Professor Dónal O'Carroll has been elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society, in recognition of his exceptional contribution to science. Dónal is among ninety outstanding researchers and innovators to be elected as the newest Fellows of the Royal Society – the UK’s national academy of sciences.Professor O’Carroll is a leading interdisciplinary biologist in the Institute for Stem Cell Research at the University of Edinburgh's School of Biological Sciences.His research has led to vital insights into reproductive biology, fertility and the complex mechanisms that ensure genetic information is protected as it passes from one generation to the next. Genetic Immortality His lab’s ground-breaking research has revealed how the early-stage precursors to adult egg and sperm cells, known as germ cells, are protected from damage during embryo development.Evading such damage allows germ cells to become healthy female egg cells or, in males, the self-renewing pool of cells that produce healthy sperm throughout adult life.Germ cells are the vital link between generations but they need unique strategies to protect the genetic information they carry, so it can be passed successfully from parents to their offspring.During their development, germ cells undergo a reprogramming process that leaves them vulnerable to rogue genes, known as transposons, which can damage their DNA and lead to infertility.Transposons can move around the genome controlling how our genes are used. But their activity needs to be carefully suppressed to avoid them causing damage. Dónal’s work has been transformative and he was the first to reveal the biological mechanism, which helps to recruit protective chemical tags, known as DNA methylations, to disable transposons.Scientists have long puzzled over how germ cells escape damage during the reprogramming process, as it temporarily wipes their genetic slate clean of existing protective tags. Professor O’Carroll’s group discovered the role of small RNA molecules, called PIWI-interacting RNAs, that help to recruit the protective tags that silence transposons.His group’s research not only explains the missing part of the puzzle that allows germ cells to escape an early death, but also provides insights into certain forms of infertility.These fundamental insights into the development and safeguarding of genetic information through generations, reveals the key to the long-term success and health of humans and all animal species. Other Research Dónal’s group have also made important contributions to understanding the population of cells that underpin male fertility throughout adult life. Spermatagonial stem cells make a continual supply of sperm cells in all adult male mammals.His group also investigate the earliest stages of egg development in females, examining the role of molecules, known as RNAs, which provide the blueprint for early life.RNA, or ribonucleic acid, is a molecule crucial for many biological processes, particularly in carrying genetic information, translating DNA into proteins, and regulating gene expression.Dónal’s group have revealed the role of chemical modification to RNAs as germ cells develop, and how they underpin healthy egg cell maturation, fertilisation, and early embryo development in adults. His research has also led to insights into the role of RNAs in regulating other processes in the body such as neurodegeneration, the production of blood as well as cancer. In his early career Donal made a ground-breaking contribution to the understanding of how DNA is packaged and how this influences the activity of genes, as well as the origin of mammalian germ cells. Biography After graduating in biochemistry from Trinity College Dublin, Dónal O’Carroll undertook his PhD in the laboratory at the Research Institute for Molecular Pathology (IMP) in Vienna. Thereafter he joined The Rockefeller University as a postdoctoral fellow and research associate with Alexander Tarakhovsky.In 2007, Dónal moved to the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Rome as a group leader. He joined the University of Edinburgh in 2015 as the Chair of Stem Cell Biology. From 2015-2020 he was the Head of the Institute for Stem Cell Research and Associate Director of the Centre for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Edinburgh. In 2018 he also became a group leader at the Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology.In recognition of his important contribution to research and leadership, in 2019 he was elected as Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE). In 2020, he was elected a Member of European Molecular Biology Organisation. Prof. O'Carroll is currently the Chair of Stem Cell Biology at the University of Edinburgh, where he is a group leader at both the Centre for Regenerative Medicine and the Centre for Cell Biology. It is a great honour to be elected a Fellow of Royal Society. I would like to acknowledge my past and present laboratory not only for their outstanding scientific contributions but also in building a collaborative and engaging research environment. I am also extremely grateful to all the people, institutions, and funders who have supported us throughout our journey. Professor Dónal O'Carroll FRS, FRSE Chair of Stem Cell Biology, Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Centre for Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences I am delighted that Professor O’Carroll has been elected as Fellow of the Royal Society. It is a wonderful recognition of his work in stem cell biology, and exemplifies the interdisciplinary and innovative approaches that we value in the School of Biological Sciences. Professor Thorunn Helgason Chair in Ecology, Head of the School of Biological Sciences We are incredibly delighted that Donal has been elected to the Royal Society. It’s a prestigious recognition of his ground-breaking research into how germ cells protect the genome, and a proud moment for all of us at the Centre for Regenerative Medicine. Professor Tilo Kunath Co-Director, Centre for Regenerative Medicine It is with great pleasure that I welcome the latest cohort of outstanding researchers into the Fellowship of the Royal Society. Their achievements represent the very best of scientific endeavour, from basic discovery to research with real-world impact across health, technology and policy. From tackling global health challenges to reimagining what AI can do for humanity, their work is a testament to the power of curiosity-driven research and innovation. Sir Adrian Smith President of the Royal Society Royal Society Fellows The Royal Society is an independent scientific academy of the UK, dedicated to promoting excellence in science for the benefit of humanity. This year’s cohort include trailblazers across a wide range of fields, from artificial intelligence and electron microscopy to global health and neuroscience.The Fellows and Foreign Members join the ranks of Stephen Hawking, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, Lise Meitner, Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar and Dorothy Hodgkin. Related Links Professor Dónal O’CarrollRoyal Society Annoucement Publication date 19 May, 2025
