UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DUBLIN
HONORARY CONFERRING
Tuesday, 3 December 2013 at 11 a.m.
TEXT OF THE INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS DELIVERED BY PROFESSOR MICHAEL KEANE, UCD School of Medicine and Medical Science, University College Dublin on 3 December 2013, on the occasion of the conferring of the Degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa on Cormac Kilty
President, Distinguished guests, Ladies and gentlemen
It is a pleasure to introduce to you Dr Cormac Kilty who was born in Cork and following his early education in Cork moved to Dublin where he attended CBC Monkstown.
Dr Kilty next attended UCD to study science where he reached two milestones, obtaining his BSc degree and meeting his future wife, Anne. He subsequently went on to obtain a PhD in Zoology and Biochemistry from University College Dublin, Ireland. Dr. Kilty has carried out post-doctoral research in protein chemistry and immunology at the University of Texas at Austin and at University College Dublin.
His subsequent career exemplifies that of the rare individual with a passion for science married to a keen business acumen. It is often said that scientists and doctors make poor business men and managers, Dr Kilty has proven that is not the case.
He joined the Diagnostics Division of Baxter Healthcare in 1986 and served as the Head of their European Research and Development group in Switzerland from 1987 to 1991.
He was founder and CEO of Biotrin Technologies Ltd. in Dublin from 1992-08, founder and past Chairman of Opsona Theraputics, Dublin 2004-09 and founder and CEO of Argutus Medical, specialising in the development of novel biomarkers of kidney damage. He is the founder and recent past Chair of the Irish BioIndustry Association. He served as the Chief Technical Officer of EKF Diagnostics Holdings Plc since December 2, 2010.
He has been Director of Nova University College Dublin, since August 2006. He received the Biolink Life Science achievement award in 2007 from President Mary McAleese
Despite the successful career in biotechnology he has maintained strong links with the school of Medicine and the School of Business at UCD and is a major contributor to the newly opened Science Centre which has been the most recent addition to the transformation of the campus at UCD. This new building cements the central role for science on the campus. Through his generosity, the grey campus that I attended in the 1980s is a distant memory. It has been replaced by a vibrant one with science research and innovation at its core. Dr Kilty represents all that we strive for in research excellence and innovation.
On a more personal note he has strong ties to UCD hockey having served as its President. Behind all successful scientists and businessmen there is a family and I have no doubt that much of his success is a testament to his wife Anne, daughter Ruth Anne and son Michael who are all present today.
I can think of no more worthy recipient of the Doctor of Science degree and the School of Medicine and the wider University look forward to our ongoing collaborations.
Praehonorabilis Praeses, totaque Universitas,
Praesento vobis hunc meum filium, quem scio tam moribus quam doctrina habilem et idoneum esse qui admittatur, honoris causa, ad gradum Doctoratus in Scientiae; idque tibi fide mea testor ac spondeo, totique Academiae.