Autism, sustainable batteries and biodegradable 3D-printed stents among the projects to secure Research Ireland funding
Life
Pictured: Dr Aamir Hameed; Dr Ciara Murphy; Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless; and Dr Jennifer Dowling
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless has announced €34.5 million in funding to support 39 cutting-edge research projects.
This year’s Frontiers for the Future Programme was co-funded by Children’s Health Foundation, Breakthrough Cancer Research, and Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, who collectively contributed €2.8 million to the programme.
This year’s supported projects include the development of new materials to create longer-lasting, more sustainable batteries as alternatives to current lithium-ion technology; a biodegradable 3D-printed stent material to help heal spinal fractures caused by osteoporosis; and computer models to better predict long-term outcomes for babies affected by birth-related oxygen loss.
This round’s individual awards include the exploration of Irish ecosystems to discover novel yeast species with potential for use in food, biofuels, and biotechnology (Prof. Geraldine Butler, University College Dublin); safer, low-cost alternatives to precious metal catalysts to convert ammonia into useful chemicals for medicines, agriculture, and industry (Dr Daniela Bezuidenhout, Maynooth University); and how early-life memories are lost and how this process differs in autism and between sexes, to potentially reverse memory loss (Prof. Tomás Ryan, Trinity College Dublin).
The 39 funded initiatives span the following 12 research institutions: Dublin City University (1), Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (1), Maynooth University (3), Munster Technological University (1), RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences (3), Teagasc (1), Trinity College Dublin (7), Tyndall National Institute (1), University College Cork (6), University College Dublin (9), University of Galway (3), and University of Limerick (3).
Announcing the awards, Minister Lawless said: “We are investing in cutting-edge, curiosity-driven research, and empowering individual researchers to progress bold ideas that can lead to groundbreaking discoveries. These awards demonstrate our dedication to building a diverse and inclusive research community that delivers impact for our society and economy. I look forward to seeing the development and outputs of these projects over the coming years.”
Dr Diarmuid O’Brien, CEO of Research Ireland, said: “Research Ireland’s Frontiers for the Future Programme has, at its core, the exploration of high-risk, high-reward ideas, and the building of collaborative teams that produce excellent research. We are proud to be partnering with Children’s Health Foundation, Breakthrough Cancer Research, and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, and supporting 66 PhD students, 47 postdoctoral researchers, and 13 other research positions.”
Fionnuala O Leary, CEO, Children’s Health Foundation, commented: “Children’s Health Foundation is extremely proud to support the Frontiers for the Future Programme which empowers researchers to pursue innovative ideas which have the potential to transform outcomes for sick children. None of this can be achieved without the incredible generosity of the Foundation’s supporters who trust us to invest in the next generation of scientific discovery and helping to drive meaningful, lasting impact for sick children”.
Orla Dolan, CEO of Breakthrough Cancer Research said, “Breakthrough Cancer Research focuses our research investment on the lowest survival cancers because we urgently need smarter, kinder, and more effective treatments to improve survival. We are thrilled to partner with Research Ireland to support bold, creative new ideas and researchers to meet the urgent needs of people diagnosed with these very challenging cancers – to deliver impact where it’s needed most.”
TechCentral Reporters