Research Profile

Eileen O'Leary

Biography

                        

Dr Eileen O’Leary graduated with an honours degree in Chemistry and progressed directly to complete a PhD in Organic Chemistry. Dr O’ Leary has experience of working in the Pharmaceutical Industry during and after her undergraduate and postgraduate studies. She carried out postdoctoral work in the design and synthesis of anti cancer drugs and has further postdoctoral experience in investigating the properties of active pharmaceutical ingredients and how they impact on secondary processing. Dr O’Leary currently holds a joint appointment between the School of Pharmacy and the Department of Chemistry in UCC, where in her role as Lecturer she teaches, organic and pharmaceutical chemistry, research methods and applied data analysis and manages pebblepad, the eportfolio platform adapted by the School of Pharmacy. Dr O’Leary supervises three PhD students focusing on the design, synthesis and evaluation of the biological activity of anti-viral agents, with a keen interest in anti-HIV drugs. Dr O’Leary co supervises a student in Pharmacy Education; the main area of interest is enhancing the transition from student to practitioner in the health care environment. She is co-PI on a, National Forum for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, funded initiative under the teaching for transitions theme and the use of digital technology to enhance transition to professional practice, the project is entitled ePrePP (electronic Preparation for Professional Practice). Dr O’Leary has spent a short period seconded to the teaching and learning centre in UCC where she focused on the use of technology in teaching and learning. In 2014 she completed the Masters in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. She has been identified as a Teaching Hero in 2014 by the National Forum for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education in conjunction with the Students Union Ireland. Prior to that in 2013 she was appointed runner up in student nominated Lecture of the Year for Excellence in Teaching and Learning in the college of SEFFs and received a Presidents Award for Research on Innovative Forms of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. In 2015 she was awarded the helping hand award from Pharmacy students. She is currently involved in the implementation and use of e-Portfolios to enhance students learning and help them to become independent learners, combining her passion for teaching and experience in using technology to aid students learning.


Academic Qualifications

  • Postgraduate Masters in Teaching and Learning (2014)

  • Lean Healthcare Yellow Belt - Gold Award Level (2014)

  • Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning (2013)

  • Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning (2010)

  • PhD Organic Chemistry, UCC (2008)

  • Certificate in Quality Assurance (2007)

  • BSc Chemistry (1999)

Continual Professional Development:

  • MOOC-Learning to teach Online
  • Chemical Spills Training
  • Lean Healthcare Training (Lean Pharmacy Best Practice and Centre of Excellence Project)
  • Visual Thinking Strategies Training.
  • Computer skills: ECDL, presentation skills, organizational and problem solving skills, communication and interpersonal skills, teaching skills (interested in tailored and integrated teaching).

Teaching Awards

  • Received a Teaching Hero Award from the National Forum for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education in conjunction with the Union of Students in Ireland in the inaugural National Teaching Hero Awards (2014)
  • Received Presidents Award for Research on Innovative Forms of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, UCC, 2013
  • Awarded Runner-Up of the 2013 College of SEFS Student Nominated Lecturer of the Year Award for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, 2013.
  • Awarded €5,000 from the NAIRTL Academy through the NAIRTL, 2009 grants initiative for a proposal to operate PATS (Peer Assisted Tutorial Sessions) for the academic year 2009-2010.

Employment History

1. Academic

Was appointed to a half time academic secondment to Ionad Bairre, Teaching and Learning Centre as an education developer to support technology enhanced learning (Dec 2013 – Dec 2014)

Feb 11 – Present            Lecturer in Organic and Pharmaceutical Chemistry (Joint position between the School of Pharmacy and Department of Chemistry, UCC)       University College Cork    

  • Lecture on undergraduate and postgraduate courses
  • Carry out associated examination and administrative duties
  • Conduct research, supervise three PhD students and supervise chemistry and pharmacy final year projects
  • Offer summer placements to students seeking work experience (have taken on project students from CIT (Cork Institute of technology), France and transition year students
  • Mentor to Pharmacy and Chemistry Student
  • Internal Assessor of MSc (research) students wishing to transfer to a PhD (research)
  • Member of the School of Pharmacy Staff Student Committee
  • Member of the School of Pharmacy Research and Graduate Studies Committee
  • Involved in developing e-learning and developing a competency tracking and mapping capability within the School of Pharmacy UCC in collaboration with the School of Pharmacy,Trinity College Dublin. This work is being carried out with funding obtained from the National Forum for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education to develop ePrePP (electronic preparation for professional practice). I am a member of the e-PrePP executive board and ePrePP aims to be a forum for inter-professional learning between medicine, pharmacy and nursing aiding undergraduate students transition to professional practitioner.  

