Science Spin January 2008

Away from the bench

By Marie-Catherine Mousseau

Did you know that the government plans to double the number of PhD graduates by 2013? This aims to strengthen Irish focus on research, knowledge and enterprise as opposed to manufacturing. This all sounds very good, especially for those committed science students who after their PhD end up fulfilling their quest for knowledge by getting a permanent research position.

Gemma Irvine - pictured above - did all her science studies including her PhD in Neuroscience in New Zealand before moving to Dublin in 2004. She is now now a Manager in the HEA Research Programmes section in Dublin.

She is one of many PhD graduates who do not get a permanent academic position? Some people discover they're not committed enough to research, or they are not good enough, or maybe just not lucky enough. As most students who have tried will tell you, tenured academic jobs are never easy to get and, even if you're good, there is a lot of luck involved. Avril Kennan, who did a PhD in human molecular genetics in TCD comments that "a long term career in research is only available to a very few PhD graduates."

The example of Gemma Irvine speaks for itself. Gemma did all her science studies including her PhD in Neuroscience in New Zealand before moving to Dublin in 2004 when she was offered a Research Fellow position at TCD investigating the mechanisms underlying Alzheimer's disease. This may sound like a very positive start in her research career path.

However, Gemma explained that as a postdoctoral fellow (first 2 years out of your PhD) or a Research Fellow (2+ years post PhD), you are on a short-term contract. "Being on contract the whole time is stressful, you are always thinking about where your next job will be and so it makes it hard to focus solely on doing research," she says. "I decided that I didn't want to live from contract to contract and chase research positions around the world, especially as my partner and I had bought a house and were aiming to settle in Ireland," she added.

Co-ordinating research

Luckily for them, Avril and Gemma have made the transition. And even more luckily, their transition has allowed them to stay close to their primary interests, research and health. While Avril is currently Research Manager with the charity DEBRA Ireland, while Gemma is with the HEA.

DEBRA Ireland funds scientific research into the debilitating genetic skin condition called epidermolysis bullosa (EB). Avril explains what her role entails: "My job is to communicate developments to patients and interested parties and to pursue all avenues that may help us to find effective treatments and ultimately a cure for EB." This means engaging with the researchers on the programmes that they fund and translating scientific developments into lay terms -- in other words, helping to get therapies from lab to patients.

As for Gemma, one of her functions is to co-ordinate the implementation, monitoring and assessment of HEA funded research, particularly the Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI). Her role also has a policy aspect. "I am involved in developing careers for researchers and advise the government on strategies to help make Ireland an attractive place for researchers to come to," she said. "I also attend meetings in Brussels where I advise on policy and strategic objectives related to research infrastructure from an Irish perspective," she added.

Both Avril and Gemma very much enjoy their current positions. "What I enjoy most about it is the interaction with many different groups of people and being part of an organisation where the ethos is about improving people's lives," said Avril.

Gemma benefits from similar stimulating interactions: "I can be giving presentations to international delegates on the Irish research landscape, meeting with researchers/institutions and doing site visits to their campus, organising information events and giving talks to promote awareness about upcoming activities, or travelling internationally for meetings or conferences."

And like Avril, she enjoys the fact that in her own way she still contributes to improving people's lives: "I enjoy knowing that although I might not be working to find a cure, some of the changes that I'm helping to make in the research environment might make it easier for someone else to find the cure for Alzheimer's," she said.

Industrial role

However, both Gemma and Avril agree that, even though this is changing, opportunities for people to make the transition into their specific career path are still relatively small. Until these types of jobs develop further, and for those who'd like to conserve the thrill of keeping track of new advances and discoveries, there are still other ways out of the lab. An obvious one is industry. That's the career path Siobhan Mitchel has chosen.

After studying science in UCD and completing a PhD in Molecular Medicine in the Mater Hospital, Siobhan is now the medical director of Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) in Ireland. "This means heading up the medical function of a large multinational pharmaceutical company," she explains. "It is a very exciting time with 50 new compounds in development; BMS's pipeline is among the top 2 in the world," she continued.

A lot of her work involves managing this portfolio of investigational products, which includes identifying new clinical trial sites and providing scientific and medical support in the appropriate and safe use of their medicines.

As with Avril and Gemma, this role entails meeting many different groups of people, disseminating medical information and raising awareness on various health issues. "Daily activities include working together with our healthcare partners providing medical support and education to doctors, nurses and pharmacists," she said.