MERRION FERTILITY CLINIC - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Nursing Team
- Nurse
- Fertility Nurse Manager
Anitha is a highly skilled Nurse and Midwife, with 19 years of clinical experience in the public hospital system. Her roles within clinical settings have ranged from Staff Midwife to Advanced Midwife Practitioner in the Maternity Emergency Department, and Midwife Coordinator, tasked with setting up services within the National Maternity Hospital. Anitha completed her Maternity Nursing masters' degree in 2001 and her Nurse Midwife prescribing from Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) in 2010. She is a qualified Midwife Sonographer, who obtained her graduate certificate in Obstetric and Gynaecological Ultrasound in 2012. She successfully completed her Graduate Certificate in Advanced Nursing Practice from University College Dublin (UCD) in 2015 and became the first and only Advanced Midwife Practitioner in the Emergency Department within the National Maternity Hospital. She joined Merrion Fertility Clinic in March 2023 as a Fertility nurse and was promoted to Nurse Manager in July 2023.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Nursing Team
- Senior Fertility Nurse
Job Titles:
- Member of the Nursing Team
- Fertility Nurse / Midwife
Job Titles:
- Member of the Clinical Team
- Fertility Specialist
Dr. Andrew Downey graduated with Honours in Medicine from University College Dublin in 2013. He is a Member of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (2017) and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists UK (2021). Dr. Downey's research interests include assessing fertility awareness and attitudes to fertility preservation among patients and the public. He is also researching novel markers of premature diminished ovarian reserve, to help identify patients who might benefit most from fertility preservation.
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Consultant
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
Dr. David Crosby returns to Merrion Fertility Clinic as Clinical Director. He is a Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist at the National Maternity Hospital with a special interest in Reproductive Medicine, Surgery & Genetics. He is the Clinical Lead of the Ireland East Regional Fertility Hub and Clinical Lecturer and Assistant Professor at University College Dublin. Dr. Crosby graduated from Trinity College Dublin with first class honours in medicine. Following completion of his ESHRE & EBCOG Accredited Fellowship in Merrion Fertility Clinic and the National Maternity Hospital in Reproductive Medicine and Surgery, he was awarded a Doctorate of Medicine from University College Dublin. For this work, he was granted his own competitive funding from the Clinical Primer Scheme, a UCD and SFI-HRB-Wellcome Trust Biomedical Research Partnership. He was awarded the British Fertility Society Young Clinician Award in 2020 and the prestigious RCOG Harold Malkin Prize in 2021. He has over 30 publications in peer reviewed journals and has presented research to national and international learned societies. He developed a keen interest in leadership and quality improvement by becoming a Quality Improvement Scholar and Fellow with the RCPI and the International Society for Quality in Healthcare. He was awarded a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree with Distinction in 2020. He has recently undertaken a clinical fellowship in Reproductive Genetics and Genomics at New York Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University, New York and was awarded European Certification in Medical Genetics and Genomics and an MSc in Genomic Medicine with Distinction in 2021.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Clinical Team
- Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist
Dr Fiona Martyn graduated with honours from the National University of Ireland, Cork in 2002. She joined Merrion Fertility Clinic in July 2012 and completed a doctorate of Medicine (MD) in 2014 with Dr Mary Wingfield in association with Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin. The focus of this MD was on the function of the cervix and how it is related to fertility. She is a member of the Irish, British and European Fertility Societies. She is currently working as a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist in Merrion Fertility Clinic and the National Maternity Hospital. Dr Martyn's interests include all forms of reproductive endoscopic surgery: outpatient hysteroscopy, operative hysteroscopy, treatment of endometriosis, tubal surgery and benign gynaecology.
Job Titles:
- Head of Research
- Member of the Clinical Team
- Research Officer
Dr. Glover joined Merrion Fertility Clinic as Research Officer in 2017, and she holds adjunct Assistant Professor/Clinical Lecturer positions at both Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin. Following her PhD studies, Dr. Glover completed postdoctoral training in Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, and was an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado. She has served in the role of Principle Investigator and Co-investigator on several international projects funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Veterans Affairs.
