.png)
News
Over €1m funding awarded to two APC early career researchers in Research Ireland Pathway Programme awards
APC researchers at University College Cork Dr Des Field and Dr Lily Keane have received a combined €1.35m million funding under the Research Ireland Pathway Programme awards.
The Research Ireland Pathway programme supports early-career research across all disciplines and to encourage a cohesive research ecosystem in Ireland. The awards will enable postdoctoral researchers to develop their career pathway and transition to become independent research leaders. The funding, covering a four-year period, will support researchers and provide resources to establish independent research careers. This targeted investment will provide each project with additional support for a postgraduate student who will be primarily supervised by the awardees.
Making the announcement, Minister Lawless said: “This investment, through Research Ireland’s Pathway Programme, will support emerging researchers in their journey from postdoctoral work towards establishing themselves as independent investigators. The projects receiving funding span a range of disciplines, ensuring a broad impact on scientific discovery and societal progress. By aligning with Ireland’s national research priorities, these projects will help drive advancements in key sectors such as healthcare, environmental sustainability, history and education.”
Dr Des Field, School of Microbiology & APC Microbiome Ireland
Project title: Nisin in miCrobiome Editing (NICE)
Funding amount: €675,129
Infections caused by Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) are a huge problem and alternatives to antibiotics are urgently needed to specifically target it without harming the natural gut bacteria. The NICE study will look at the potential of using versions of the natural antimicrobial peptide nisin that is currently used as a safe food preservative. The project will create novel versions of nisin with improved ability to survive in the human intestine and will employ a model of the human colon to show that our nisin will specifically target C. difficile in this environment without affecting other bacteria.
Dr Lily Keane, Department of Anatomy & Neuroscience and APC Microbiome Ireland
Project title: Unravelling Extrinsic Developmental Vulnerabilities of Diffuse Midline Gliomas
Funding amount: €676,457
Diffuse midline glioma (DMG) is a devastating childhood brain cancer that forms in the brainstem and currently has no cure. This project investigates why the brainstem is especially vulnerable to DMG during early development. It focuses on two external influences: brainstem-specific immune cells called microglia, and the gut microbiome, which is known to affect brain development through the gut-brain axis. By studying how these factors interact and support tumour growth, the project aims to identify new ways to treat DMG - offering hope for more effective therapies and improved outcomes for affected children.
Professor John F. Cryan, UCC Vice President for Research and Innovation said: “Congratulations to these early-career researchers in receiving prestigious Research Ireland Pathway awards, in key research areas that align with several of our UCC Futures thematic areas – Sustainability; Quantum & Photonics; Food, Microbiome & Health; Ageing & Brain Science; and Collective Social Futures. The awards will provide important support to these emerging early-career researchers, enabling them to develop their track record and transition to become independent research leaders.”
