Experience

Firecrest - ICON's Innovative Site & Patient Platform

• Ireland
• Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Pharmacologist

  • Mar 2022 - Present



University of Galway

• Ireland
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Postdoctoral Researcher

  • Oct 2019 - Mar 2022

• Doctoral Student

  • Sep 2015 - Oct 2019

  My research project involves establishing one of the first in vivo optogenetics set ups in Ireland and using this technique to study the role of glutamatergic neurons of the anterior cingulate cortex in the sensory and affective components of pain.



St. Mary's College of Maryland

• United States
• Higher Education
• 500 - 600 Employee

• Researcher

  • 2014 - 2015

  My senior thesis consisted of designing, executing, presenting, and writing an extensive report on an experiment entitled "Optogenetic Manipulation of Interneurons in the Striatum of a Parkinsonian Mouse Model". I performed stereotaxic surgeries to inject neurotoxin to induce a parkinsonian model, inject channel-rhodopsin encoded adeno-associated virus for optogenetic manipulation, and implant optic fibers for light stimulation. I was also responsible for setting up breeding pairs, maintaining the mouse colony, and genotyping each mice using PCR. I measured motor behaviors using rotarod, open field, and cylinder tests.I received a Tri­Beta Undergraduate Research Grant for this project and recieved the 2015 Myron G. Marlay Award for Science. Show less



NIA, National Institutes of Health

• Johns Hopkins Bayview Campus

• Summer Intern

  • Jun 2014 - Aug 2014

  This position was in the Laboratory of Neuroscience at the National Institute on Aging, NIH as a part of the Intramural Research Program. My responsibilities included maintaining mutant neuroglioma cells and performing experiments and assays. I performed LDH cytotoxicity assays, Seahorse XF Cell Mito Stress Test to measure mitochondrial function, BCA assays, and immunocytochemistry on cells. I also used Image­J software to analyze MRI images, used a cryostat to section mouse brain tissue, performed immunohistochemistry on sections, and performed western blot analysis of liver and cortex tissues. Show less



Maryland Psychiatric Reseach Center

• Catonsville, MD

• Research Assistant

  • Jun 2013 - Aug 2013

  I worked in the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center researching the effects of the habenula on depressive behavior in rats. I was responsible for testing sucrose preference of rats with a chronic unpredictable stress model of depression. I gained experience in several techniques including histology, open field testing, learned helplessness testing, and startle response testing. I worked in the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center researching the effects of the habenula on depressive behavior in rats. I was responsible for testing sucrose preference of rats with a chronic unpredictable stress model of depression. I gained experience in several techniques including histology, open field testing, learned helplessness testing, and startle response testing.



St. Mary's College of Maryland

• United States
• Higher Education
• 500 - 600 Employee

• Research Assistant

  • Sep 2012 - May 2013

  I assisted in a project to test cocaine seeking behavior of rats with the neonatal ventral hippocampal lesion (NVHL) animal model of schizophrenia. My responsibilities included measuring drug self-­administration of rats using operant chambers, assisting in jugular catheter insertion surgeries, and animal husbandry. We presented this research at the 2013 Society for Neuroscience Conference in San Diego. I assisted in a project to test cocaine seeking behavior of rats with the neonatal ventral hippocampal lesion (NVHL) animal model of schizophrenia. My responsibilities included measuring drug self-­administration of rats using operant chambers, assisting in jugular catheter insertion surgeries, and animal husbandry. We presented this research at the 2013 Society for Neuroscience Conference in San Diego.