Medicine

Research Themes

General Academic Paediatrics

Overview

The development of General Academic Paediatrics has been a priority in the discipline of Paediatrics over the last few years. We have developed multidisciplinary clinics for children with complex needs including a dedicated clinic for children with Down syndrome in Tallaght hospital and infants and children with complex needs in Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin. In addition we have developed collaborative research projects across the city in the areas of Traumatic brain injury, Down Syndrome and Cerebral palsy and we currently have 5 PhD students in General academic Paediatrics and 6 completed theses (3 PhDs; 2 MScs; 1 MPH). We are collaborating internationally as part of General and Adolescent Paediatrics Research collaboration UK and Ireland (GAPRUKI) and initiatives with the Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) and the European Society of Paediatric Research (ESPR).

Research Projects

  • National Childrens Research Centre GEMINI Project: GEnder and inflaMmatIoN In neonatal encephalopathy. Pi Professor Eleanor Molloy 2019-22
  • National Childrens Hospital Foundation. NEBULA Project: Persistent systemic inflammation in Neonatal Encephalopathy: Pi Eleanor Molloy RCSI 2013-17
  • National Childrens Research Centre. GENIE Project: GEnder and neonatal Inflammation in prEterm outcomes : Pi Eleanor Molloy TCD 2017-20
  • National Children’s Hospital Foundation. UNICORN project: Underlying mechanisms in Neonatal Immune metabolic dysregulation, Circadian thythem and bRain INjury: Pi Eleanor Molloy TCD 2016-19
  • National Children’s Hospital Foundation. PRISM project: PReterm Infection and SysteMic inflammation and neonatal outcomes. TCD 2014-7. PI E Molloy
  • National Children’s Hospital Foundation. DISCO project: Down syndrome, Infection and Clinical Outcomes PI. E Molloy 2016-9
  • National Children’s Hospital Foundation. PROSPER project: PaediatRic Outcomes and Serum biomarker Panel in acutE traumatic bRain injury /concussion to severe traumatic 2015-9. PI E Molloy/Co-PI T Bolger
  • National Children’s Hospital Fund. CHAMPION study Childhood multiorgan outcomes after Neonatal encephalopathy. PI E Molloy; Co-PI Dr. Denise McDonald; 2015-8.
  • DREAM project: Down syndRome, nEurodevelopement And Multiorgan outcomes : Pi Eleanor Molloy TCD 2017-20
  • SERENITY project: SEveRE Neurological Impairment and children with medical complexity. TCD 2018-21. PI Denise Mc Donald -E Molloy Co supervisor
  • Vitamin D and Immunodulation in Pediatric sepsis (DIaPERS). Grant proposal with Conway Institute,UCD. Prof. RW Watson. Children’s University Hospital, Temple St. Research Fund. Project grant .PI E Molloy
  • ROLO Kids Study: followup at 5 years of ROLO Study: PI Prof McAuliffe: Co-PI E Molloy: Paediatric collaborator: FP7 Grant as part of Early Nutrition: Long term effects of early nutrition on later health, 2011

Collaborative Projects

  • HRB Collaborative Doctoral Award CDA-2018-008 NEPTUNE Study: Neonatal Brain Injury Consortium Ireland
  • HRB NCHF: Neonatal cardiac function in infants with Down syndrome. PI Prof Afif El-Khuffash: Co-investigator E Molloy
  • National Children’s Hospital FoundationRef: 1719; Investigating the immune evasion mechanisms of respiratory syncytial virus in paediatric patients attending NCH: towards the development of novel curative therapeutics; PI Dr. Nigel Stephenson; Co-investigators N Gadelsayed & E Molloy
  • National Children’s Hospital FoundationComprehensive and Effective Laboratory Test Reference Intervals for Irish Children: the Celtic Ranges Project (Phase 1 study) Ref: 1713: PI Prof Gerard Boran; Co-investigator E Molloy;
  • Enterprise Ireland. Infant digestion. Development Of A Robust  Static Infant In Vitro Digestion Method; Tegasc/Nutricia/Kerry Group/Dairygold. PI Dr. Andre Brodkorb. Co-investigator EM;
  • A comparative study of the activity of Pattern Recognition Receptors of the innate immune system as it develops from the immature neonatal stage through infancy into childhood and adolescence. PI Dr. Sarah Doyle, Assistant Professor, TCD and NCRC. NRC 2013. Collaborator E Molloy

