Prof. Timothy O’Brien
Prof. Timothy O’Brien is professor and chair of Medicine and Director of REMEDI at the University of Galway. He is consultant physician in Endocrinology and former Dean of the College of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences at the University of Galway.
Research Interest:
Prof. Timothy O’Brien trained in internal medicine and endocrinology in Cork, Milwaukee, Rochester and San Francisco. Prior to joining University of Galway, he worked at Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and the Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease at the University of California, San Francisco. In 2001 he was appointed as Head of Medicine at University of Galway and Consultant Endocrinologist at Galway University Hospital. In 2004 he established the Regenerative Medicine Institute (REMEDI) at University of Galway with funding from Science Foundation Ireland and currently holds the position of Director.
Research interests include the translation of basic research findings in stem cell biology to regenerative approaches to peripheral vascular disease and diabetic complications in partnership with industry and the health service. He has an active research group at REMEDI NUI Galway investigating the use of mesenchymal stromal cells and endothelial progenitor cells in vascular complications of diabetes mellitus. He is Director of the GMP cell manufacturing facility at NUI Galway and has been a PI on gene therapy and cell therapy clinical trials in Galway. In addition to a laboratory-based programme, his research brings together the Galway HRB Clinical Research Facility, the Galway Blood and Tissue Establishment and the Centre for Cell Manufacturing Ireland for translational research in stem cells and gene therapy.
Professor O’Brien is coordinator of 2 current EU funded projects; EU FP7 REDDSTAR which is developing and testing a novel stromal cell therapy to treat complications of diabetes mellitus and the recently started EU H2020 NEPHSTROM, which will clinically validate a novel stromal cell therapy for the stabilization of progressive diabetic kidney disease.
Publications:
Prof. O’Brien has published an average of 15 manuscripts per year over the past 5 years.
Prof. O’Brien has a total of 254 publications; with 103 Senior Author Publications; 174 Journal Articles; 80 Reviews and 21 Book Chapters.