APC launched their new Entrepreneurship Bursary competition to foster a culture of entrepreneurship and partner with relevant stakeholders to establish new, investor‐ready spin out companies in line with the APC Microbiome Ireland’s (APC) strategic Vision 2021‐2026 ‘Making a Difference through Microbiome Science’. With funding awards of up to €5,000 the bursaries aim to support researchers to develop ideas or existing technologies/IP for a new spin‐out company through the generation of proof‐of‐concept experimental data.

Out of seven awards presented,  three bursaries were awarded to Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience researchers,  Dr Siobhain O'Mahony for her work 'Innovation in Women's Health, Dr Harriët Schellekens recieved the award to support her work 'To develop an innovative process or development of synbiotic pre/probiotic combinations with psychobiotic functionality, and PhD student Clara Deady received a bursary to support her work 'Towards developing a pregnancy supplement with anti-inflammatory potential'.

Professor Aideen Sullivan, Head of Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience congratulated the researchers saying 'The Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience is very proud of the success of our researchers in the recent APC Entrepreneurship Bursary Awards.With three of the seven awards being won by our researchers, this shows the innovative and impactful research ongoing in our Department, as well as highlighting the personal achievements of our senior academic and postgraduate female researchers'.

The 2023 APC Entrepreneurship Bursary Award winners are:

• Ms Clara Deady, PhD student.
• Dr Christopher Turkington,Postdoctoral researcher
• Dr Harriët Schellekens, Funded Investigator
• Dr Julie O’ Sullivan, Postdoctoral researcher
• Prof Jens Walter, Principal Investigator
• Dr Miguel Fernandez de Ullivarri, Postdoctoral researcher
• Dr Siobhain O’Mahony, Funded Investigator

The Bursary projects span a range of projects from antibiotic alternatives, to skin health solutions, and restoration of vanished species from the Western gut microbiome.

Link To APC Microbiome Ireland: https://www.ucc.ie/en/apc/news/apc-news/apc-announces-winners-of-inaugural-entrepreneurship-bursary-awards.html