Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Patrick O’Donovan TD, has today announced 28 funding awards valued at €34 million to support research across seven Higher Education Institutions.

Among the successful research projects are:

  • Design development of sustainable support structures for larger offshore wind turbines
  • Investigating the effectiveness of a nasal vaccine against bacteria that causes whooping cough
  • Determining the role of physical fitness in modulating the gut microbiome
  • Identifying novel molecular treatments to protect the bones of someone with diabetes
  • Using emerging 3D (bio)printing technologies to engineer tissue with the same structure and function as normal tissue
  • Evaluating motion correction for functional MRI to improve brain imaging in infants

Speaking today, Minister O’Donovan said: “These awards support the development of world-class research in areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The projects and higher education institutions are focusing on will help deliver solutions to some of the major challenges facing society, including in healthcare, the environment and technology.”

The 28 awards are of 4-5 years’ duration and will support 124 research positions including 58 postdoctoral positions, 53 PhD students and 13 research assistants and other positions. This programme has been funded in collaboration with SEAI.

Dr Ruth Freeman, Director, Science for Society at Science Foundation Ireland, said: “The SFI Frontiers for the Future awards provide opportunities for independent investigators to conduct highly-innovative, original research on important questions. I would like to thank SEAI for collaborating on this programme with SFI, supporting vital research in the area of sustainability.”

Director of Research and Policy Insights at Sustainability Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), Margie McCarthy, said: “SEAI is delighted to be a co-funding partner in the Frontiers for the Future Programme. These awards are excellent examples of national innovation and creativity. By supporting independent researchers, we can help grow Ireland’s national capacity to conduct excellent scientific research. We look forward to the new insights and knowledge that the co-funded awards will bring to offshore wind energy support structures and anaerobic digestion ecosystems, and how their results will advance Ireland’s clean energy transition.”

The research will be undertaken in the following seven research bodies: Dublin City University, Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, Tyndall National Institute, University College Cork, Teagasc, and University of Galway.