Prof. Eugene Dempsey – Clinical Lead for Neonatal Research
Clinical Lead for Neonatal Research & Principal Investigator
Contact Details:
Professor Dempsey is the inaugural Horgan Chair in Neonatology at University College Cork, a Consultant Neonatologist at Cork University Maternity Hospital and is Neonatal Lead at the INFANT Research Centre. He is a UCC graduate, he completed postgraduate training in Paediatrics in Ireland and later a Neonatal Fellowship at McGill University Health Centre, Montreal.
He is a member of a number of international collaborations conducting randomised trials on different aspects of neonatal care (PREMOD2, SafeBoosC III and COSGOD trials). He was Chief Investigator for the HIP Trial, a randomised trial of blood pressure management in extreme preterm infants. He was the lead PI for a number of Science Foundation Ireland funded studies including Neoview, which is a research project aimed at improving patient care and family well-being in the NICU, and Neuroprobe which addressed the relationship between blood pressure and cerebral activity in preterm infants.
He leads a number of local clinical studies, supervising PhD students and junior doctors on many aspects of newborn medicine.
Prof Dempsey is a member of a number of international organisations including the European Society of Paediatric Research, European Neonatal Echo Working group, European NIRS Working group and Pharmacology section of the European Society for Paediatric Research. He is an associate editor of the Cochrane Neonatal, Journal of Perinatology and Frontiers in Paediatrics. He has acted as an international reviewer for a number of funding agencies including the NIHR, Wellcome Trust and the European Commission. Prof Dempsey is also a previous board member of the Faculty of Paediatrics and past president of the Irish American Pediatric Society. He was appointed a member of the National Research Ethics Committee (A) for Clinical Trials in 2021.
He has been awarded a number of Higher Degrees, including a doctorate for work on Hypotension in the Preterm Infant, an MSc in Health Care Ethics and Law and an MA in Teaching and Learning, focused on Simulation based procedural care. He has over 200 publications in newborn care.
Career Profile:
Current Positions:
- Professor of Paediatrics and Consultant Neonatologist, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University College Cork
- Principal Investigator, INFANT centre
- Principal Investigator, HRB Mother & Baby Clinical Trials Network Ireland
Previous Positions:
- Nov 2007- Feb 2014 Consultant Neonatologist Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University College Cork
- Aug 2005- Oct 2007 Consultant Neonatologist and Honorary Clinical Lecturer, Coombe Women’s and Infants University Hospital and Our Lady’s Hospital for Children, Crumlin, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University College Dublin
- July 2002- June 2005 Neonatology Fellowship:McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Specialist Registrar in Paediatrics
- Jan-Jun 2002 Neonatology Clinical Tutor, National Maternity Hospital
- Jul-Dec 2001 General Paediatrics /Neonatology Waterford Regional
- Jan-Jun 2001 Our Lady’s Hospital for Children, Crumlin
- Apr-Jun 2001 Cardiology
- Jan-Mar 2001 Intensive Care Medicine
- Jul-Dec 2000 Neurology
- Jan-Jun 2000 Infectious Diseases
- Jun-Dec 1999 General Paediatrics/Neonatology Drogheda
Registrar in Neonatology
Jul 1998-Jun 1999 Neonatology
Senior House Officer Paediatrics Cork University Hospital and Erinville Hospital
- Jan-Jun 1998 Neonatology
- Oct-Dec 1997 General Paediatrics
- Jul-Sep 1997 General Paediatrics
- Jan-Jun 1997 Neonatology
- Oct-Dec 1996 General Paediatrics
- Jul-Sep1996 Paediatric Day Unit
Professional Activities/Achievements:
Academic Record (postgraduate):
- MA in Teaching and Learning, UCC NUI2016
- MSc Health Care Ethics and Law, RCSI, 2008
- MD UCC NUI, 2008
- Certificate of Neonatal Fellowship, McGill University, 2005
- CSCST in Pediatrics, Royal College of Physicians, 2004
- Certificate in Leadership, Management and Career Development in Academic Practice, McGill University, 2004
- MRCPI (Paediatrics), 1999
- General Professional Training, 1998
- Professor Dempsey is the neonatal lead for the Health Research Board perinatal clinical trials network and is a member of the European Society for Paediatric Research and the European Neonatal Society. He is a member of the Haemodynamic subgroup of the International Neonatal Consortium (FDA and EMA). He is a member of the European Neonatal Echo Working group and a member of the Neonatal Haemodynamic Club of the Paediatric Academic Society.
- He is a previous board member of the Faculty of Paediatrics and a previous president of the Irish American Pediatric Association. He is a lecturer at the Royal College of Physicians Ireland and the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland in newborn ethical issues.