Dr. Glover holds active memberships to the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology and the Health Research Board Clinical Research Coordination Ireland (CRCI). Her primary research focus is reproductive immunology, in particular how immune pathways in the endometrium are altered in infertility.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Laboratory Team
Job Titles:
- Consultant
- Member of the Clinical Team
- Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist
Dr Maebh Horan is a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Merrion Fertility Clinic and the National Maternity Hospital. Dr Horan graduated from Trinity College Dublin with honours in medicine. During her training she completed an ESHRE & EBCOG Accredited Fellowship in Merrion Fertility Clinic and the National Maternity Hospital in Reproductive Medicine and Surgery, and was awarded a Doctorate of Medicine from University College Dublin. Her research focused on fertility preservation for women with endometriosis and those at risk of impaired fertility secondary to cancer treatment. Dr Horan's special interests are fertility preservation, reproductive surgery and benign gynaecology.
Merrion Fertility Clinic was established in 1998 by Prof Mary Wingfield and other fellow Doctors at the National Maternity Hospital, Dublin. Since then the clinic has become a leading fertility centre in Ireland.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Clinical Team
- Fertility Specialist
Dr. Niamh Joyce joined Merrion Fertility Clinic in September 2023 as an Aspire Clinical Fellow, with a primary focus on developing Fertility Preservation Services for Children, Adolescents and Young Adults (CAYA) in Ireland. Prior to this, she was a Senior Clinical Fellow in the NHS publicly-funded, tertiary fertility service at Princess Anne and Southampton University Hospitals in the U.K. Having carried out her premedical education at Columbia University in N.Y., Dr. Joyce graduated with honours in Medicine from University College Dublin in 2010 and completed her Higher Specialist Training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in 2022. Dr. Joyce is a member of the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists (RCOG) and Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI) and is also a member of the British Fertility Society and the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE).
Job Titles:
- Member of the Clinical Team
- Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist
Dr Nita Adnan graduated from University College Dublin in 2002. She completed her Higher Specialist Training and received the Certificate for Satisfactory Completion of Specialist Training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Ireland. She has been working as a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist in the National Maternity Hospital since 2017 and at Merrion Fertility Clinic since 2019. She has a great interest in teaching and research. Dr Adnan has worked as an Assistant Professor with the Academic Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Trinity College Dublin where she was actively involved in the undergraduate and postgraduate teaching. She is a member of the Irish and British Fertility Societies and the European Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy.
Job Titles:
- Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, National Maternity Hospital
Dr. Orla Sheil, MD, FRCOG, FRCPI, graduated from University College Dublin. She trained in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in both Dublin, Ireland and Oxford, United Kingdom. She has been a Consultant at the National Maternity Hospital since 1994 and has a broad clinical experience with special interests in fetal care in labour and paediatric/adolescent gynaecology. Dr. Sheil has gained considerable administrative experience through work with the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Royal College of Surgeons Ireland, where she was previously Associate Professor. She holds a Diploma in Management for Medical Doctors (RCSI/IPA). Currently, she is the National Maternity Hospital Clinical Lead for the planned co-location of NMH with St Vincent's University Hospital at Elm Park.
Job Titles:
- General Practitioner ( GP )
Dr. Peter Joyce, MB, BCh, BAO, MICGP, graduated from Trinity College Dublin in 2010. He trained in General Practice on the Trinity College Dublin GP Specialist Training Programme, completing this in 2016. He worked in several GP surgeries in Dublin before joining Newlands Cross Medical Centre as a partner in 2018. He has a keen interest in medical education and was appointed as a GP Trainer with the same Trinity College Dublin GP Specialist Training programme in 2021. Since 2018, he has served on a voluntary basis at a local level as a committee member on the Tallaght-Clondalkin Local Integrated Care Committee (TC LInCC). He was appointed as a CHO 7 GP Lead in 2023. He was also appointed to the Board of the Merrion Fertility Clinic in 2023.
