2024 News Archive

UCD PhD project chosen for global impact and innovation exhibition in Dubai

PhD student Ella Fouhy’s project ‘PREVENT – Early Screening Test to Prevent Pre-Eclampsia and Save Lives’ was chosen from over 2700 applications, the first ever UCD project featured in Prototypes for Humanity.

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Academics, regulators and the Food Industry unite to combat food fraud

Prof Saskia van Ruth leads a coalition to establish the European Food Fraud Community of Practice, engaging researchers, regulators, small- and large-sized businesses, to enhance food authenticity and traceability.

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HRB invests €12.5 million to develop Ireland’s future research leaders

Two UCD awardees announced under HRB Research Career Framework that aims to support emerging researchers to establish themselves as independent investigators.

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Andrew Parnell appointed as Met Éireann Professor of Weather and Climate Research at UCD

The Weather and Climate Research Professorship represents a multi-million-euro investment by Met Éireann to support the further development of weather and climate services for Ireland using AI and data science.

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ERC Rights-To-Unite Project Launched at UCD Sutherland School of Law

The €2.5 million European Research Council (ERC) funded project aims to generate a new theory on the role of law in societal integration within and beyond the EU.

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EU project aims to revolutionise biomedical research with extracelluar vesicles

Led by UCD’s Prof Breandán Kennedy, EVEREST will bring together 21 institutions from 11 countries to advance the study of 'messengers' between cells which could transform early diagnosis and targeted treatments.

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ERC Synergy Grant for development of novel technology that could revolutionise clinical diagnostics

Dr Nicola Fletcher has received a coveted European Research Council Synergy Grant for her groundbreaking project NanoX.

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Scientists’ next-generation space materials blast off for tests on ISS

UCD’S Prof Kate Robson Brown among team launching low Earth orbit experiments on latest International Space Station supply mission, testing composite materials and analytical models.

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Competition! Celebrating John Stewart Bell’s Legacy

UCD spin-out Equal1 launches inaugural ‘Quantum Solutions for the Environment Challenge’ for students around the island of Ireland, in honour of the famous Belfast physicist.

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New research reveals MRSA's double defence against antibiotics

Research from the University of Sheffield and UCD reveals mechanisms that allow superbug MRSA to become highly resistant to antibiotics, paving the way for new approaches to control infectious disease.

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Autistic psychiatrists who don't know they're autistic may fail to spot autism in patients

Groundbreaking study exploring the experiences of autistic psychiatrists is led in Ireland by Associate Clinical Professor Mary Doherty, UCD School of Medicine, published in BJPsych Open.

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Fifty UCD postgrad and postdoc researchers awarded under Government of Ireland call

Next-generation space instrument development, philosophy and democracy, Irish biodiversity, emerging technologies in spine surgery, green hydrogen, and treating epidermolysis bullosa among topics funded.

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UCD Centre for One Health designated as WHO Collaborating Centre

The Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) has designated the UCD Centre for One Health as a WHO collaborating centre - the first WHO Collaborating Centre on One Health in Europe.

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New precision medicine approach helps detect subgroups of people with obesity at high risk of diabetes and heart disease

As part of the SOPHIA project, a pioneering clinical risk prediction algorithm has been developed that splits obesity into 5 separate diagnostic profiles.

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Research Ireland Frontiers for the Future funding for ‘high-risk, high-reward research’ at UCD

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science announces funding for 11 innovative UCD projects. 

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Irish experts lead international research alliance to tackle Mpox epidemic in Africa

UCD is leading MpoxVax AFRIVAC, a new €1.3M international consortium that aims to rapidly deploy technology and develop new knowledge to end the current Mpox outbreak in DRC and surrounding countries.

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EIRSAT-1 detects merging neutron stars 3 billion light years away

On World Space Week, the team behind Ireland's first satellite revealed it detected two gamma-ray bursts with one confirmed by optical redshift via ESO network.

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New Director of Research at UCD

Dipti Pandya has been appointed Director of UCD Research at University College Dublin.

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New €5M Bioeconomy Investment, bringing research from lab to pilot scale demonstration

Director of Biorbic and Professor at UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, Prof Kevin O’Connor, is the scientific lead on the BioScaleUp project. 

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UCD has 168 of world’s all-time top cited scientific authors

Elsevier has published the latest data-update for ‘science-wide author databases of standardized citation indicators,’ revealing the top 2% most cited scientists in the world.

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Prof Murray Hitzman appointed Chair of the International Geoscience Programme Council

Director of iCRAG, Prof Murray Hitzman, has been appointed Chair of the International Geoscience Programme (IGCP) Council for a four-year term.

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Microplastics experts say collaboration across disciplines is key to understanding impacts on human health

International conference at UCD brings experts and stakeholders together to explore the consequences of exposure to MNPs.

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Nine projects funded to enhance UCD’s research culture

First round of UCD Research Culture – Local Actions, Initiatives and Measures (ReCLAIM) awards, funded by Wellcome Institutional Fund for Research Culture, awarded to nine teams for diverse projects.

