World Pharmacists Day 2022

Innovation Awards Announced

Professor Ronan Cahill has been awarded the 2022 NovaUCD Innovation Champion of the Year Award. Professor Cahill is Professor of Surgery at UCD School of Medicine and at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital where he is championing digital innovation and innovative solutions in surgery. Professor Cahill has a major academic interest in surgical innovation and new technologies and is active in forging research partnerships, both nationally and internationally, focused on clinical and medical device development via phase 1, 2 and 3 trials. At the Mater Hospital, he has led the establishment of a Clinical Anatomy Centre with Professor James Jones, UCD School of Medicine, the only in-hospital Advanced Surgery Training, Research and Development unit in the country which has provided over 1,000 training days for undergraduates and postgraduates through consultant level masterclasses.

Patented Technology

A researcher whose work has the potential to transform the understanding of processes such as cell signalling and cell proliferation in cancer has also won this year’s NovaUCD Innovation Awards.

Professor Dominic Zerulla received the 2022 award in recognition for the development of a novel photonic chip which enables ultra-high spatial resolution at video rates in optical microscopy, far beyond the diffraction limit of visible light. This patented technology could aid early diagnostics and precision medicine, and help deliver improved drug treatments for patients facing a range of lifethreatening diseases. His company PEARlabs, a spin-out from the UCD School of Physics, has been awarded over ¤700k in funding through the SFI Future Innovator Prize programme to further develop this technology. “On behalf of myself and the wider PEARlabs team at UCD I am very pleased to receive this important Innovation Award. We are highly motivated to develop the best imaging methodology which will enable improved diagnostics and hence tailored therapies for highly relevant diseases to people,” said Professor Zerulla.

Professor Ronan Cahill, Professor of Surgery at UCD School of Medicine/Mater Misericordiae University Hospital

“I would like to thank the NovaUCD team for all their continuing support over the last number of years.” Since he joined UCD in 2014 Professor Zerulla has disclosed 11 inventions to NovaUCD, 5 of which have been patented. The NovaUCD Innovation Award recognises excellence in innovation and of successes achieved in the commercialisation of UCD research or other intellectual activity over several years. A total of eight awards were presented by Professor Barbara Dooley, Acting UCD Registrar and Deputy President during a ceremony held in the UCD University Club. Among the other 2022 awardees were the founders of BioSimulytics, NovoGrid, TestReach and Wayflyer. “The NovaUCD Innovation Awards which have become a key annual event at UCD, were established to recognise and highlight the successes being made by members of our research, innovation and entrepreneurial communities across the University,” said Professor Barbara Dooley. “I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all those who have received Awards today and I wish them ongoing successes in the years ahead as they continue to deliver impact for the economy and society through their commercialisation, consultancy, entrepreneurial and innovation activities.”

World Pharmacists Day 2022

“Pharmacy united in action for a healthier world” is the theme of World Pharmacists Day on 25 September 2022. This year’s theme aims to showcase pharmacy’s positive impact on health around the world and to further strengthen solidarity among the profession. The International Pharmaceutical Federation is inviting colleagues from all sectors of the pharmacy profession to take part in the campaign and show the world how pharmacists are united for health, regardless of and overcoming conflict, different politics and cultures, and economic disparity. “The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal number 3 sets out a number of health targets, including for non-communicable diseases (such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease and mental health) and communicable diseases (for example, HIV, tuberculosis and neglected tropical diseases). We have seen improvements in many of these areas and our profession should be proud of and make known its contributions. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has hindered progress and it is imperative that we rally to build back better,” said FIP president Mr Dominique Jordan.

The World Pharmacists Day campaign is led by FIP every year and provides an opportunity to promote the pharmacy profession. The theme is chosen by the FIP Bureau. We kindly request that organisations and individuals use FIP’s official campaign materials or that FIP is acknowledged in any alternative World Pharmacists Day materials or events developed. Please direct any queries to Ms Lin-Nam Wang (linnam@fip.org).