Six researchers at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences have been awarded more than €2.5 million through the latest round of the Health Research Board (HRB) Investigator-Led Projects scheme.

The successful projects will advance research across epilepsy, osteoarthritis, breast cancer, mental health and emerging drug threats, with the potential to improve understanding of disease, patient care and health services.

The awards form part of a €12m HRB investment in 29 new investigator-led research projects across Ireland. Projects were selected by international expert panels based on scientific quality and innovation, impact, and the strength of the research team and environment, alongside a public review process to ensure the research addresses issues of importance to patients and the wider population.

RCSI awardees and projects

• Dr Cristina Ruedell Reschke, Senior Lecturer in the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences and a FutureNeuro investigator will investigate how epilepsy and potential biological markers change according to the body’s 24-hour clock, with the aim of helping to identify the best times to deliver treatments for individual patients.
• Professor Helen French, Associate Professor in the School of Physiotherapy will work with patients and healthcare professionals to develop strategies to ensure that people with osteoarthritis can access high-quality, evidence-based care through primary care, regardless of their background or circumstances.
• Dr Marie McIlroy, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Surgery will explore how hormonal changes associated with ageing may affect metabolism and influence the risk and progression of breast cancer. The research aims to improve understanding of the biological links between ageing and breast cancer and identify potential opportunities for prevention or treatment.
• Professor Tobias Engel, Associate Professor in the Department of Physiology and Medical Physics and Futureneuro investigator will investigate whether targeting inflammation in the brain could change the course of epilepsy, rather than only controlling seizures, focusing particularly on a receptor called P2X7 and its role in the activity of the brain’s immune cells.
• Professor David Cotter, Professor at the Department of Psychiatry has been funded for a project that will explore the use of art and storytelling to share lived experiences of mental health and generate insights that can contribute to better understanding and care.
• Professor Gráinne Cousins, Associate Professor in the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences will analyse fatal and non-fatal drug overdoses in Ireland to identify emerging drug threats and help inform the development of an early-warning response system.

Ambition and knowledge

Professor Fergal O’Brien, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation at RCSI, said: “Investigator-led funding gives researchers the freedom to pursue ambitious ideas and generate new knowledge in areas where it can make a real difference to health and patient care.

“Securing six awards in this highly competitive round is a significant achievement for RCSI and demonstrates the breadth of expertise across our research community, with projects spanning diverse areas from fundamental discovery and patient care to health services and emerging public health challenges. Congratulations to all our awardees.”

The latest awards bring the HRB’s investment through the Investigator-Led Projects scheme to €36.4 million across 91 projects over the past five years.