The School of Medicine at Trinity College Dublin was founded in 1711 and has played a central role in the golden age of Irish medicine. Today it is an international leader in biomedical research and education. Students from many undergraduate courses in the School of Medicine spend a portion of their time on placement at TUH including Medicine. Undergraduate Medicine students on the undergraduate medicine programme at Trinity, follow a five-year programme leading to the degrees of Bachelor in Medicine, Bachelor in Surgery and Bachelor in Obstetrics. Following graduation, there is a further year as an intern in an approved hospital before becoming a fully registered medical practitioner. TUH is one of the School’s main teaching hospitals and we work closely together to ensure high quality clinical and research training for our students. Undergraduate Medicine students on the undergraduate medicine programme at Trinity, follow a five-year programme leading to the degrees of Bachelor in Medicine, Bachelor in Surgery and Bachelor in Obstetrics. Following graduation, there is a further year as an intern in an approved hospital before becoming a fully registered medical practitioner. Tallaght University Hospital is one of the School’s main teaching hospitals and we work closely together to ensure high quality clinical and research training for our students.
The curriculum is organised into two broad phases: preclinical and clinical years. Instruction in preclinical years is through individual combinations of lectures, problem-based learning, evidence-based medicine and small-group seminars, tutorials, practicals, laboratories and computer-aided learning. In recent years, early patient contact has been integrated into the curriculum with more emphasis on problem-based learning which is very popular with the students.
In the clinical years, the student moves to the University’s teaching hospitals to learn on a case-by-case basis at the patient’s bedside. The School of Medicine at Trinity has a worldwide reputation for the quality of its “bedside” teaching, which is possible through co-operation and linkages with its teaching hospitals such as TUH. The major characteristics of the undergraduate medical programme at Trinity are: - Integration of scientific and clinical material and delivery in context
- Facilitation of active learning and a deep strategic approach
- Early and comprehensive development of technical and interpersonal skills
- Definition of the ideal programme of clinical rotation
- Continuous review and revision of the assessment programme to ensure alignment with the stated outcomes and course content
- Promotion of multiple assessment formats including continuous assessment and a reduction of reliance on annual high stakes assessments
- Recognition of the patient as an active partner
- Prioritisation of personal and professional development
 The School of Medicine at Tallaght University Hospital
Tallaght University Hospital is one of the School of Medicine’s main teaching hospitals. The Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, which is at the far end of Tallaght University Hospital, houses the Disciplines of Clinical Medicine, Surgery, Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Paediatrics, Public Health and Primary Care and Psychiatry. The teaching facilities consist of a large lecture theatre, seminar rooms and treatment rooms. There is also a dedicated Clinical Skills Laboratory. There are two postgraduate taught courses delivered on our Tallaght campus, the Masters Programme in Clinical Chemistry and Postgraduate Certificate in Implementation Science. Postgraduate research courses are also run within each of the Disciplines.
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The Faculty of Health Sciences is one of three faculties in Trinity College. Established in 2008, we were the first Faculty of Health Sciences in these islands and this concept is now being followed by other Irish Universities. The Faculty comprises the Schools of Medicine, Nursing and Midwifery, Dental Science, and Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. We are health sciences precisely because health and health care are interdisciplinary and collaborative concerns. This interdisciplinary approach offers the potential to educate and train the full range of health care personnel in an integrated Faculty, facilitating our graduates’ transition to an interdisciplinary workforce, which is critical for optimal patient care. We are a research-led Faculty, with strategic research areas including cancer, ageing, inclusive society, next generation medical devices, immunology and infection and neuroscience. Our graduates are the top in their field, with many alumni in key positions both nationally and internationally. Our staff have research strengths in multiple areas, spanning several of Trinity's key research themes. You can view a snapshot of the Faculty's researchers in this Research Profiles booklet . The Faculty is engaged in teaching, research and service delivery on its Tallaght campus, both in the Trinity Centre for Health Sciences and in the main hospital. We work closely with our clinical and hospital colleagues to provide high-quality interdisciplinary teaching for students at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels and to advance research that will improve patient care and influence national and international policy.
