Barry Plant

Professor Barry Plant is a Consultant Respiratory Physician and Clinical Lead for Respiratory Medicine at Cork University Hospital (CUH) and the Director of the Adult CF Centre at CUH-University College Cork (UCC). He is affiliated with APC Microbiome Ireland and holds roles on the CF Registry of Ireland and the European Cystic Fibrosis Society (ECFS). A UCC medical graduate (Honours), he trained in Respiratory and General Medicine, followed by a fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Washington, Seattle. His research focuses on translational medicine in cystic fibrosis (CF), including microbiome-derived treatments, CFTR modulators, and telemedicine innovations like the TeCC study. He led the CFMATTERS trial, a multi-center randomized controlled trial evaluating microbiome-based therapies. Professor Plant is the Chairperson of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland’s Cystic Fibrosis Clinical Advisory Group and co-authored the 'Cystic Fibrosis: A Model of Care for Ireland' (2019). His work emphasizes improving CF care through clinical trials, patient outcomes, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Education:

• MB BCh BAO (University College Cork, Honours)
• Fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine (University of Washington, Seattle)

Research Interests:

• CFTR Modulator Therapies
• Microbiome Analysis in CF
• Telemedicine Applications
• CF Lung Disease and Inflammation

Grants & Awards: Coordinated an FP7 EU grant (CFMATTERS.eu) and secured funding from multiple agencies. Recognized for leadership in CF clinical standards and global pandemic response.

Labs/Teams: APC Microbiome Ireland, leading the CF translational research group.