RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences has announced the appointment of Professor Siobhan Glavey as Chair and Professor in the Department of Pathology.

Professor Glavey will build on RCSI's international track record in pathology teaching and research by advancing the university's use of new educational technologies in pathology and driving research innovations to bring about improvements in patient care.

Professor Glavey takes on the new appointment alongside her role as a Consultant Haematologist at Beaumont Hospital, where she specialises in all aspects of haematology, with a particular interest in plasma cell disorders. During her specialist training in Ireland and the United States, she developed expertise in blood cancers and has published extensively in this field. Previously she worked as a clinical lecturer in medicine at RCSI and Trinity College, Dublin and contributed to the development of undergraduate curriculum reform in haematology.

Since joining RCSI and Beaumont Hospital in 2019, Professor Glavey has established a research group and successful collaborations focusing on the bone marrow microenvironment and the development of predictive biomarkers for personalised medicine and novel therapeutic strategies in multiple myeloma blood cancer.

Professor Glavey said: "I am delighted to lead the Department of Pathology at Ireland's largest medical school and one of the most internationally-focused medical schools in the world. With emerging horizons in cancer diagnostics and therapeutics, precision medicine and virtual pathology, there has never been a more dynamic and exciting time to work in pathology. My goal is to introduce new educational innovations utilising virtual pathology, to ensure that our medical students have access to next-generation learning resources, enabling them to make meaningful contributions as the healthcare experts of the future.

"Building on my group's research in multiple myeloma, I aim to leverage our expertise to ensure access to the highest quality service for patients with this disease. Cancer research is a strategic imperative for the university and I will continue to build international collaborations to advance our research in blood cancer and inform global approaches to diagnostics and treatment in the field," added Professor Glavey.

RCSI CEO Professor Cathal Kelly said: "We are delighted to welcome Professor Siobhan Glavey to her new role as RCSI Chair and Professor of Pathology. As a world-leading health sciences university, our pioneering approach to education equips our students to succeed in complex clinical settings in Ireland and across the world. Our curriculum is underpinned by cutting-edge clinical research and enabled by the latest technologies that will provide our students with the skills and knowledge to thrive as future healthcare leaders."

Professor Glavey holds a CSCST in clinical and laboratory haematology, from the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and a Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists, UK. She was the first trainee in a pathology discipline in Ireland to be awarded a HRB National Specialist Academic Fellowship in 2011. She completed her PhD in Medicine at NUI Galway and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School. She holds degrees in pharmacology and medicine from NUI Galway and completed her training in internal medicine at Galway University Hospital and Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, Minnesota.

Professor Glavey has received research funding support and awards from the Health Research Board, The American Society of Haematology and Science Foundation Ireland. She has established investigator initiated studies and industry collaborations focusing on genomics in multiple myeloma including a partnership with SkylineDx with funding support from Amgen; Celgene, a Bristol Myers Squibb company; and Janssen.

RCSI's Department of Pathology is responsible for undergraduate education and postgraduate education in pathology, mentoring of students, research and contributing to the national and international developments in surgical pathology, research and education. The department has close links with the Department of Diagnostic Histopathology in Beaumont Hospital and consultant histopathologists in Beaumont Hospital contribute extensively to the teaching of RCSI students.