March – April 2014                  Visited Pharos University Alexandria

Invited to present lectures on

  • E-Learning
  • Teaching and Assessment in UCC
  • Drug Design and Development
  • Mechanisms in Organic Chemistry
  • Potential Research Collaborations between UCC and Pharos University
May 13 – 14                  Half time role as coordinator, supervisor and technical support for Laboratory Practical's for second and third year undergraduate students in organic and pharmaceutical chemistry and organic spectroscopy laboratory sessions.                                     

Sept 08 – 11                 Assistant Lecturer                                                                 University College Cork

  • Presented lectures to Pharmacy, Chemistry and Chemistry of Pharmaceutical Compounds undergraduates
  • Facilitated both large and small group tutorials.
  • Delivered small group tutorials to 3rd and 4th year Chemistry students on advanced organic chemistry

2002-2010                   Part-time Teaching                                                                 University College Cork   

  • Lecturer on Physical Chemistry and  Introductory Pharmaceutical Chemistry to BPharm 1
  • Lecturer on chemistry of pharmaceutical compounds for the MSc in Pharmaceutical Engineering
  • Lecturer on Validation and Quality Systems for the MSc in Pharmaceutical Analysis and MSc in Biotechnology
  • Lecturer on Introductory Organic Chemistry for the Masters in Education
  • Coordinator for PACT (Peer Assisted Chemistry Tutorials) in the School of Pharmacy
  • Coordinator for PAL (Peer Assisted Learning) in Department of Chemistry
  • Created PAL Chemistry modules CM0001 and CM0003

Sept 07 – July 08         Course Coordinator for MSc in Pharmaceutical Technology and Quality Systems - Blended Learning Masters, UCC

  • Organised module coordinators and assisted in preparation of the module material for students.
  • Facilitated phone conferences and scheduled two, three day, on site revision days.
  • Liaised with students and module coordinators to ensure the course was run in an efficient and timely manner.
  • Facilitated on-line tutorials through Blackboard, UCC’s e-learning system, whiteboard, adobe connect
  • Organised on-line exams for continuous assessment
  • Actively involved in liaising with Pharmaceutical companies to promote and advertise the course and recruit students for future years.

Prepared and delivered a presentation on basic chemical safety to incoming and present PhD students across various disciplines.                  

2. Research

  • Postdoctoral Fellow with Dr Abina Crean (2011)

    • Involved trouble shooting API’s in relation to their physical properties and investigating how this would relate to their formulation

    • Involved in designing and creating a website - ATTLAS (Access to Third Level Analytical Services)http://www.attlas.ie/

  • Postdoctoral fellow with Dr Dan McCarthy and Prof Anita Maguire (2004-2005)

    • Evaluating the anti-cancer  potential of 3(2H)-furanones

    3. Industry

  • Research and Development Chemist                                          BMS, Syracuse, New York

    • Member of the development team. Responsible for process optimisation, key concerns being safety and cost effectiveness.

     Quality Assurance Chemist                                                    Warner Lambert, Cork

    • Validation of protocols for the new chemical building. 
    • Reviewing and amending of batch operating procedures. 
    • Involved in preparing site for FDA audit.

     Quality Control Chemist                               Ballinskelligs Veterinary Products, Co Kerry.

    • In-process and finished goods analysis using ultraviolet spectroscopy and volumetric titrations.

Research Interests


·         Synthesis of dithiophosphonate analogues or NRTIs and prodrugs thereof as novel compounds to combat HIV and other viral infections

·         Synthesis of tetrahydrothiophene analogues of existing NRTI’s and investigation of their biological activity

·         Synthesis of 3(2H)-Furanones as potential antiviral candidates

·         Investigating efficient methods for the introduction of Fluorine into medicinal products at a late stage in the synthesis, with potential for the methodology to be applied to the introduction of the 18F for use in PET Imaging.

Research Grants

 ProjectFunding
Body
Start DateEnd DateAward
e-PrePP- electronic Preparation for Professional PracticeOther: Not Listed01-DEC-1401-DEC-16€246,000.00
Implement and improve PATS (Peer Assisted Turorial Sessions) in ChemistryNAIRTL18-SEP-0901-SEP-10€5,000.00

Publications

Conference Publications

 YearPublication
(2013)5th Eurovariety in Chemistry Education Conference
Eileen M. O’Leary and Timothy P. O’Sullivan (2013) A PACT with pharmacy students 5th Eurovariety in Chemistry Education Conference Limerick, Ireland, [Details]
(2013)5th Eurovariety in Chemistry Education Conference
J.J. Keating, E.M. O'Leary and T.P. O'Sullivan (2013) Teaching Chemistry Through ‘Discipline’ Eyes’ 5th Eurovariety in Chemistry Education Conference Limerick, Ireland, [Details]

