My Resume / Curriculum Vitae

In brief, I qualified as a medical doctor in 1986 (UCD, Dublin), spent 5 years as a psychiatrist in Hackney (East London), moved sideways into the Pharmaceutical Industry for 20 years (1996-2016), have run my own consultancy business since 2000, dabbled in professional acting for 4 years (2000-2004), and discovered genealogy in 2005. Since my first DNA test in 2009, I have become addicted to genetic genealogy and now lecture about it all around the world.

Ongoing Projects

As a genetic genealogist, I am engaged in several research projects, including:

• The Gleason/Gleeson DNA Project … https://gleesondna.blogspot.com
• The O'Connor DNA Project ... https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/oconnor/about/goals
• The McDermott DNA Project ... https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/mc-dermott/about/background
• The Farrell DNA Project … https://farrelldna.blogspot.com
• The Spearin Surname Project … https://spearinsurnameproject.blogspot.com
• The O'Malley DNA Project ... https://omalleydnaproject.blogspot.com/p/welcome.html
• The Ryan DNA Project ... https://ryandnaproject.blogspot.com
• Commemorating the Missing (a project to commemorate the 500,000 missing soldiers of WWI through the use of genealogy and DNA) ... https://commemoratingthemissing.blogspot.com

Talks, Lectures & Presentations

I lecture nationally and internationally on DNA-related topics.

• In 2018, I completed a 5-week tour of Australia & New Zealand … http://dnaandfamilytreeresearch.blogspot.com/2018/05/tour-of-australia-new-zealand.html
• a complete list of my previous presentations can be found here ... https://dnaandfamilytreeresearch.blogspot.com/p/presentations-downloads.html

I organise the DNA Lectures at the annual Back to Our Past exhibition in Dublin (each October) and in Belfast (each February). I also helped organise the DNA Lectures at Who Do You Think You Are – Live (2013-2016) and have chaired the DNA Lectures at Family Tree Live (London, 2019). I also manage the associated dedicated YouTube Channels:

• Genetic Genealogy Ireland … https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHnW2NAfPIA2KUipZ_PlUlw
• Who Do You Think You Are … https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7HQSiSkiy7ujlkgQER1FYw
• Family Tree Live ... https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDT68cnbbL6IkLWxS5Ao2UA/videos

Publications

I write regular articles on genetic genealogy for several magazines – British Connections, Irish Roots, Irish Lives Remembered. I have written two 68-page magazine supplements:

• DNA & Your Genealogy … https://dnaandfamilytreeresearch.blogspot.com/2018/01/new-publication-dna-your-genealogy.html
• Irish Research – A Practical Guide … https://your-genealogy-history-store-usa.myshopify.com/collections/tracing-your-ancestors-series/products/irish-research-8-50-for-pdf-9-95-for-print-edition

My academic publications can be viewed on my Researchgate profile here. These include the following ...

An empirical investigation into the effectiveness of genetic genealogy to identify individuals in the UK. Jim Thomson, Tim Clayton, John Cleary, Maurice Gleeson, Debbie Kennett, Michelle Leonard, Donna Rutherford. February 2020. Forensic Science International: Genetics 46:102263   DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2020.102263 

 

The effectiveness of forensic genealogy techniques in The united kingdom – an experimental assessment. Jim Thomson, Tim Clayton, John Cleary, Maurice Gleeson, Debbie Kennett, Michelle Leonard, Donna Rutherford. November 2019. Forensic Science International Genetics Supplement Series 7(1):765-767. DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigss.2019.10.169 

 

The rise of genetic genealogy as a citizen science. Maurice Gleeson, oral presentation & poster at Personal Genomes: accessing, sharing and interpretation, Wellcome Genome Campus Conference Centre Hinxton Cambridge. April 2019.

 

Identifying persons unknown using genetic genealogy – a review of the methodology. Maurice Gleeson, poster at Personal Genomes: accessing sharing and interpretation, Wellcome Genome Campus Conference Centre Hinxton Cambridge. April 2019.

 

The Gleason / Gleeson DNA Project. Maurice Gleeson. Mining the Past 2017 - Journal of the Silvermines Historical Society.

 

Saving Ruby. Maurice Gleeson. Mining the Past 2014 - Journal of the Silvermines Historical Society.

Honours / Awards

• “Genetic Genealogist of the Year” (SurnameDNA Journal, 2015)
• “Superstar Genealogist, Ireland” (AngloCeltic Connections, 2016)
• “Rockstar Genealogist, Ireland” (AngloCeltic Connections, 2017)
• Education Ambassador, ISOGG (International Society of Genetic Genealogy, 2016)
• Member of Citizen’s Panel to advise FamilyTreeDNA in relation to Investigative Genetic Genealogy
• Honorary Research Fellow, Genealogical Studies Programme, Strathclyde University, Glasgow (2021 ongoing)

I am a thought leader within the genetic genealogy community and have advanced the science of genetic genealogy through my blogs, presentations, YouTube channels, and Facebook groups:

• DNA and Family Tree Research blog … https://dnaandfamilytreeresearch.blogspot.com
• DNA and Family Tree Research YouTube channel … https://www.youtube.com/c/DNAandFamilyTreeResearch
• Facebook: Genetic Genealogy Ireland … https://www.facebook.com/groups/geneticgenealogyireland/

Professional Work

I work as a professional genetic genealogist, helping people interpret their DNA results and identifying next steps they could take to advance their own research. I specialise in helping people with Irish Brick Walls to use DNA effectively to break through them. I also work with adoptees and birth parents who are trying to identify their birth families (most of them referrals from Barnardos and TUSLA). I am a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, the International Society of Genetic Genealogy, the Guild of One Name Studies, Irish Genealogical Research Society.

Enquiries are welcome and you can email me by clicking on this link here.

Maurice Gleeson

Feb 2022