Ten exciting research projects at NUI Galway have been funded as part of Science Foundation Ireland’s 2011 Research Frontiers Programme. The awards, which were announced recently by the Minister for Research and Innovation, Seán Sherlock T.D., aim to support the development of Ireland’s human capital by providing employment and training to some of Ireland’s most talented researchers.

In total, the Government committed funding of €15 million to be provided over the next four years to 79 research projects, across 15 research institutions.

The ten cutting-edge projects at NUI Galway are:

• Dr Eilís Dowd: Harnessing adult stem cells for neurotrophin delivery to the degenerating brain.
• Dr Andrea Erxlebe: Functionalized locked nucleic acids that cleave the RNA component of human telomerase.
• Dr Dane Flannery: A new foundation for computing with linear groups over infinite domains.
• Dr Conor O'Byrne: Stress perception in the human pathogen Listeria monocytogenes: seeing the light.
• Professor Colin O'Dowd: (INFORM) Integrated volcanic ash forecasting system.
• Dr Zoe Popper: Characterisation of algal cell wall components for future biotechnological applications.
• Dr Nathan Quinlan: Towards a non-thrombogenic prosthetic mechanical heart valve: measurement of hinge flow fields at microscale resolution.
• Dr Michelle Roche: Endocannabinoid regulation of neuroinflammatory responses following bacterial and viral infection.
• Dr Gerhard Schlosser: Evolutionary innovation by rewiring of gene networks - Origin of sense organs in the vertebrate New Head.
• Dr Cindy Smith: Pathogen detection, survival and sheltering in a model water distribution system.

Making the announcement, Minister Sherlock said: “It is vital that Ireland has a robust and competitive research environment that contributes to economic recovery. The projects announced today are very much part of this drive to further build Ireland’s research capability in support of our economic development. Science Foundation Ireland is a key organisation in driving this in terms of indentifying opportunities for top-class research in Ireland.”

Minister Sherlock added “These projects are of direct relevance to our daily lives. Discoveries that can be achieved in these sectors will have an impact on computer science, the environment, health and other important fields with the potential to create and sustain top-quality jobs in Ireland.”

ENDS