PPI Ignite Network at SETU

Dr. Laurence Fitzhenry BSc., PhD. is Head of the Faculty of Science and Computing at SETU (Waterford) and Principal Investigator of the Ocular Therapeutics Research Group within the Pharmaceutical and Molecular Biotechnology Research Centre (PMBRC). He has extensive experience embedding PPI within national and European research programmes, promoting co-production, capacity building and meaningful partnerships between researchers, patients, public contributors and communities.

Throughout his research career, Dr. Fitzhenry has integrated PPI into research design, delivery and dissemination through patient advisory groups, researcher training, public engagement events and collaborative workshops involving patients, carers, clinicians, researchers and policy stakeholders. He has supervised numerous postgraduate researchers and postdoctoral fellows.

Dr. Martina Gooney BSc., PhD. is Senior lecturer at SETU. She has a longstanding commitment to incorporating PPI activities in research and education. Dr. Gooney has supervised several Masters and PhD students to completion, evidenced by several publications incorporating PPI.

Her PhD students have won awards for their PPI activities. Her research is rooted in patient centred outcomes, with principal interests in the assessment of symptoms and quality of life following cancer and its treatment. Dr. Gooney’s impactful research promotes physical activity to support recovery—all key elements of person centred, participatory research design.