News & Opinion

2025

‘Cut From the Same Cloth’; The Fabric of our Lives
A unique exhibition, funded by Research Ireland, merging art, science, and community will be launched in The Hunt Museum, Limerick on 24 April 2025 by Lynn Scarff, Director, National Museum of Ireland ahead of a nationwide tour. The multimedia exhibition is the culmination of a project curated by artist, Lorna Donlon in partnership with women in minority communities across Ireland and biomedical researchers from UCD Conway Institute. 

“Go on, tell us a story!” –Using storytelling as a tool in science communication
The UCD Institute of Food and Health, the UCD Earth Institute, and the UCD Conway Institute—supported by funding from the UCD Research Culture ReCLAIM award scheme—are launching a new science communication training programme to upskill our research communities through storytelling.

Prof. Oliver Blacque to lead national Cryo-Electron Microscopy Platform 
UCD Conway Institute will receive new research infrastructure for high-resolution 3D visualisation of biological structures as part of a €17.7M investment nationally by Research Ireland.

Prof. Stephen Pennington showcases psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis research in India
The work of researchers on the IMI HIPPOCRATES programme was recently profiled at multiple high-profile events in India by Conway Fellow, Prof. Stephen Pennington.

UCD Professors receive National Challenge Fund award to harness the power of fungi
Professors Lorraine Brennan and Fiona Doohan received Grow Phase funding under the National Challenge Fund – a €65 million competitive programme that aims to deliver solutions for major environmental and societal issues annoounced by Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD. 

€7 million joint investment announced for US-Ireland Research Programme
Conway Fellow, Prof. Niamh Nowlan is leading one of four projects awarded funding in a joint investment of over €7 million through the US-Ireland R&D Partnership Programme. This tripartite research and development partnership between the USA, Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland increases collaborations among researchers and industry across the three jurisdictions. 

'Be the Voice’ – involving minority communities in health research
UCD Ardmore House was the setting for an event to explore the challenges and barriers for ethnic minority communities getting involved in health research on Tuesday, 11 February.

€2.2 million funding for research projects to address hunger and food insecurity. 
Professor Fionnuala McAuliffe, co-lead of the AMEN project, is at the forefront of a groundbreaking initiative to improve maternal and child health in Sub-Saharan Africa. This project is one of six research initiatives receiving funding to tackle global food insecurity and hunger.  

Torbern Bergman Medal 2025 to Emeritus Conway Fellow, Prof. Pauline Rudd
Pauline Rudd, Emeritus Conway Fellow is the recipient of the Torbern Bergman Medal 2025. The prize ceremony will be held during the 3rd National Meeting of the Swedish Chemical Society, SCS2025, which takes place in Västerås in June 16-18 2025.

New Accelerating Research to Commercialisation (ARC) Hub for Therapeutics Awarded €31.6 million in Funding
A multi-annual ARC (Accelerating Research to Commercialisation) Hub investment programme to fast-track the commercial potential of scientific research across Ireland has been announced by James Lawless TD, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.

Research spotlight: sprouted legumes are healthier, but what is going on when they sprout?
It’s well known that sprouting seeds increases their nutritional value. A new study by researchers led by Conway Fellow, Professor Denis Shields in partnership with the health food company, The Happy Pear has uncovered some surprising facts about how the sprouting process varies over time and strain of seed.

Research to diagnose and treat rare Behcet’s Disease recognised in UCD Research Impact awards Conway Fellow, Professor Gerry Wilson, UCD School of Medicine, UCD Centre for Arthritis Research was shortlisted in the 2024 UCD Research Impact awards for research on a severe inflammatory disorder.

Targeting sulphur pathways in WHO-designated high priority pathogen
Researchers led by Conway Fellow, Professor Geraldine Butler have shown for the first time that the yeast, Candida parapsilosis scavenges and regulates sulphur metabolism in an unusual way. This may provide a pathway to strategies aimed at containing the spread of the pathogen.

Researcher of the Year 2024 (IRC legacy) Awards
Conway Fellow, Professor William Gallagher, from UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science has been recognised in the Researcher of the Year (IRC legacy) Awards announced by Research Ireland.

Newly discovered gene mutation in eye disease named after blind Irish poet.
Researchers in UCD Conway Institute led by Professor Breandan Kennedy have discovered that a mutation in a gene called emc1 causes major vision problems in zebrafish.

Remembering Michael (Mike) J. Dunn
We are saddened to hear of the passing of Michael (Mike) J. Dunn, a pioneering figure in the field of proteomics. Mike was the Science Foundation Ireland Professor of Biomedical Proteomics at UCD Conway Institute (2004-2009), working in the Proteome Research Centre led by Prof. Stephen Pennington.