Alumni News
A tribute to Dr. Frank Jeal
It was with much sadness that we marked the passing of Frank Jeal on the 28th of Aug 2017. Frank had been part of the Zoology Department and taught Zoology students for over 50 years and continued to teach until early this year. He will be much missed by us all. RIP Frank. We have put together a booklet of tributes and memories of Frank from colleagues and former students all over the world.
Gwen Deslyper was awarded the Frank Jeal studentship to further her PhD studies in parasite biology. Professor Yvonne Buckley said: “Frank Jeal was passionate about zoology and he inspired and guided 50 years of students at Trinity. It is entirely fitting that this scholarship in his name enables another Trinity Zoology student to further the study of zoology and its benefits for society”. Please click here to read more about Gwen's research.
New Lectureship in Parasite Biology in honour of Nobel Prize winner William Campbell
On Friday September the 30th, The Provost held a special reception in the Provost's House to welcome back Trinity and Zoology alumnus Professor William C. Campbell recipient of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. During the reception, attended by members of the Campbell family and friends, members of the Zoology Department and parasitologists from other institutions, the Provost announced the creation of a lectureship in honour of Professor Campbell entitled the William C. Campbell Lectureship in Parasite Biology. The recipient of the lectureship will be based in the Department of Zoology in the School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College.
During his speech, the Provost emphasised that Professor Campbell's interest in Parasitology was inspired by his then Professor and supervisor, Professor J.D. Smyth in the Department of Zoology, Trinity College in 1950. Professor Smyth was a famous parasitologist in his own right. This tradition of research and teaching in Parasitology in the Zoology Department continues up to the present day and the creation of a lectureship in Professor Campbell's name for an outstanding young parasitologist will enhance this important tradition further.
The event was reported in the Irish Times online and in print
Professor William Campbell wins Nobel prize in Medicine 2015.
Zoology congratulates our graduate Professor William (Bill) Campbell (BA Zoology 1952) for winning the Nobel prize in Medicine 2015 for his work in parasitology.
All of us in Zoology are immensely proud of Professor Campbell. Bill’s development of the drug Ivermectin has had a massive impact on the world, saving millions from diseases caused by parasites. This award to Bill underscores the impact that zoologists can have upon the world by understanding how animals, parasites and microbes interact and by using that knowledge to develop new ways to tackle human and animal diseases. As a zoologist, Bill was certainly ahead of his time, his research underlines the importance of the very modern concept of ‘One Health’ which promotes an understanding of parasite ecology and its interactions with wild and domestic animals, humans and their environment. This integrated view of zoology is very much in keeping with the training that we give to zoologists today.
This video tells the story of the Nobel prize winning discovery of Ivermectin as told by Professor Campbell at a talk in Trinity in 2012, introduced by Professor Celia Holland