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At Tallaght University Hospital (TUH) we have a long and proud tradition in Nurse training. Nurse training is a four year (honours) degree programme with Trinity College Dublin as the academic partner to TUH. Nurse training in TUH enables you not only to experience Medical and Surgical Nursing placement but also gives you a chance to explore the specialist areas of the Hospital such as the Children’s Services, Emergency Department, Operating Theatres, Intensive Care and Renal to name but a few of the specialities of the Hospital. TUH is about people caring for people to live better lives. A team approach is taken to all patient care and as an undergraduate student Nurse you will become part of that team. During your Nurse training in this Hospital you will be supported by the Nurse Practice Development Department, the Clinical Nurse Managers and the staff Nurses. With our academic partner Trinity College Dublin you may choose to study General Nursing or General and Children’s which enables you to register as a Registered General Nurse and Children’s Nurse on completion of your studies. Nursing is a profession that is about lifelong learning. When you qualify as a registered General Nurse or a Children’s and General Nurse on the Children’s and General Integrated Degree Programme there are many options available to you if you choose to specialise or continue in academia. TUH in partnership with Trinity College Dublin run a wide variety of Post Graduate Diplomas in specialist Nursing if you continue on this pathway you may obtain your Masters in Nursing. https://nursing-midwifery.tcd.ie/ Meath link for entry to Nursing on CAO http://www.tcd.ie/courses/undergraduate/az/course.php?id=DUBNM-GNUR-2F09 Adelaide link for entry to Nursing on CAO http://www.tcd.ie/courses/undergraduate/az/course.php?id=DUBNM-GNAD-2F09 Below are some insights into Nurse training at TUH from recent and current Undergraduate Nurses.  Where to begin! Firstly, TUH is without a doubt a dedicated teaching hospital. Every ward that I’ve been fortunate enough to carry out placement in has been exceptional to date. I’m constantly astounded by the dedication and enthusiasm that innumerable nurses have shown towards me, no matter how much time it took out of their day. Their constant support is probably my biggest motivation day in and day out.
The Clinical Place Coordinators are also always there to help – one in particular helped me carry out an entire admission just to make sure I felt confident in them (Apologies again for taking the better part of two hours!). Nursing can be difficult at times, there’s a plethora of challenges to overcome; however, Tallaght University Hospital has such wonderful facilities dedicated to students and will do their best to support you throughout your training. Now I know I shouldn’t play favourites, but if you’re struggling to decide on your base hospital, I would highly suggest you choose TUH – no other hospital can guarantee such a consistently high quality of training.  My decision to study nursing was significantly influenced by an encounter I had with some nurses. Having encountered and observed the high level of care and professionalism displayed by these nurses, I was convinced that nursing was the profession I aspired to.
My training in Tallaght University Hospital has been a step in the right direction. The nurses here are highly skilled, very friendly and work to create environments which facilitate learning and development. I have learned that no question is a silly one; and it is only through asking and being facilitated that my confidence as a student nurse has improved. Student nurses are valued as members of the Multidisciplinary Team.
Student placement coordinators are outstanding in ensuring that students gain exposure to as many clinical procedures and educational training as possible.
I deem it as a privilege to be training in Tallaght University Hospital and on the way to be one good nurse!  Training in Tallaght University Hospital as both a children’s and general nurse has been a challenging yet rewarding experience for me.
During my training, I learned to promote optimum health, prevent ill health and provide holistic care to patients across the life span. I found it challenging at times when switching between children’s and general placements in the hospital. However, the support and guidance provided by the staff nurse made this transition easier. The staff also taught me to integrate theory and practice to provide patient-centred care.
Along with being trained in the ward, I also got to train in a variety of specialities within the hospital which facilitated continuous learning and reassured me about the wide range of career options available to me once I am qualified. Training as a nurse in Tallaght University Hospital not only prepared me for my nursing career, it also changed my outlook of life and made me realise the importance of good health.  The four years that I have spent training to be a nurse in Tallaght University Hospital have been filled with countless positive experiences, enabling me to grow to be a confident and competent healthcare professional. Throughout my training, Tallaght University Hospital has allowed me to develop my communication, interpersonal and especially my clinical nursing skills. The support and guidance from staff is incredible from the entire Multidisciplinary Team and the Clinical Placement Co-ordinators. The nursing staff are eager to teach and encourage students to participate in all learning opportunities. During my internship especially, I felt that the staff embraced us students as part of their team, making work an enjoyable place to be. Getting to work in so many different departments of the hospital including the wards and specialist areas has provided me with a vast range of knowledge and new skills. Training in this hospital has enabled me to feel confident and greatly prepared to begin my nursing career. 
