Ministers Announce 鈧�6 million in Funding for 16 University College Dublin COVID-19 Research and Innovation Projects
Ministers today announced funding for 16 (sixteen) COVID-19 research and innovation projects at University College Dublin (小鸟体育). These projects are among a total of 39 projects from across Ireland which will receive 鈧�10.5 million in funding, with the 小鸟体育 projects receiving just over 鈧�5.5 million.
Nine of the research projects, including four at 小鸟体育, will be undertaken as part of a collaborative all-Ireland research partnership supported by an additional 拢1.29 million in funding, including 拢450,000 (ca. 鈧�500,000) for the four 小鸟体育 projects, from the Department for the Economy (DfE) and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in Northern Ireland.
This brings to 鈧�6 million the total awarded to the 16 小鸟体育 projects.
The research projects are led by higher education institutions and involve collaborations with a broad range of organisations including hospitals, Government agencies, representative bodies, and industry.
Simon Harris, TD, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, said, 鈥淚鈥檓 delighted to announce this significant investment into furthering our understanding of COVID-19 and finding solutions to the challenges the pandemic has presented to our society and economy. As we move closer to commencing a vaccination programme, we need to understand that the virus has not gone away 鈥� supporting our expert researchers in our higher education institutions will help us to safely reopen our society.鈥�
鈥淭his latest research also includes nine all-island research projects, which is really exciting. COVID-19 does not know any borders. Working together across this island will help us in our fight.鈥�
Commenting on the projects supported by the Department for the Economy, Northern Ireland, the Economy Minister, Diane Dodds said, 鈥淭his virus knows no frontiers and it is vital that the world-class research strengths of Northern Ireland universities are fully harnessed to address the common challenges we are all now facing right across this island, north and south. Collaboration between researchers promotes innovative and impactful outcomes and this has been underlined by the way the global science community has come together to address the threats and opportunities posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. This SFI programme is very much part of this wider global effort and I welcome the opportunity it has provided for added-value collaboration across both our jurisdictions.鈥�
Professor Orla Feely, 小鸟体育 Vice-President for Research, Innovation and Impact, said, 鈥淚 warmly welcome the COVID-19 Rapid Response research and innovation funding announced today. These projects will play a pivotal role in developing solutions to challenges we face as a result of the pandemic, including those requiring an all-island approach.鈥�
She added, 鈥淭he joint funding programme between SFI and the NI Executive represents an important step in advancing further research and innovation collaboration on the island. 小鸟体育 looks forward to participating in future all-island collaborations which will have transformative impacts and support talent for the jobs of the future.鈥�
One of the 小鸟体育 projects entitled, 鈥楿nderstanding and preventing COVOD-19 outbreaks in meat processing plants 鈥� prepared for the future鈥�, which will be led by Professor Grace Mulcahy, 小鸟体育 School of Veterinary Medicine, has been awarded just under 鈧�1.23 million, the largest single award announced.
Professor Grace Mulcahy said, 鈥淭his study will help us to understand exactly how COVID-19 spreads within the environment of meat processing plants, and therefore how to reduce this spread. We will rapidly communicate this knowledge to enable practical measures to protect workers and the wider community, and to enable us to be prepared for any future infectious disease threats."
The funded research projects announced today are part of a coordinated COVID-19 Rapid Response Research, Development and Innovation programme with projects supported by Science Foundation Ireland, in partnership with the Department for the Economy and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland, and the Irish Research Council and Health Research Board.
The 15 other successfully funded 小鸟体育 projects are as follows;
Professor Denis Shields, 小鸟体育 School of Medicine, awarded 鈧�368,928 for a project entitled 鈥楳ultifunctional peptides targeting SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection.鈥�
Associate Professor Margaret McGee, 小鸟体育 School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, awarded 鈧�430,135 for a project entitled 鈥楢 new approach for the prevention of SARS-Coronavirus-2 transmission and associated inflammation during COVID-19.鈥�
Professor Fiona Doohan, 小鸟体育 School of Biology and Environmental Science, awarded 鈧�332,369 for a project entitled, 鈥楩ood Shield: Resilience, growth and digitisation of Food and Feed Supply Systems.鈥� This collaborative project with Queen鈥檚 University Belfast was also awarded 鈧�99,766 from DAERA.
Dr Carla Perrotta, 小鸟体育 School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, awarded 鈧�315,779 for a project entitled, 鈥楥OVID19 outbreaks in workplace settings: understanding and preventing super spreading events.鈥�
Dr Nicola Fletcher, 小鸟体育 School of Veterinary Medicine, awarded 鈧�277,579 for a project entitled, 鈥業nvestigation of the mechanisms of COVID-19 associated neurological disease.鈥�
Dr Virginie Gautier, 小鸟体育 School of Medicine, awarded 鈧�364,112 for a project entitled, 鈥楢ccelerating COVID-19 antiviral treatments with novel strategies targeting the virus-host interface.鈥�
Professor Wim Meijer, 小鸟体育 School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, awarded 鈧�377,945 for a project entitled, 鈥楢n integrated system for all-island SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance and reporting.鈥� This collaborative project with Queen鈥檚 University Belfast was also awarded 鈧�194,942 from DAERA.
