrastructure and capacity, including the design of pathways and policy for people in the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s Disease. Other interests include understanding early helpseeking behaviour, the psychological impact of a diagnosis of dementia, and the role of patient and public involvement in the research and design of brain health interventions..
Barrie Tyner
HEI: Trinity College Dublin
Supervisor name: Dr Martin McMahon
Funding Source: HRB SPHeRE Funded
Area of research: Population Health and Health Services Research
Project title: The CANDID 2 study: An exploration of cancer and cancer care in older adults with intellectual disabilities in Ireland
___________________________________________Barrie Tyner is a guideline methodologist with the HTA Directorate and CICER at the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA). He conducts evidence syntheses to inform national decision-making and national clinical guideline recommendations, including supporting the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) during COVID-19. He holds a Bachelor’s in Social Science, a Master’s in Public Health (Advanced Epidemiology), and a Master’s in Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare. As a SPHeRE Scholar at the Centre for Ageing and Intellectual Disability, Trinity College Dublin, he is undertaking the CANDID 2 study, a mixed-methods project using IDS-TILDA and National Cancer Registry data to investigate cancer among older adults with intellectual disabilities. .
Corrinna Moore
HEI: Trinity College Dublin
Supervisor name: Dr Barry Lyons
Funding Source: Trinity College Dublin
Area of research: End of Life Decision-Making
Project title: Medical Assistance in Dying-what we can learn from other jurisdictions
___________________________________________Qualitative research on GPs' opinions of eol healthcare and specifically Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) that I conducted for an MSc showed that GPs in Ireland wish for: a national conversation on death and dying to include advanced healthcare planning; a reduction in futile interventions at eol; improved access to Palliative Care in all settings and many support offering alternative eol healthcare choices (MAiD) to patients. The Ph.D aims to establish best practices from jurisdictions around the world that have legislated for choice in eol healthcare (MAiD) so as to recommend an ideal eol healthcare model that considers how and where MAiD could fit in when legislated for in Ireland. .
Darran Quinn
HEI: University College Cork
Supervisor name: Dr Eilis O'Reilly
Funding Source: HRB SPHeRE Funded
Area of research: Health policy and health systems research
Project title: Biologics Impact on Patient Care and Treatment (Bio-ImPaCT ): A Mixed-Methods Study on the Impact of the Reimbursement of Biologic Medicines on Healthcare Utilisation in Ireland
___________________________________________I graduated from Trinity College Dublin with a BSc Physiotherapy (First-class honours) in 2017. I have worked as a HSE physiotherapist in a variety of settings since then as well as volunteering overseas in a healthcare capacity. From my experience working in the Irish public healthcare system I have developed a strong interest in the prevention and management of chronic health conditions and how effective health policy can positively impact people's lives and our environment. This interest led me to study a Master of Public Health degree in UCC, which I graduated from with First-class honours in 2023, and to pursue a PhD through the SPHeRE Programme beginning in 2025.
Deirbhle Fergus
HEI: RCSI
Supervisor name: Dr Angela Flynn
Funding Source: HRB SPHeRE Funded
Area of research: Perinatal Mental Health
Project title: Investigating the perinatal mental health impacts of hyperemesis gravidarum in Ireland: developing strategies to improve mental health within antenatal and postnatal care settings
___________________________________________I hold a BSc in Psychology from University College Dublin (2023) and completed my MSc in Health Psychology at University College London in 2025. My postgraduate studies were supported by the George Moore Scholarship and the Jane Wardle Studentship. Alongside my studies, I have worked as a Research Assistant in the UCD Body Lab and Body Image Research Network (BIRN) Ireland. My central research interest is in women’s health, with a particular focus on service provision in maternity care. I also have a strong interest in the areas of body image and obesity.
Eleni (Elena) Niarchou
HEI: University College Dublin
Supervisor name: Professor Walter Cullen
Funding Source: HRB SPHeRE Funded
Area of research: Population Health
Project title: Addressing Cardiovascular Risk in Patients with Mental Disorders: Multi-Methods Study in General Practice
___________________________________________I hold a First-Class Honours degree in Psychology, followed by an MSc in Health Psychology. I have also completed postgraduate certificates in "Child and Adolescent Psychiatry" and "Innovation and Entrepreneurship for Researchers". In previous roles, I have worked in diverse settings (psychiatric units, mental health centres, universities) as part of multidisciplinary teams. In addition, I have a strong research background working as a research assistant in Greece, the UK, and Ireland, acquiring a unique perspective on the way different healthcare systems operate. I am deeply passionate about the intersection of physical and mental health, and my main research interests are mental health, chronic disease management, behaviour change, and women's health.
