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NEW €60M SCIENTIFIC INVESTMENT IN PRIORITISED AREAS – MINISTER BRUTON, MINISTER SHERLOCK

- Government funding will support 250 researcher positions across 85

pioneering research projects to further accelerate Ireland’s recovery

through innovation-

- Projects funded through the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

via Science Foundation Ireland over a wide range of disciplines e.g.

· applied mathematical modelling for industry and engineering;

· research into new anti-viral strategies to combat Hepatitis C; and

· computer-assisted neurosurgery.

The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD and the

Minister for Research and Innovation, Sean Sherlock TD, today (Friday,

January 25th 2013) announced funding, totalling €60million, dedicated to 85

pioneering research initiatives. Administered via Science Foundation

Ireland’s (SFI) Investigator Programme, the 85 research projects will

directly support 250 researchers through to 2018. In time this investment

will also indirectly support further research initiatives and many more

researchers by leveraging significant additional funding from other sources

including competitive European research calls.

The top-class projects focus on a range of national research priority areas

identified by Government as key for developing new commercial products and

services from scientific research, including ICT, health/life sciences,

energy and manufacturing competitiveness. The projects being funded have

links to 36 companies thus far and the potential for creating jobs is a

critical factor.

Making the announcement, Minister Bruton said:

“A central part of this Government’s plan for jobs and growth is to

ensure that this research is better targeted at turning the good ideas

of researchers into good products and good jobs. That is why we have

implemented a series of reforming measures as part of Action Plan for

Jobs 2012, including

· Research Prioritisation – investing public money in those areas

that are most likely to yield commercial success and grow Jobs.

· A one-stop-shop for commercialising research – through a new

Technology Transfer Centre

· New research centres - funding centres of scale and excellence

which will forge alliances between industry and research together.

Today’s announcement that Government is investing a further €60million

in 85 new research projects supporting 250 researchers will build on

Ireland’s existing research strengths. Approximately 50% of IDA’s

company announcements last year had links with Science Foundation

Ireland funded researchers. By supporting these world-class researchers

in their ground-breaking work we will ensure that we continue to

maintain, attract and develop dynamic companies and create the quality

jobs we need.”

Speaking of the SFI Investigator announcement Minister for Research and

Innovation Sean Sherlock said,

“Over the past decade, Ireland has invested heavily in R&D and the

rewards are clearly visible. What is particularly heartening about

today’s announcement is that much of this excellent research, which

was selected competitively following international peer review, is

being done in collaboration with companies who are seeking to find

new products and services, including IBM Ireland, Intel Ireland, HP,

EMC and Bord Gáis.

I want to strongly commend SFI on leading on delivery of Government’s

Research Prioritisation objectives. I have no doubt that today’s

Investigators awards announcement of the over 80 oriented basic

research projects will deliver real economic and societal impacts for

Ireland.

Today is yet another visible signal regarding delivery of

Government’s Research Prioritisation objectives. I want to

congratulate the successful recipients across a diversity of

scientific disciplines who have stepped up to the mark and

demonstrated the relevance of their research excellence to our

enterprise and societal development. It shows that important

disciplines such as mathematics have a vital role to play and that

Research Prioritisation does not exclude them.”

The individual research projects funded, range in size and scale from

approximately €200,000 to €2.7milllion over the next 5 years and cover a

broad range of scientific topics including:

· Computer-assisted neurosurgery

· Animation

· Inflammatory diseases

· Mathematics for enterprise, science and technology

· Hepatitis C

· Advanced materials and manufacturing

· ICT

· Tissue engineering

· Chemistry

· Biofilms

· Microbiology

· Carbon sequestration

· Farm waste for Bioenergy

· Genetics

· Disease susceptibility & treatment

· Algae & seaweed

SFIs Investigator Programme is designed to support the development of world

class research and human capital in the areas of science, engineering and

mathematics that demonstrably support and underpin enterprise

competitiveness and societal development in Ireland.

Professor Mark Ferguson, Director General of SFI, said,

“These 85 funded research projects were selected from 419

applications following rigorous competitive peer review and ranking

by eminent international scientists. This 20% success rate is

comparable to international funding success rates for example that of

the National Institutes of Health, USA at 18%.”

