Professor Grainne O'Kane was appointed the inaugural Pat Smullen Chair in Pancreatic Cancer at University College Dublin, Cancer Trials Ireland announced on Friday.
The new position will anchor expertise in pancreatic research in Ireland, with the ambition of creating a global centre of excellence for the treatment and research of this form of cancer. The role will allow O'Kane to divide her time between clinical work as a treating physician at St Vincent's University Hospital and research work at UCD School of Medicine, where she will work to identify, attract, and open new pancreatic cancer trials, train the next generation of specialists in pancreatic cancer, and work to integrate care for pancreatic patients in Ireland.
O'Kane said, “A diagnosis of pancreatic cancer can be quite devastating as its one of the most difficult cancers to treat, however we are learning more and more every day. Research has contributed to this. This cancer has also come with two big challenges beyond science and medicine: People are not as aware of pancreatic cancer, compared to other cancers and despite being one of the most lethal cancers, it does not receive the same funding or attention as other cancers.”
“Frances Crowley and her family, and friends, and the horse racing community in Ireland have done a staggering amount to change this in Ireland. They put pancreatic cancer on the map, and in the past five years, raised more than €3m to research the disease and I am here today, in this role, because of that. I am honoured and humbled to receive this opportunity, and I'm very excited about the future.”
The position will receive €900,000 (€180,000 per annum) in funding over five years from Cancer Trials Ireland's Pat Smullen Pancreatic Cancer Fund with matching funding for the role from the HSE National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP). UCD will then take over Cancer Trials Ireland funding contribution to continue the partnership with the HSE NCCP. For more information on Cancer Trials Ireland, please visit their website.
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