biomedical sciences research institute - Research - University of Ulster

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS WHOGRADUATED DURING 2007-08Clifford Barnes Winter 2007Maria Barnes Winter 2007Katherine Feeney Winter 2007Hendrik Fuss Winter 2007Paul Irvine Winter 2007Katherine McAllister Winter 2007Cathy McGeough Winter 2007Briege McNulty Winter 2007Fionnuala O'Donnell Winter 2007Michelle Share Winter 2007Louise Beggs Summer 2008Conal Bunting (Mphil) Summer 2008Joseph Christie Summer 2008Eleanor Conant Summer 2008Pamela Corrigan Summer 2008Declan Doherty Summer 2008Hong Guo Summer 2008Caitriona Kelly Summer 2008Orla Maguire Summer 2008Tracey McCaffrey Summer 2008Helen McCarthy Summer 2008Paula McClean (nee Given) Summer 2008Julie Sittlington Summer 2008Top Up Your Vitamins For Winter HealthDr Maria Barnes from north Belfast received her PhD in Biomedical Sciences atthe Coleraine campus on 18th December 2007.Having graduated from the University in 2003 with a BSc Honours in BiomedicalSciences, Maria carried on her studies with a PhD researching Vitamin D statusamong people in Northern Ireland and its implications for health.This research has shown that around half the population in Northern Ireland have insufficient levels of Vitamin D intheir blood – something which Dr Barnes said “is particularly apparent during the winter months” “Vitamin D is primarilymade in the skin through the action of sunlight and with shorter days in the winter, vitamin D levels will decrease and thereforepeople should consider taking supplementation to keep these levels up.”“An insufficiency of Vitamin D has potential implications for diseases such as osteoporosis, some cancers - breast, prostate andcolon - multiple sclerosis and diabetes mellitus among others.”140