Professional Activities

Honours and Awards

 YearTitleAwarding Body
2013Received a SEFS Student Nominated Lecturer of the Year Award for Excellence in Teaching and Learning College of Science Engineering and Food Science, UCC
2013Received Presidents award for Research on Innovative Forms of Teaching Presidents Office University College Cork
2014Teaching Hero Award from the National Forum for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education in conjunction with the Union of Students in Ireland in the inaugural National Teaching Hero Awards National Forum for teaching and Learning in Higher Education and the Students Union Ireland

Conference Contributions

 YearPublication
(2004)56th Irish Universities Chemistry Research Colloquium,
E.M. O’Leary, R. Moylan and D.G. McCarthy (2004) Synthesis of 4-Fluoro-3(2H)-Furanones. [Poster Presentation], 56th Irish Universities Chemistry Research Colloquium, Limerick . [Details]
(2008)Retention Colloquium,
E.M. O'Leary and T. Dwan (2008) ENHANCE RETENTION THROUGH PEER ASSISTED LEARNING; Which Enhances Students’ Interaction, Confidence & Development. [Poster Presentation], Retention Colloquium, Athlone . [Details]
(2003)Eli Lilly Organic Chemistry Research,
E.M. O’Leary and D.G. McCarthy (2003) Synthesis of 4-Fluoro-3(2H)-Furanones. [Oral Presentation], Eli Lilly Organic Chemistry Research, University College Cork . [Details]
(2012)North West Organic Chemistry Symposium Liverpool,
E.M. O’Leary and T.P. O’Sullivan (2012) ‘A PACT (Peer Assisted Chemistry Tutorials) with Pharmacy Students’. [Poster Presentation], North West Organic Chemistry Symposium Liverpool, Liverpool . [Details]
(2009)A Trinity PALNET (Peer Assisted Learning Network) Symposium,
E.M. O'Leary and T. Dwan (2009) Peer Supported Learning in the Science Faculty, UCC. [Oral Presentation], A Trinity PALNET (Peer Assisted Learning Network) Symposium, Trinity College Dublin . [Details]
(2014)8th Irish Variety in Chemistry Education Conference,
E.M. O'Leary, T.P. O'Sullivan and J.J. Keating (2014) Assessment and Feedback in Chemistry Teaching; How can Technology Help?. [Oral Presentation], 8th Irish Variety in Chemistry Education Conference, Dublin Institute of Technology . [Details]

Committees

 CommitteeFunctionFrom / To
Research and Graduate Studies Committee in the School of Pharmacy, UCC Pharmaceutical Chemistry Representative2012 / 2015
Staff-Student Committee in the School of Pharmacy Pharmaceutical Chemistry Representative2012 / 2015

Teaching Activities

Teaching Interests

                         

Current courses


  • CM4022: Advanced Organic Synthesis, Biosynthesis and Reactivity

  • CM4108: Advanced Pharmaceutical Chemistry

  • PF2011: Research Methods and Applied Data Analysis

  • PF4001: Drug Design

  • PF3001: Pharmacognosy and Phytopharmaceuticals

  • PF3102: Pharmaceutical Chemistry III

  • PF3012: Respiratory, Musculoskeletal and Dermatology Systems

  • PF6301: Biopharmaceuticals: Formulation Design, Secondary Processing and Regulatory Compliance (MSc)

  • CM6010: Introductory Pharmaceutical Chemistry (MEng)

  • NU2057: General Nursing for Adults and their Families 1


Courses thought in the past

  • CM2002: Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry

  • CM3022: Synthesis, Structure and Reactivity of Organic Compounds

  • CM6003: Teaching Organic Chemistry (MEd)

  • PF1101: Introduction to Pharmaceutical Chemistry

  • Introductory general chemistry for students who had no leaving certificate chemistry (First Science Students)

  • Created PAL (Peer Assisted Learning) Modules CM0001 and CM0003

  • Operated PACT (Peer Assisted Chemistry Tutorials) for First Year Pharmacy Students 2011 & 2012



Current Postgraduate Students

 StudentDegree Type
Jones David James Doctoral Degree
O Donovan Fiona Patricia Doctoral Degree

Research Information

Internal Collaborators

 NameInstituteCountry
Professor Henry Smithson University College Cork, School of MedecineIRELAND
Mrs Caroline O Connor University College Cork, School of NursingIRELAND
Dr Bettie Higgs University College Cork, Ionaid Bairre Centre for Teaching and LearningIRELAND

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School of Chemistry

Scoil na Ceimic

Second Floor, Kane Building, University College Cork, T12 YN60

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