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Professor Deirdre Mc Namara

Professor In (Clinical Medicine)
      
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Professor Deirdre Mc Namara

Professor In (Clinical Medicine)

 mcnamad@tcd.ie

 


I am a graduate of Trinity College Dublin Medical school and completed Higher Specialist Training in Gastroenterology with the RCPI. I was awarded an MD from TCD before travelling abroad to complete fellowships in interventional endoscopy in Germany and cancer prevention at the National Institute of Health, USA. I became a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh in 2006 and of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland in 2010. I was appointed as a Consultant Gastroenterologist at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in 2004 where I developed additional subspecialty interests in small bowel bleeding and endoscopy. I returned to Trinity College as an Associate Professor of Medicine in 2010 where I founded the TAGG (Trinity Academic Gastroenterology Group) Research Centre and was Head of Department for Clinical Medicine at Tallaght University Hospital from 2012-2014. As the Director of TAGG I lead a highly successful multidisciplinary team of researchers and postgraduate students with interests in small bowel disease, minimally invasive capsule endoscopy and Helicobacter pylori resistance. Clinically, I have helped to develop Tallaght Hospital's national and international reputation as a centre of excellence for small bowel disease and for post graduate training, having been awarded both Aspire RCPI and United European Gastroenterology Training Fellowships. I have always had an interest in undergraduate medical education and have held formal teaching positions throughout my career. From my initial appointment as a Lecture / Registrar at TCD in 1996 to my current role today I have focused on improving and optimising the design and delivery of clinical medicine teaching. I am always proud to represent and advocate for Trinity as Past President of the Irish Society of Gastroenterology, Chairperson of the National Clinical Advisory Group & Chairperson of the Irish Helicobacter pylori Consensus Group. I also hold national endoscopy training and colon capsule service roles. International representations include both the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and United European Gastroenterology Federation research, quality improvement and executive committees.
  Capsule Endoscopy   device assisted enteroscopy   HELICOBACTER PYLORI INFECTION   Small Bowel Angiodysplasia
Details Date
European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Governing Board April
Chair Irish Helicobacter pylori Working Group 2016- to date
European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy National Representative 2023
President Irish Society of Gastroenterology 2021-2023
National Capsule Endoscopy Clinical Advisory Group 2022- to date
Chair Gastroenterology Clinical Programme 2021-2023
Associate Editor Frontiers in Gastroenterology 2022- to date
National Endoscopy Training Committee (RCPI / RCSI) 2018- to date
Board Member Irish Society of Gastroenterology 2214- 2023
Treasurer Medical Board Tallaght University Hospital 2014-2017
SJH/TUH Joint Research Ethics Committee Member 2012- 2015
Chair National IBD Transition Group 2014-2015
United European Gastroenterology National Societies Forum, Irish Representative 2015- to date
European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Quality Improvement Committee 2014- to date
Associate Editor United European Gastroenterology Journal 2018- 2022
SATC Centre, Odense University Hospital, Svenborg, Denmark, Senior Consultant 2017- to date
ESGE -ESGAR CT-CCE Guideline Committee 2019- 2021
United European Gastroenterology Federation Meeting of Members (Council) 2015- 2018
Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), Grant Peer Reviewer Dutch Digestive Foundation, Grant Peer Reviewer 2017
Details Date From Date To
Irish Society of Gastroenterology 2004 to date
European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) 2010
European Crohn's and Colitis Organisation 2010 2020
Fellow Royal College of Physicians of Ireland 2010
Fellow Royal College Physicians of Edinburgh 2006
Sidhu R, Shiha MG, Carretero C, Koulaouzidis A, Dray X, Mussetto A, Keuchel M, Spada C, Despott EJ, Chetcuti Zammit S, McNamara D, Rondonotti E, Sabino J, Ferlitsch M; External Voting Panel., Performance measures for small-bowel endoscopy: a European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) Quality Improvement Initiative - Update 2025, Endoscopy, 57, (4), 2025, p366 - 389, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI
Molloy SD, Butler TJ, Merrigan I, Knight A, Parihar V, Van Der Merwe K, McNamara D, Smith SM, Evaluation of real-time PCR compared to culture for the detection of clarithromycin resistant Helicobacter pylori in the Irish healthcare setting, Microbiota in Health and Disease, 5, (e956), 2023, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI
Spada C, McNamara D, Despott EJ, Adler S, Cash BD, Fernández-Urién I, Ivekovic H, Keuchel M, McAlindon M, Saurin JC, Panter S, Bellisario C, Minozzi S, Senore C, Bennett C, Bretthauer M, Dinis-Ribeiro M, Domagk D, Hassan C, Kaminski MF, Rees CJ, Valori R, Bisschops R, Rutter MD., Performance measures for small-bowel endoscopy: a European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) Quality Improvement Initiative., Endoscopy, 51, 2019, p574 - 598, Journal Article, PUBLISHED
Spada C, Hassan C, Bellini D, Burling D, Cappello G, Carretero C, Dekker E, Eliakim R, de Haan M, Kaminski MF, Koulaouzidis A, Laghi A, Lefere P, Mang T, Manuel Milluzzo S, Morrin M, McNamara D, Neri E, Pecere S, Pioche M, Plumb A, Rondonotti E, Spaander MCW, Taylor S, Fernandez-Urien I, van Hooft JE, Stoker J, Regg D, Imaging alternatives to colonoscopy: CT colonography and colon capsule. European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) and European Society of Gastrointestinal and Abdominal Radiology (ESGAR) Guideline- Update 2020, Endoscopy, 52, (12), 2020, p1127 - 1141, Journal Article, PUBLISHED
Holleran G, Hussey M, Smith S, McNamara D, Assessment of serum angiogenic factors as a diagnostic aid for small bowel angiodysplasia in patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding and anaemia, World Journal of Gastrointestinal Pathophysiology, 8, (3), 2017, p127 - 132, Journal Article, PUBLISHED
Tighe D, Hall B, Jeyarajah SK, Smith S, Breslin N, Ryan B, McNamara D., One-Year Clinical Outcomes in an IBD Cohort Who Have Previously Had Anti-TNFa Trough and Antibody Levels Assessed, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, 23, (7), 2017, p1154 - 1159, Journal Article, PUBLISHED
Yang S, Wang B, Humphries F, Jackson R, Healy M, Bergin R, Aviello G, Hall B, McNamara D, Walsh P, Russell S, Hussey S, O'Sullivan M, Darby T, Quinlan A, Shanahan F, Melgar S,Fallon PG, Moynagh P, Pellino3 ubiquitinates RIP2 and mediates NOD2-induced signaling and protective effects in colitis, Nature Immunology, 14, (9), 2013, p927 - 936, Journal Article, PUBLISHED
McNamara D, El-Omar EM, How accurate are fecal tests for determination of cure after Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy?, Nature Clinical Practice. Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 4, (5), 2007, p248-9 , Journal Article, PUBLISHED
Holleran G, Barry S, Thornton O, Dobson M, McNamara D., The use of small bowel capsule endoscopy in iron deficiency anaemia: low impact on outcome in the medium term despite high diagnostic yield., European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 25, (3), 2013, p327 - 332, Journal Article, PUBLISHED
Holleran G, Hussey M, Hall B, Dobson M, Thornton O, McNamara D., Small bowel angiodysplasia and novel disease associations: a cohort study., Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology, 48, (4), 2013, p433 - 438, Journal Article, PUBLISHED
  

