Four College of Science Researchers Among the Winners of NovaUCD’s 2021 Innovation Awards

Crop scientist Professor Fiona Doohan receives the 2021 NovaUCD Innovation Award 

29 March 2021

Four College of Science researchers are among the recipients of NovaUCD’s 2021 Innovation Awards which were announced today.

A total of 7 Awards, including the main 2021 NovaUCD Innovation Award, were revealed during a virtual event to highlight successes made in areas of knowledge transfer, consultancy, entrepreneurship and the promotion of an innovation culture, by members of the UCD research, innovation and start-up community.

Watch a short video which highlights successes and achievements of the 2021 NovaUCD Innovation Awardees:

Professor Orla Feely, UCD Vice-President for Research, Innovation and Impact said, “I would like to congratulate all those who have received 2021 NovaUCD Innovation Awards. These Awards were established to recognise and highlight the successes being made by members of our research and innovation community across the University. I wish them all continuing success in 2021 and the years ahead as they continue to shape the future and deliver impact for the economy and society through their commercialisation, consultancy, entrepreneurial and innovation activities.”

The 2021 NovaUCD Innovation Award, which recognises excellence in innovation or of successes achieved in the commercialisation of UCD research or other intellectual activity over a number of years, was awarded to (opens in a new window)Professor Fiona Doohan, UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science.

As a crop scientist Professor Doohan’s research is focused on improving the sustainability of crop production systems in Ireland and globally, and enhancing the diversification, safety and transparency of Irish food systems and she has secured over €30 million in research funding to date.

Professor Fiona Doohan, UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science, recipient of the 2021 NovaUCD Innovation Award

She has filed a total of 14 invention disclosures with NovaUCD in areas such as novel endophytes and their use in improving yield and suppressing diseases in crops; genes conferring resistance to fungal diseases that attack cereals; a novel enzyme used to break down lignocellulose to produce bioethanol along with a method of transforming cells to improve crop traits.

A number of these inventions have been co-developed with collaborators in Teagasc and Trinity College Dublin.  Seven of these inventions have been patented and three licence agreements have been signed with industry.

Professor Fiona Doohan is also a co-founder of e-Seed Crop Technology Solutions, a joint UCD-TCD spin-out company, which is focused on developing novel endophytes that can increase crop yields.

Professor Fiona Doohan said, “I am honoured to receive the 2021 NovaUCD Innovation Award. The enhanced global consumption of crop-based foods and the move within the EU and globally towards more sustainable agricultural practices mean that now, more than ever, we need innovation in crop science to ensure that the Irish agri-food sector continues to lead in the development of sustainable, traceable, quality foodstuffs."

Professor Doohan is also a Principal Investigator on several major national and international research initiatives, including CONSUS, Food Shield and (opens in a new window)Healthy Oats and the EU project (opens in a new window)INNOVAR.

The recipients of the 2021 NovaUCD Invention of the Year Award are; (opens in a new window)Professor Patricia Maguire and (opens in a new window)Dr Paulina Szklanna, UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, along with (opens in a new window)Professor Fionnuala Ní Aínle, UCD School of Medicine, for their discovery of biomarkers which can be used to diagnose preeclampsia risk.

Pictured is Professor Patricia Maguire, UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, recipient of the 2021 NovaUCD Invention of the Year Award along with Dr Paulina Szklanna, UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science and Professor Fionnuala Ní Aínle, UCD School of Medicine and (both not pictured). (Nick Bradshaw, Fotonic). 

Preeclampsia, a dangerous pregnancy complication, is difficult to diagnose and kills 50,000 mothers and 500,000 babies each year worldwide.

Based on their discovery the UCD team is now developing a new diagnostic test called AI_PREMie, an AI-powered risk stratification platform, to identify women with preeclampsia and predict preeclampsia severity thus helping to save the lives of mothers and babies.  

Professor Patricia Maguire said, “Together with my co-inventors, Professor Fionnuala Ní Áinle and Dr Paulina Szklanna, we are delighted and deeply honoured to receive the 2021 NovaUCD Invention of the Year Award for our new blood test for preeclampsia.” 

Professor Patricia Maguire with the 2021 NovaUCD Invention of the Year Award

“Preeclampsia is a serious complication affecting 1 in 10 pregnancies that results in the death of 50,000 women and 500,000 babies every year. Our new test ‘AI_PREMie’ powered by artificial intelligence, will help clinicians to diagnose and better manage patients, saving the lives of mothers and their babies.”

A patent has been filed in the European Patent Office for this invention and the technology will be the basis of a planned new UCD spin-out company.

The recipient of the 2021 NovaUCD Licence of the Year Award is (opens in a new window)Dr Donal MacKernan, UCD School of Physics, who has developed a disruptive molecular switch platform technology. The platform is a specialised hinge protein with sensor and function domains and can be manufactured using standard recombinant protein technology.  The flexibility of the design allows a wide variety of applications including medical diagnostics, food and environmental testing, and therapeutics. 

Dr Donal MacKernan at the Virtual 2021 NovaUCD Innovation Awards

During 2020 this technology was licensed by NovaUCD to a US-based company Fionnachtain Inc with an initial application as a point-of-care medical diagnostic for COVID-19 and influenza.

Dr Donal MacKernan said, “It is nice that our work gets this sort of recognition given all of the efforts it has taken to get to this point. In the last few months everything has intensified. Fionnachtain Inc has now over 20 people in the USA dedicated to its commercialisation.  On our side, our team has grown and now includes two software-engineers/simulators and four molecular biologists.  Hard to believe it is only one year since we met the key commercial people.”   

“We continue to simulate various forms of the sensor to optimise its performance and commercialisation and for that, the EU-funded E-CAM Centre of Excellence, NovaUCD, and not least, the UCD School of Physics and Professor Padraig Dunne have been of huge help.” 

For more information contact Micéal Whelan, Communications and Media Relations Manager, UCD Research and Innovation, t: + 353 1 716 3712 or e: (opens in a new window)miceal.whelan@ucd.ie.

The recipients of the other 2021 NovaUCD Innovation Awards are;

2021 NovaUCD Spin-out of the Year Award, Equal1 Labs which is developing a new type of quantum computer based on the latest advances in semiconductor CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) technology.

2021 NovaUCD Founder of the Year Award, Charlie Gleeson, founder, Zipp Mobility, the Irish micromobility start-up.

2021 NovaUCD Innovation Champion of the Year Award, Dr Paul Cuffe, UCD School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering for his dedication to working with UCD engineering programme students, to unlock the commercial trajectory of their final year dissertation projects.

2021 NovaUCD Consultancy of the Year Award, Professor Michael Wallace, UCD School Agriculture and Food Science, for a consultancy study entitled 'Economic Impact Assessment of the Tillage Sector in Ireland' commissioned by Tillage Industry Ireland through ConsultUCD.

For further information about NovaUCD visit (opens in a new window)www.novaucd.ie