The Health Research Board (HRB) has awarded funding for two international surgical studies through its Investigator-Led Clinical Trials (ILCT) Programme, marking the first time surgical trials have been supported by the HRB. Both awards were secured in collaboration with the RCSI National Surgical Research Support Centre (NSRSC).

Ireland's national coordinating hub for surgical clinical trials, the NSRSC worked closely with investigators throughout the funding application process, are co-applicants on the award and will oversee the implementation of both studies across participating hospital sites nationwide.

Professor Stewart Walsh, Professor of Vascular Surgery, Head of the Discipline of Surgery at University of Galway and former Clinical Lead of the NSRSC, is the national lead for the WARRIORS trial, an international study led by Imperial College London. The trial will investigate whether earlier surgical intervention for women with aortic aneurysms can improve patient outcomes. Working in partnership with the University of Galway, the NSRSC will support the delivery of the study across four Irish hospital sites.

A second ILCT award has been secured by Mr Oliver Boughton and Mr Rajiv Merchant, Consultant Orthopaedic surgeons at Children's Health Ireland, who will lead the Irish arm of the Op Non-Stop trial.

Led internationally by Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation trust and the University of Oxford, the study will examine optimal surgical management strategies for children with Perthes disease. The NSRSC will support the opening of the trial across Irish paediatric orthopaedic centres, to enable participation in a clinical trial for children with this rare disease.

Dr Anne-Marie Byrne, Operations Director, NSRSC, said: “Recognition of the importance of surgical trials and support from the HRB through these awards represent a significant milestone for surgical research in Ireland and highlight the impact the NSRSC has in enabling high-quality, collaborative surgical studies.”

Established in 2022 by Professor Walsh and Dr Byrne, the NSRSC has grown into a national resource supporting surgical research across Ireland, with 14 active multi-site studies currently in development or delivery.

Earlier this year, RCSI announced a €1.2 million investment in the centre to further strengthen this national surgical research infrastructure.

The centre is continuing to expand its national reach through the development of the Irish Surgical Trials and Research (I-STAR) Network and appointed Professor Shirley Potter, Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, St James’s Hospital, Clinical Professor at the UCD School of Medicine, National Training Programme Director for Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery at RCSI as the new Clinical Director, supporting its mission to increase patient access to innovative surgical studies and strengthen Ireland's position in international clinical research.