The investigations cover a broad range of topics including:

mathematical modelling of complex industrial, engineering and

scientific problems, understanding, treating and potentially

preventing diseases such as diabetes, hepatitis C, cancer, cystic

fibrosis, inflammatory disorders, to next generation communications

systems, to advanced novel manufacturing technologies, to space

science detecting gamma-ray busts using novel instruments built by

Irish based companies which are also applicable in medical imaging.

Each project has great potential to impact positively on Ireland’s

future: both economically and societally.”

The SFI Investigator Programme 2012 call comprised two streams: projects

and awards, the main difference between them being the size and scale of

the awards. This year the two streams are merged and a separate programme

(SIRG – the Starting Investigator Research Grant) expanded to accept

applications from young talented researchers.

A follow up 2013 SFI Investigator Programme will be launched next week, on

29th January 2013 which will include an open call and a thematic call

funded jointly between SFI and Teagasc, entitled “Future Agri-Foods”.

ENDS

For further information or media queries please contact:

Aidan McLaughlin, Fleishman-Hillard, 085 749 0484 or

aidan.mclaughlin@fleishmaneurope.com

Alva O’Cleirigh, SFI, 087 915 2553 or alva.ocleirigh@sfi.ie

Roisin McCann, Dept of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation 087 2594144

Notes to Editors:

Under the SFI Investigator Programme (2012 call) - 85 research projects are

being funded through 13 Research Bodies as follows:

Trinity College Dublin (29), University College Dublin (14), NUI Galway

(11), University College Cork (9); NUI Maynooth (5), Tyndall National

Institute (3), University of Limerick (3), Royal College of Surgeons of

Ireland (3) Dublin City University (3), Institute Technology Tallaght (2),

Dublin Institute Technology (1), Institute Technology Sligo (1), and Dublin

Institute for Advanced Studies (1).

The 85 awards are a combination of 33 large-scale Investigator (IvP) Awards

over 5 years (€46.4m in total at an average award value of €1.4m each) and

52 smaller Investigator projects over 3 years (€14.4m in total at an

average award value of €270k each).

|--------------------------------------------------+----------+------------|

| | | |

|--------------------------------------------------+----------+------------|

Some examples of Investigator Awards and Projects being funded :

Professor Stephen O’Brien, University of Limerick

Applied mathematical modelling applied to enterprise, science and

technology (MACSI)

Mathematics is the invisible glue which binds our technology together.

Mathematics is involved with most technologies: Weather prediction, climate

change, flood prevention; electricity, water supply, sewage treatment;

roads, buildings; airline scheduling, supermarket restocking. The award

continues the development of the Mathematics Applications Consortium for

Science and Industry (MACSI), a collaboration of Irish mathematicians and

enterprise partners, which foster new collaborative research, in particular

on problems that arise in industry.

Mathematical modellers perceive themselves as being scientists as well as

mathematicians and are interested in other disciplines apart from

mathematics. Without this philosophy, most modern technology would not

exist: airplanes would not fly, man would not have reached the moon, and

there would be no radar imaging nor scientific weather forecasts. Modern

mathematical models help to quantitatively explain how ultrasound works,

how diseases spread, how bubbles move in a pint of stout, how quickly spilt

fuel on an airport runway percolates through the underlying soil, how wet

paint drips from a ceiling, how the prices of options change. There are

even mathematical models for the dynamics of marriage.

Professor Cliona O’Farrelly, Trinity College Dublin

Is Natural Resistance to Hepatitis C in an Irish Cohort Associated with

JAK/STAT Resistance to HCV Targeting? Towards New Anti-Viral Strategies

The Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) blocks the function of the body’s immune cells

responsible for destroying the virus. We have discovered one way that the

virus is able to do this. There is a genetic variation in individuals, who

are naturally resistant to Hepatitis C infection that protects them from

the blocking effects of the virus. Working with Irish women who received

Hepatitis C contaminated injections but resisted infection, we aim to

identify the specific features of their immune systems responsible for

avoiding Hepatitis C infection. Understanding how the “super” immune

systems of these women naturally resist Hepatitis C has the potential to

reproduce this beneficial effect in new vaccines and therapies.

