The purpose of the award is to support and recognize the highest standard of research by Specialist Registrars.

Dr Flynn was selected as the winner from three finalists who presented their research papers to an adjudication panel on Friday October 23, 2009 during the RCPI St Luke’s Day celebrations. Finalists were shortlisted from a range of high quality research abstracts submitted by Specialist Registrars.

Aidan Flynn is a fourth year Cardiology Specialist Registrar, currently working in the Mater Hospital, Dublin. He graduated in 2001 from NUI, Galway and became a member of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland in 2003. He commenced the Cardiology SpR scheme in 2004. In 2006, he availed of out of programme experience to pursue a PhD in the Regenerative Medicine Institute, National Centre for Biomedical Science, NUI, Galway, where his thesis titled “The Use of Umbilical Cord Blood Derived Stem Cells in Cardiovascular Disease” was completed in 2009. He has published papers on this topic, as well as in the broader field of gene therapy for cardiovascular disease. His research and clinical interests will continue in the Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, where he has  been offered an echocardiography and non-invasive cardiac imaging fellowship, commencing in 2010.