Orla Watters

Experience

• 

  Tarpey's Supervalu

  Jan 2003 - Jan 2006

  Office Assistant

  I worked here part time during college term and full time during the summer months. Worked in many areas including point of sale, customer service, office administration, store & product promotion, product price monitoring and cash office administration. Through my time here my varied roles allowed me to comprehensively develop my skills in a variety of areas including basic accounting, product management, marketing and sales and communications.

• 

  University College Dublin

  Sept 2007 - Jun 2011

  PhD Fellow & Demonstrator

  Worked as part of the Applied Neurotherapeutics Research Group (ANRG) based in the Conway Institute. Developed skills to accurately dissect and culture rat hippocampi, and to carry out electrophysiological recording and confocal microscopy. Expanded communication skills by presenting research findings at both national and international scientific meetings. Promoted science at University College Dublin to prospective students by giving an oral presentation at a career evening and managed neuroscience practical demonstrations at summer school events. Completed ‘Introduction to Core Research Skills’ (CNWY 40080) and ‘Neuroimmunology’ (CNWY40030) modules. Demonstrated laboratory practicals for 2nd and 3rd year physiology and neuroscience modules. Mentored 4th year undergraduate neuroscience students in their final year projects. Show less

• 

  UCD Campus accommodation

  Sept 2008 - May 2011

  Resident Assistant

  Annual fire warden, first aid, customer service and office training.Aided the nurturing of the residential community by being a familiar first resource for students and their parents with personal, academic and/or institutional questions, while enforcing the residence policies. Balanced RA duties with my PhD schedule, aiding my personal and professional development. Strived to be an example for the students and to help foster a welcoming and safe environment within the residential community. Show less

• 

  Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

  Jan 2012 - Mar 2014

  Post Doctoral Research Scientist - Neuroscience

  Established in vitro microfluidic system of primary cortical neurons.Acquired the skills to carry out plasmid amplification and purification using QIAGEN plasmid Maxi Kit. Developed expertise in plasmid nucleofection of primary cortical neurons using AMAXA Nucleofector.Gained competency with Cell Profiler, Image J and Zen image analysis software packages.Extended my knowledge of confocal microscopy and the use of LSM 710 and LSM 510 microscopes.Conducted high-content lapse-time screening experiments using Cellomics ArrayScan VTI platform.Gained proficiency immunohistochemistry and western blot techniques.Expanded communication skills by presenting research findings at both national and international scientific meetings. Show less

• 

  RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences

  Sept 2017 - Jun 2021

  Honorary Lecturer & Postdoctoral Researcher

  Graduated with a Postgraduate Diploma in Health Professions Education (2018) - developed theoretical and practical knowledge of third level science education programmes to enhance lecturing skills.Involved in teaching medical students in small group tutorial sessions on a wide variety of topics in the physiology field.Involved in the SSC (student selected component) Research Programme in RCSI; devise a mini project and a supervise a medical student (from Intermediate cycle 3) to give them a comprehensive introduction into the processes important in laboratory based research.Involved in RCSI Research Summer School programme - devise and supervise research-based projects for medicine students during the summer. Teach them good laboratory practice, scientific report & abstract writing for presentation at ICHAMS conference. Ongoing research:Investigating the mitochondrial response to local energy distress, using microfluidic systems. Image processing and analysis of biological data. Currently investigating the effects of local nutrient deprivation, oxygen and nutrient deprivation, and pharmacological stress on axonal mitochondrial mobility.Part of the Cellular Bioenergetics in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CeBioND) Consortium, a multi-institutional international group working to perform a cross-disease analysis to identify common molecular pathways and find drugs that will protect the neurons from degenerating . Show less

• 

  SETU Waterford

  Jul 2021 - now

  Senior Technical Officer