Our Projects
Research Projects
Current Projects
The information provided below provides a brief overview of externally-funded research projects (currently ongoing and recently completed) as a flavour of the types of research activities within the Cork Centre for Vitamin D and Nutrition Research (CCVDNR).
| Project |
Project Outline |
|---|---|
| Vitamin D - DPI project
|
The VitD-DPI project is a collaboration between University College Cork, University College Dublin, Teagasc, the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority, and Aryzta Food Solutions. It is funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s Competitive Research Funding Programme under Grant No. 2021R610. More information, as well as the latest news and updates, on the VitD-DPI project can be found here. |
| Food based dietary guidelines for sustainable and healthy lifestyles (SuHeGuide)
|
This project is a collaboration between Teagasc Ashtown (coordinator: Dr Sinead McCarthy), University College Cork, University College Dublin and Queen’s University Belfast. Principal Investigator at CCVDNR, UCC: Professor Mairead Kiely Funding: €961K in total (€206K to UCC) from October 2020 to September 2024. |
| Development of a novel high protein, polyphenol enriched Dairy beverage for athletes and physically active individuals (RubusElite)
|
The project is a collaboration between University College Cork (coordinator: Dr. Alice Lucey), Teagasc and the Waterford Institute of Technology Principal Investigator at CCVDNR, UCC: Dr. Alice Lucey Funding: €866K in total (€222K to UCC) from July 2018 to September 2022 |
| Iron deficiency assessment to protect the newborn brain
|
Iron deficiency assessment to protect the newborn brain Principal Investigator: Dr. Elaine McCarthy Funding: €241K from January 2021 to December 2025 |
| Redressing the impact of industrialization on gut microbiome composition and function (Microbe Restore)
|
Overall Principal Investigator, UCC: Professor Jens Walters Nutrition Principal Investigator at CCVDNR, UCC: Dr. Alice Lucey Funding: €482K from November 2020 to October 2025 |
| Functional indicators of iodine status in pregnancy – an outcome-driven, personalised nutrition approach
|
Principal Investigator: Dr. Aine Hennessy Funding: €482K from March 2019 to February 2023 |
| Dietary solutions for incorporating red meat into the diets of young children
|
A constituent project within the Meat and Health Research Pillar of the Enterprise Ireland-funded Meat Technology Centre (Phase II) from 2021 to 2026. Principal Investigators: Professor Mairead Kiely and Dr. Elaine McCarthy Funding: €265K from 2022-2026 Summary not available yet due to commercial nature of project. |
| Key role of fresh lean red meat in the recommended “food first” approach for performance nutrition
|
A constituent project within the Meat and Health Research Pillar of the Enterprise Ireland-funded Meat Technology Centre (Phase II) from 2021 to 2026. Principal Investigators: Professor Kevin Cashman, Dr. Elaine McCarthy and Dr. Alice Lucey Funding: €279K from 2023-2025 Summary not available yet due to commercial nature of project. |
Previous Projects Completed within the Centre's Lifetime
| Project | Project Details |
|---|---|
| Beneficial effects of blackberry polyphenols on cardiovascular and metabolic health (Cardio-Rubus Project)
|
Principal Investigator at CCVDNR, UCC: Dr. Alice Lucey Funding: €597K from December 2013 to May 2017 |
| Analysis of diet and eating behaviours in infants and young children as determinants of weight status and health outcomes for innovative product development (BASELINE-DIET)
|
Principal Investigator: Dr. Aine Hennessy Funding: €70K from July 2017 to December 2017 Further details on this project and its key findings are available at: https://assets.gov.ie/207664/400f15a0-301c-481f-b20d-8086c939fd2d.pdf |
| Importance and value of meat to vitamin D nutrition
|
A constituent project within the Meat and Health Research Pillar of the Enterprise Ireland-funded Meat Technology Centre (Phase I) from 2017 to 2021. Principal Investigator at CCVDNR, UCC: Professor Kevin Cashman Funding: €100K Further details on this project and its key findings are available at: |
| Role of meat in the diet of Irish children for growth and health outcomes
|
A constituent project within the Meat and Health Research Pillar of the Enterprise Ireland-funded Meat Technology Centre (Phase I) from 2017 to 2021. Principal Investigator at CCVDNR, UCC: Professor Mairead Kiely Funding: €94K |
| Biofortification approaches for enhanced vitamin K foods [BioKfoods]
 |
Principal Investigator at CCVDNR, UCC: Professor Kevin Cashman Funding: €377K from 2017 to 2020. Further details on this project and its key findings are available at: https://assets.gov.ie/207662/4fefef6e-e8af-45f6-99d2-122697095213.pdf |
| Food-based strategies for vitamin D deficiency prevention throughout life [ODIN] – a Large Scale Integrated Project
|
Joint Project Co-ordinators and UCC Principal Investigators: Professor Mairead Kiely and Professor Kevin Cashman Funding: €6M, of which €1.71M was direct share to UCC from 1/11/2013 to 31/12/2017. Further details on this project and its key findings are available at: |
| Vitamin D-enhanced Irish meat and eggs [EnhanceD meats]
|
Principal Investigator at CCVDNR, UCC: Professor Kevin Cashman Funding: €381K UCC from 2012 to 2016. Further details on this project and its key findings are available at: https://assets.gov.ie/133095/b6af8e1b-d609-409e-a0fe-d2b14c8219b1.pdf |
| Professor Mairead Kiely was also the Principal Investigator on the following projects, which were centred within the Maternal and Child Nutrition research programme in the INFANT Research Centre at UCC:
|
|
| Pinpoint [Personalised Nutrition for Preterm Infants]
|
Funding: €1.2M total to UCC from 01/10/2014- 28/02/2021 |
| COMBINE [Cork Maternal-Infant Nutrition and Neurodevelopment Study
|
Funding: €1.3M total to UCC from 01/07/2015- 30/06/2020. |
