UCC celebrates advances in research and innovation

26 Apr 2023

Researchers and innovators at the College of Medicine and Health at University College Cork are showcasing their work at the inaugural ‘Bright Futures – Celebrating our Researchers Day’ today.

The event celebrates UCC researchers working to solve the most pressing challenges facing public health, across paediatric and maternal health, cardiovascular disease, cancer, microbiome, neurodegenerative disease and healthcare systems.

Professor Philip Nolan, Director General, Science Foundation Ireland, former President of Maynooth University and member of the National Public Health Emergency Team, will share his career experiences delivering a keynote address entitled 'The Uncertain Journey: My Winding Path in Science and Leadership’.

Professor Philip Nolan said: “It is a real pleasure to participate in the UCC ‘Bright Futures’ celebration of research and researchers in medicine and health. The research presented here has the potential to enhance the health and change the lives of individuals, cohorts of patients, and communities. It’s really important we take the time to celebrate this work and share it with the public, and also that we inspire each other to push on with the sometimes difficult, sometimes frustrating, but ultimately very rewarding work of research and innovation.”

Doctoral alumni will join UCC Faculty for a fireside chat exploring career paths, experiences and opportunities. The event is organised by Professor Yvonne Nolan, Vice Head of Graduate Studies and the Graduate Studies committee in the College of Medicine and Health. It will feature research speed dating, a research tradeshow and an awards ceremony to celebrate the successes of doctoral students.

Professor Helen Whelton, Head of College of Medicine and Health UCC, said: “We are delighted to host this significant event ‘Bright Futures – Celebrating our Researchers Day’ at an exciting time for research in UCC and in College of Medicine and Health. Bright Futures reflects the vision of UCC Futures to inspire, engage and enable our researchers to create the future. We work with exceptional researchers. Their pioneering work, their ideas, their innovative proposals transform their research into impact that helps transform human lives, advances economic development and addresses global grand challenges in health and disease through the UCC Futures framework.

“It is an exciting time at University College Cork as we partner with the health services to develop an Academic Health Sciences System where the Health Service and the University work in partnership with our colleagues in the South/South West Hospital Group to develop the highest quality patient care underpinned by teaching, training, research and innovation. We look forward to continuing to work with outstanding research leaders to deliver our research ambitions at a time of immense global change and opportunity, to develop their strategies and to continue to develop the next generation of research leaders”, Professor Whelton stated.

Professor John Cryan, Vice President for Research and Innovation UCC, said: “Congratulations to the College of Medicine and Health on hosting the inaugural Bright Futures event, which provides early career researchers with an opportunity to showcase and celebrate their research and innovation in the company of distinguished academics and guests. Researchers at all stages of the research career pipeline will play a crucial role in the success of UCC Futures - Future Medicines, and deliver high-impact, transformational, next generation medicines and medical technologies.”

Follow #BrightFutures on Twitter to see more.

Registration is now closed but to find out more about Bright Futures, please click here.