Professor Mary O’Brien joined Edge Hill University in 2003 following a nursing career which culminated in nine years as a Nurse Specialist for Motor Neurone Disease (MND).  She was awarded a Personal Chair as Professor of Palliative and Supportive Care in August 2015.  An experienced health researcher, Mary’s particular interests are end-of-life and palliative care research, including the needs of carers, focusing on non-malignant illness, particularly neurological conditions and specifically MND.  Her research has contributed to recognising the support needs of patients with advanced and progressive illnesses, including MND, and their family carers and is helping to facilitate the assessment of those needs during end-of-life care and into bereavement.  Mary is a former member of the North West Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) Regional Advisory Panel and is a current member of the MND Association Health Research Advisory Panel (HRAP) and the UK MND Clinical Studies Group. She has successfully supervised a number of PhD students to completion and is an experienced PhD examiner.