Postgraduate Students

  • Completed
    • PhD: Dr. Jean Donnelly. ROLO followup study; ROLO Kids: PI Prof McAuliffe: Co-PI E Molloy. 2012-6; Funding FP7 grant, HRB & RCSI. UCD: viva awarded 2016
    • PhD student: Dr. Chike Onwuneme. Vitamin D and Immunodulation in Pediatric sepsis (DIAPERS).2011-2014. UCD. PhD submitted Sept 2014. Awarded: Viva February 2015
    • PhD: Dr. Aoife Twohig. Infant attachment in the NICU (PIPPA). Implications in childhood Co-PI: Prof. Fiona Mc Nicholas. Funding NCRC 2011-2016.UCD (Part-time); viva awarded 2017
    • MPH: Dr. Joseph Chukwu. Primary Paediatric Care in Ireland: 2009-10.
    • MSc Blair Madigan Wright. Dysfunctional inflammation: the significance of TLR2 signaling in Neonatal Encephalopathy in the neonatal period and early childhood: Immunology, TCD 2017
    • MSc: Laura Russo: Immune Function at followup in Childhood following Neonatal Encephalopathy: Immunology, TCD 2017
    • PhD: Dr. Zunera Zareen: CHAMPION study Childhood multiorgan outcomes after Neonatal encephalopathy. Supervisor E Molloy; Co-supervisor: Dr. Denise McDonald; 2014-7. TCD
    • PhD: Dr. Saima Aslam:: Persistant systemic inflammation in Neonatal Encephalopathy. 2013-7 Supervisor E Molloy; 2014-7. RCSI
    • PhD: Dr. Emer Ryan: PROSPER: PaediatRic Outcomes and Serum biomarker Panel in acutE traumatic bRain injury /concussion to severe traumatic. TCD 2017-20: PI E Molloy; Co-supervisor T Bolger
    • PhD: Dr. Dean Huggard: DISCO project: DINOSAUR; Down syndrome, Infection and Clinical Outcomes PI: EM: TCD:  2017-20; Collaborators: Prof Derek Doherty ,Dr. Ronan Leahy
    • PhD: Dr. Niamh Lagan: DREAM project: Down syndRome, nEurodevelopment And Multiorgan outcomes: TCD PI EMolloy: Co-supervisor Dr. Joanne Balfe; 2017-20
    • PhD: Dr. Mary O'Dea: UNICORN project: Underlying mechanisms in Neonatal Immune metabolic dysregulation, Circadian rhythm and bRain INjury. Supervisor E Molloy; 2016-9. TCD
  • Current
    • PhD: Dr. John Allen: SERENITY project: SEveRe Neurological Impairment and children with medical complexity: Supervised byProf Denise Mc Donald: Co Supervisor E Molloy; 2018-21. TCD
    • PhD: Dr. Tim Hurley: CRADLE project: Circadian Rhythem Alterations anD outcome Neonatal Encephalopathy. Supervisor E Molloy; 2018-21. TCD
    • PhD: Dr.Murwan Omer: PRISM; PReterm Infection and SysteMic inflammation and neonatal outcomes. Supervisor E Molloy; 2014-7. TCD
    • PhD: Dr. Nawal Taher: T cell phenotype in neonatal brain injury and followup in childhood. E Molloy; PI: Co-supervisor: Prof Derek Doherty, TCD: 2016-9