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á sé fógartha ag Ollscoil na Gaillimhe go bhfuil an Dr Leo Quinlan ceaptha mar an chéad Cheann ar Scoil na Cógaisíochta agus na nEolaíochtaí Leighis.  Ábhar suntais is ea an ceapachán seo mar atá cruthú céad scoil Cógaisíochta na hOllscoile ón uair a bunaíodh in 1845 í.  Acadóir mór le rá agus ceannaire taighde i gColáiste an Leighis, an Altranais agus na nEolaíochtaí Sláinte in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe is ea an Dr Quinlan. Tá sé ina Leas-Déan ar Fhoghlaim, Teagasc agus Measúnú faoi láthair agus ina bhall de lucht acadúil na hOllscoile ó 1999 i leith.  Tá céim bainte amach ag an Dr Quinlan sa Bhithcheimic agus tá PhD aige i mBitheolaíocht Ghaschille. Tá cion buan déanta aige don oideachas agus don taighde, agus san áireamh leis sin tá an BSc in Eolaíocht Bhithleighis a stiúradh ar feadh deich mbliana agus an ról a bhí aige mar Cheann na Fiseolaíochta. Bhí ról lárnach ag an Dr Quinlan i mbunú chlár nua MPharm na hOllscoile a bheidh ag glacadh lena chéad chohórt mac léinn i Meán Fómhair 2025.  Forbairt mhór straitéiseach d’Ollscoil na Gaillimhe is ea bunú Scoil na Cógaisíochta agus na nEolaíochtaí Leighis sa mhéid is go dtugann sé le chéile an chógaisíocht agus na heolaíochtaí leighis in aonad acadúil nua a imreoidh tionchar ar thodhchaí an oideachais cúraim sláinte agus an taighde in Éirinn agus i gcéin.  Seo mar a labhair an Dr Leo Quinlan, Príomhthaighdeoir i bFiseolaíocht an Duine in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe agus Imscrúdaitheoir Maoinithe in CÚRAM – Ionad Feistí Leighis de chuid Thaighde Éireann: “Forbairt chinniúnach í seo d’Ollscoil na Gaillimhe agus is mór an onóir dom glacadh leis an ról seo. Tabharfaidh an Scoil nua deis an eolaíocht chógaisíochta a chomhtháthú le timpeallacht  ildisciplíneach fhuinniúil, rud a fhágfaidh go gcuirfí ar chumas ár gcuid mac léinn agus taighdeoirí tionchar cuimsitheach agus fadtéarmach a imirt ar chúram othar, ar chórais cúraim sláinte agus ar thaighde aistritheach.”  Tá an Dr Quinlan i gceannas freisin ar Shaotharlann Taighde na Fiseolaíochta Ceallaí, ar ionad feabhais é do leictrifiseolaíocht ianchainéil, cille agus fíocháin, agus tacaíonn sé leis an nuálaíocht i dteicneolaíocht cúraim sláinte trí bheith ina mheantóir do BioInnovate Ireland.  Dúirt an tOllamh Martin O’Donnell, Déan Choláiste an Leighis, an Altranais agus na nEolaíochtaí Sláinte in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe: “Céim mhór chun cinn don Ollscoil is ea ceapachán an Dr Quinlan. Tá sé tiomanta go hiomlán don fheabhas acadúil agus beidh an cheannaireacht a léirigh sé nuair a bhí ár gclár cógaisíochta nua á dhearadh den riachtanas agus timpeallacht oideachais atá idir dhinimiciúil agus treoraithe ag taighde á cothú aige. Is gearr uainn anois Scoil na Cógaisíochta agus na nEolaíochtaí Leighis a bheith ina hionad barr feabhais, áit a ndéanfar an nuálaíocht chliniciúil a chomhtháthú leis an oideachas agus le taighde feidhmeach a rachaidh chun tairbhe dár mic léinn, an réigiún agus cúram sláinte in Éirinn trí chéile.”  Dúirt an Dr Martina Ní Chúlain, an Stiúrthóir Forbartha Straitéisí i gColáiste an Leighis, an Altranais agus na nEolaíochtaí Sláinte in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe: “Tá an clár MPharm seo á thabhairt isteach tráth a bhfuil dúshláin leanúnacha maidir leis an bhfórsa oibre roimh an gcóras cúraim sláinte, rud a fhágann go bhfuil an clár nua seo idir thráthúil agus ríthábhachtach. Cabhróidh sé le dul i ngleic leis an easpa náisiúnta poitigéirí agus ullmhóidh sé glúin nua gairmithe ardoilte a bheidh dírithe ar leas an othair agus a bheidh faoi réir déileáil le riachtanais shíorathraitheacha cúraim sláinte.”  Seo mar a labhair an tOllamh John Given, Bainisteoir Feidhmiúcháin Cógaisíochta, Ospidéil na hOllscoile, Gaillimh agus Ollamh Cúnta, Coláiste an Leighis, an Altranais & na nEolaíochtaí Sláinte, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe: “Bhí ról ríthábhachtach ag an Dr Quinlan maidir leis an gclár Cógaisíochta nua in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe a bhunú. Is éachtach an méid fuinnimh, tiomantais agus scileanna eagrúcháin a thaispeáin sé ó thús an phróisis seo. Éacht faoi leith is ea é an clár seo a sheoladh ó chéim an bhundearaidh go dtí liostáil ar an CAO laistigh de dhá bhliain agus guím gach rath air ina phost nua.”  Is ionann bunú na Scoile agus tabhairt isteach an chláir MPharm, a mbeidh na chéad mhic léinn ag tosú air i mí Mheán Fómhair 2025, agus gnéithe den fhís níos leithne aghaidh a thabhairt ar an nganntanas oibrithe cúraim sláinte san fhórsa oibre, go háirithe in iarthar na hÉireann agus, anuas air sin, éiceachóras taighde ardfhorbartha a chothú a bhfuil an chógaisíocht ina gné aistritheach de. Cuirfear, ar an gcaoi sin, le cumas na hOllscoile aghaidh a thabhairt ar dhúshláin sláinte chasta trí comhoibriú, nuálaíocht agus fionnachtain.  Críoch 

