Structured Population and Health-services Research Education
Cohort 2026
Aisling McMahon
HEI: University of Limerick
Supervisor name: Professor Karen McCreesh
Funding Source: HRB SPHeRE Funded
Area of research: Population Health
Project title: Exploring the co-design and feasibility of Pain Cafés for older adults with chronic pain ___________________________________________
Aisling is a Chartered Physiotherapist with clinical experience across musculoskeletal, respiratory, and older adult rehabilitation settings. She holds a BSc in Physiotherapy from the University of Limerick and an MSc in Advanced Physiotherapy Studies from University College Dublin. Her research interests include healthy ageing, chronic pain, community-based healthcare, co-design, and implementation science, with a particular interest in translating research into sustainable real-world practice. Aisling’s PhD will focus on developing and evaluating “Pain Cafés”, a community-based model providing education, peer support, and social connection for older adults living with chronic pain. Her research will use co-design to develop the Pain Café model, and evaluate its feasibility and acceptability in community settings..
Alana Powell
HEI: Trinity College Dublin
Supervisor name: Dr Geraldine Foley
Funding Source: HRB SPHeRE Funded
Area of research : Rehabilitative Palliative Care
Project title: Development of a framework for the provision of rehabilitative palliative care in Ireland
___________________________________________Alana Powell hold a BA Honours in Psychology and an MSc in Health Psychology. Throughout my undergraduate and postgraduate, I became highly interested in conducting research and the joys and challenges it comes with. I have experience conducting both quantitative and qualitative studies and I am passionate about the essential role patient and public involvement plays in research. My research interests broadly include health psychology, youth mental health, and disseminating research to the public and at policy level. Undertaking a PhD is my current exciting chapter to have the opportunity to work with individuals passionate and interested in progressing research in rehabilitative palliative care.
Annemarie Devine
HEI:
Supervisor name: Professor Mark McEntee and Professor Aisling Barry
Funding Source: Discipline of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy, UCC
Area of research: Radiation Therapy, Health Systems Research
Project title: TBC
___________________________________________Annemarie Devine is a qualified Radiation Therapist currently working as a Lecturer on the MSc Radiation Therapy programme in UCC. My research interests to date have been varied, I have been exposed to many areas of research. I am particularly interested in helping to tackle issues of great importance to our health system, focusing on Radiation Oncology. My research will focus on strengthening our existing systems against future challenges.
Chloé Carpenter
HEI: Trinity College Dublin
Supervisor name: Dr Carlos Bruen
Funding Source: Self Funded
Area of research: Translating Sláintecare Reform into Practice: A Mixed-Methods Study of the Governance, Implementation and Operationalisation of National Clinical Programmes in Ireland
___________________________________________Chloé Carpenter is a PhD researcher with The Sphere Programme at Trinity College Dublin, with a background in microbiology, clinical research and healthcare programme management. She holds an MSc in Clinical and Translational Research from University College Dublin and has experience across academic, clinical and healthcare research settings, including clinical trials, research governance, stakeholder engagement and national healthcare programmes. Her PhD research focuses on translating Sláintecare reform into practice, examining the governance, implementation and operationalisation of national clinical programmes in Ireland. Her wider research interests include health system reform, healthcare governance, health equity, research translation and the implementation of evidence and policy into clinical practice.
Clodage Earley
HEI: University College Dublin
Supervisor name: Professor David Coyle and Dr Claudette Pretorius
Funding Source: HRB SPHeRE Funded
Area of research: Health service and technology evaluation
Project title: The Lived Experience of Digital Transformation: Transition to Digital-First Mental Health Care
___________________________________________Clodagh is an HRB SPHeRE Scholar based in the School of Computer Science at University College Dublin. She has a background in psychology, with a BSc in Psychology from Radboud University and an MSc in Health Psychology from the University of Galway. Clodagh has research experience across clinical and health research, including working on projects with children and adolescents with ADHD and women with breast cancer. Clodagh’s PhD research will focus on exploring how mental health professionals experience digital transformation in the delivery of care to children and adolescents.
Emma Earl
HEI: RCSI
Supervisor name: Dr Sarah Barry
Funding Source: RCSI
Area of research: Population Health and Heath Sciences
Project title: A multi-method demographic study addressing the impact of variances in the surgical trainee population’s success and integration into the surgical field.
___________________________________________Emma finished her Master of Science in Sociology with an emphasis in Inequality at Utah State University (2019). She received her Bachelor of Science in Sociology with a focus on Race and Social Class Inequality, along with a minor in Biology, from Northern Michigan University (2016). She was recently a Assistant Professor in Sociology at Northern Michigan University. She has also worked on multiple research projects and grants with governmental, private, and public agencies. Her research interests include public health, inequality, integration, demographics, statistics, access, and public policy.