Centre for Learning & Development, Tallaght University Hospital - January 2018The Centre for Learning & Development (CLD) at Tallaght University Hospital takes an interdisciplinary approach to provide a variety of programmes and training to the Hospital community. These include staff development opportunities, teaching technologies, student preparation for university courses and expert advice on teaching and learning. We provide leadership in learning and development opportunities that support the priorities of Tallaght University Hospital and its overall human resource management strategies. As new graduate Nurses and employees of Tallaght University Hospital, you will have access to over 140 programmes which are categorised in our Annual Prospectus under the four following “pillars”. - Patients
- People
- Process
- Professional
The CLD also offers: - Mandatory training – hand hygiene, manual handling etc.
- Facility to apply for educational funding and/or study/exam leave
Our upcoming programme details are communicated via: - “Touchpoint” - Tallaght Hospital Staff Newsletter
- Monthly CLD Newsletter
- Emails to Line Managers
- CLD Page on Hospital Intranet
- Twitter - @CLDTallaghtHosp
We look forward to meeting you and engaging with you on your learning journey in Tallaght University Hospital. For further information on the CLD and our various programmes please click here.
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| Contact name: | Emma Reece - Laboratory Manager | | Email: | ereece@tcd.ie |
The Meath Foundation Clinical Research Laboratory is the flagship clinical research laboratory on the hospital campus. It currently supports registered researchers from 12 disciplines across the hospital campus, which includes Clinical Medicine, Clinical Microbiology, Rheumatology, Gastroenterology, Pharmacy, Respiratory, Neurology, Endocrinology, Nephrology, Psychiatry, Clinical Chemistry and Geriatrics. The Meath Foundation Clinical Research Laboratory is the catalyst that drives world-leading clinical research here at Tallaght University Hospital. It is the investment by the Meath Foundation in the Meath Foundation Clinical Research Laboratory that is the principal driver for both our current strength and breadth of clinical research being undertaken at TUH. Research Undertaken in the MFRL at TUHRespiratory Microbiome and antimicrobial resistance research.  Prof Julie Renwick, an Assistant Professor and Head of Discipline of Clinical Microbiology in TCD leads research on respiratory infections and the lung microbiome primarily in people with cystic fibrosis (CF). CF is a life-shortening inherited disorder with a hallmark of chronic airway infections. The leading cause of mortality in CF is lung infections. The lungs of people with CF harbour many bugs at one time, and this is called polymicrobial (many bugs) or a 'microbiome'. Dr Renwick leads a number of projects studying these airway microbiomes in CF. She is also leading research on the global crisis of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Studies running in Dr Renwick’s group: - The AIrway Microbiome in CF (AIM CF) project employs next generation sequencing to explore the diversity of bugs present in the airways of people with CF.
- The Study of Polymicrobial INteractions in CF (SPIN-CF), managed by postdoctoral scientist Dr Emma Reece, aims to understand the complex communications between bugs in the microbiome (yes bugs talk to each other!) and how this may influence disease.
- RESIST-AMR, a cross-school collaborative PhD programme taking One Health approaches to fighting the global health threat of AMR.
- Co-PI on the recently awarded HORIZON-MSCA-2021 project ‘Stop Bag Bugs’ exploring antimicrobial activity of novel compounds.
- Contributor to the international Pfizer Antimicrobial Testing Leadership and Surveillance (ATLAS) project.
These projects are funded by the Wellcome Trust, the Irish Research Council, TCD PhD Provost award, the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID), the Prendergast challenge-based award and HORIZON-MSCA-2021. Dr Renwick is the director of the MSc in Healthcare Infection for the School of Medicine and hosts MSc research projects for this course in the MFRLs. Helicobacter Pylori Infection & Antibiotic Resistance Research During the year, Dr. Sinead Smith (Ussher Assistant Professor in Applied & Translational Medicine, TCD) and Professor Deirdre McNamara (Consultant Gastroenterologist, TUH and Associate Professor, TCD) initiated a nationwide research project on Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) antibiotic resistance.
H. pylori is a bacterium (germ) that infects the stomach of approximately half of the world’s population. Although infection does not usually have serious consequences, some patients will develop stomach inflammation, ulcers or stomach cancer. Treatment has become challenging in recent years due to antibiotic resistance. Dr. Smith and Professor McNamara received an Applied Partnership Award from the Health Research Board to investigate the prevalence of H. pylori antibiotic resistance in patients attending different hospitals around the country. Laboratory aspects of the project are carried out at the state-of-the-art Meath Foundation Research Laboratory on the TUH campus.
