Fottrell elected president of UCG

THE new president of University College Galway is Prof Patrick Fottrell, an international expert on osteoporosis, brittle bone disease, and a Corkman.

Prof Fottrell was elected yesterday by the Senate of the National University of Ireland to succeed Prof Colm O hEocha, who is retiring later this year. He has been professor of biochemistry in UCG since 1976.

Speaking directly after his appointment, Prof Fottrell said he was looking forward to the challenges of providing improved resources for students and staff and creating greater opportunities for innovation and research.

While he fully supported the Government's plans for an expansion in third level places, to maintain high international standards, the levels of State expenditure had to match increases in student numbers, he said.

Prof Fottrell (62) is from Youghal, where he received his early education before attending CBS North Monastery in Cork. After studying biochemistry in UCC, he obtained a doctorate from the University of Glasgow. He has research links with Harvard in the US, where he has held several visiting professorships.

Having joined UCG in 1965, he was registrar from 1986 to 1992. His research interests include coeliac disorder, female infertility, as well as osteoporosis or "brittle bones" which affects one in three women.

As part of long standing research links with Africa, he is investigating the transmission of HIV from mother to baby in Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Prof Fottrell is married to Esther, nee Kennedy. They have four grown up children, Caitriona, Deirdre, Conor and Stephen. Soccer and golf are among his pastimes.

Although formally elected for a 10 year term, he will have to retire in three years when he reaches 65 years.