Job Titles:
- Consultant
- Medical Director
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
Dr Bauman graduated from the University of Zagreb, Croatia in 1992. In 2000, he gained his MSc and, in 2012, his PhD. Since 1992, his main area of interest has been Gynaecology and Obstetrics. In 1997, he developed a keen interest in infertility. His main areas of interest were assisted reproduction, minimally invasive (endoscopic) surgery, Colour Doppler and three-dimensional ultrasound. In 2005, he became Clinical Lead of the Human Reproduction Clinic in Sveti Hospital in Zagreb and, in 2009, he became a sub-specialist in IVF. Dr Bauman was a regular lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Zagreb in the postgraduate studies "Ultrasound in Gynaecology and Obstetrics", "Obstetric Surgeries" and "Gynaecological Surgery and Endoscopy". As a teacher, he participates in national and international professional meetings and conferences. He is the author of many chapters in books on Gynaecology, as well as numerous scientific articles, which are often cited in the international indexes. He joined Rotunda IVF in November 2015, becoming Deputy Clinic Director in June 2016 and then Clinical Director early in 2017. In June 2022, he joined Merrion Fertility Clinic as Clinical Lead. He is part of the Senior Leadership Team, working closely with the Clinical Director and Chief Operating Officer. With his vast experience and expertise, Dr Bauman provides medical leadership and vision, ensuring that the Clinic is a leader in reproductive medicine in Ireland. He also provides clinical care at Consultant level for patients of the Clinic. He strives to ensure that patients attending the Clinic receive the best of care and attention.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Clinical Team
- Fertility Specialist
Job Titles:
- Member of the Nursing Team
- Theatre Manager
Eileen Barrett's nursing qualifications and experience have taken her through the areas of General Nursing, Midwifery, Spinal Injury, Rehabilitation and Neonatal Intensive Care. She joined Merrion Fertility Clinic in January 1999 shortly after its inception, and has gained a vast amount of knowledge in the broad area of Reproductive Medicine. Eileen has instigated setting up Ireland's only Ultrasound Training Course for fertility nurses in UCD. She has worked with the UCD School of Medicine to develop the syllabus for this course, which is a much needed new addition to the training regime of the fertility nurse. Eileen gives lectures on Fertility Management to the RCSI students at the National Maternity Hospital, to the Radiographers and Midwives taking the MSc Ultrasound programme, UCD and to the final year midwifery students in UCD. She is a member of the Steering Committee of Sharing Best Practice, an annual meeting for fertility nurses in Ireland. She has frequently presented at this meeting. Eileen has also served on the Steering Committee for Insights, (UK) and has also presented at one of their annual meetings. Eileen is an active member of SING (UK) Senior Infertility Nurse Group.
Job Titles:
- Solicitor & Partner at PF O'Reilly & Co
Fiona Duffy studied at University College Dublin, Trinity College Dublin and the Law Society of Ireland. She was admitted as a solicitor in Ireland in 1980 and in England and Wales in 2010. She is a member and former Chair of the Litigation Committee of the Law Society in Ireland, a member of the Circuit Court Rules Committee and a member of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. Fiona is also a member of the UK and Ireland LGBT Family Law Institute. She has extensive legal experience in the area of Assisted Human Reproduction, fertility treatment and surrogacy.
Job Titles:
- Chief Operating Officer
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Accountant With the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
Georgina is a qualified accountant with the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA). She holds an MBA from the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, and has also recently undertaken their Diploma in Corporate Governance. She has extensive finance and senior management experience, having worked in multinationals and the public sector. She also worked for a time as a business consultant and spent a number of years as co-founder of a startup. Her role is to develop the vision and strategy, in conjunction with the Clinical Director and the Board of Directors, and to implement these through annual objectives. She is responsible for all non-clinical activities, including finance, IT, patient services, human resources and the quality management system.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Laboratory Team
- Laboratory Manager & Person Responsible
Jennifer received a Bachelor in Science from NUI Galway and a Masters Degree in Anatomy from UCD. She joined Merrion Fertility Clinic in 2007 as an Trainee Embryologist and qualified as an ESHRE Clinical Embryologist in 2012. Jennifer has been the Laboratory Manager in Merrion Fertility Clinic since 2015 and is also the Person Responsible. In addition to managing the laboratory activities, Jennifer has spearheaded many exciting developments in the clinic in recent years, like the introduction of egg freezing and donor sperm service. She is also actively involved with the Department of Health and adapting clinic procedures to recent legislation, the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015.
