Meet our Research Students

Rosemary Monaghan

Qualifications: B.Sc. (Pharmacy) Trinity College Dublin, M. Pharm Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), PG Cert (Statistics) Trinity College Dublin, M.P.S.I (Member Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland).
Name of research project: Patterns of medication use associated with mental health, behavioural and neurological problems in older people with Intellectual Disability.
Research Interests: Pharmacoepidemiology, epilepsy, Intellectual disability, mental health, bipolar disorder, psychotropic medication use and drug utilisation research methods.
Bio: Rosemary is a registered pharmacist and joined IDS TILDA in Autumn 2016. She commenced her PhD in 2017 with IDS TILDA and the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Trinity College Dublin under the supervision of Associate Prof Martin Henman and Assistant Prof Maire O’Dwyer. Rosemary’s PhD work focuses on medication use associated with mental health and behavioural problems in older adults with epilepsy and an intellectual disability in Ireland.
Supervisors: Associate Prof Martin Henman and Assistant Prof Maire O’Dwyer
Full time: This study commenced in June 2017 to be fully completed by September 2021
Email: monaghar@tcd.ie

Qualifications: B.Sc. (Hons.) Intellectual Disability Nursing, Trinity College Dublin, M.Sc. (Health Services Management) School of Medicine. Trinity College Dublin.
Name of Research Project: Factors that contribute to mental health and well-being in older adults with an intellectual disability.
Research Interests: Intellectual disability, mental health and well being, trauma informed approaches, person centred planning and leadership.
Bio: Fidelma Flannery is a Registered Nurse in Intellectual Disabilities and joined IDS TILDA in September 2019 as a Research Nurse for the Wave 4 Health Fair and a PhD student. Fidelma has worked with people with intellectual disabilities throughout her career and most recently held the position of Director of Nursing within the disability sector. Fidelma completed a Masters degree in 2018 and the focus of her thesis was the role of the Registered Nurse in Intellectual Disabilities in decongregation. She is currently undertaking a PhD in the area of Intellectual Disability and Mental Health using the longitudinal data collected over the duration of the IDS TILDA study.
Supervisors: Prof. Mary McCarron (PI), Prof. Philip McCallion (co-PI), Dr. Fintan Sheerin, Dr. Niamh Mulryan
Full time: Fidelma commenced this study in September 2019 and is to be completed by September 2023.
Email: flannef@tcd.ie

Qualifications: BSc Intellectual Disability Nursing, Letterkenny Institute of Technology, PD Prescription of Medication (with Advanced Health Assessment), University College Dublin, MSc (Hons) Intellectual Disability Nursing Practice, Dublin City University.
Name of Research Project: Determinants of frailty among older adults with an intellectual disability.
Research Interests: Intellectual disability, frailty and resilience, mental health, intensive interaction, challenging behaviour.
Bio: Brendan Dee is a Registered Nurse in Intellectual Disability. He has worked with people with an intellectual disability across various settings in the role of Health Care Assistant, Staff Nurse, Clinical Nurse Manager, Nurse Prescriber, Day Service Manager and Project Manager. He is currently a Teaching Fellow in the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin. Brendan is undertaking his PhD with IDS-TILDA and the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin with a research focus on frailty among older adults with an intellectual disability.
Supervisors: Prof. Mary McCarron, Prof. Philip McCallion, Dr Éilish Burke
Part time: This study commenced in September 2017 and is to be completed by September 2022
Email: bdee@tcd.ie

Qualifications: BA BAI (Maths and Engineering) Trinity College Dublin, MSc (Food, Health and Nutrition) University College Dublin, Qualified Personal Trainer (NUI Limerick) and Fitness Instructor
Name of Research Project: What are the sedentary behaviour and physical activity levels of Adults with Intellectual Disability and how does this affect their health and wellbeing?
Research Interests: Health, exercise, aging and intellectual disability.
Bio: Worked as a Lithography Process Engineer for Intel and Hewlett-Packard in California, USA before moving into Account Management in the UK. Worked as a Fitness Instructor, Field Researcher for UCD and ‘Fit for Life Consultant’ for the Irish Heart Foundation. Joined IDS-TILDA in August 2018 as a Research Assistant on the P-PALs project. Moved to The IDS-TILDA Health Fair(HF) in April 2019 as the HF Project Manager. Commenced a PhD in September 2019 under the supervision of Ussher Assistant Professor Eilish Burke, Professor Mary McCarron and Professor Phillip McCallion.
Supervisors: Prof. Mary McCarron, Prof. Philip McCallion, Dr Éilish Burke
Full time: This study commenced in September 2019 and is to be completed by September 2023.
Email: Llynch1@tcd.ie

Qualifications: BA (Psychology), NUI, Galway; Masters of Psychological Science in Health Psychology, NUI, Galway; Certificate in Counselling & Psychotherapy, National Counselling Institute of Ireland; Certificate in End of Life Care, Athlone IT.
Name of Research Project: Risk and Protective Factors in the Development of Dementia in an Irish Population Ageing with Down Syndrome: a Biopsychosocial Approach.
Research Interests: Biopsychosocial modelling of health and illness; ageing and health promotion; end of life care and planning, neuropsychology, well-being, stress and coping.
Bio: Currently a Chartered Health Psychologist, Ps.S.I. Working with the Brothers of Charity Services, Ireland-West Region (Roscommon) since 2003. Currently also working part-time as Research and Training Officer for the National ID Memory Service, Tallaght Hospital (one year secondment).
Supervisors: Prof. Mary McCarron, Prof. Philip McCallion, Dr. Eimear McGlinchey
Part time: Undertaking a part-time PhD with the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College; registered in September 2019.
Email: fallonm7@tcd.ie

Qualifications: Diploma (Pharmacy) Oman College of Health Sciences, B.Sc. (Pharmacy) Trinity College Dublin, MSc (Clinical Pharmacy Service Development) Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, UK.
Name of Research Project: Enhancing Prescribing in Older Adults with Intellectual Disabilities
Research Interests: Anticholinergics, Long-term adverse effects, older adults with Intellectual disability.
Bio: Lamya commenced her PhD in September 2020 with IDS TILDA and the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Trinity College Dublin under the supervision of Assistant Prof Maire O’Dwyer and Associate Prof Martin Henman. Lamya’s PhD work focuses on long-term adverse effects associated with the use of anticholinergics in older adults with intellectual disability in Ireland.
Supervisors: Assistant Prof Maire O’Dwyer and Associate Prof Martin Henman
Full time: This study commenced in September 2020 to be fully completed by September 2024
Email: Alshuhal@tcd.ie