Igniting Discovery

Impacting Society

Contributing to science, the economy and society

It takes time for the fruits of biomedical research to impact on society and the economy but the effects are strong and enduring. The revolution sparked by genome sequencing a decade ago is only now being translated into new diagnostics and therapies but they will change medicine and society profoundly forever. Even when measured by the tall yardstick of slow biological timescale, UCD Conway has made outstanding and noticeable contributions to the international and Irish research landscape, economy and society. The depth and breadth of research at UCD Conway is of truly international scale and at the leading edge in areas such as bioinformatics, systems biology, protein science, cancer, diabetes and vascular research. The applications stemming from basic research are beginning to unfold generating spinout companies, patents and fruitful collaborations with industry. The most valuable asset that UCD Conway contributes to science, economy and society are our people; highly skilled and trained researchers who have progressed to leading positions in academia, industry, policy and public agencies, at home and abroad.

Public engagement in science

Dr Lydia Lynch (picture back row, first from left) received a 2009 L’Oreal-UNESCO International Fellowship to continue her obesity research during an internship at Harvard Medical School, USA. 750 researchers from 191 countries participated in the 2009 L’Oreal-UNESCO Women in Science awards that aim to motivate, inspire and support this global community as they advance scientific knowledge.


DUCD Conway initiatives to engage young people and their teachers in science created a great sense of excitement and curiosity while also challenging researchers to talk about their work in plain English. During UCD Conway’s Research Survival Skills workshop, secondary teachers got a taste of the common techniques used in third level research (middle image)


Science Track, a joint initiative between UCD Conway Institute and Iarnród Éireann, challenged young people to visualise their views on science. Winning entrants from UCD Conway Institute’s AccesScience ‘09 poster competition, Science: What’s on the horizon? are pictured above with their posters for display in DART stations and trains.

Prof Philip Nolan
President, NUI Maynooth
Director, UCD Conway Institute (2003-2004)

“The 2003–2004 period was a particularly exciting time in the early life of the Conway Institute. The new building offered us the opportunity to bring together for the first time the leading biomedical researchers from across all disciplines and faculties at UCD, creating the single largest concentration of biological researchers on the island of Ireland. But what was most fascinating was how this new environment changed the way people worked. With many research groups side by side in large open-plan laboratories, new connections and collaborations quickly emerged, often through spontaneous contact between doctoral students and post-doctoral researchers. The Institute quickly became a hothouse for genuinely interdisciplinary research.”

Dr Mary Kelly
Branch Manager Strategy, Australian Research Council
Conway Research Fellow (2002–2003)

“Based in Canberra, Australia since 2008, I am now in my ninth year working outside academia on the other side of research funding! It was an honour and a privilege to be a Conway research fellow shortly after completing my PhD in the USA, and that hasn’t ever changed. On a personal basis, I am lucky to have friendships I value which started at that time. On a professional front, my research training has continued to guide me as I work in addressing research demands from the funders’ perspective and my training is respected by many that I come into contact with. Finally, the nervous excitement, the challenges and the pride of being part of a new research institute are the memories that last.”