Siobhain O'Mahony has lead a successful academic (Director of two academic Programmes (2017-2023) and research career (H-index of 49). She graduated with a B.Sc. (Hons) in Neuroscience from University College cork. She then went on to complete a Masters in Neuropharmacology in the National University of Ireland, Galway. Siobhain worked in the Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology in the University of Maastricht, the Netherlands, which was funded by a Marie Curie Fellowship. Siobhain obtained a PhD. from the department of Psychiatry, UCC. She continued her research on adverse early life events and the development of pain-related disorders during a post-doctoral post in the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, Biosciences Institute, UCC. She then took up a post-doctoral position with GlaxoSmithKline validating lead compounds targeting visceral pain in models of irritable bowel syndrome. In 2008 Siobhain was appointed as Lecturer in the Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience at UCC. She is involved in teaching Anatomy and Neuroscience across 12 Programmes in UCC. She established the first of its kind in Ireland, MSc in Human Anatomy in 2017 and Directed this successful Programme for 3 years. She then went on to Direct the BSc in Neuroscience for another 3 years. Siobhain is also the coordinator of GM1001, a multi-discipline module for Graduate Entry to Medicine. Siobhain's main research areas assess outcomes of adverse events during the first 1000 days of life in particular the disruption of the developing gut microbiota through events such as antibiotic usage or stressful situations and maternal gut health. The outcomes assessed include the development of visceral pain in adulthood and alterations in the signaling in the brain-gut-microbiota axis. Siobhain also works in the Women's Health Research and Innovation space. She investigates the role of the microbiome in Menopause and its involve

I have published in high-impact internationally peer-reviewed journals consistently since 2005. I have a H-index of 49 (Google Scholar) and have 12752 citations e.g. as Gastroenterology, Biological Psychiatry, Elife and Brain Behaviour and Immunity. My main research interest lies in the communication within the brain-gut-microbiota axis. It is recognised that this axis regulates gastrointestinal function in both healthy and diseased states. However, a role for the enteric microbiota including both commensal and pathogenic organisms in these interactions has only been recognised in the past few years. The gastrointestinal bacterial community is responsible for important functions including development of the immune system, pain modulatory system, protection of the gut and it is also known to impact on behaviour. The brain can influence enteric microbiota indirectly and communication from enteric microbiota to the host occurs via multiple mechanisms and can influence brain and behaviour. A dysfunction in the signalling systems within this axis can result in life-long debilitating disorders with a significant decrease in quality of life. The early neonatal period is the most dynamic stage of gastrointestinal bacterial colonisation when important host-microbe relationships are forged. During early life a number of factors may interfere with the appropriate colonisation of the gut rendering an individual susceptible to the development of disorders that are associated with an altered gut microbiota such as irritable bowel disorder (IBS). We study the implications of interrupting the bacterial colonisation of the gut in early life. As well as postnatal life we investigate the effects of stressors during preconception and pregnancy on the colonisation of the infant gut. I am also interested in the gender and sex differences with rega

Since 2008 I have consistently delivered high quality teaching across 12 different Programmes within UCC. I ensure advancement of disciplinary learning and teaching and focus on developing innovative teaching/learning strategies to enhance learning. I was the Third-year Coordinator for the Neuroscience degree Programme from 2011-2020. I was the Programme Director for the taught MSc in Human Anatomy (2017-2020) which is the first of its kind in the Republic of Ireland. https://www.ucc.ie/en/anatomy/study/postgraduatetaughtstudies/ I established this Programme in 2017 and through my leadership and strategic efforts it has been a success. I was the Director of the BSc Neuroscience from 2020-2024 and 4th year coordinator. I am currently the coordinator of the multi-discipline module GM1001 for Graduate Entry to Medicine. I teach and examine anatomy and neuroscience to Graduate Entry to Medicine, Neuroscience, Dentistry, Dental Hygienists, Pharmacy, Science, Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy students. This involves course design, curriculum development, and assessment development. Modules coordinated: AN1005-Principles of Human Structure for Dentistry (5 credits) AN1075-Principles of Human Structure for Pharmacy (5 credits) AN2003-Principles of Human Structure (5 credits) GM1001-Graduate Entry to Medicine (20 credits) Modules I contribute to: GM1001- Fundamentals of Medicine I for Graduate Entry to Medicine 1 GM1002- Fundamentals of Medicine II for Graduate Entry to Medicine 1 GM1003- Fundamentals of Medicine III for Graduate Entry to Medicine 1 GM2001- Fundamentals of Medicine IV