Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) has appointed of Dr Siobhan Roche as Director of Industry Programmes. Siobhan will be responsible for developing and implementing SFI’s strategies on competitive funding programmes, working closely with industry partners, including large and small, multinational and indigenous companies, academic researchers and other external stakeholders, on collaborations and the co-funding of programmes. Siobhan has been working with SFI for a number of years, most recently as Head of Post Award and SFI Research Centres. Previous to this role, Siobhan was Head of Partnerships and Scientific Programme Manager with SFI. 

Siobhan brings experience as a research scientist from both the private sector, where she worked with US-based Exelixis Inc. and a former Irish human genome start-up company, Hibergen Inc., and academia where she was a Research Fellow and Group Leader at Trinity College Dublin and St Patrick’s Hospital. Within these roles, she focused on the application of genetics and genomics technology to deciphering the biological causes of illnesses such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and mental health disorders. Siobhan has authored publications in leading, peer-reviewed journals and holds a number of international patents.

Commenting on the appointment, Professor Mark Ferguson, Director General of SFI and Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government of Ireland said, “I am delighted to welcome Siobhan to her new role as Director of Industry Programmes. Siobhan brings a wealth of experience to the role both from her time in SFI and her time in industry and academia. She will be a real asset to SFI as we work closely with the Government and our stakeholders to deliver the Innovation 2020 strategy and continue to grow Ireland’s position as a leading research nation.”

Siobhan holds a B.A. Mod in Genetics from Trinity College Dublin and a PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of California at Berkeley (USA).