Listen to Niamh discuss her path to research and how it was influenced by her own orthopaedic conditions, and her career so far from 🇮🇪 to 🇺🇸 to 🇪🇸 to 🇬🇧 to 🇮🇪 . Part of the UCD Conway Institute‘s CLASS Acts podcast series. Thanks to Dr Eoin Cummins for being an expert interviewer!
Group Retreat in Dublin
The Developmental Biomechanics Group finally met in person again in November 2021, when the London contingent travelled to Dublin for three days. The retreat kicked off with a beautiful hike around Howth Head on a windy but lovely and sunny day. James kept Niamh distracted from the steep cliff edges and Kinder Buenos kept the blood sugar levels up. The walk was nicely rounded off by some traditional fish and chips at the harbour. The next two days were filled with in-depth updates from the seasoned group members. It was so great to be together again and discuss all the exciting data everyone has been gathering over the pandemic.
Dr Nowlan appointed Professor of Biomedical Engineering at University College Dublin, Ireland
Dr Nowlan has accepted a Professorship position in the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at University College Dublin (UCD), Ireland, with effect from January 2021. Her web profile at UCD can be found here. For the next few years, the Developmental Biomechanics group will be split between London and Ireland, with plenty of travel between (once feasible). Niamh is excited about this new opportunity and for what the future holds for the research group and programme!
Congratulations Vivien on passing PhD viva
Huge congratulations to Vivien (soon to be Dr Sotiriou) for passing her PhD viva in September 2020! Thank-you to the examiners Prof Malcolm Logan from King’s College London and Dr Neal Bangerter for a thoughtful and in-depth virtual viva. Thanks also to the group and alumni who joined the virtual celebrations afterwards!
Farewell Saima
Saima is leaving our group and we will miss her so much! We are excited however to continue working on all the lovely data and papers in preparation. Saima will start studying medicine in the Autumn, and we wish her the very best in her studies.
Congratulations to Devi for passing PhD viva!
Big congratulations to Devi, who passed her PhD viva. Her thesis is entitled “The role of movement in early embryonic joint development”. Many thanks to the examiners, Prof Neil Vargesson and Dr Angela Kedgley. Devi is now studying graduate entry medicine at King’s College London so will be a double-doctor in a few years time! Well done Devi!
Send-off for Aurélie
Best wishes to Aurélie, who is finishing up in the group. We had a lovely send-off for her in South Kensington with lunch and ice-cream from Oddono’s! Lucky for us, Aurélie isn’t moving too far away, and will be doing some exciting research in David Labonte‘s group, also in the Department of Bioengineering.
** March 2020: Update- Aurélie was awarded a Marie Curie Skodowska fellowship to return to her native France- Congratulations Aurélie!! **
Farewell to Kaushik
A bittersweet farewell to Kaushik who leaves the group to take up a faculty position at IIT Delhi. We will miss you Kaushik but look forward to continuing to collaborate and to all the great achievements that will your future will bring!
A fond farewell to Cristian
Cristian is leaving Imperial College to take up an exciting new position in industry with global healthcare company BTG. We are very sorry to lose him but wish him all the best with the next step of his career- good luck Cristian!!!
Welcome Nidal!
A warm welcome to Nidal Khatib who joined the Developmental Biomechanics group in January. Nidal will be using our mechanostimulation bioreactor system to explore mechanotransductory pathways and mechanisms acting during prenatal skeletal development. His project is a collaboration with Prof David Hoey from Trinity College Dublin, and is funded by Niamh’s ERC Starting Grant.
Developmental Biomechanics 