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Trial shows promising results for treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer

The new study, co-authored by Professor Michaela Higgins, UCD School of Medicine, was published in Nature Medicine.

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UCD Sustainability supports 17 projects in new seed funding scheme

The projects were launched during SDG Week, which mobilises annually in September to bring together communities, demand urgency and supercharge solutions for the Sustainable Development Goals.

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Topological quantum computers a step closer with new method to 'split' electrons

Research into quantum properties of nano-scale circuits recently published in Physical Review Letters reveals possible key to unlocking power of quantum computing.

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HRB invests over €2M in UCD Investigator-Led Projects addressing major health challenges

The Health Research Board (HRB) has announces funding to support research across three overarching themes; patient-oriented research, population health research, and health service research.

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EVIW 2024: Building capacity in animal immunology key to One Health success

The eighth European Veterinary Immunology Workshop was held in Dublin this year, co-organised by Dr Kieran Meade and colleagues from UCD, QUB, AFBI, and Teagasc.

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Minister for Health appoints Prof Peter Doran to the Health Research Board (HRB)

Dr Tracy Cunningham has been appointed as Chairperson Designate, while Prof Mark Lawler will join Prof Doran as a new Board member.

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European Research Council Funds Cutting-Edge Irish Research into Microplastics and Traumatic Brain Injury

Two UCD researchers are among 494 young scholars to receive ERC Starting Grants totalling €780 million.

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UCD experts appointed to new 'Online Health' Taskforce

Prof Mary Horgan and Assoc Prof Brian Mac Namee named in new group tasked with developing a public health response to harms caused to children and young people by online activity.

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International consortium with NASA reveals hidden impact of spaceflight on gut health

International team led by UCD and McGill University reveals previously unknown effects on physiology that could shape the future of long-duration space missions.

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Clinical trial challenges beliefs about new obesity treatments

Clinical trial at St Vincent’s Hospital, published today in the Journal of the Obesity Society, found that Ozempic and similar new obesity treatments do more than ‘simply make you eat less.’

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Four UCD teams among first cohort of National Challenge Fund finalists

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Patrick O’Donovan announced nine teams, including four UCD-led, to receive Grow Phase funding under the €65 million National Challenge Fund.

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€14.6M invested to support early career researchers under the SFI-IRC Pathway programme

The SFI-IRC Pathway programme supports early-career research across all disciplines and encourages a cohesive research ecosystem in Ireland.

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€46M Thematic Research call largest ever for Dept of Agriculture

DAFM has announced the results for the 2023 Thematic Research call, awarding €46 million to over 40 projects – the largest investment in research ever made by the department.

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LISA project confirms UCD alum as mission waveform expert

Dr Anna Heffernan joins the science team for the LISA mission - the €1.75bn project led by ESA, in partnership with NASA, to build an observatory in space. We asked her a few questions...

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New CEO takes the helm at AI centre CeADAR

Dr John Lonsdale's appointment emphasises the importance of CeADAR's role in facilitating AI adoption across Irish companies and public organisations.

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AESIS 'Societal Impact of Scientific Research’ conference held at UCD

UCD hosted the AESIS Network ‘Societal Impact of Scientific Research’ 2024 conference, in partnership with UCD Research and the Office of the Vice-President for Research, Innovation and Impact.

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UCD Research wins PRCA Award for EIRSAT-1 Campaign

Communications team recognised with award for 'Best Public Sector or Civil Service Campaign' at the 2024 PRCA Awards for Excellence in Public Relations.

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UCD hosts Women in Data Science 2024

Women in Data Science (WiDS) Dublin regional conference brought together a diverse group of speakers and attendees to explore the theme 'Data for all: Inclusive data science and analytics.

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Medical and digital humanities project Typhoidland launches stunning new portal

The multi-award-winning international project launches 'Typhoid, Cockles and Terrorism: How a disease shaped modern Dublin' interactive portal with a series of physical and online exhibitions.

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SFI Industry RD&I Fellowships announced

Three UCD researchers among 15 Fellows announced, for research including new liquid biopsy technology, robotically drilled subsea micropiles for floating wind farms and reducing mooring loads for offshore wind platforms.

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New research published in major Nature Portfolio Package reveals effect of spaceflight on the human body

Findings of a new study could aid our return to the moon and reveal new interactions and research avenues that can drive medical discoveries on Earth.

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New research on stroke therapies from CONVINCE trial published in The Lancet

The findings support the hypothesis that long-term anti-inflammatory therapy with colchicine may reduce recurrent stroke and cardiovascular events specifically in stroke patients with atherosclerosis.

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Research at UCD contributes to major rise in QS world rankings

UCD jumps 45 places to 126th in the world, largely driven by its strong research performance which accounted for half of this result

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Minister O’Donovan announces SFI Strategic Partnership Award of €1.4M to UCD Researchers for Bio-PADT project

The 'Bio-PADT' partnership between UCD and Marigot Ltd. is spearheading the development of reliable platforms for micronutrient delivery.

