Michael Kerin is Chair of Surgery at the University of Galway and Director of the Cancer Managed Clinical Academic Network (MCAN) for HSE West and North West. In 2024 Prof Kerin was conferred with a higher doctorate DSc degree based on published works from the National University of Ireland. He was appointed vice president of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland in June 2024. As Consultant Surgeon he has a special interest in breast and endocrine cancer. He is research director of the National Breast Cancer Research Institute, principal investigator of Precision Oncology Ireland, All Island Cancer Research Institute (AICRI) and co-investigator of numerous other collaborative cancer research initiatives. Prof Kerin's research interests include molecular profiling in cancer, cancer risk prediction and innovative methods for breast cancer diagnosis and management. 

Michael Kerin is research director of the National Breast Cancer Research Institute which funds much of the cancer research in the Discipline of Surgery. He is a Principal Investigator with Precision Oncology Ireland and AICRIstart programme. He was previously principal investigator with the Irish Cancer Society BREAST-PREDICT project and Clinical Lead on the Science Foundation Ireland-funded Biomedical Diagnostics Institute ONC2 project. He has also previously received co-funding from the Health Research Board and Molecular Medicine Ireland.

Professor Kerin delivers part of the surgical curriculum to undergraduate medical students and is the programme director of the taught Masters in Surgery (MCh) course at University of Galway. The programme provides surgical trainees with the academic and scientific research skills needed for progression to higher surgical training schemes and academic surgery.