University of Galway has announced the appointment of Dr Leo Quinlan as the inaugural Head of the School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences. The appointment marks a significant milestone with the creation of the University’s first-ever School of Pharmacy since its foundation in 1845. Dr Quinlan, a distinguished academic and research leader in the College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences at University of Galway, is currently Vice-Dean for Learning, Teaching and Assessment, and has been a member of the academic community at the University since 1999. A graduate in Biochemistry with a PhD in stem cell biology, Dr Quinlan has made lasting contributions to education and research, including directing the BSc in Biomedical Science for a decade and serving as the Head of Physiology. Dr Quinlan also played a pivotal role in establishing the University’s new MPharm programme, which will welcome its first cohort of students in September 2025. The formation of the School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences is a major strategic development for University of Galway, bringing together pharmacy and the medical sciences in a new academic unit that will shape the future of healthcare education and research in Ireland and beyond. Dr Leo Quinlan, Principal Investigator in Human Physiology at University of Galway and Funded Investigator in the CÚRAM - Research Ireland Centre for Medical Devices, said: “I am honoured to take on this role at such a historic moment for University of Galway. The new School offers a platform to integrate pharmaceutical science into a vibrant, multidisciplinary environment - enabling our students and researchers to make a real and lasting impact on patient care, healthcare systems, and translational research.” Dr Quinlan also leads the Cellular Physiology Research Lab, a centre of excellence in ion channel, cell and tissue electrophysiology, and serves as a mentor for BioInnovate Ireland, supporting innovation in healthcare technology. Professor Martin O’Donnell, Dean of the College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences at University of Galway, said: “Dr Quinlan’s appointment represents a significant step forward for the University. His deep commitment to academic excellence and his leadership in shaping our new pharmacy programme will be instrumental in driving a dynamic, research-led educational environment. The School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences is poised to become a centre of excellence, integrating clinical innovation, education, and impactful research that will benefit our students, the region, and healthcare in Ireland.” Dr Martina Ni Chuláin, Director of Strategic Development at the College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences at University of Galway, said: “At a time when the healthcare system faces ongoing workforce challenges, the introduction of our MPharm programme is both timely and vital. It will contribute directly to addressing the national shortage of pharmacists, preparing a new generation of highly skilled, patient-focused professionals equipped to meet the evolving needs of healthcare delivery.” Professor John Given, Executive Pharmacy Manager, Galway University Hospitals and Adjunct Professor College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences University of Galway, said: “Dr Quinlan has been instrumental in getting the new Pharmacy programme off the ground at University of Galway. His energy, commitment and organisational skills from day one have been outstanding. To get this programme from the table to the CAO in under two years has been a massive achievement and I wish him well in his new post." The introduction of the MPharm with the first students starting in September 2025 and the establishment of the School are part of a broader vision to address healthcare workforce shortages, particularly in the West of Ireland, and to more broadly cultivate an advanced research ecosystem where pharmacy becomes a transformative dimension, deepening the University’s ability to address complex health challenges through collaboration, innovation and discovery. Ends