Emma Fogarty
HEI: University College Cork
Supervisor name: Dr Kate O'Neill and Dr Emmy Racine
Funding Source: HRB SPHeRE Funded
Area of research: Public Health
Project title: The first five years: Early-life housing insecurity and its impact on children's health and development.
___________________________________________Public Health Nurse with an MSc in Child and Family Health and Wellbeing. Awarded a place on the Dean’s Honours List in 2024 in recognition of research exploring children’s perceptions of wellbeing within the school environment and opportunities for improvement. Professional and research interests include infant mental health, parental wellbeing, and the impact of early-life trauma on growth, development, and wellbeing across the life course. Particularly passionate about ensuring children’s voices are heard in matters that directly affect them and that their views are given due weight in decision-making. Through clinical, academic, and research interests, Emma is committed to advancing child-centred approaches that promote lifelong health and wellbeing.
Inés Lorenzo Meyer
HEI: Trinity College Dublin
Supervisor name: Amanda Drury and Louise Gallagher
Funding Source: Research Ireland
Area of research: Midwifery/Nursing
Project title: The Post-Partum COMFORT Protocol: CO-designing a Multimodal protocol FOR personalised perineal pain relief afTer vaginal delivery.
___________________________________________My research interests focus on perineal pain relief and pain management after vaginal birth, particularly the impact of structured, multimodal approaches on women’s comfort, mobility, breastfeeding and early postnatal recovery. My clinical background includes experience as a neonatal intensive care nurse and as a delivery room midwife, roles that have shaped my interest in improving postnatal care, reducing variation in practice, and strengthening evidence‑based approaches to pain management in maternity services..
Lorna Mary English
HEI: University College Cork
Supervisor name: Dr Eilis O'Reilly
Funding Source: Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA)
Area of research: Health Technology Assessment of Immunisations
Project title: TBC
___________________________________________As a health technology analyst on the HIQA immunisation team I have a strong interest in research assessing the safety, efficacy and effectiveness of immunisations and which examines how national assessments of cost effectiveness of immunisations are conducted. I have a background as a supervising pharmacist in a community pharmacy which has provided experience of working in a governance and leadership healthcare role..
Maria Bermingham
HEI: University of Limerick
Supervisor name: Dr Christina Hayes
Funding Source: School of Medicine, University of Limerick
Area of research: Ageing and older adults
Project title: Towards the development of an evidence-based and stakeholder-informed model of care for community-dwelling older adults living with frailty
___________________________________________Maria graduated from the University of Limerick with a First-Class Honours BSc in Physiotherapy in 2026. My clinical placements and involvement in exercise initiatives for older adults developed my interest in ageing and frailty. This interest led me to pursue research experience as a Research Assistant at the University of Limerick, where I contributed to systematic review research. I am now undertaking a PhD focused on frailty in older adults, with the aim of developing my research skills and contributing to evidence that can improve healthcare for this cohort.
Nicola Dervan
HEI: University College Dublin
Supervisor name: Dr O'Donoghue
Funding Source: HRB SPHeRE Funded
Area of research: Healthcare
Project title: Understanding and enhancing uptake of Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Obesity in Primary Care settings
___________________________________________I am a CORU-registered dietitian with experience in the management of acute and chronic diseases across healthcare setting, and in student education in a large university envoironment. I have worked within multidisciplinary teams in healthcare and academia, and contributed to audit and service evaluation aligned with clinical guidelines. I am highly motivated to undertake research that improves healthcare delivery and informs policy.
Saoirse M. Duggan
HEI: RCSI
Supervisor name: Dr Maria Pertl
Funding Source: HRB SPHeRE Funded
Area of research: Psycho-Oncology
Project title: Collaborative Care for the Management of Depression among Patients with Cancer within the Irish Healthcare System: Acceptability, Feasibility, and Economic Impact.
___________________________________________Saoirse Duggan hold a First-Class Honours Master's in Public Health and BSc in Public Health Science from University College Cork. I have previously worked as a research assistant in UCC and RCSI, primarily in mental health, population health, and health services research. I have contributed to a variety of research projects including studies examining suicide postvention, depression and anxiety in older adults with sight loss, medication adherence in breast cancer, and stroke outcomes. Through my doctoral research, I look forward to integrating my experience in mental health and cancer research to improve outcomes and care pathways for people living with cancer..