Aoife Kearney

Aoife Kearney is a Clinical Lecturer in Clinical Microbiology at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI). She holds a B.Sc. in General Nursing from Trinity College Dublin, an M.Sc. by Research (Trinity College Dublin), and a PhD (RCSI). Her research focuses on healthcare-associated infections, antimicrobial resistance, and infection prevention strategies within hospital environments. She investigates transmission dynamics of pathogens like Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA, and carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE), emphasizing environmental reservoirs and hospital design implications.

Education:

• B.Sc. General Nursing, Trinity College Dublin (2013)
• M.Sc. by Research, Trinity College Dublin (2020)
• PhD, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (2024)
• Higher Diploma in Healthcare Professionals Education (ongoing)

Research Interests: Her work spans infection prevention policies, hospital environmental hygiene, and decontamination technologies. Key areas include CPE transmission dynamics, sink drain contamination risks, and the role of oral cavities as S. aureus reservoirs. She advocates for improved infection control practices targeting non-specialist healthcare workers and explores barriers to effective hospital cleaning.

Grants & Awards:

• Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship (2020)
• RCSI Research Summer School Grant (2022)
• Enterprise Ireland Technology System Grant (2023)

Professional Activities: She is a member of the Healthcare Infection Society and European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Teaching roles include delivering Clinical Microbiology courses and pursuing education certifications.