An international team of astronomers led by University of Galway, has discovered the likely site of a new planet in formation, most likely a gas giant planet up to a few times the mass of Jupiter. Using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (ESO’s VLT) in Chile, the researchers captured spectacular images around a distant young star for the first time in the form of scattered near-infrared light that revealed an exceptionally structured disk. The European Southern Observatory (ESO), the world’s foremost international astronomy organisation, has today (Monday June 9, 2025) published a stunning view of the new planet-forming disk as their picture of the week. The disk extends out to 130 astronomical units from its parent star - the equivalent to 130 times the distance between Earth and the Sun. It shows a bright ring followed by a gap centered at roughly 50 astronomical units. For comparison, the outermost planet in our solar system, Neptune, has an orbital distance from the Sun of 30 astronomical units. Inside the disk gap, reminiscent of the outskirts of a hurricane on Earth, a system of spiral arms are visible. While appearing tiny in the image, the inner part of this planet-forming system measures 40 astronomical units in radius and would swallow all of the planets in our own solar system. The study was led by Dr Christian Ginski from the Centre for Astronomy in the School of Natural Sciences at University of Galway and was co-authored by four postgraduate students at the University.   Dr Christian Ginski, lecturer at the School of Natural Sciences, University of Galway and lead author of the paper, said: “While our team has now observed close to 100 possible planet-forming disks around nearby stars, this image is something special. One rarely finds a system with both rings and spiral arms in a configuration that almost perfectly fits the predictions of how a forming planet is supposed to shape its parent disk according to theoretical models. Detections like this bring us one step closer to understand how planets form in general and how our solar system might have formed in the distant past.” The study has been published in the international journal Astronomy and Astrophysics. Dr Ginski said: “Besides this exceptionally beautiful planet-forming cradle there is something else that I find quite special about this study. Along with the large international team that we assembled for these observations, four of our own University of Galway graduate students were involved in this study. Without the critical help of Chloe Lawlor, Jake Byrne, Dan McLachlan and Matthew Murphy we would not have been able to finalise the analysis of these new results. It is my great privilege to work with such talented young researchers.” Chloe Lawlor, PhD student in Physics with a specialisation in Astrophysics, University of Galway, said: “Working with Dr Christian Ginski on the 2MASS1612 paper has been an incredible experience. As an early-career researcher, having the opportunity to contribute to such exciting work has been especially rewarding. This work has been the perfect introduction to scientific writing and collaboration, and I’m very grateful for this kick-start to my research career.” Jake Byrne, MSc student in Physics with a specialisation in Astrophysics, University of Galway, said: “It’s an exciting time to be involved in planet formation theory at the University of Galway. There was a strong sense of collaboration among everyone involved in this paper, and I’m grateful to have been part of it. It's been a great introduction into what I hope to be a long career in research.” Dan McLachlan, MSc student in Physics with a specialisation in Astrophysics, University of Galway, said: “I found it quite a thrilling experience to be making my first contribution to an astrophysics publication and was very grateful for the opportunity provided by being a part of Dr Ginski's research group. I also honed my academic writing skills in stepping up to the challenge and learned a few analytical techniques that will be of vital use in my own future research work.” The wider research team included colleagues in the UK, Germany, Australia, USA, Netherlands, Italy, Chile, France, Japan. The scientific paper speculates on the presence of a planet based on its structure and the rings and spirals observed in the disk. It  also notes some tentative atmospheric emission of just such a planet which the research team say requires further study to confirm. Based on their research findings, Dr Ginski and his team have secured time at the world leading James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) observatory in the upcoming observation cycle. Using the unprecedented sensitivity of the James Webb Telescope, the team hopes to be able to take an actual image of the young planet. If planets in the disk are confirmed, it will become a prime laboratory for the study of planet-disk interaction. The full study can be read here: https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202451647 See ESO photo of the disk here: https://www.eso.org/public/images/potw2523a/    Ends