THE ROYAL IRISH ACADEMY IS IRELAND'S LEADING BODY OF EXPERTS IN THE SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES

The Royal Irish Academy/Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann champions research. We identify and recognise Ireland’s world class researchers. We support scholarship and promote awareness of how science and the humanities enrich our lives and benefit society. We believe that good research needs to be promoted, sustained and communicated. The Academy is run by a Council of its members. Membership is by election and considered the highest Academic honour in Ireland.

Read more about the RIA
  • Home

William T. O'Connor

University of Limerick

Professor William T. (Billy) O’Connor is Foundation Professor, and Head of Teaching and Research in Physiology at the University of Limerick Graduate Entry Medical School which is the first new medical school to be established in Ireland in over 150 years.  Prior to this appointment he was Associate Professor of Pharmacology at the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, and Head of Neuroscience Research in University College Dublin.

His main focus is the understanding of illness of mind and brain as a disorder of the nerve network. He was awarded the Conway Silver Medal in 2000 by the Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland in recognition of his contribution to the field of bioscience and the SCRIP Award in 2005 for best partnership alliance with Wyeth for cooperative work on brain illness treatments.

Over the past 35 years he has authored a total of 450 publications including 214 refereed publications, 121 of which are full original papers, 8 reviews, 4 book chapters, one editorial as well as 236 conference proceedings abstracts. He has also edited one book; Monitoring Molecules in Neuroscience (2001).

He is a founding member of Neuroscience Ireland, a fellow of the Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland and served on the scientific advisory boards of the Health Research Board, Enterprise Ireland, and the European Commission.
Billy retains a strong commitment to scientific outreach and communication. This is best illustrated through his the popular Inside-the-Brain website, Twitter and Facebook accounts which report on the latest findings from the world of brain research. 

Support the future of sciences & humanities in Ireland

Make a donation