Professor Michael Gilchrist, University College Dublin

Characterising Mechanical Properties of Brain Tissue using Novel Micro

Indentation Tests

This project is relevant for future advance in the area of

computer-assisted neurosurgery. It has implications for the designing of

devices that can substitute motor, sensory or cognitive impairments and

help develop better neurosurgical instruments. It is also relevant for the

engineering and design of accident investigation reconstructions. Current

work in this area is based on assuming that the make-up of brain tissue is

identical across both the grey matter, containing the cell bodies of the

brain, and the white matter, containing the nerves. In fact, this is not

the case. This project aims to develop novel test procedures that will

characterise these differences in brain tissue across time, and will

provide new data that will be accurate at very small scales down to the

millimetre.

Dr. Emma Creagh, Trinity College Dublin

Identification & Functional Characterisation of Novel Inflammatory

Mediators

Inflammation is the body’s primary response to infection and injury. This

project focuses on an important inflammatory activator which can switch on

inflammation. In some cases the hyper-activation of this inflammatory

activator can lead to inappropriate activation of inflammation, resulting

in many of the inflammatory diseases that exist today. Our preliminary

results have revealed new proteins that bind to this inflammatory activator

and have the potential to switch it on or off. The research objective is

to confirm these novel binding proteins and identify their role during

inflammation. Understanding how our body controls the switching-on and off

of inflammatory activators is critical to developing new treatments and

drugs to alleviate the symptoms of inflammatory disease.

List of Awardees

First | Surname | Researc | Research Title | Total Award*

Name | | h Body | |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

John | Atkins | (UCC) | Using ribosome profiling | 381,032

| | | to study translation |

| | | initiation/elongation and |

| | | facilitate optimization of |

| | | protein synthesis |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Pavel | Baranov | (UCC) | Development of | 1,616,824

| | | computational resources |

| | | for the analysis of Genome |

| | | Wide Information on |

| | | Protein Synthesis (GWIPS). |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Werner | Blau | (TCD) | Systematic Bottom-Up | 597,214

| | | Assembly of Nanocarbon |

| | | Based Photonic Materials |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

John | Boland | (TCD) | Atom Level Engineering of | 2,481,498

| | | Material-on-Insulator |

| | | Devices and Sensors |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Dermot | Brabazon | (DCU) | Laser processing for | 814,992

| | | fabrication of advanced |

| | | liquid chromatographic |

| | | systems |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Thomas | Brazil | (UCD) | Green Power Amplifier | 984,565

| | | Technologies for Future |

| | | Wideband Reconfigurable |

| | | Wireless Communication |

| | | Systems (GrePATech) |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Dermot | Brougham | (DCU) | Long-circulating Magnetic | 199,000

| | | Nanoparticles for |

| | | Biomedical Applications |

| | | through Mimetic Surface |

| | | Chemistry |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Jim | Buckley | (UL) | Establishing best practice | 276,377

| | | in Software Architecture |

| | | Consistency Processes |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Miguel | Bustamante | (UCD) | Genesis and Development of | 285,211

| | | Extreme Events in Fluids |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Geraldin | Butler | (UCD) | Post-genomic analysis of | 1,362,601

e | | | biofilm and virulence |

| | | characteristics of the |

| | | pathogenic yeast, Candida |

| | | parapsilosis. |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Martin | Caffrey | (TCD) | Membrane Structural and | 2,478,511

| | | Functional Biology. |

| | | Tackling communicable and |

| | | non-communicable diseases |

| | | at the membrane level. |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Jens | Carlsson | (UCC) | Taxonomy and connectivity | 194,498

| | | of animal species at the |

| | | Moytirra hydrothermal vent |

| | | field: developing methods |

| | | for assessing ecological |

| | | impacts of mineral |

| | | extraction in the deep-sea |

| | | |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Gianpier | Cavalleri | (RCSI) | The identification and | 381,150

o | | | characterisation of |

| | | genomic signatures of |

| | | hypoxia induced natural |

| | | selection |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

David | Chew | (TCD) | Microanalysis of detrital | 279,826

| | | apatite: a new provenance |

| | | proxy in sedimentary |

| | | systems |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

David | Clarke | (UCC) | Characterizaton of choA, a | 244,360

| | | gene encoding a novel |

| | | cholesterol-degrading |

| | | activity in the human gut |

| | | microbiome |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Paula | Colavita | (TCD) | Understanding lipid/carbon | 306,216

| | | interactions for the |

| | | rational design of |

| | | biomaterials |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Stephen | Connon | (TCD) | Anhydrides as nucleophiles | 1,404,834

