Remembering Mr Vincent Lynch

It is with sadness that the Irish Cancer Society learned of the recent passing of Mr Vincent Lynch, a distinguished cardiothoracic surgeon at St Vincent's Hospital and the Blackrock Clinic, where his surgical skills saved many lives. Mr Lynch also has a distinguished research career where he pioneered new surgical practices.

Here, friend and colleague Professor Martin Clynes, former Director of DCU’s National Institute for Cellular Biotechnology (NICB), pays tribute to a man who left an indelible mark on the Irish cancer research landscape:

"With the recent death of Vincent Lynch at the age of 83, cancer research in Ireland has lost a great friend and supporter. Mr Lynch was a highly-respected cardiothoracic surgeon at St Vincent’s University Hospital and the Blackrock Clinic, following on a brilliant research career in experimental surgery in English, US and Irish centres.

“During his career as a surgeon, he was exceptionally helpful to cancer researchers in supplying high-quality surgical specimens which resulted in establishment of several new human cancer cell lines which are still of tremendous use internationally in cancer research.

“In addition to providing samples, Vincent was always most generous with his time, advice and ideas. After retirement he spent much of his time at the NICB at DCU, and at RCSI where he was also an examiner and a tutor, and he was legendary in the encouragement and support which he provided on a weekly basis to so many younger researchers.

“He also served for years as the Clinical Expert on the DCU Ethics Committee, and was an enthusiastic supporter of the Clinical Club. It was Mr Lynch who made the initial connection between Mr William Power’s surgical team and the cell biologists at NICB which eventually last year led to the introduction of stem cell therapy for corneal damage into Ireland.

“Vincent will be greatly missed by his loving wife Geraldine, his sons and daughter and by so many in the clinical and scientific world whose lives he touched for the better. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.”