Winner of the 2001 Royal Irish Academy Biochemistry Award, in recognition of his contribution to biochemical research in the last decade, Richard O’Kennedy is a Professor of Biological Sciences at Dublin City University.
His career started with studying Biochemistry at NUI Dublin, graduating with a B.Sc. in 1975. He then went on to complete a Ph.D. at the same university in Biochemical Immunology. This subject area has remained the focus of his research.
He now specialises in antibody production and applications, biosensors, immunoanalysis, drug analysis and metabolism. He carries out his research at Dublin City University (DCU) where he has lectured in Biochemistry since joining the university in 1980. He became Head of the School of Biological Sciences (now School of Biotechnology) at DCU in 1989 and Professor of Biological Sciences in 1993.
While in Texas from 1988 to 1989 as a Visiting Scientist working on a novel immunoassay development and sensors in MD Anderson Cancer Centre, Prof. O’Kennedy developed technology that was later patented and nominated as ‘Invention of the Year’ by the University of Texas.
Professor O’Kennedy is actively involved in encouraging young people into science and generating interest in the subject. He has been involved in the Irish Times / RDS Science Today series, whose target audience is mainly secondary school students.
