Third level colleges in Dublin, Cork and Galway join forces to strengthen Ireland s profile in health research and announce fellowship programme to train clinician scientists. NUI Galway has been awarded five fellowships through the newly launched company, Molecular Medicine Ireland (MMI) which will coordinate health research activities in Ireland. The company will strengthen Ireland s profile in health research by combining and building on the biomedical research strengths of institutions involved: NUI Galway, University College Cork, University College Dublin, Trinity College and Royal College of Surgeons. MMI will accelerate the translation of recent rapid advances in science into new ways of understanding disease and new diagnostics, drugs and devices to treat illness and protect the health of people in Ireland. Each of the newly appointed fellows will undertake a PhD in one of the five member institutions, the first 19 Fellows were recently selected through a rigorous process led by Molecular Medicine Ireland and will begin their studies next July. Dr. Ruth Barrington, Chief Executive of Molecular Medicine Ireland said that Molecular Medicine Ireland had taken the initiative, with its member institutions, to train tomorrow s leaders in health research. With funding of €10m awarded by the Higher Education Authority, Molecular Medicine Ireland has put a fellowship programme in place to train medical graduates as clinician scientists. Clinician scientists are trained in both the clinical care of patients and in the biological sciences that are revolutionising the practice of medicine. Professor of Medicine and Director of REMEDI at NUI Galway, Professor Tim O Brien, said, "The establishment of MMI with funding from the HEA will allow Galway to play a major role in developing the next cadre of clinician scientists. We are developing a patient centred academic medical centre as a partnership between NUI Galway and the HSE and training clinician scientists who will have protected time for research is a key part of that strategy. The HSE and the HRB have already funded a clinical research facility in Galway which will play a major role in training these clinicians. The Galway facility is part of a network of such facilities in Ireland which has formed the Irish clinical research infrastructure network which will allow new treatments to be developed and ultimately enhance patient care in this country. We are enthusiastic about the structured research education for clinician scientists to be provided through MMI, and in partnership with other medical schools MMI will work towards the development of a unified programme in translational medicine for the benefit of the nation's health." Mary Hanafin TD, Minister for Education and Science launched Molecular Medicine Ireland recently in Dublin. Welcoming the formation of Molecular Medicine Ireland, Minister Hanafin praised the foresight of the heads of the five institutions in taking this important step towards developing a world-class system in health research in Ireland. "Molecular Medicine Ireland will assist the institutions build a sustainable system of world class teams in biomedical research, which is a key goal of Government science and technology policy," said Minister Hanafin. Commenting on the announcement, Professor Terry Smith, Director of the National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Science, NUI Galway, said, "The MMI-coordinated clinician scientist fellowship programme is an exciting new development which will significantly enhance NUI Galway's Biomedical Science and Engineering research programme. This initiative promises to train clinician scientists of the highest international calibre, and to contribute to the development of innovative therapeutic solutions to current medical challenges. I have no doubt that through MMI, novel insights will be gained in our understanding of the underlying basis of disease including, cancer, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, reproductive disorders, and neuro-degenerative diseases." -ends-

Over 300 cyclists to participate in Kellogg's Tour of Ireland Cycle Challenge Details of Ireland's largest amateur four-day cycling event, the Kellogg's Tour of Ireland Cycle Challenge, have been announced. Over 300 riders accompanied by 60 support staff will travel over 500 miles through the four provinces of Ireland. All proceeds from the event will go towards the National Council for the Blind of Ireland. The Challenge starts in Lisburn, Co Down on Friday 9th May and finishes in Lucan, Co. Dublin on Monday 12th May. 2008 is the second year that NUI Galway has hosted the Kellogg's Tour of Ireland Cycle Challenge, with the official finish line of stage 2 of the event located at the Aula Maxima (Quadrangle) in the University's grounds on Saturday 10th May. The grounds of the 163 year old University are a magnificent platform for the end of the Cavan to Galway stage of the Kellogg's Tour of Ireland. Participants will embark on stage 3 of the challenge from NUI Galway on Sunday 11th May. The public are invited to come out and cheer on