A senior executive from leading veterinary pharmaceuticals company, Norbrook Laboratories Ltd, has been appointed as a Visiting Professor at the University of Ulster.
The Honourable Dr James Haughey LRCP&SI MB, BCH, BAO, Director, Senior Manager and Medical Doctor at Norbrook Laboratories in Newry, has joined the Biomedical Sciences Ulster team at Coleraine.
Professor Haughey has a strong background in clinical medicine, general surgery, and veterinary pharmaceuticals, and brings a wealth of expertise to further develop core activities in teaching and learning, research and importantly academic enterprise at Ulster.
Welcoming the appointment, Professor Neville McClenaghan, Head of School of Biomedical Sciences, said: “We are delighted that James Haughey has been appointed as Visiting Professor.
“Over the past years, he has been working closely with me, Professor Bjourson, and other members of the Biomedical Sciences Ulster team to drive forward a number of new and exciting initiatives.
“His expertise will be of great value to the University of Ulster and our students. Professor Haughey’s personal insights and professional networks will enrich the evolving engagement of Biomedical Sciences Ulster with national and international bio-industry.
“Biomedical Sciences at Ulster has already established a solid working relationship with Professor Haughey, and Norbrook, a leading company in the bio-industry sector with a long and prestigious track record of innovation.
“Professor Haughey’s entrepreneurial flair extends beyond the pharmaceutical industry and, as such, in addition to valuable industry-led training in key aspects of professional practice, students will additionally gain from Professor Haughey’s leadership and expertise in other business sectors. This will directly help Biomedical Sciences Ulster achieve their goal of producing the most flexible, knowledgeable and highly-skilled graduates to directly help enable growth of this important sector in Northern Ireland.”
Professor Haughey said: “I am very pleased to be joining the professional team at the University of Ulster. I have been working closely with the Biomedical Sciences Team in recent times and found their academic ability and professionalism to be of the highest standard.
“My employer, Norbrook, enjoys a very close working relationship with the University and I am confident that this appointment will be synergistic for our respective organisations.
“The pharmaceutical industry in Northern Ireland requires a lot of highly qualified people and I am pleased to say that the University of Ulster is providing excellent graduates, some of whom we have the privilege of employing here at Norbrook."
Professor Tony Bjourson, Director of the Biomedical Sciences Research Institute added: “Professor Haughey makes an exciting addition to our growing team at Coleraine which already includes a Nobel Prizewinner – Professor Bert Sakmann.
“Professor Haughey has already demonstrated his strong commitment to teaching plus a keen interest in developing areas of mutual research benefit. Through sharing expertise I believe we can boost the two centres of excellence to profit our students, staff, and the growing Northern Ireland bioscience research base.
“The importance of such cutting-edge activities should not be lost, particularly given the pressing global need for pharmaceutical research and development, which offers a direct impact on local economic recovery.”
Biomedical Sciences Ulster has performed strongly in the last three UK wide Research Assessment Exercises – the UK universities’ research quality benchmarking survey.
This strong research base is coupled with an excellent suite of undergraduate and postgraduate courses in a range of key disciplines. With a strong focus on research-led teaching and development of important scientific and transferable skills, Biomedical Sciences Ulster continues to pursue its mission to produce top class graduates for the rapidly expanding national and international bio-industry sector.