Our Stories of Impact

• Review finds no increase in suicide rate during the Covid-19 pandemic.
• A range of factors during the pandemic served as protective effects to the risk of suicide.
• Study also highlights the need for high-quality and timely data on suicide deaths worldwide.

A 280-million-year-old fossil that has baffled researchers for decades has been shown to be, in part, a forgery following new examination of the remnants. The discovery has led the team led by Dr Valentina Rossi of University College Cork, Ireland (UCC) to urge caution in how the fossil is used in future research.

Treatment in a recent study combined a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor - a drug that causes a chemical change to stop tumor cells from dividing - with two types of immunotherapy known as checkpoint inhibitors, which unharness the power of the immune response against cancer.

• Research shows that people with the complex lung disease COPD see improved health benefits from behaviour change interventions.
• It is estimated that over 380,000 people in Ireland suffer from COPD.
• Interventions ‘has helped me greatly’ says woman with COPD.

Study by APC Microbiome Ireland SFI Research Centre at University College Cork reveals the virome is a viable treatment option to restore the microbiome-gut-brain axis during stress. The findings pave the way for new treatments for stress-related disorders.

University College Cork (UCC) researchers have made a significant contribution to a landmark report published today on the impact of climate change on Ireland.

• UCC hosts meeting of bioeconomy experts and stakeholders from industry, academia, and government bodies.
• Colloquium sees launch of new multi-disciplinary fermentation research centre.

• Virtual reality game aims to increase men’s awareness of testicular diseases.
• This is the first time virtual reality gaming has been used to promote men’s health.
• The study was conducted in collaboration with nine GAA clubs in Ireland.

• INFANT researchers are part of international collaboration highlighting benefits of deferred cord clamping in preterm infants.
• Waiting for two minutes to clamp the umbilical cord of a premature baby soon after birth could significantly reduce the risk of death relative to immediate clamping.
• Worldwide almost 13 million babies are born prematurely each year and close to 1 million die shortly after birth.