Professor Colm Bergin

Biography

Professor Bergin is a Consultant Physician and Academic Lead in Infectious Diseases, St James's Hospital, Dublin and Professor of Medicine at Trinity College Dublin. His clinical and research expertise is focussed on chronic viral infections and their treatment outcomes, health services research with particular interests in complications associated with HIV-HCV co-infection, health-related outcomes, medical education, clinical trials and pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment interventions. Professor Bergin developed the clinical specialty of Infectious Diseases at St James's Hospital and integrated the specialty with the previously established Department of Genitourinary Medicine. He has led the political advocacy to establish the field of social inclusion health and in advocating for patients from underserved and disadvantaged populations. Professor Bergin's Directorships encompass his role as Associate Director of the Wellcome - Health Research Board (HRB) Clinical Research Facility and Clinical Director of the Surgical and Medical Subspecialties Directorate at St. James's Hospital. Professor Bergin's holds an outstanding track record in academia and scientific research. His lifelong career has been dedicated to clinical and translational investigations into the causes and etiology of serious infectious diseases such as HIV, SARS and Covid. With over 200 peer reviewed articles and four book chapters which have been widely cited worldwide, he has made an important contribution to furthering the understanding of infection and viruses. Professor Bergin has secured over €20 million grant funding from Irish and International funding sponsors to support his research work. Professor Bergin is a dedicated teacher and has mentored a diverse portfolio of candidates to successful completion of MSc, MD and PhD degrees covering research topics in medical education; cost effectiveness of medical care (HIV and HCV); molecular and clinical epidemiology; immunology of host response to infections (TB and HCV); neurocognitive disease in HIV, HCV and COVID-19 infections and innovative interventions to affect social behaviours in disease modelling. Professor Bergin graduated from Trinity College Dublin in 1989 and completed General Medicine and Specialist Training. Subsequently, Professor Bergin completed a Fellowship in Infectious Diseases at Boston University Hospital (1996-1999) and returned to Dublin in 1999 when he was appointed to his present consultant position in St. James's Hospital. Professor Bergin has worked in Blackrock Clinic since 2002. Prior leadership appointments have included National Clinical Lead, Infectious Diseases, HSE (2020-2022); Associate Director of the Wellcome-Health Research Board (HRB) Clinical Research Facility, St. James's Hospital Dublin and Interim Director, CRF (2012-2017); National Specialty Director, Infectious Diseases, Royal College of Physicians Ireland (RCPI) (2002-2017); Dean of Postgraduate Medical Training and Dun's Tutor, RCPI (2012-2015); Clinical Director of the Surgical and Medical Subspecialties Directorate, St. James's Hospital, Dublin (2006-2012); President of the Infectious Diseases Society of Ireland (IDSI) (2009-2012) and National Programme Lead for OPAT, Health Services Executive, Ireland (2010-2012). Other roles include co-Founding lead and past chair of the Irish Hepatitis C Research Outcomes Network (ICORN); Chair, Therapeutic Advisory Committee for COVID-19, HSE; Member, NPHET, DoH; Director, Hospital Site Accreditation, Royal College of Physicians (RCPI) (2017-2019) and Vice-President, RCPI.