| | | in new catalytic |

| | | asymmetric processes: |

| | | development, scope |

| | | expansion and application |

| | | in drug development |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

John | Costello | (DCU) | Stagnation Layers in Laser | 816,950

| | | Ablation Based Analytical |

| | | Techniques |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Emma | Creagh | (TCD) | Identification & | 210,169

| | | Functional |

| | | Characterisation of Novel |

| | | Inflammatory Mediators. |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Bernie | Creaven | (ITT) | Novel Dual SOD/CAT mimics: | 203,300

| | | New Therapeutic Strategy |

| | | for Oxidative Stress |

| | | Related Diseases? |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Kenneth | Dawson | (UCD) | Biological Identity of | 1,758,794

| | | Nanoparticles Dispersed in |

| | | Biological Media |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Eithne | Dempsey | (ITT) | Implementation of Gold | 353,600

| | | Quantitation |

| | | Immuno-Electrochemistry |

| | | (AURO-QUANT) |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Kevin | Devine | (TCD) | Cell wall metabolism in | 1,240,385

| | | Gram positive bacteria: |

| | | investigating its |

| | | regulation and exploiting |

| | | its therapeutic potential. |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Gary | Donohoe | (TCD) | Characterising the neural | 284,650

| | | basis of social cognition |

| | | deficits in schizophrenia |

| | | using imaging genetics |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Sean | Doyle | (NUIM) | A Vaccination Strategy | 358,497

| | | Against Aspergillus |

| | | fumigatus Infection. |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Ken | Duffy | (NUIM) | Quantitative analysis of | 228,820

| | | immune cell fate: |

| | | stochastic competition and |

| | | censorship |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Laurence | Egan | (NUIG) | Molecular Regulation of | 281,760

| | | the Tumor Microenvironment |

| | | in Colon Cancer Metastasis |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Rachel | Evans | (TCD) | High-Efficiency Conjugated | 325,371

| | | Polymer-Inorganic Hybrids |

| | | as Luminescent Solar |

| | | Concentrators for |

| | | Photovoltaics |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Stephen | Fahy | (TNI) | Ultrafast energy | 1,299,545

| | | dissipation in semimetals |

| | | and semiconductors: |

| | | Simulation based on |

| | | first-principles |

| | | electronic structure |

| | | theory |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Mario | Fares | (TCD) | Understanding the role of | 371,358

| | | molecular chaperones in |

| | | robustness and functional |

| | | innovation |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

David | Finlay | (TCD) | Characterising the role of | 261,606

| | | mammalian Target Of |

| | | Rapamcyin Complex 1 |

| | | (mTORC1)/Srebp1c signaling |

| | | in directing the |

| | | differentiation and |

| | | function of T cell |

| | | subsets. |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Garry | Fleming | (TCD) | DENTAL glass-ionomer | 309,617

| | | restoratives: Development |

| | | of an Enhanced Novel |

| | | Tailored Aesthetic Ligand |

| | | based glass-ionomer |

| | | restorative |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Nial | Friel | (UCD) | Advances for the | 289,240

| | | probabilistic analysis of |

| | | network data |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Michael | Gilchrist | (UCD) | Characterising Mechanical | 315,007

| | | Properties of Brain Tissue |

| | | using Novel Micro |

| | | Indentation Tests |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Martin | Glavin | (NUIG) | Breast Cancer detection | 243,900

| | | and classification using |

| | | Ultra Wideband Radar |

| | | Tomography |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

David | Gregg | (TCD) | Data-centric ultra-low | 563,120

| | | power embedded computing |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Darren | Griffith | (RCSI) | Novel Strategy for | 192,029

| | | Overcoming Chemoresistance |

| | | and Toxicity Associated |

| | | with Platinum Anti-cancer |

| | | Compounds |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Yurii | Gun'ko | (TCD) | Chiral inorganic | 808,460

| | | nanomaterials |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Anne | Healy | (TCD) | Co-processing of active | 188,919

Marie | | | pharmaceutical ingredients |

| | | with functional excipients |

| | | to prevent unintentional |

| | | generation of amorphous |

| | | phase |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Mary | Heaney | (NUIM) | "Clickable" Azobenzenes, | 215,339

