.png)
News
APC researchers celebrate 3 projects funded by the Research Ireland Frontiers for the Future Programme.
APC researchers celebrate three projects that received funding under the Research Ireland Frontiers for the Future Programme.
The Research Ireland Frontiers for the Future Programme funds high-risk, high-reward research programmes and innovative, collaborative research with the potential to deliver economic and societal impact.
Professor Aonghus Lavelle, has received €613,556 for his project entitled 'Characterising uncultured bacteria associated with bile acid dysmetabolism and disease severity in IBD. This research project aims to study the role that certain bacteria play in metabolising bile acids in our guts, particularly in people with IBD. Bile acids are special molecules produced by the liver to help with digestion and absorption of dietary fats. Our bodies reabsorb most of these bile acids after the fats have been digested, but some make it into our colon, where bacteria alter them. These altered bile acids (termed 'secondary bile acids') can have a range of important functions related to health and disease.
Prof Liam O’Mahony in collaboration with Professor Jonathan Hourihane, RCSI, Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) Temple Street and CHI Connolly received funding for FLORAL, a follow on to CORAL. FLORAL is the only study of its kind to investigate differences in health outcomes among children born during and 5 years after the pandemic. It will re-examine the original CORAL cohort at five years of age to assess long-term health outcomes while also recruiting a new cohort of 1000 infants born in 2025 to compare with the “lockdown babies” born in 2020. Researchers hope their findings will shed light on how early-life isolation and altered microbial exposure may influence lifelong health and development.
Prof Ruth Massey is collaborating with Prof. Rachel McLoughlin at Trinity College Dublin, they will work on harnessing the power of gamma-delta T cells to target intracellular Staphylococcus aureus infection, an important project in the field of immunology.
Announcing the awards, Minister Lawless said: "The Research Ireland Frontiers for the Future programme supports the development of world-class research across a range of disciplines. The awardees – spanning 9 research institutions nationwide – have brought forward novel and innovative ideas with strong potential to deliver impactful solutions for major challenges facing society today. The programme itself promotes gender balance and provides opportunities for emerging investigators returning to research. I look forward to seeing the awardees’ progress over the coming years."
Welcoming the announcement, Celine Fitzgerald, Interim Chief Executive of Research Ireland, commented: "Our Frontiers for the Future Programme is driven by feedback from the research community and represents a strong commitment to developing future talent in key areas. These 23 awards will fund a total of 86 research positions, comprising Postdocs, PhDs, Research Assistants and support staff. I am very pleased with the opportunities that this targeted investment is creating and greatly encouraged that crucial research on pressing issues will be facilitated as a result."