It is anticipated that information from this research will be used to guide doctors in the most appropriate antibiotic combinations for the successful treatment of H. pylori. The Efficacy and Safety of Psilocybin Therapy in Treatment Resistant Depression
Over the last two decades there has been a renewed interest in the therapeutic potential of psychedelics, such as psilocybin, the main component of magic mushrooms. Promising early studies showed that psilocybin, when administered with psychological support and under psychiatric supervision could lead to improvements in mood, anxiety and quality of life. These studies prompted large scale clinical trials of psilocybin therapy for treatment resistant depression (TRD).
Dr John Kelly and Professor Veronica O’Keane in TUH and TCD were among the site investigators in the international trial of psilocybin therapy for TRD, which began three years ago. Results from the trial, funded by COMPASS pathways were released this year. This trial of 233 participants, showed that psilocybin therapy at the higher dose of 25mg resulted in a significant improvement in depression, anxiety and quality of life. It also showed that the higher dose of 25mg was superior to 10mg and 1mg.
Dr. John Kelly and Professor Veronica O’Keane, together with a site in San Diego, also conducted the first ever study examining the efficacy and safety of psilocybin therapy in TRD in people who choose to remain on their SSRI antidepressant. This study of 19 people showed that psilocybin (25mg) therapy could also lead to significant improvements in depression in those taking SSRI antidepressants. Taken together, these studies will pave the way for a world-wide phase 3 clinical trial of psilocybin therapy for TRD in 2022 to determine whether psilocybin therapy will be approved as a much-needed additional treatment strategy for those who suffer from depression.
An expansion of psilocybin therapy research into other mental health disorders and an exploration of the potential therapeutic role of short acting psychedelics, such as Dimethyltryptamine therapy are also planned in the near future. Research to Define Key pathways that predispose to chronic inflammatory diseases
The Donnelly Research group led by Professor Seamas Donnelly seeks to define key regulatory pathways that predispose to chronic inflammatory diseases such as Asthma, Pulmonary Fibrosis, COPD and Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Their work undertaken at the Meath Foundation Research Laboratory epitomises Translational Medicine where original bench based observations are translated to clinical disease.
They are particularly interested in:
▪ Development of novel compounds as anti-inflammatory/anti-cancer therapies
▪ Host environmental influences on the regulation of the inflammatory response
▪ Genetic profiling guiding disease diagnosis, prognosis and response to therapy
▪ Host/Pathogen interactions which predispose towards more aggressive infection
▪ How the faecal microbiome influences host immune responses
▪ Mitcochondrial stress and chronic inflammatory diseases
▪ Stem cell dysregulation in Long-COVID Syndrome
They use advanced cell and molecular biology techniques, in vitro and in vivo models to address these questions. It is their vision that this work will pave the way for specific tailored therapies which would attenuate key regulatory pathways in inflammatory diseases. Ultrasound-Guided Biopsy Programme
Professor Ronan Mullan is a Clinical Associate Professor with Trinity College Dublin and Consultant Rheumatologist at TUH. In 2016, Professor Mullan established a translational ultrasound-guided biopsy programme at TUH through which he collaborates at both national and international level. Professor Mullan’s research, which is carried out in the Meath Foundation Research Laboratory, focuses on understanding the mechanisms of action of inflammatory arthritic diseases such as Rheumatoid Arthritis and Gout. Currently Professor Mullan’s research group is assessing the role of NLRP3 inflammatory pathways as well as the potent suppression of inflammation by a novel small molecule inhibitor on ex-vivo tissue samples and primary blood cells taken from Gout patients. Gout is an episodic destructive inflammatory arthritis, triggered by innate inflammatory responses to monosodium urate crystals. Gout affects 2% of adults and is now the leading cause of inflammatory arthritis within developed countries. This study could potentially lead to a clinical trial of MCC950 for the treatment of Gout.
Vascular Neurology Translational Research Group
Professor Dominick McCabe, Consultant Neurologist-Vascular Neurologist / Clinical Professor in Neurology at TUH/TCD is the Principal Investigator (PI) / Co-PI / Collaborator in several local, national and international multi-centre research studies or trials. His innovative translational research programme in stroke medicine and platelet science/haemostasis is led from the Meath Foundation Research Laboratory, TUH-TCD.
