Chris graduated from University College Dublin in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in Neuroscience. Over the course of his undergraduate studies, he investigated various areas such as nervous system development, sensory neuroscience, and neurodegenerative disorders.
He found he had a particular interest in the mechanisms underlying mental health disorders such as anxiety, schizophrenia, and depression, as well as current and future treatment strategies. For example, in his final year project, he undertook an extensive literature review that aimed to investigate the use of cannabinoids as a novel treatment method for depression. This project was exciting due to its multifaceted and complex nature, as it involved assessing various different cannabinoids (e.g., D9-THC, CBD, WIN 55,212-2, etc) with varying agonistic/antagonistic affinities for the CB1 and/or CB2 receptors and assessing what effect, if any, they have on treating the symptoms of depression.
Through undertakings such as this Chris found that, as opposed to working in a laboratory setting, he instead has a strong proclivity for undertaking independent research, as well as for the dissemination and communication of scientific information. On graduating at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, Chris began working remotely as a sales executive for a leading payroll software company. A far step removed from working in a scientific capacity, he nonetheless found this role to be extremely rewarding as he was able to communicate with new and interesting people on a weekly basis.
These days, Chris is looking to begin a career in business consulting with a strong lean towards biopharmaceuticals and biotechnology. At the same time, he is furthering his passion for scientific writing, allowing him to both learn about and communicate salient information on a broad range of fascinating topics. In terms of hobbies, Chris is keenly interested in fitness in the forms of weight-lifting, running, and hiking. He is also keenly interested in areas such as astrophysics, history and music. In his spare time, he is an avid reader, watches film and TV, enjoys playing his guitar and bringing his dog Lexi on plenty of walks.