Meet The Teams

Core Study Team

  • MD – Lead PI

    Paul McNally

    Paul is a consultant in paediatric respiratory medicine and Director of Research and Innovation at Children’s Health Ireland. He is an associate Professor of Paediatrics at RCSI in Dublin . Paul’s main research interest is early CF lung disease and response to CF modulator therapies. Paul is lead investigator for the RECOVER study.

  • MD – Co-PI

    Jane Davies

    Jane is a Professor in Paediatric Respirology & Experimental Medicine at the National Heart and Lung Institute and an Honorary Consultant in Paediatric Respiratory Medicine at the Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust. She co-leads the site at the European CF Society Clinical Trials Network and has personal research programmes in infection, lung physiology and imaging.

  • Project Manager

    Rachel Cregan

    Rachel is the RECOVER Project Manager who plays a key role in the planning, coordination and execution of the study, working alongside the Lead Investigator, site PI’s, study management team and clinical research coordinators/research nurses to ensure all endpoints and timelines are met. Prior to her role on the RECOVER study, Rachel previously worked as a Pharmacovigilance Operations Specialist Manager in a leading global Clinical Research Organisation. Her time spent there has given her experience in a wide range of areas in clinical trials and post marketing research.

  • Study Monitor

    Mary Abkir

    Mary trained in Paediatric Respiratory/Sleep Physiology at Great Ormond Street Hospital as part of the Practitioner Training Programme (PTP) and graduated with a 1st class degree in Clinical Physiology in 2019. She joined the LCI Core Facility team in 2020 and is the lead coordinator for RECOVER at the Royal Brompton Hospital. Her other duties include: performing multiple breath washout (MBW) tests for clinical trials, analysing MBW data and providing training & certification to clinical sites across Europe.

  • Sponsor Contact

    Maurice Dowling

  • Adherence Lead

    Sharon Sutton

    Sharon holds a first class honours Masters of Pharmacy degree at Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Pharmacology at University College Dublin. She is undertaking a PhD as part of the RECOVER study and is the lead on the Adherence subsection of the research. Sharon has worked as a Clinical Pharmacist in Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) at Crumlin Hospital since 2014.

  • MD – Sinus Disease Lead

    Gavin Stone

    Gavin is undertaking sub-specialist training in paediatric respiratory medicine. He has worked as part of the CF teams in all three CHI sites and University Hospital Limerick. Currently he is working as a clinical lecturer with the RCSI in Dublin. He is the lead on the sinus and nasal disease subsection of RECOVER.

  • Psychology Lead

    Robyn Mulligan

    Robyn is completing a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Trinity College Dublin. She holds an undergraduate degree in Psychology and French from TCD as well as an MA in Applied Psychology (Mental Health) from UCC. Robyn’s doctoral research is based on understanding the experiences and expectations of adolescents with CF who have commenced Kaftrio. Robyn has worked clinically in a range of adult and child HSE mental health services as well as voluntary sector disability services. She joined the RECOVER research team in May 2021.

  • Psychology Lead

    Carla Simone Engel

    Carla is completing a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Trinity College Dublin. She holds an undergraduate degree in French and Spanish from TCD as well as an MSC in Psychology from the University of Nottingham and MA in Applied Psychology from University College Cork. Carla’s doctoral research is based on understanding the health beliefs of children with CF who have commenced Kaftrio, and their caregivers. Carla has worked clinically in both child and adult HSE community and mental health services. She joined the RECOVER research team in September 2021.

  • CFRI Representative

    Laura Kirwan

    Laura Kirwan is the Head of Research at CFRI. She holds a PhD in Statistics and worked as the CFRI Research Statistician before commencing her role as Head of Research in September 2020. She has had a varied career as a statistician working in Environmental Science, Health and Nutrition, before moving to CFRI in 2016. She also lectures in Statistical Programming and Research Methods in UCD.

  • PPI Team

    Carolyn Thornton

    Carolyn has a degree in Biochemistry and a Masters in Food Science. She teaches Science and Biology in St. David’s Holy Faith. Most importantly, she is a mother of a 21-year-old with Cystic Fibrosis. She has acted as a parent representative at conferences, attending ECFS in both Liverpool and Vienna. Carolyn has written pieces for the CF magazine on recent research findings and is involved in fundraising for CFI.

  • PPI Team

    Caroline Heffernan

    Caroline started working for CF Ireland in September 2007 as Patient Advocate on the Member’s Services Team. In her role as advocate she supports members from diagnosis through teenage years and into adult life. In addition to member advocacy, Caroline organises the annual conference and is involved with fundraising and raising awareness by visiting schools, colleges and medical institutes informing the public and future medical staff about aspects of living with CF. Previously Caroline worked for over 20 years as a liaison tutor for children with learning difficulties.

  • PPI Team

    Benat Broderick

    Benat aged 19 is from Dublin, Ireland. Benat lives with cystic fibrosis and has always had a keen interest in CF research. He is heavily involved in the CF community through his role as a Cystic Fibrosis Ireland Patient Ambassador.

Meet The Teams

  • Beaumont Hospital

  • Belfast City Hospital

  • Children’s Health Ireland – Crumlin

  • Children’s Health Ireland – Tallaght

  • Children’s Health Ireland – Temple Street

  • Core Study Team

  • Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Kids

  • Royal Brompton Hospital – London

  • St. Vincent’s University Hospital

  • University Hospital Limerick