His Vascular Neurology Research group has conducted several original studies (e.g. the PACS, HEIST, TRAP, OATS and OATS-I pilot studies) which have shown that platelets may be excessively activated / hyper-reactive following TIA/ischaemic stroke, and that an important proportion of patients with ischaemic cerebrovascular disease are ‘poorly-responsive’ to commonly-prescribed antiplatelet agents with ‘high on-treatment platelet reactivity (HTPR)’ in the laboratory. They have also found an ongoing stimulus to increased platelet production and secretion, and enhanced platelet and endothelial activation and coagulation system potential after TIA/ischaemic stroke in patients with symptomatic compared with asymptomatic moderate-severe carotid stenosis, including in those who do not have micro-embolic signals (MES) on transcranial Doppler ultrasound. These data improve our understanding of the underlying biological mechanisms which may contribute to the disparity in the risk of TIA/stroke in subgroups of patients with recently symptomatic vs. asymptomatic carotid stenosis, and in subgroups of symptomatic patients with different plaque types and MES status.
He is the PI of the ‘Optimal Antiplatelet Therapy in TIA and Ischaemic Stroke-International (OATS-I) study’ which has been planned in collaboration with world-class, expert academic clinicians, platelet scientists, pharmacogenetics scientists, patient advocacy groups and patients, data scientists, industry researchers and health economists at 26 international centres. The OATS-I consortium aims to enable clinicians to prescribe more clinically-effective and cost-effective antiplatelet therapy to optimise protection against future vascular events, dementia and vascular death in individual patients following TIA or ischaemic stroke | Clinical Trials & Biorepository DevelopmentClinical trials are essential in modern evidence-based medicine and form the cornerstone of making today’s research tomorrow’s treatment. The facilities at the MFRL are enabling TUH clinical researchers to collect the samples necessary to contribute to international clinical trials. The laboratories have been approved for clinical trial in Geriatrics and Gastroenterology in addition to the two ongoing clinical trials. The laboratories have been successfully audited by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) for an ongoing trial.
A vast biorepository has been developed in the laboratory and it facilitates one of the most significant functions of the Meath Foundation Research Laboratory; biobanking of unique patient samples. Many of these samples are subsequently shipped to collaborators throughout the world enabling TUH clinical researchers to contribute to international research. | Primary Cell Tissue CultureThe upgraded dedicated primary tissue culture facility within the Meath Foundation Research Laboratory has enabled the rheumatology group to isolate synoviocytes from biopsy samples taken from inflammatory arthritis patients. In the past three years samples have been collected from over 100 patients. These cell cultures are being used for proof of concept research studies and are making a substantial contribution to other studies within TCD through collaborations.
This facility has also enabled the clinical medicine group to culture cells from bronchoalveolar lavage samples from patients with sarcoidosis. In December 2021, the department of Clinical Medicine began a new project to investigate how changes in stem cells contribute to Long COVID-19 clinical phenotypes in collaboration with National University of Ireland, Galway NUIG. | Molecular & Cell BiologyThe MFRL is equipped with a full molecular analysis suite. The quantitative PCR platform is currently being used by Clinical Microbiology to perform high-specificity detection of pathogens, in particular Aspergillus fumigatus, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and develop multiplexed systems for detection of complex infections. The Gastroenterology group have been using the platform to analyse gene expression profiles in the stomach during Helicobacter pylori infection in order to identify predictive biomarkers and therapeutic targets for H. pylori-associated disease.
The facility for performing proteomic analysis and immunoassays is in constant use in the lab. The Gastroenterology, Neurology and Clinical Microbiology departments are using these platforms for various projects including the detection and quantification of inflammatory cytokines from clinical samples. | Teaching & TrainingTeaching and training is undertaken in the MFRL, with Undergraduate students from the Department of Microbiology in the Moyne Institute TCD, Medicine, MSc students of Healthcare Infection TCD and Pharmaceutical Sciences TCD carrying out supervised research projects as part of their degree and master studies. The facility is an excellent learning environment which provides students with “real life” opportunities to implement theoretical knowledge. | Outputs from MRFL-based researchIn the five years since the provision of strategic funds for the upgrading of the Meath Foundation Research Laboratory by the Meath Foundation, the number of publications in international peer reviewed publications has increased by 50%. This reflects the significant increase in clinical research activity on the hospital campus principally driven by the provision of first-class on-site laboratory facilities. |
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