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IAD Undergraduate Scholarships Autumn 2025

I was honoured to be awarded the IAD Undergraduate Scholarship to attend the Irish Association of Dermatologists Autumn Meeting 2025. This opportunity provided an invaluable platform to engage with leading clinicians and researchers in dermatology from across Ireland and beyond.

The conference programme featured an inspiring range of talks covering clinical advances, innovative research, and global perspectives in dermatology. I particularly valued the opportunity to meet other trainees, fostering meaningful professional connections that I hope will lead to future collaborations. 

During the meeting, I had the privilege of presenting a poster of my research titled “Regression within Primary Melanomas: Frequency and Associated Features in an Irish Cohort.” Sharing my work and receiving insightful feedback was both motivating and enriching, further deepening my interest in melanoma research.

I am sincerely grateful to the IAD for this scholarship and for organising such a welcoming and educational event. Attending the meeting was a highlight of my academic year and has further strengthened my commitment to pursuing a career in dermatology.

Philippa Harold-Barry, University College Cork

Nursing Bursaries

To the Irish Dermatology Association, 

I am writing to express my sincere gratitude for the educational bursary, which enabled me to attend the European Society of Paediatric Dermatology (ESPD) conference in Brussels in May 2025. 

The conference offered invaluable opportunities for learning, professional development, and networking with colleagues from across Europe and beyond. I attended lectures and workshops led by experts in the field, which deepened my understanding and will undoubtedly influence my future practice. The highlights for me included the Vascular Anomalies sessions, featuring Dr Eulalia Baselga presenting the new ISSVA classification and Dr Laurence on targeted therapy in vascular anomalies. Other memorable moments included Dr Lisa Weibel’s very entertaining talk titled “When things don’t go as expected” and Antonio Torrelo’s plenary lecture on Autoinflammatory Disorders. Laura Fertitta’s lecture, “What’s new in NF1,” was particularly interesting to me and relevant to the clinics I attend at CHI. It was also great to attend lectures from our Irish colleagues, Prof. Irvine, Dr Cathal O’Connor, and Dr Aoife Cassidy, who is part of the Future Leader scheme. 

I am grateful for the Association’s commitment to supporting my ANP development and journey. Thank you once again for your encouragement, generosity, and vision. I look forward to sharing the knowledge I have gained and contributing to the IDNA. 

With sincere appreciation, 

Kind Regards,
Annette Durkan
cANP Dermatology CHI Crumlin
 

Dr. Lisa Kiely awarded a Fulbright-HRB Student award

Dr. Lisa Kiely, a Dermatology Specialist Registrar and Irish Clinical and Academic Training (ICAT) Fellow at University College Cork, has been awarded a Fulbright-HRB Student award to conduct research at UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, in 2026. Currently undertaking a PhD with Dr. Mary Bennett at South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital, Cork, Dr. Kiely is exploring novel imaging techniques to detect disease activity in morphea, a rare inflammatory skin condition. During her Fulbright award, she will work with Prof. Heidi Jacobe, a global leader in morphea research, to advance this work and strengthen international collaboration in the field.