Professor Eilís Dowd received her PhD from the University of Edinburgh, after which she completed post-doctoral research at the University of Cambridge, McGill University and Cardiff University. She now holds a Full Professorship in Pharmacology at the University of Galway where one of her primary interests is in the potential of biomaterials to enhance brain repair for Parkinson’s.

Over the years, her research has been funded by the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, the Wellcome Trust, the European Union, Science Foundation Ireland, the Health Research Board and the Irish Research Council.

Her research was the subject of the Parkinson’s documentary “Feats of Modest Valour” which won the AAAS “Scientist Award” at the Imagine Science Film Festival in New York.

Her contributions have been recognised through leadership positions including the Presidencies of both NECTAR (the Network for European CNS Transplantation and Restoration) and Neuroscience Ireland (Ireland’s official neuroscience society). She has also served on the Governing Councils of both the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) and the International Brain Research Organization (IBRO), and she has held editorial roles with the British Journal of Pharmacology, the European Journal of Neuroscience and Neuronal Signaling.

Professor Eilís Dowd is originally from Carna in the Connemara Gaeltacht. She spent her childhood alternating between playing outdoors in the gorse, heather & rocks, and being confined to bed with severe asthma, struggling to breathe. Her interest in biology stemmed from a fascination with the profound impact of her anti-asthma medications. As an undergraduate student, Eilís first learned how her inhalers actually produced their biological effects, and this cemented her love of biology and pharmacology which she retains to the present day. At the heart of her teaching is a desire to share her passion and love of pharmacology with her students. Indeed, she wants to stimulate intrigue in her students - intrigue about how drugs work and their effects on our bodies, both beneficial and harmful.

Teaching Awards:

2021: Dean's Award for Teaching Excellence: Professor Dowd was awarded the Dean's Award for Teaching Excellence from the College of Medicine, Nursing amp; Health Sciences in 2021.

2014: President's Award for Teaching Excellence: Professor Dowd was Team Leader for the Pharmacology Team awarded the President's Award for Teaching Excellence in 2013-2014.

2018: National Forum DELTA Award Shortlist: Team Member. Professor Dowd was Team Member of the Pharmacology Team shortlisted for a National Teaching Award for Disciplinary Excellence in Learning, Teaching and Assessment (DELTA) from the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education in 2018.