Etain Cantwell
HEI: Dublin City University
Supervisor name: Dr Paula Flanagan
Funding Source: HRB SPHeRE Funded
Area of research: Population health
Project title: Co-design of a booster (4 in 1 and MMR) vaccination intervention programme for parents of children attending junior infants (aged 4-5 years) in a socio-economic disadvantaged area
___________________________________________I am a BSc Public Health Sciences graduate with an interest in adverse childhood experiences, childhood development, and inclusion health. I have experience in research and evaluation of child health services, with a particular focus on understanding how social determinants shape health attitudes and trajectories. I am passionate about advancing this evidence base to guide holistic service design, develop effective interventions, reduce health inequalities, and ultimately improve health outcomes for children and their communities.
Fiona Buckley
HEI: University College Cork
Supervisor name: Dr Aisling Jennings
Funding Source: HRB SPHeRE Funded
Area of research: Health Policy and Systems Research
Project title: Advancing Primary Palliative Care: The Identification and Management of Palliative Care Needs in Patients living with a Life- Limiting Chronic Illness in General Practice
___________________________________________Fiona is a HRB SPHeRE Scholar based in the Department of General Practice in University College Cork. Her background is in Applied Psychology, having obtained a BA (Hons) and MA in Applied Psychology from University College Cork. Prior to commencing her PhD, Fiona worked as a behavioural scientist in the Central Statistics Office. Her research interests include multidisciplinary approaches to health and social care provision, community-based healthcare, and patient-focused service design and evaluation..
Karamo Bah
HEI: University College Cork
Supervisor name: Professor Edward W. Gregg
Funding Source: SFI
Area of research: Diabetes, Multiple Long-Term Conditions (MLTCs), Multimorbidity, Chronic Disease, Machine Learning, Population Health, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Policy
Project title: TBC
___________________________________________I am a Health Data Scientist and Biostatistician with a background in public health and health informatics. My research focuses on diabetes-related multiple long-term conditions (MLTCs), applying machine learning, statistical modeling, and policy evaluation methods to large-scale healthcare datasets. Broadly, I am interested in using data-driven approaches to improve chronic disease management, reduce health inequalities, and inform evidence-based healthcare policy.
Kathleen Quinn
HEI: RCSI
Supervisor name: Professor Mary Clarke
Funding Source: Fulbright award
Area of research: Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders, Population Health
Project title: The importance of early life exposures in later mental health and well-being
___________________________________________I am interested in how early life experiences shape resilience and responses to stress in adolescence and early adulthood. My previous research experience is on a project examining the relationship between adverse childhood experiences, distress tolerance, and responses to the stress of the Covid-19 pandemic in college students. I worked as well on clinical interventions for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and moral injury. I am looking forward to examining early life experiences and later mental health on a larger population scale.
Nadin Kamel
HEI: RCSI
Supervisor name: Dr Frank Moriarty
Funding Source: Health Research Board (HRB)
Area of research: Population Health and Heath Sciences
Project title: Enhancing Prescribing In Chronic kidney disease in primary care (EPIC)
___________________________________________I graduated with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree after completing a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy, building a strong foundation in clinical pharmacy practice, including patient-centered care, therapeutic decision-making, and interdisciplinary collaboration. During my studies, I completed an academic leadership rotation at the University of British Columbia as part of a student exchange program. Research has always been a cornerstone of my academic journey. I worked as a Research Assistant at the College of Pharmacy at Qatar University for two years, where I contributed to multiple qualitative and quantitative research projects. I have co-authored two peer-reviewed publications. My research interests include clinical pharmacy, medication optimization and deprescribing, and chronic disease management.
Ramie Puangkam
HEI: RCSI
Supervisor name: Dr Jonathan Briody
Funding Source: Research Ireland
Area of research : Health services research and health economics
Project title: Empowering Voices, Enhancing Outcomes: Co-creating an Open Source Health Economic Model for National Decisions on Care in Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia in Ireland
___________________________________________Ramie holds a Master of Public Health, specialising in Governance and Economics of Health Systems in Transition through the Europubhealth+ programme, where she conducted research on the economic evaluation of preventive and management programmes for mental disorders. Her research interests include health economics and health systems strengthening, with an emphasis on mental health and neurodegenerative disorders. She is particularly interested in finding ways to balance economic and health goals to strengthen healthcare systems, enhance patient and caregiver satisfaction, and promote better population health..
Trivedi Venkatesh
HEI: University College Dublin
Supervisor name: Dr Tómas Barry
Funding Source: HRB SPHeRE Funded
Area of research : Population Health and Health Services
Project title: Modelling the future of integrated alternative care pathways in community based unscheduled care
___________________________________________Ireland’s population is growing and aging, driving rising healthcare demand alongside workforce challenges. Similar global trends have prompted health systems to innovate and shift care into the community. Ireland’s Sláintecare policy supports this shift toward integrated primary and community care. Unscheduled care—unplanned, 24/7 healthcare—accounts for about three million episodes annually in a population of five million. This project will focus on unscheduled care delivered by the Ambulance Service and General Practice, aiming to generate a data-driven blueprint for integrated, community-based unscheduled care pathways in Ireland.