Local man receives Ireland’s highest academic honour

By Callum McGuigan

A TYRONE man has been officially elected as a Member of the Royal Irish Academy (RIA) – the highest academic honour one can attain in Ireland.

James O’Donnell, from Strabane, is a full Professor of Vascular Biology at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and St James’s Hospital in Dublin. He is also a clinician scientist and international opinion leader in the field of haematology and has made research discoveries that have impacted on improving the health and well-being of people in Ireland and globally.

Prof O’Donnell was officially afforded the honour at an RIA ceremony in the gardens of the Mansion House in Dublin at the end of May.

Speaking this week, the Tyrone man gave an insight into his education and career leading to his election to the esteemed society.

“I initially trained in medicine in Trinity College in Dublin, then after working in Altnagelvin and then Perth, Western Australia as a junior doctor, I got interested in medical research, and in particular the idea that physicians could play a key role in leading scientific research teams. So, I went on to complete a PhD in Imperial College in London.

“As a dually trained clinician scientist, I now split my time 50:50 between seeing patients in St James’s Hospital in Dublin and leading a large research team in the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin.”

Through his developing career, Prof O’Donnell took interest to haematology, which is the study of blood and bone marrow disorders. He also achieved success for his team’s breakthrough during Covid, when they found the side effect of clotting in Irish patients. Additionally, his research group has a specific focus on a disorder called Von Willebrand Disease (VWD) which affects up to 1% of the population.

“It is an incredible honour to be elected,” he continued. “This is really the ultimate recognition for academics working in Ireland. Although it represents a personal award, it is important to emphasise that it also recognises all the hard work by many of the people who have worked in my team over the past 20 years.”

The RIA is an independent, all-island learned society established under Charter in 1785.

Members, chosen for their distinguished contributions to scholarship and research in the sciences, humanities, social sciences and public service – www.ria.ie.