ProfessorFiona McNicholas

Professor Fiona McNicholas is a Consultant in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Lucena Clinic, Rathgar, and Children’s Health Ireland (CHI), Crumlin. She completed her psychiatry training at Guy’s Hospital, London, and her specialist training in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Great Ormond Street Hospital, London. She undertook a research fellowship at Stanford University, California (1999–2001), and later returned as a Visiting Professor in 2013–2014. Before her appointment as Chair of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at University College Dublin (UCD) in October 2001, she served as an Assistant Professor at Columbia University, New York.

Professor McNicholas maintains extensive international collaborations and joint research initiatives, with over 350 peer-reviewed publications. Her primary clinical interests include rare diseases, ADHD, and eating disorders. She is a passionate advocate for evidence-based and accessible mental health services for children and adolescents, with a particular focus on improving transitions between services and addressing clinician burnout.

In addition to her clinical and research work, Professor McNicholas is deeply engaged in teaching and mentorship. She contributes internationally to the education and training of undergraduate and postgraduate clinicians, allied health, and education professionals, and has supervised numerous PhD and MD students to successful completion. She continues to advocate strongly for the rights of children and families to equitable, evidence-based mental health services.