Frances | | | New Molecular Glues for |

| | | Generation of |

| | | Photoresponsive |

| | | Biomolecular Scaffolds |

| | | capable of Answering |

| | | Biological Questions |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+------------------- Katherin | Howell | (UCD) | Elucidating the the | 348,343

e | | | potential therapuetic role |

| | | of Erythropoietin in the |

| | | treatment of Emphysema |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Suzi | Jarvis | (UCD) | Nanoscale | 1,233,925

| | | aqueous-substrate |

| | | interfaces |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Leigh | Jones | (NUIG) | The Strategic Construction | 179,675

| | | of Magnetic Coolant |

| | | Materials |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Alan | Jones | (DIAS) | IRECCSEM: Evaluating | 278,616

| | | Ireland's potential for |

| | | onshore carbon |

| | | sequestration and storage |

| | | using electromagnetics |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Daniel J | Kelly | (TCD) | A tissue engineered | 1,715,936

| | | biological joint |

| | | replacement prosthesis for |

| | | the treatment of |

| | | degenerative joint disease |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Amir | Khan | (TCD) | Molecular Aspects of | 1,204,672

| | | Immune Evasion and |

| | | Subversion of Membrane |

| | | Trafficking by Pathogens |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Vojislav | Krstic | (TCD) | Next-generation III-V | 362,475

| | | Quasi-1D Nanowires for |

| | | Advanced Future |

| | | Information-Processing |

| | | Circuitry |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Ed | Lavelle | (TCD) | Modulation of innate and | 1,797,268

| | | adaptive immunity by |

| | | particulate adjuvants for |

| | | improved parenteral and |

| | | mucosal vaccination |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

James | Lunney | (TCD) | Pulsed laser deposition of | 252,595

| | | thin films at atmospheric |

| | | pressure |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Fiona | Lyng | (DIT) | Identification of | 193,700

| | | clinically important, high |

| | | risk oral lesions using |

| | | Raman spectroscopy |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Sheila | McBreen | (UCD) | Advances in gamma-ray | 247,382

| | | Space Science using |

| | | Silicon Photomultipliers |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Rachel | McDonnell | (TCD) | Cartoon Motion: Stylised | 272,270

| | | facial animation from |

| | | motion capture |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Patrick | McGarry | (NUIG) | Active changes in artery | 226,094

| | | structure and |

| | | contractility in response |

| | | to stenting |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Gerard | McGlacken | (UCC) | The Direct Arylation of | 377,092

| | | Pyrones, Coumarins, |

| | | Pyridones and Quinolones |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

John | McInerney | (UCC) | Pulsed semiconductor | 205,270

| | | lasers for metrology and |

| | | remote sensing: |

| | | synchronisation and |

| | | stabilisation dynamics |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Paul | McLoughlin | (UCD) | The role of the bone | 1,308,097

| | | morphogenetic antagonist |

| | | gremlin in the |

| | | pathogenesis of chronic |

| | | hypoxic lung disease |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Rachel | McLoughlin | (TCD) | Understanding cellular | 384,042

| | | immunity to Staphylococcus |

| | | aureus is required for |

| | | novel anti-S. aureus |

| | | vaccine design |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Tara | McMorrow | (UCD) | Molecular mechanisms of | 319,180

| | | cilia loss in mammalian |

| | | epithelial cells |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Grace | Morgan | (UCD) | Nano-Assembly of | 320,651

| | | Functional Magnetic and |

| | | Magneto-Optical Materials |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Derek | Morris | (TCD) | Gene discovery in | 355,395

| | | schizophrenia using |

| | | family-based sequencing |

| | | methods |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Paul | Moynagh | (NUIM) | Defining the roles and | 2,042,513

| | | mechanisms of action of |

| | | Pellino proteins in |

| | | immunity and inflammatory |

| | | diseases |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Paul | Murphy | (NUIG) | Glycoside & glycoconjugate | 1,009,646

| | | synthesis through |

| | | development and |

| | | application of chelation |

| | | induced anomerization |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Yvonne | Nolan | (UCC) | The nuclear receptor TLX | 1,082,494

| | | as a cell intrinsic |

| | | regulator underlying |

| | | inflammation and |

| | | stress-induced changes in |

| | | hippocampal neurogenesis: |

| | | relevance to cognitive |

| | | disorders |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Stephen | O'Brien | (UL) | Applied mathematical | 2,759,414

