Posted 07 December 2010
IMAGE Businesswoman Award for UCD researcher
UCD researcher and co-founder of Equinome, Dr Emmeline Hill has been presented with the 2010 IMAGE Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
In 2009, research led by Dr Emmeline Hill at the UCD School of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine resulted in the world’s first successful identification of a performance-related gene in Thoroughbred horses. This gene was found to predict sprinting ability and stamina potential, which can immediately identify a Thoroughbred as a potential sprinter, middle-distance or long-distance horse.
The identification of the ‘speed gene’ in Thoroughbreds has the potential to transform breeding decisions in an industry which has remained relatively unchanged for over 300 years.
Through Equinome, a company she co-founded with Jim Bolger, the well known Irish horse breeder and trainer, the Equinome Speed Gene Test was commercially launched in January 2010. The company, headquartered in NovaUCD, has already secured customers in Ireland, UK, France, USA, Australia, New-Zealand and Singapore, and new products are scheduled for release in 2011 and 2012.
“It is rewarding to see the calibre of entries has once again risen to a very impressive standard,” said Melanie Morris, Editor of IMAGE magazine. “Considering the challenges the winners and nominees have overcome in 2010, it proves just how hard working, creative and versatile Irish businesswomen are.”
The 2010 IMAGE Businesswoman Award recipients included: Avril Bannerton, Event Promoter, who was presented with the 2010 IMAGE Businesswoman of the Year Award; Nicole Dunphy of Pandora Bell, a luxury confectionary brand, who was presented with the 2010 IMAGE Young Businesswoman of the Year; and Jenny McDermott, Director of Marketing at Peter Mark, who was presented with the 2010 IMAGE Professional Woman of the Year Award.
IMAGE
IMAGE Publications was launched in 1975 with IMAGE magazine. It rapidly became Ireland’s leading women’s glossy, outselling all UK and Irish rivals. Over the years, it has grown from strength to strength. IMAGE is edited by Melanie Morris.(Produced by UCD University Relations)
