Over 120 undergraduate students at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences have taken part in the 2025 Student Innovation Challenge, addressing healthcare challenges through innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship.

The Student Innovation Challenge is part of the RCSI Research Summer School which allows undergraduate students to explore the diverse and exciting world of research and innovation.

Led by Dr Aoife Gallagher, Head of Innovation at RCSI and Dr Shona Pfeiffer, Lecturer in the Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, the Student Innovation Challenge empowers students to apply their academic knowledge to solve real world healthcare issues. Under the mentorship of RCSI Challenge Leaders, students have the unique opportunity to hone their analytical, problem-solving and innovation skills.

Participants of the Student Innovation Challenge tackled one of two real-world healthcare challenges set over the course of four weeks. Their hard work culminates at the Student Innovation Challenge pitch event, where the selected finalists present their ideas to a panel of venture capitalists and industry experts.

This year’s challenge leaders, Dr Matthew McKenna Barry and Dr Philip O’Halloran, invited students to explore questions in the key research areas of hepatology and neurobiology. The challenge titles were:

• Dr Matthew McKenna Barry: The surveillance of patients with advanced chronic liver disease
• Dr Philip O’Halloran: Pitchside diagnosis of traumatic brain injury

At the pitch event yesterday, team Live Eire, led by Dr McKenna, was announced as the winners of the Student Innovation Challenge 2025 after impressing the judging panel with their proposal. They addressed the challenge set by Dr Matthew McKenna-Barry in the area of hepatology: surveillance of patients with advanced chronic liver disease.

The winning team designed a dual access patient and clinician portal with a patient booking system and smart algorithm for patient triage and prioritisation, along with a mobile clinic to address the needs of the most vulnerable.

Reflecting on the high standards set by the participants of this year’s challenge, Dr Gallagher said: "The creativity behind each of the innovative ideas presented today is truly impressive. Each year the Student Innovation Challenge offers a unique learning opportunity to all those who participate, reflecting RCSI’s commitment to innovate for a healthier future.”