Owen Smith (physician)

Owen Patrick Smith CBE (born 1958/1959) is an Irish haematologist. He was the Regius Professor of Physic at Trinity College, Dublin between 2014 and 2020. He has also been Professor of Haematology at Trinity since 2002 and Professor of Paediatric and Adolescent Haematology at University College Dublin since 2015.

"Owen Patrick Smith" redirects here. For the sports promoter, see Greyhound racing § History.

Owen Patrick Smith
Born1958 or 1959 (age 64–65) [notes 1]
Northside, Dublin
NationalityIrish
Alma materTrinity College Dublin
Known forstem cell transplantation
SpouseJude
Children3
Scientific career
InstitutionsOur Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin

Early life and education

Smith was born and raised on the Northside of Dublin, before beginning his education at Trinity College Dublin.[2] As a child, Smith lost his cousin due to childhood leukaemia, which he says has inspired him to find a cure.[1] He graduated from Trinity College, Dublin in 1980 and conducted his postgraduate training at the Royal Free Hospital.[2]

Career

While working at the Royal Free Hospital, Smith joined a six-month joint effort with the Great Ormond Street Hospital in stem cell transplantation. Upon its conclusion, he was offered a consultancy position but decline and accepted a job offer from the Harcourt Street Children's Hospital.[2] In 1998, he received the Junior Chamber Ireland's National Outstanding Young Person of the Year Award in the area of Scientific Development.[3]

In 2002, Smith was appointed Professor of Haematology at the Faculty of Medical and Dental Sciences at Trinity College Dublin.[4] He eventually became the Regius Professor of Physic at Trinity College, Dublin.[5] In 2015, Smith received an honorary Order of the British Empire for his major contributions to Irish medicine.[6]

Research

Smith is a principal investigator at the National Children's Research Centre (NCRC), Crumlin, and Systems Biology Ireland, University College Dublin; his research focuses on the protein C activation pathway and the systemic inflammatory response syndrome.[7]

In 2016, Smith was appointed the Ireland East Hospital Group (IEHG) Clinical Director of their Clinical Academic Directorate in Cancer (CADC).[4] In this role, he oversaw the launch of a partnership between University College Dublin and IEHG to form the CADC, touted as the "largest cancer treatment centre in the country."[8] Two years later, Smith was appointed the national clinical lead for Childhood, Adolescent and Young Adult Cancers by the National Cancer Control Programme.[9] He also co-published a study on Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia which showed that the cancer cells could be broken into three subgroups through analysis of DNA methylation.[10]

Personal life

Smith and his wife Jude have three children together.[11]

Notes
  1. In 2019, Smith was reported to be 60[1]

References
  1. Begley, Ian (15 February 2019). "'It was pretty much a death sentence at the time' - top cancer specialist driven to find cure after death of young cousin". Irish Independent. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  2. Myatt, Tom (3 February 2016). "In Trinity Leukemia Expert, an Unsung Hero". The University Times. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  3. "Owen Smith". people.ucd.ie. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  4. "Prof Owen Smith Appointed IEHG Cancer Clinical Director". ucd.ie. August 2016. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  5. "Owen Patrick Smith becomes new Regius Professor of Physic (1637)". tcd.ie. 22 July 2014. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  6. "Trinity Professor Honoured by HM The Queen for Child and Adolescent Cancer Research". tcd.ie. 8 December 2015. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  7. Lynch, Priscilla (14 April 2019). "Pushing the boundaries of leukaemia treatment and research". medicalindependent.ie. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  8. "New cancer centre partnership to deliver improved treatment". ucd.ie. 1 July 2016. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  9. Sheila Wayman (11 March 2020). "Young cancer patients are 'falling through the gap'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  10. "Major Research Development in Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukaemia". ucd.ie. 12 January 2018. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  11. "Professor Owen Smith" (PDF). tcd.ie. 17 December 2014. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
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