Athlone graduate Dr Claire Donohoe has been awarded an Irish Cancer Society Research Scholarship Award for her research on the link between obesity and gastrointestinal cancers.
The award was presented by President Mary McAleese at an award ceremony held at the Irish Cancer Society Head Office in Dublin recently.
Dr Donohue is based at Trinity Health Sciences Centre, St James' Hospital, and in her own words “hopes to find out the ways in which fat that is carried inside the belly (or visceral fat ) influences cancers”.
At the special awards ceremony, President Mary McAleese presented six of Ireland’s most gifted young cancer researchers with inaugural Irish Cancer Society’s Research Scholarship Awards and Research Fellowship Awards.
The new Scholarship award scheme is part of the society’s commitment to funding cancer research in Ireland, to cultivating the next generation of cancer researchers, and rewarding exceptional people with outstanding research ideas in the area of cancer research.
Commenting on the Fellowship and Scholarship scheme, Professor Cliona O’Farrelly, chairperson of the Cancer Research Committee of the Irish Cancer Society said, “We are delighted with this new scheme which has attracted huge numbers of applicants from dedicated and enthusiastic researchers who are keen to dedicate themselves to cancer research.
“It was particularly challenging to select just six candidates to receive the awards, but we are optimistic that with additional funding we may be able to expand this scheme,” she added.
The Fellowship and Scholarship scheme is open to all scientific, medical and paramedical disciplines that are committed to cancer research. Each Fellowship award is up to the value of €75,000 per annum for up to three years and each Scholarship award is up to the value of €40,000 per annum for up to three years.
The Irish Cancer Society is now inviting applications for the 2010 Fellowship and Scholarship Awards Scheme. Closing date for entries is Wednesday, February 10 2010. Applications must be submitted online at www.cri.cancer.ie Further details and guidelines are also available on this website.