| | | modelling applied to |

| | | enterprise, science and |

| | | technology (MACSI) |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

David | O'Connell | (UCD) | Novel affinity matrices | 262,288

| | | for purification of |

| | | biotherapeutics |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Cliona | O'Farrelly | (TCD) | Is Natural Resistance to | 1,742,265

| | | Hepatitis C in an Irish |

| | | Cohort Associated with |

| | | JAK/STAT Resistance to HCV |

| | | Targeting? Towards New |

| | | Anti-Viral Strategies |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Luke | O'Neill | (TCD) | Novel regulators of the | 2,385,259

| | | Nlrp3 inflammasome and |

| | | IL-1beta: prospects for |

| | | novel therpeutics and |

| | | diagnostics for |

| | | inflammatory diseases |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Mani | Ramaswami | (TCD) | Translational control of | 1,430,253

| | | neuronal mRNAs: its |

| | | mechanisms, and roles in |

| | | memory and |

| | | neurodegeneration. |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Fernando | Rhen | (UL) | Nanostructured alloy for | 174,880

| | | high-energy-efficient fuel |

| | | cells |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

James | Rice | (UCD) | Patterned nanomaterial’s | 241,175

| | | using ferroelectric |

| | | lithography for enhanced |

| | | optical imaging |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Thomas | Ritter | (NUIG) | Novel therapeutic | 1,303,013

| | | approaches to improve |

| | | corneal allograft survival |

| | | by cell and gene therapy |

| | | and insights into the |

| | | mechanism of action |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

James | Rohan | (TNI) | Nanomaterials design and | 241,926

| | | fabrication for Energy |

| | | Storage |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Robert | Ryan | (UCC) | Elucidation of the | 282,352

| | | regulatory role of |

| | | bacterial cell-cell |

| | | signalling in persistent |

| | | infection of the cystic |

| | | fibrosis lung by |

| | | Burkholderia cenocepacia |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Corrado | Santocanal | (NUIG) | Cdc7 regulation of Claspin | 292,484

| e | | stability and its effect |

| | | on cell cycle checkpoint |

| | | function |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Igor | Shvets | (TCD) | Science of p-type | 1,924,402

| | | transparent conducting |

| | | oxides: materials towards |

| | | transparent electronics |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Johannes | Slingerlan | (NUIM) | Topological Order and | 719,693

Klaas | d | | Fault Tolerant Quantum |

| | | Computation |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Dagmar | Stengel | (NUIG) | Iodine in commercially | 244,782

| | | valuable Irish seaweeds: |

| | | variability, pathways, and |

| | | implications for |

| | | industrial applications |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Nathan | Stevenson | (UCC) | Automated assessment of | 145,697

| | | brain maturation in the |

| | | preterm infant using EEG |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Kevin | Sullivan | (NUIG) | Structure and assembly of | 387,900

| | | vertebrate |

| | | kinetochore-associated |

| | | chromatin |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Nicolas | Touzet | (ITS) | Physiology and molecular | 379,845

| | | biology of microalgae for |

| | | the biorefining of |

| | | valuable metabolites |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Paul | Townsend | (TNI) | Next Generation Photonic | 2,570,493

| | | Access and Data |

| | | Communication Systems |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Wenxin | Wang | (NUIG) | Development and Delivery | 267,291

| | | of Nonviral S/MAR |

| | | Minicircles for Long-term |

| | | Type VII Collagen Gene |

| | | expression for the |

| | | Treatment of Recessive |

| | | Dystrophic Epidermolysis |

| | | Bullosa |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Graeme | Watson | (TCD) | Understanding the role of | 905,910

| | | interfaces in solid oxide |

| | | fuel cell efficiency: |

| | | Optimising materials |

| | | through predictive |

| | | computer simulation |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Leonie | Young | (RCSI) | SRC-1 mediation of cancer | 681,543

| | | cell reprogramming in |

| | | endocrine resistant breast |

| | | cancer |

-----------+-------------+----------+-----------------------------+-------------------

Xinmin | Zhan | (NUIG) | Green Farm: Development of | 361,010

| | | On-Farm Co-Digestion of |

| | | the Organic Fraction of |

| | | Municipal Solid Waste and |

| | | Animal Manure for |

| | | Bioenergy Production and |

| | | Resource Recycling |

*Subject to final agreement with Awardee/Research Body; inclusive of

approx. 30% overhead payment to Research Body