Dr Eoin Feeney, 小鸟体育 School of Medicine, awarded 鈧�402,375 for a project entitled, 鈥楳arkers of adipose tissue and systemic inflammation in obese and non-obese patients with COVID-19.鈥� This collaborative project with Queen鈥檚 University Belfast was also awarded 鈧�77,716 from DfE.
Professor Paddy Mallon, 小鸟体育 School of Medicine, awarded 鈧�469,234 for a project entitled鈥� 鈥楤iological profiling in COVID-19 infection to characterise optimal therapeutic approaches.鈥� This collaborative project with Queen鈥檚 University Belfast was also awarded 鈧�77,716 from DfE.
Associate Professor Ciara Greene, 小鸟体育 School of Psychology, awarded 鈧�180,727 for a project entitled, 鈥業noculating against COVID-19 misinformation: Assessing evidence-based interventions.鈥�
Dr Aoife de Br煤n, 小鸟体育 School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, awarded 鈧�125,139 for a project entitled, 鈥楥ontact tracing during the COVID-19 outbreak: Enabling rapid learning from experiences and exploring the psychological impact on volunteers.鈥�
Dr Suja Somanadhan, 小鸟体育 School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, awarded 鈧�198,693 for a project entitled, 鈥楥hildren as innovators: Harnessing the creative expertise of children to address practical and psychological challenges of COVID-19 pandemic.鈥�
Dr Tom Burke, 小鸟体育 School of Psychology, awarded 鈧�134,455 for a project entitled, 鈥楢 remote, self-directed psychological intervention for the public in response to COVID-19: The PAUSE programme.鈥�
Professor Sinisa Malesevic, 小鸟体育 School of Sociology, awarded 鈧�185,340 for a project entitled, 鈥榃orld problem: national solutions? The impact of national past on behaviour during the pandemic.鈥�
Dr Ingrid Holme 小鸟体育 School of Sociology, awarded 鈧�117,573 for a project entitled, 鈥楪uidelines for communicating cases and deaths related to COVID-19 including an international review.鈥�
Professor Mark Ferguson, Director General Science Foundation Ireland, and Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government of Ireland, said, 鈥淲e have been faced with incredible challenges in our society and economy over the past year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 Rapid Response Research and Innovation programme was developed to ensure we could bring together the research expertise to provide solutions to the problems created by the pandemic. The programme has been delivered by a high level of interagency and higher education institutional collaboration both within Ireland and with Northern Ireland. Today鈥檚 announcement builds on the previous investment and will continue to support research projects that will generate solutions to the many challenges presented by the pandemic.鈥�
Stephen Donnelly, TD, Minister for Health, said, 鈥�Research has been a key part of our fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and we will continue to rely on research in the months ahead. This year, we have not just experienced a pandemic, we have also seen an infodemic. There has been an overload of often unreliable information. We have seen examples of this in relation to the use of vaccines and on unproven medicines.鈥�
鈥淎s we plan to introduce a COVID-19 vaccination programme, it is essential that we tackle things like misinformation. Many of these research projects will provide evidence to help us do that. I look forward to using the findings from this research for the benefit of Irish people, the health system and society.鈥�
Minister of the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland, Edwin Poots said, 鈥淐ollaboration with government funders from other regions and countries, can lever significant additional scientific expertise and research capacity for the benefit of all. Tackling the impacts of COVID-19 has driven a global and collaborative response through research, and I am delighted that my Department is co-funding two projects with SFI to address issues that not only have a local and pressing impact but can also help inform the worldwide response to the pandemic.鈥�
Dr Mair茅ad O鈥橠riscoll, Chief Executive, Health Research Board, said, 鈥淐OVID-19 has been a stark reminder of the importance of research to improve treatment, develop solutions to health problems and inform decision making. Many of these research projects address the long-term health and societal aspects of COVID-19 that will not be tackled with a vaccine alone, such as mental health or understanding patient risk factors. These long-term societal solutions are crucial as we continue to live with the virus and start to open society again.鈥�
Further details on all the 39 funded projects available via
ENDS
14 December 2020
For further information contact Mic茅al Whelan, Communications and Media Relations Manager, 小鸟体育 Research and Innovation, Nova小鸟体育, e: miceal.whelan@ucd.ie, t: + 353 1 716 3712.