Helena Kelly

Prof Helena Kelly is a Professor of Pharmaceutics and Head of the School of Pharmacy & Biomolecular Sciences at RCSI. She holds leadership roles including Deputy Head (Programmes Innovation) and has spearheaded international collaborations such as the International College for Pharmaceutical Innovation (ICPI). Her research focuses on drug delivery platforms combining hydrogels with medical devices, with a particular emphasis on translational applications. As co-founder and CSO of OncoLize, she commercializes ChemoGell, a thermoresponsive hydrogel for intratumoral drug delivery. Her work spans EU consortia leadership (e.g., AMCARE and DRIVE) and industry experience in pharmaceutical process development. She has developed innovative academic programs like the MSc in Technologies and Analytics in Precision Medicine (TAPM) and BSc in Advanced Therapeutic Technologies (ATT), supported by a €7.8m HEA award.

Education: BSc (Pharm) from Trinity College Dublin (1998), PhD in Pharmaceutics (2002), followed by industry roles at Shire Pharmaceuticals and Leo Pharma before joining RCSI in 2008. Certified as a registered pharmacist (MPSI).

Research Interests: Novel drug delivery systems, biomaterials, nanomedicine, and translational research. Key areas include stimuli-responsive hydrogels, cancer therapy, and regenerative medicine applications. Her innovations aim to address unmet clinical needs in oncology, cardiovascular repair, and diabetes.

Grants & Collaborations: Led a €7.8m HEA Human Capital Initiative for pharmaceutical education innovation, coordinated EU projects AMCARE (FP7) and DRIVE (H2020), and established international partnerships in China through RCSI-Soochow collaborations. Active in Erasmus+ exchange programs and student mobility initiatives.

Labs & Teams: Principal Investigator in biomaterials and drug delivery research groups, leading interdisciplinary teams at RCSI and through OncoLize. Collaborates with industry partners and academic networks across Europe and Asia.