the cyclists and enjoy the great spectacle. Last year's inaugural Challenge was a great success and this year's promises to be bigger and better. In 2007, 125 cyclists entered and the 2007 challenge was voted the best organised event of its type by the international cycling community. The Challenge encourages people to exercise and participate in healthy sporting activities. It complements NUI Galway's commitment to the promotion of a healthy lifestyle. This commitment is evidenced by its flagship new sports complex which is opening this year. Event Director, Marc Barr said: "2007 was a lot of hard work and we achieved much more than we had expected. The numbers already entered this year underscore the great reaction we have had from the international cycling community. Thank you to our partner NUI Galway for the great efforts put in by everyone to make the event a success. The Kellogg's Tour of Ireland Cycle Challenge is all about promoting healthy activity for all in an enjoyable and fun way. This fits very well with NUI Galway's commitment to sporting activities. We very much appreciate their association and look forward to working with them again this year." Stephen Twaddell, Managing Director of Kellogg's said: "We are delighted to support this event which is an important part of our Let's Get Active initiative – a community-based programme of events, designed to help people in Ireland get active and have fun while raising money for a good cause. As the Tour snakes its way across Ireland next month, we hope it will inspire people to get on their own bikes and discover the pleasure of getting active. We congratulate the organisers for what looks like being another world-class event and we send a big thank you to local communities who embrace the event as it passes through their own county." The Kellogg's Tour of Ireland is a cycle challenge open to all amateur cyclists. It attracts entrants from all over the island of Ireland and overseas. It is a non-competitive challenge whereby each participant competes against the elements and their own levels of fitness and endurance. It consists of four stages: 9th May: Stage 1 Lisburn to Cavan 115 miles 10th May: Stage 2 Cavan to Galway 124 miles 11th May: Stage 3 start at 8am NUI Galway, Galway to Kilkenny 140 miles 12th May: Stage 4 Kilkenny to Dublin 123 miles The Kellogg's Tour of Ireland event organisers Joe and Marc Barr, are both well-known cyclists. Joe has competed for Ireland and N. Ireland as a professional and has put together the four stages. Marc is the logistics expert and ensures that everything is in place to ensure a safe, exciting and enjoyable event. Further details on the event can be found at www.tourofireland.eu For information on Kellogg's Let's Get Active programme visit www.letsgetactive.ie. -ENDS-

Hollywood writer and producer Evan Goldberg is to teach at NUI Galway as part of the Huston School of Film & Digital Media Writers in Residence Programme. Goldberg has worked on films Superbad and Knocked Up, starring Katherine Heigl, and the TV comedy Da Ali G Show. On Thursday 24 April, Goldberg will attend a special public screening of Superbad followed by a question and answer session. Goldberg's Huston School of Film & Digital Media Residence Programme at NUI Galway will last from 22 April to 7 May. During that time he will deliver workshops to students on Screenwriting, Production and Direction. Previous participants in the Writers Residence Programme have included John Huston's son Tony Huston and documentary maker George Stoney. Writer Allegra Huston, daughter of the late John Huston, has also visited the school with her writing salon. According to Rod Stoneman, Director of the Huston School of Film & Digital Media, NUI Galway, "Together with Seth Rogen and Judd Apatow, Evan Goldberg is part of the new royal family of comedy in Hollywood. Goldberg is writer of Superbad and Executive Producer of Knocked Up, two landmark comedy films which have thrown the mainstream Hollywood comedy rule book out the window. These films out gross the gross-out comedy and yet are inflected with a warmth, humanity and truth that is rare anywhere in mainstream contemporary cinema." Founded in 2003, the Huston School of Film & Digital Media offers a range of one-year postgraduate courses in Film Studies; Screenwriting; Production and Direction; Arts Policy and Practice; Public Advocacy and Activism; and Digital Media. In autumn of 2008, the first undergraduate course offered through the CAO system will come on stream, the BA with Film Studies. For further information on the public session with Evan Goldberg on 24 April, or to reserve a place, contact Derval McCormack 091 495076. -ends-

