These are a set of conferences conceived by Professor Michael Berndt, College of Medicine and Health and designed to target EU and other non-exchequer funding. The event brought together national and international experts in Health and Diet research, with the intention of identifying future collaborative research projects. It was organised by Professor Ivan Perry, Professor of Public Health, and Head of the Department of Epidemiology & Public Health, UCC and Dr Colman Casey, Director of Research and the College of Medicine and Health, UCC.
The overall aim of this two-day event was to provide specialised training on FP7 funding programmes and to target relevant Call Topics in the forthcoming FP7 Work Programme in Health (due to be published in July 2010). Workshops were held to identify the most relevant FP7 Call Topics (including those in diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease) and to propose new Topics for future FP7 Health Work Programmes. National funding opportunities were also discussed, in particular potential funding from the Children’s Research Centre, Crumlin Hospital, Dublin.
The delegates represented a number of Irish universities, hospitals and organizations North and South (UCC, UCD, UL, Children’s Research Centre, Crumlin Hospital, Cork University Maternity Hospital, the Health Research Board, Enterprise Ireland , and Queen's University Belfast). The MRC Epidemiology Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science Cambridge, UK, and the University of Naples Medical School, Italy were also represented.
Dr Jacinta Kelly discussed research funding opportunities available from the Children’s Research Centre, Crumlin, Dr Stefanie Odermatt related her experience of managing FP6 and FP7 projects at Cambridge, and Dr Gianpaola de Fillippo from the University of Naples highlighted recent research results on salt intake in the European diet and its health consequences.
Specialised training and advice on FP7 funding was provided by Dr Catherine Halbert of Halbert Research. Invaluable assistance was provided by the National Delegate and National Contact Points Dr Caitriona Creely and Dr Ciaran Duffy.
The event received very positive feedback, with delegates welcoming the opportunity to meet to discuss collaborative work and to learn more about EU funding for Health and Diet research.
Picture: Some of the delegates at the conference in Rosscarbery.
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