⁣This interview was originally published in May, 2020

Prof. Dolores Cahill PhD
Molecular Biologist / Immunologist

Dolores is an Inventor, Founder and Shareholder of Companies, has been Granted & licensed Patents in Europe, USA & worldwide with applications in improving the early accurate diagnosis of disease (auto immune diseases & cancer).Her latest business ventures include the World Freedom Alliance, FreedomAirway and Custodean.

With more than 20 years expertise in high-throughput protein & antibody array, proteomics technology development, automation & biomedical applications in biomarker discovery, diagnostics & personalised medicine


⁣Brief Overview

Selected experience as Expert in EU over past 15 years: EU Future
& Emerging technologies (FETOPEN) Innovation Launchpad; EU
Innovation Radar Expert, EU Horizon 2020 Societal Challenges 1 (Health).
Holds several granted and licensed international patents (EU, USA,
Japan, Australia) (1995-present) and peer reviewed publications, and
reports,
Professor, University College Dublin (2005-present)
Group Leader, Max-Planck-Institute, Berlin, Germany (1995-2003)
Supervisor of completed PhD & Masters’ degree students in Germany and Ireland.
Co-founded Protagen AG in Dortmund (https://protagen.com/)
(1996-2019) as a spin-out of the Max-Planck-Institute, Berlin to
commercialise her diagnostic, companion diagnostic and personalised
medicine applications of her discoveries. Protagen has screened and
profiled the autoantibody repertoire of over 20,000 patients (https://protagen.com/data-and-insight/scientific-publications/)
Protagen Protein Services (https://protagenproteinservices.com/)
a spin-off company of Protagen since 2013 – expertise in protein,
antibody, proteomics and peptide contract services to the pharmaceutical
industry and health care sectors.

Policy and Strategy:
Developing Research Infrastructure Sustainability & Integrated Healthcare Systems:

Over 15 years supporting initiatives to integrate research,
biobanking, electronic health records in the health care sector,
including integration of Biobanking & Biomarker Network (http://education.crdi.ie/page/g/s/91) and a long-term supporter of Biobanking Ireland, led by Prof. Eoin Gaffney (http://www.biobankireland.com/) and Clinical Research Development Ireland (https://www.crdi.ie/research/innovation/innovation-biographies/).
Scientific Review Board Member of the German Cancer Aid (Deutsche
Krebshilfe) (2016-2020) evaluating research funding grant applications
for Cancer research, including Clinical Trials in Germany. (https://www.krebshilfe.de/informieren/ueber-uns/deutsche-krebshilfe/about-us-deutsche-krebshilfegerman-cancer-aid/)
Member of the German International Science Advisory Review Board of
the German Translational Medicine in Cancer (2010 – 2017) Strategic
Programme funded by the German Department Health and the BMBF/DLF in
Germany (http://www.dkfz.de/en/presse/pressemitteilungen/2011/dkfz-pm-11-24-German-Consortium-for-Translational-Cancer-Research-Gets-Started.php).
Member, Irish Government’s Advisory Science Council (ASC) Member (sciencecouncil.ie) (2005-2013) for Science, Technology & Innovation.
Dolores was an ASC Task Force member on ASC Policy Reports on
‘Promoting Enterprise-Higher Education Relationships’ (2009) &
‘Sustainability of Research Centres’ (2012).
Dolores chaired the ASC Task Force for Government Policy ‘Towards a Framework for Researcher Careers’ (2008).
Seconded National Expert (SNE) (2013-2014) to the European
Commission Research and Innovation Directorate, in a Strategy and Policy
Development role for International R&D&I Cooperation.
Award from the Federation of European Biochemical Societies Award in Norway Research and its significance.
Awarded BMBF BioFuture Prize by German Minister of Science.
Recent Article on the recognition and prevention of medical errors
and adverse events: Medical Errors & Adverse Events: leading cause
of death and disease burden. Dolores J. Cahill. (Health Europa Nov 2018:
7:42-43) (http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=73e202a8-1e25-4d2e-afc3-1cd95c26e5ae)

Research, Scholarship and Innovation:
Recent Keynotes and Conferences organised:

Member of the Organizing Committee of the Annual World Proteome HUPO
Organisation 2017 meeting held in Dublin in September 2017, chaired by
UCD Prof. Stephen Pennington. Conference Gala dinner was opened by USA
Vice-President Joseph R. Biden (http://hupo2017.ie/news-2/).
Invited to give Lectures and Keynotes at conferences including in
USA, Europe, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, South America. Recent
lectures include at Companion Diagnostics & Biomarkers Conference
2019 in Porto, 13th and 14th February 2019; 5th
Precision Medicine & Biomarkers Leaders’ Summit, Munich, Sept 2018
& Chair Roundtable on Personalised Medicine & Adverse Events: (http://www.giiconference.com/gel560004/catalog.pdf?1528437050).

Research, Scholarship and Innovation including Policy and Strategy:

Expert in EU European Commission for 15 years, including Future
& Emerging technologies (FETOPEN); Innovation Radar Expert; H2020
Societal Challenges 1 (Health); European Research Council.
Previously participated in evaluations for BMBF/DLR in Germany; UK BBSRC; Vinnova in Sweden; IWT in Belgium.
Examples of Science Advisory Boards Membership over past 15 years:
Human Protein Atlas, Sweden; ProNova Research Institute Sweden;
Complexinc, Switzerland; Atturos Ltd, Dublin.

Policy and Strategy – Seconded National Expert to the European Commission, Brussels:

Seconded as a National Expert in Policy to Brussels to European
Commission Research & Innovation (1.10.2013- 30.9.2014) –
International Cooperation for Strategy and Policy coordination.