Fiona McGillicuddy, PhDSFI-HRB-Wellcome-Trust Career Development Fellow,

Conway Institute for Biomedical and Biomolecular Research, UCD, Dublin 4

fiona.mcgillicuddy@ucd.ie

‘My experience as a SFI-HRB-Wellcome Trust Career Development Fellowship Awardee’

Career Track before applying for RCDF

Background Profile & Mentors

• PhD Duration: 2002-2006

• Thesis Title: ‘Evaluation of novel N-isopropylacrylamide/N-tert-butylacrylamide copolymer microgel/matrix systems as anti-restenotic drug delivery vehicles’

• Main focus: cardiovascular disease – developing novel drug-delivery vehicles to limit in-stent restenosis after angioplasty procedures

• Two papers from thesis

Professor Alan Keenan

UCD Conway Institute

Dr. Muredach Reilly

Dr. Daniel Rader

Postdoctoral experience

Duration: From 2006 to 2009

Main focus: 1. Assessed the effects of inflammation on High

Density Lipoprotein (HDL) function and Reverse cholesterol transport.

2. Adipocyte biology: impact of inflammatory driven signals on human adipocyte insulin sensitivity

Post-doctoral position 1: HDL function and Reverse Cholesterol Transport (RCT)

CE FC

Liver

LCAT CE

FC

Bile

SR-BIFC

A-I

ABCA1

Macrophage

Nascent HDL Mature

HDL

A-I

CEFC

Senior Postdoctoral experience

Prof. Helen Roche

Duration: From 2009 to 2012

Main Focus: Led an SFI funded team assessing the contribution of IL-1 mediated signals to high-fat diet induced insulin resistance

Supervised a number of PhD students and also lectured to a number of courses

Maintained close ties with previous mentors and finished a number of manuscripts

UCD Conway Institute

Post-doctoral position 2: Contribution of IL-1RI mediated signals to high-fat diet induced insulin resistance

Career trajectory & goals

2002-2006

PhD

1. Publish papers2. Place myself in

competitive position for a PD abroad

2006-2009

Postdoc

1. Gain expertise in a lipid

metabolism & CVD field2. Publish

Senior postdoc1. Returned to

Ireland as a senior PD.

2. Gained experience in obesity/ nutrition field

3. Published high-impact paper in Ireland

4. Applied for WT CDA

2009-2012

2012- 2017

WT RCDF1. Publish2. Establish

independent research group

3. Place myself in competitive position for academic appointment

4. Teach5. committees6. Grant-writing7. PhD supervision

College Lecturer,

UCD School of Medicine and Medical

Science

2017+

Strategy

To place myself in a competitive position to achieve independent research funding

*Tip: You have two chances to apply – use them wisely…

• Undertook two PD positions in different areas for maximal training

• Mentors –scientific, medical and nutrition background

• Published – high-impact in field• Waited to get a publication back

in Ireland before applying for a career development award

• Created a unique research niche by taking ideas from both PD positions

Your research needs to align with the Wellcome Trust Research Strategy

Understanding how diet links obesity and CVD

The SFI-HRB-Wellcome Trust Grant Process

• Preparation - coming up with a good idea that is a separate entity from your mentor.

– Tricky balance to come up with an idea that is different enough so you’re not over-lapping but not something you have no experience in

– Advantage of doing two post-docs in two separate but complementary areas!

Grant Title: ‘Functional consequences of obesity-induced adipose tissue inflammation on high-density lipoprotein (HDL) acceptor

capacity and reverse cholesterol transport (RCT)’

Step 1: The preliminary application

• Hardest hurdle is to be shortlisted

• Two-page application

• Choose your mentor wisely

• Host institution important – do your research goals fit in with their

research strategy?

• CV updated – include publications

• One page review of scientific career to date

• Future career goals

Step 2: Full application process

• Concise and achievable aims• Realistic • Techniques – plan if you need to

learn to do them• Diagrams• Give your referees plenty of time • My project incorporated in vitro, in

vivo, ex vivo and human translational studies - strength

• Included a clinical importance section at end of my four WPs

• Project Risks – highlight any potential risks and ways to overcome/alternative strategies

Stage 3: Interview Stage• Prepare, prepare and prepare some

more!• Ask everyone who has done one of

these interviews about their experience.

• Panel was about 15 professors around the room…they were very nice but hard not to be intimidated!

• Tear apart your own proposal – most of the interview was based on the reviewer’s critiques of the proposal (5 external reviewers and you don’t get to see reviewers comments before interview)

• A portion of the interview was based on choice of location and mentor

Media Coverage

Career Track since getting a WT RCDF

2012

1. Hired my RA2. Animal licencing3. Set up models

2013

Invited TalksImperial College, UKQueens University,Belfast

Grants Funded (co-applicant)1. Helsinn Pharmaceuticals2. FIRM (RA joined me as PhD

student)

Oct’13 – Jun ‘14 2014

EAS conferenceBest poster award

Invited TalksUniversity of ZurichEstablished new collaborators

Career DevelopmentInterviewed and awarded a permanent lectureship in UCD School of Medicine – position to be taken up at end of RCDF

2015

Invited TalksTrinity College DublinEuropean fatty liver disease conference (EFLC)European atherosclerosis society (EAS)

Grants Funded (co-PI)1. EFSD2. UCD Seed Funding

Hired new RA 2nd PhD studentstarted

Maternity Leave

Top Priority:Papers!!

Two new PhD positions available

Acknowledgements

• Prof. Helen Roche• Dr. Muredach Reilly & Dr. Daniel Rader• SFI-HRB-Wellcome partnership