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New collaborative research centre to transform food system launches at UCD

€35million Co-Centre to drive societal and political change in food system transformation and transition to climate neutrality by 2050

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UCD Researchers recognised in SFI Frontiers for the Future Awards

Seven UCD researchers have been successful in the latest round of the SFI Frontiers for the Future programme awards valued at €34 million.

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Launch of UCD AI Healthcare Hub Marks a Milestone in AI-Driven Healthcare Innovation

AI Healthcare Network Seed Funding announced to support cross-disciplinary research and further enhance patient safety and outcomes.

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New EU&I platform launched to help voters navigate European Parliament Elections

App users can explore the positions of both Irish political parties and independent candidates competing in the European elections.

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Government announces €104m funding for SFI research centres

BiOrbic Bioeconomy SFI Research Centre and I-Form SFI Research Centre for Advanced Manufacturing, both based at UCD, among the four gaining investment via SFI phase 2 centre funding.

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Cancer experts support Tánaiste’s call for establishment of All-Island Cancer Institute

Leading Irish and international cancer researchers and clinicians have strongly endorsed the call by An Tánaiste, Micheál Martin for the establishment of an All-Island Cancer Institute.

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World-leading experts gather in Farmleigh to promote greater Euro-American cooperation in tackling cancer

Significant benefits of Island of Ireland/USA cancer collaboration to be showcased at event.

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New Report recommends the creation of an All-Island Oncology Innovation Cluster

All-Island Industry Report launched by Minister Dara Calleary and NI Minister Conor Murphy

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2024 Research Fellowship Awards to support three exciting disease intervention research projects

Awards are supported by Systems Biology Ireland (UCD) and Quantitative Biosciences Institute (UCSF) and in the area of network biology and drug/drug target discovery.

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New book challenges the assumption that youth drinking is in decline globally

Focusing on Nigerian youth, 'Reconfiguring Drinking Cultures, Gender, and Transgressive Selves' (Palgrave Macmillan, 2024) offers a rare analysis of the gendering of alcohol in a non-Western context. 

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New UCD Research Collaborations with University of Massachusetts, Amherst Announced

Four exciting new research collaborations will foster novel, multidisciplinary collaborations between the two institutions.

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Study on effect of “green infrastructure” on urban air quality wins prestigious international prize

An international team including UCD’s Professor Francesco Pilla, has won the prestigious 2023 Haagen-Smit Prize for their groundbreaking air pollution research. 

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UCD seeking to appoint a Full Professor of Data Science for Weather and Climate

As part of new multi-million-euro programme at UCD funded by Met Éireann to support the development of weather and climate services using data science and AI.

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New film on UCD’s first female Professor of Irish reveals how her legacy has impacted generations of Irish women

TG4 documentary shares the extraordinary story of Úna Ní Fhaircheallaigh (Agnes Farrelly).

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Cancer Experts from Island of Ireland meet with US Congressional Caucus on Capitol Hill

Leading participants in AICRI met with the members of the US Congress on Capitol Hill as part of this week’s Ireland – Northern Ireland – US engagement to mark St Patrick’s Week.

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SBI review on menopause treatment for cancer patients featured in The Lancet

Paper identifies the impact of early menopause and the severity of menopausal symptoms in cancer survivors, providing evidence-based recommendations.

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Major Dublin conference examines how successful Scottish space industry could point the way for Ireland

8,500 people work in Scottish space sector - expected to be worth UK£4BN by 2030

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Amplifying the Voices of Children and Young People Living with Rare Diseases

New All-Ireland Children and Young Adults Research Advisory Group for Rare Diseases (RAIN CRAG) launched in the lead-up to Rare Disease Day 2024

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Irish Government invests in 38 projects to inspire STEM public engagement

Six UCD-led projects have been funded through the SFI Discover Programme this year. The funding will generate opportunities for dialogue and encourage diversity in STEM-related disciplines.

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UCD and UK researchers collaborate to investigate Equine Headshaking

The research team aims to recruit owners of headshaking horses or ponies across Ireland and the UK, for a 12-month study involving blue light therapy.

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UCD‘s new Centre for One Health to provide solutions for disease control and global health challenges

Centre to advance research, education and collaboration on the One Health to challenges, which recognises the interconnectedness of human, animal and planetary health. 

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UCD and Northeastern University extend partnership with 5 collaborative research projects

Driving mutual gains in health technology research space, including deployment of AI-enabled clinical support tool

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EPA announces €14.3M in new research funding

5 UCD researchers have received funding under the scheme. Projects are designed to support innovations and the development and implementation of policies in Ireland, as well as developing research capacity in strategically important areas.

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Project promoting safe staffing in the healthcare system wins UCD Research Impact Competition

One overall winner and nine finalists were announced at a prize giving ceremony today. The new Engaged Research impact prize was awarded to a project correcting state narratives on the Magdalene Laundries.

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In the biggest election year in history, experts join forces to address the great challenges facing democracy

UCD launches new Centre for Democracy Research to address fundamental questions for democratic societies.

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