On Friday 7th July, University College Dublin (UCD) opened its call for applications for two new chairs in cancer research at UCD School of Medicine - The Pat Smullen Chair in Pancreatic Cancer and the Nancy Boland Chair in Musculoskeletal Oncology. The two new positions, the establishment of which was also announced last Friday, have been made possible thanks to significant philanthropic support from donors to UCD Foundation.
UCD School of Medicine is welcoming applications for both roles from outstanding clinician scientists in medical oncology with internationally competitive profiles in research, training and education. The appointees will join a highly successful and innovative department that is transforming healthcare in Ireland and around the world. The successful candidates will provide academic leadership within the university and clinical leadership at the partnering hospitals. They will also develop and lead robust and innovative research programmes. Both positions include academic responsibilities, with the chairs contributing significantly to the academic development of UCD’s medical students, providing high-quality training for the next generation of experts in oncology, and ultimately, advancing care for cancer patients.
The Pat Smullen Chair in Pancreatic Cancer will work to identify, attract, open and monitor new pancreatic cancer trials for patients in Ireland. The appointee will share their time between their clinical work as a treating physician at St Vincent’s University Hospital – the national surgical centre for pancreatic cancer – and their research work at UCD. The appointee will assume a leadership role within the university, school and the hospital in education and training; research and innovation; and clinical service. They will anchor expertise in pancreatic research in Ireland with the ambition of creating a global centre of excellence for treatment and research in this form of cancer. They will also be an experienced clinical leader who will contribute to the development of a state-of-the-art medical oncology clinical services at the hospital and across the island.
The Pat Smullen Chair in Pancreatic Cancer is named in memory of the Irish champion jockey, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in March 2018 and sadly died in 2020. The position is funded by the Pat Smullen Pancreatic Cancer Fund at Cancer Trials Ireland, with matched funding from the HSE National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP).
The Nancy Boland Chair in Musculoskeletal Oncology will be based at St Vincent’s University Hospital and at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Cappagh. The appointee will be expected to build and lead an internationally competitive research group in musculoskeletal oncology. The post is intended to advance the integration of existing education programmes, expand teaching to include medical graduates in the hospital environment and facilitate formalisation of teaching at Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital, Dublin. UCD School of Medicine is looking to attract an experienced clinical leader who will contribute to the development of state-of-the-art musculoskeletal oncology clinical services at the two hospitals and across the island. As part of their academic activities, the chair will lead undergraduate teaching and clinical training in orthopaedic surgery and surgical oncology at UCD School of Medicine as part of an integrated evidence-based medicine degree programme.
The establishment of the chair has been philanthropically funded by UCD alumnus, surgeon at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and Professor of Clinical Orthopaedic Surgery at Weil Cornell Medical School in New York, Dr Patrick J. Boland. The Chair is named in honour of Dr Boland’s mother, Nancy.
Speaking at the launch of the call for applications for 
the two new positions, Full Professor of Medicine and Therapeutics, and Head of UCD School of Medicine, Professor Michael Keane said: “The establishment of these two new chairs in cancer research is consistent with UCD’s strategic priority to be a research-intensive university. The new positions, recruitment for which is open from today, will see the development and implementation of robust and innovative research programmes in both pancreatic cancer and musculoskeletal oncology. With teaching hours included as part of the roles, the appointees will contribute to the academic development of the 3,300 undergraduate and postgraduate students at UCD School of Medicine.
“The position is an excellent opportunity for the successful candidates to drive research and teaching activities in an ambitious academic environment, contributing to UCD's global footprint in healthcare science research. The chairs, when appointed, will be joining the School’s 100 investigators, generating approximately €15 million in annual research income and boasting grants under management work worth over €85 million.”
Professor Keane added: “Every three minutes in Ireland, someone receives a cancer diagnosis. This latest response to the need to drive developments in cancer research would not be possible without the generous support of our philanthropic donors. I want to take this opportunity to share UCD School of Medicine’s gratitude with Cancer Trials Ireland, the Smullen Family and Dr Patrick Boland for their philanthropic support for the establishment of the two new positions. It is thanks to support like theirs that cancer research and teaching continues to advance, improving our knowledge of the disease, its diagnosis, therapeutic manipulation, and ultimately patient outcomes.”
UCD alumnus and surgeon at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Dr Patrick J Boland said: “It has been important to me to support the establishment of the Nancy Boland Chair in Musculoskeletal Oncology. Through my own work, I have done extensive clinical research into sacral tumours and in the assessment of quality of life in patients with metastatic bone cancer. It is crucial that we keep advancing our knowledge and treatments to combat this disease and enhance the quality of care for patients.
“It has been a bonus for me to create this position at my alma mater, UCD and partnering hospitals St Vincent’s University Hospital and the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Cappagh. I’ve seen first-hand, during my time as a student and working with more recent graduates from the University, the quality of teaching at this academic and research centre of excellence. I look forward to seeing the impact of the new Chair when appointed and their role in training the future generation of oncologists.”
Eibhlín Mulroe, CEO of Cancer Trials Ireland said: “It is wonderful to be able to launch this new Chair in pancreatic cancer, and continue our understanding of this, a form of cancer with one of the poorest outcomes. The position will receive €900,000 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’s funding contribution to continue the partnership with the HSE NCCP.
“With this development, we are giving a long-term commitment to investing in people who are expert in pancreatic cancer and its research, right at the centre of expertise in this country in University College Dublin.”
The recruitment process for the two positions is being managed by UCD. Interested candidates can make a formal application for the positions via the University College Dublin recruitment website: https://www.ucd.ie/workatucd/jobs/. The closing date for applications is 5pm on Friday, 1st September 2023.