Academic biography

Ms. Rushe earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Molecular Medicine from the School of Biochemistry and Immunology at Trinity College Dublin. During her undergraduate studies, she developed a strong foundation in molecular biology, immunology, and biomedical research, with a particular focus on the molecular mechanisms underlying human disease.

Following this, Ms. Rushe was awarded a scholarship from the School of Medicine at University College Dublin to pursue a Master’s by research. This scholarship was funded by the European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation (ECCO), and her research was conducted in the Colorectal Research Group laboratory at St. Vincent’s University Hospital. Her project investigated the involvement of NLRP6 in Crohn’s Disease, through which she gained valuable experience in clinical and hospital research settings, as well as hands-on training in scientific writing and presentation.

In 2023, Ms. Rushe joined the Research Development and Support Team at DCU as a research officer specialising in collaborative research initiatives with a focus on European funding programs, including Erasmus+ and COST Actions. She was also appointed call manager for DCU’s postdoctoral funding applications, overseeing programmes such as the Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowships. Ms. Rushe works closely with faculty research development officers to facilitate these high-volume calls. Ms Rushe plays an active role in building research capacity across the university by coordinating information sessions and providing one-to-one support for researchers applying to the awards she manages.