Job Titles:
- Nursing Administrator / Consumables Procurement
Job Titles:
- Member of the Laboratory Team
- Deputy Lab Manager
Job Titles:
- Member of the Nursing Team
Job Titles:
- Founder & Managing Director Red Dog
Buncrana-born Mary Doherty still runs Red Dog which she founded in 1993, nurturing the company and maintaining its position as one of Ireland's leading and respected creative agencies. Her vision and steadfast demand for excellent design has helped drive the creative team forward to becoming an internationally recognised, award-winning creative agency. Mary holds a Hons B.A. in Visual Communications from NCAD and is a Fellow of the Institute of Designers in Ireland. Mary has a significant level of expertise in developing brands that are now ready to move on, re-invent themselves or have found that they have simply ‘outgrown' their current visual and verbal brand identity. Mary is a qualified designer herself but now spends her time leading projects, working directly with clients and managing multiple stakeholders, running presentations and keeping a high level eye across the whole project from beginning to end - as well as running a successful company. Mary has never worked anywhere else as Red Dog was established the morning after she graduated from college and still lives to their mantra of ‘We are good at what we do because good is never good enough'.
Job Titles:
- Head of Patient Experience
Job Titles:
- Member of the Nursing Team
- Senior Fertility Nurse
Job Titles:
- Consultant
- Member of the Clinical Team
- Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist
Prof Cathy Allen is a Consultant Obstetrician Gynaecologist at Merrion Fertility Clinic, the National Maternity and St Michael's Hospital Dun Laoghaire, and is UCD Clinical Professor in Women & Children' Health. She is an honours medical graduate of RCSI 1995 and underwent Specialist Training in Ireland with further advanced training in IVF at Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital. She is a Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists and Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. She is a member of British and European Fertility Societies, and the executive council of the Institute of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists. Prof Allen has a special interest in pregnancies and outcomes after Assisted Reproductive Technology. She has authored several fertility-related papers and presented at national and international conferences. She provides specialist care in male factor infertility, recurring pregnancy loss and post-reproductive health, and provides a reproductive surgery service in these areas as needed.
Job Titles:
- Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, National Maternity Hospital
- Professor
Professor Declan Keane, MD, FRCPI, FRCOG, has been a Consultant Obstetrician since 1995 and is a former Master of the National Maternity Hospital at Holles Street. He has worked in the UK and the USA and was recently appointed as a Professor to the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Professor Keane has considerable administrative experience and was a former member of the National Women's Council. He was the obstetrician advising the Citizen's Assembly on the 8th Amendment.
Job Titles:
- Master of the National Maternity Hospital
Having graduated from University College Cork, Professor Higgins, MRCOG, FRANZCOG, MPH (Melb), undertook his postgraduate training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in the West of Scotland Deanery. He subsequently undertook subspecialty training in Maternal-Fetal Medicine at The Royal Women's Hospital in Melbourne, Australia. Upon completing his fellowship, he was appointed Senior Lecturer at the University of Melbourne and Consultant in Maternal-Fetal Medicine at The Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne. Professor Higgins returned to Ireland in 2004 to a Consultant position in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda and subsequently to the National Maternity Hospital at Holles Street in 2009. Professor Higgins is Associate Professor at University College Dublin, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and is the current Master of the National Maternity Hospital, having commenced his seven year tenure as Master on 1 st January, 2019. As a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist with a special interest in Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Professor Higgins has a broad range of clinical and management experience gained within Ireland, Scotland and Australia.
Job Titles:
- Human Resources Generalist
Job Titles:
- Accounts Receivable
- Assistant
Job Titles:
- Member of the Nursing Team
- Senior Fertility Nurse