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O'Connor C., McNamara D., Nakagome S., A statistical modelling reveals bi-directional chromatin scanning by RAG in the human TCR-alpha locus, bioRxiv, 2020, p14 , Journal Article, PUBLISHED
Deirdre McNamara, Fintan O'Hara, Conor Costigan and Sandeep Sihag on behalf of The Irish Capsule Endoscopy Registry, ICaRE Annual Report 2024, Tallaght University Hospital, July, 2025, https://bit.ly/3U1Xdbd, Report, PUBLISHED

  


Award Date
Distinction Award, American Gastroenterological Association 2001, 2013, 2015
Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst Scholarship, German Federal Ministry of Education and Research 2002
NCI Summer Curriculum in Cancer Prevention Scholarship, National Cancer Institute/Health Research Board 2003
Most Cited Articles Award Science Direct Publishing Group 2008
Abstract Prizes Irish Society of Gastroenterology 2010, 11, 13,14,15,17, 19, 20, 21 & 22
Abstract Prizes United European Gastroenterology Federation (UEGW) 2011, 2019
Meath Foundation & Adelaide Society O"Morain Research Award 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021
European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) Research Award 2012
United European Gastroenterology Federation National Scholar Award 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
European Crohn's and Colitis Fellowship Award 2016
European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Mentor Award 2023
Research Overview Research Position-Founder and Director TAGG Research Centre, Trinity College Dublin Research Description- Multidisciplinary Clinical Translational Gastroenterology Major Themes- Small bowel bleeding and small bowel endoscopy, minimally invasive endoscopy and Helicobacter pylori infection Related National & International Roles and Collaborations International CApsule endoscopy REsearch (I-CARE) Group European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Small Bowel Quality Improvement Committee European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Days Faculty National Endoscopy Program Capsule Endoscopy Working Group European Helicobacter pylori Registry Chair Irish Helicobacter pylori Working Group Major Research Impacts- Establishment of a national referral centre for suspected small bowel bleeding and interventional enteroscopy at TUH Development of a national colon capsule service Development of international and national practice and technical guidelines and quality assurance measures for small bowel endoscopy Establishment of a national multidisciplinary Helicobacter pylori working group and development of Irish management guidelines Recognition as a centre of translational research and clinical excellence across Europe with both the United European Gastroenterology Federation and the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy awarding visiting fellowships to TAGG Supervision and mentoring the next generation of clinical academics with over 11 postgraduate MD students choosing to do their research with me. Research Data- I have published widely in my field of research with over 150 papers and almost 400 conference abstracts as well as over 50 invited presentations to learned societies, with a H-index of 29 and > 2,400 citations from Web of Science (https://www-webofscience-com.elib.tcd.ie/wos/alldb/citation-report/c750a77a-2f3d-400c-91fd-f0b702494f3b-e8101c81). Research grants and research awards from the Health Research Board, National Cancer Society, European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, European Crohn's and Colitis Foundation, Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, Meath Foundation and Industry. Current research initiatives and future directions: Major current projects a) Clinical trial assessing the efficacy of an alternative capsule based strategy for the investigation of patients presenting with overt upper / small bowel GI bleeding b) Clinical trial comparing two different treatments for the management of acute upper GI bleeding (Adrenaline + a) Purastat or b) Standard of Care c) Irish colon capsule registry- as the developer and data controller for this national initiative we hope to tailor colon capsule services in Ireland to optmise efficacy, improve outcomes and enhance the patient experience. d) Completion of the 2024 Irish H.pylori management consensus process which I chair, and the dissemination of our guidelines. As well as assessment of the efficacy of key recommendations. e) Validation of the efficacy of the angiogenic factors, Angiopoietin 1 & 2 as biomarkers of small bowel angiodysplasia bleeding and the need for intervention