The College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Celtic Studies at NUI Galway has issued the final call for applications to its 50 new Doctoral Research Fellowships. Fellowships are valued at between €15,000-20,000 per annum and will be awarded to 50 students undertaking research PhDs with the College in the autumn. Fellowships may be held across the full range of Humanities disciplines including Children's Studies, Creative Writing, Gaeilge, Global Women's Studies, Human Rights, Irish Studies, Film Studies and Rural Studies. Kevin Barry, Dean of the College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Celtic Studies at NUI Galway, commented, "NUI Galway has introduced new doctoral programmes with broad career opportunities. We wish to develop the tradition of research in the humanities, in modern languages, and in the social and behavioural sciences in order to graduate students at the highest level to serve Irish society." He added, "Our strategic support for PhD students reflects a determination on the part of the University to promote and support innovative research and high level training across a wide range of disciplines." The Fellowships are designed to enable students to work in cross-disciplinary projects. These small research clusters will allow students to collaborate and work together, encouraging and testing each other's work. Three of the Fellowships are named in memory of Lady Gregory, for her integration of the Arts and Humanities into regional and national life. For closing dates, terms and conditions, and applications forms contact Mairéad Ní Dhomhnaill on 091 493622 or email fellowshipsfifty@nuigalway.ie -ends-

The new Engineering degree programme in Sports and Exercise Engineering (GY411) offered by the College of Engineering & Informatics in collaboration with the College of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences at NUI Galway is now available through the CAO. The B.E./M.Eng.Sc. Sports and Exercise Engineering degree will take its first cohort of students in September 2008. Persons who have already applied to the CAO in 2008 can register a preference for GY411 through the CAO change-of-mind process (deadline 1 July, 2008 at 5:15pm). Persons who have not yet applied to the CAO in 2008 and who wish to register a preference for GY411 must make a late application to the CAO by 1 May, 2008 at 5:15pm. The programme will allow successful students to exit after 4 years with a level 8 B.E. degree or after 5 years with level 9 M.Eng.Sc., however the full benefits to the students of the programme will be achieved with the 5 year programme. This programme offering represents the first degree programme in Sports & Exercise Engineering on the island of Ireland. Professional sport is a worldwide multi-billion euro industry and plays a central role in most western societies. Today technology is used on a regular basis to improve sports performance in elite athletes. The new Sports and Exercise Engineering programme at NUI Galway will provide graduates with the skills and expertise to design systems and devices for the evaluation and execution of sport performance across a broad range of sports. Professor Padraic O'Donoghue, Dean of Engineering and Informatics, NUI Galway, says, "This new degree programme represents an exciting venture for Engineering at NUI Galway. It is an excellent example of a focused interdisciplinary programme whereby some of the latest engineering techniques are meshed with medical and scientific concepts to train a cohort of students with a unique skillset. Thus, graduates of the programme will be able to address a range of highly relevant problems associated with sports and exercise". Professor B.G. Loftus, Dean of the College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, NUI Galway, says, "The evolving obesity epidemic reflects an imbalance between energy ingested and expended. The decline in levels of physical activity at all ages is, in large part, responsible for this epidemic, and also contributes to increased risk of many other illnesses. It is incumbent on us to remedy this at societal level through initiatives like this new Engineering programme, which will produce a new generation of engineers with the skills and expertise to design novel systems and devices to increase participation in exercise across the age groups." The programme will incorporate significant elements of Anatomy, Physiology, Mechanical Engineering and Sport and Exercise Engineering practice. A major input from Electronic Engineering will reflect a particular focus in the programme on the development of a range of ambulatory electronic devices for movement assessment in sport and exercise, ambulatory monitoring of human performance in sport & exercise and the design of systems and devices for the performance and assessment of exercise, rehabilitation and sport. Professor Gearóid Ó Laighin, Head of Electronic Engineering and course co-ordinator, says, "This programme will benefit from two major infrastructural developments on the NUI Galway campus: the completion of the €20 Million, 6,500 sq. meter Sports Centre by June 2008 and the expected completion of a €60 Million, 14,000 sq. meter New Engineering Building, which will feature state-of-the-art Engineering teaching and research laboratories, including a multi-purpose motion analysis laboratory, by September 2010." For further information on the new programme contact Professor Gearóid Ó Laighin at 087-6504801 or email: gearoid.olaighin@nuigalway.ie ENDS