Cork Scientist Receives Funding to Research Inherited Heart Conditions at Oxford

A medical scientist from Cork, Ireland, Cian O’Connell, has been awarded full funding to pursue a PhD at Oxford University, where he will contribute to an international project focused on curing inherited heart conditions. The funding was provided by CRY Ireland, a national charity dedicated to supporting those affected by sudden cardiac death or living with inherited cardiac conditions.

Personal Connection Drives Research

O’Connell’s commitment to this research is deeply personal. He lives with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a genetic heart condition that caused the death of his father, a heart surgeon, at the age of 49 in 2010. He was diagnosed with HCM in 2019 and subsequently received a defibrillator implant.

The CureHeart Project

At Oxford, O’Connell will join the £30 million (approximately €34.3 million) British Heart Foundation-funded CureHeart project team. His work will center on developing and testing functional cures for the genetic mutations responsible for inherited heart conditions. He aims to “make an impact towards curing these diseases and fixing them at their root cause.”

CRY Ireland’s Support and Call for Donations

CRY Ireland is actively seeking support for O’Connell’s three-year PhD program. Approximately 10,000 people in Ireland carry gene mutations for inherited heart conditions and sadly, one young person dies suddenly each week from these syndromes, according to CRY. Donations can be made through the CRY Ireland website to support his research.

Transition After Years in the US

O’Connell shared his excitement about commencing his PhD after spending nine years in the United States. He expressed his gratitude for the support of CRY Ireland, which made this opportunity possible. He plans to share updates at the Friends of CRY event.

Focus on Gene Therapies

O’Connell’s research will specifically focus on gene therapies for inherited heart muscle conditions. As a patient-researcher, he hopes to develop cures and involve Irish patients in future studies.