As part of the TERG Christmas Symposium a Thesis in Three competition was held – with a festive twist. Lauren participated with an osteoarthritic Santa starring as the main character in a re-imagined version of the traditional Christmas poem “‘Twas the night before Christmas” – thanks to Shannon for her help with the rhyming! Lauren was placed runner-up in the category of early stage PhD researchers.
December 2018 : Lauren Fagan awarded funding through the Irish Research Council
Lauren Fagan was awarded a prestigious Irish Research Council Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship to pursue her PhD in the areas of immunology, post-traumatic osteoarthritis and circadian biology. Lauren’s research is under the joint supervision of Dr. Annie Curtis and Dr. Oran Kennedy. Well done Lauren !
December 2018 : Clock Lab at the RCSI Christmas Party
The Clock Lab scrubbed up nicely for this year’s masquerade themed Christmas party in RCSI. Armed with snazzy outfits and (free) masks, the lab group had an amazing night, with great food and dancing. It was definitely a night to remember.
December 2018 : George Timmons wins a prize for best talk at Thesis in Three MCT Research Forum
George, Shannon, James and Lauren all participated in the Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics Research Forum for PhD students in December. Each gave a super Thesis in Three style talk on their respective projects. George won the overall prize for his talk entitled “Mitochondria – A link between Innate Immunity, Metabolism, and the Clock”. Pictured below is George receiving his prize from Prof. Tracy Robson, Head of Department.
November 2018 : RCSI Lab Safari to promote STEM to female students
Dr. Maria Morgan (senior lecturer MCT) and Annie developed and organized a full day of activities in RCSI for secondary school students from St. Dominics College, Ballyfermot. The aim of the day was to promote STEM to female students. Part of the day comprised of hands-on lab experience. The Curtis lab collaborated with Dr. Oran Kennedy’s lab to demonstrate the function of cartilage. This event was made possible by an Ambassadors Grant from L’Oreal Unesco for Women in Science
Video of the day can be found here:
October 2018 : Clock Lab participates in the first RCSI Intergenerational Day
Members of the Clock Lab took part in RCSI’s first Intergenerational Day to celebrate Positive Aging Week. RCSI welcomed family members of over 30 RCSI Staff. The Clock lab was involved in a research station on Circadian Rhythms and Macrophages. Annie’s own Mam (pictured below) was one of the participants on the day.
September 2018 : Dr. Mariana Cervantes secures CONACYT funding from Mexico
Dr Mariana Cervantes was successful in obtaining funding from The National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT) from Mexico under the Support for Postdoctoral Researchers Abroad Linked to the Consolidation of Research Groups scheme. This funding will support her postdoctoral research in circadian biology in the Curtis-Clock Lab, under the guidance of Dr Annie Curtis. The grant titled “Impact of circadian control on mitochondrial metabolism in Dendritic Cells and their implications in vaccination” was funded for $48,000 for 2 years. In this project, Dr. Cervantes will unravel the mechanisms by which the molecular clock regulates dendritic cell function with the objective to improve vaccination strategies. This grant is awarded to Mexican Postdoctoral researchers who wish to carry out high-level research in prestigious universities worldwide.
May 2018 : The Curtis Lab was awarded a Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Career Development Award
Annie and her team were awarded a Career Development Award (CDA) from Science Foundation Ireland for a project titled
“MacroCLOCK - Circadian Control of Macrophage Mitochondria: A New Approach in the treatment of Chronic Inflammatory Disease” . This project will investigate new mechanisms by which the molecular clock in macrophages controls mitochondrial function and inflammation.
Further information can be found here:
https://www.siliconrepublic.com/video/sfi-career-development-award-programme
May 2018 : The Curtis Lab hit the streets of Dublin with outreach activities
The Curtis Lab hit the streets of Dublin in May 2018, to spread the good word to the masses about the importance of our body clock in health and disease.
First was PhD student George Timmons, who took part in the 30th PubHD event at J.T Pims Bar on Georges Street. He won the audience over about the importance of our body clocks in controlling the inflammatory response.
Second up was postdoc Mariana Cervantes, who contributed to the Pint of Science Festival at the Mercantile Bar on Dame Street. Mariana made the convincing case that the body clock is controlling our metabolism and how this is having a massive impact on our immune function.
Annie is delighted that her lab is so engaged in public outreach, but is becoming suspicious given all the talks are happening in great bars around the city!
George at the PubHD event
Mariana at the Pint of Science Event
April 2018 : Jamie Early successfully defends his thesis
Jamie Early , became Dr. Jamie Early on April 23rd 2018. Jamie is the first student to graduate from the Curtis Lab. His project was a joint collaboration between our lab and that of Prof. Luke O'Neill at Trinity College Dublin. Pictured below Luke, Annie, Jamie and Dr. Vanja Pekovic-Vaughan who was the external examiner
