The Catholic University of Ireland was founded in 1854, becoming University College Dublin (UCD) in 1908.  John Henry Newman was appointed the first Rector of the University and one year later established the Catholic University Medical School in Cecilia Street.  He nominated Robert Dyer Lyons as Professor of Physiology in 1855 thus beginning the long history of Physiology in UCD.  Over the intervening years, UCD Physiology has made major contributions to education and research in the University and its graduates and staff have gone on to play leading roles nationally and internationally, including the active parts taken by UCD Physiologists in the Physiological Society.  Amongst the most famous of these was EJ Conway FRS who completed a BSc and MSc in Physiology in the School of Medicine before returning to his medical studies.  He then lectured in UCD Physiology, was later appointed first Professor Biochemistry in the University and made major advances in the elucidation of the ionic basis of the membrane potential, the understanding of the regulation of cell volume and the role of cellular respiration in acid production and secretion. 

The Department of Physiology later moved to Earlsfort Terrace, then the University’s main campus, and subsequently to its current home in Belfield.  With fitting symmetry, many of the current staff in Physiology are members of the Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, a multi-disciplinary research Institute, named after one of its most famous graduates.  This provides an environment in which Physiological research can take advantage of the power of the latest omics, bioinformatic and imaging advances to solving key questions in biomedical research.  Our medical students, our BSc Physiology graduates and our post research graduates go on to successful careers in science, medicine, education and other areas making major contributions in their chosen fields.