As you know, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) has contributed to the autumn series of RTE's ‘The Science Squad' and will feature in four different episodes. The first of these episodes will air this Friday, 13 September, at 7.30pm on RTÉ One.

This week, The Science Squad visit Professor Fergal O'Brien, Professor of Bioengineering and Regenerative Medicine and Head of the Tissue Engineering Research Group in RCSI, and his team of researchers, who have developed a new organic material which harnesses the body's own regenerative power to repair damaged bones and cartilage. SurgaColl Technologies, a spin-out company from the group has licensed these technologies with the aim of treating patients with the technologies in the next couple of years. The Science Squad will also meet Ireland and Leinster rugby star Gordon D'Arcy who discusses the potential impact of this ground-breaking research in elite sports.

Speaking ahead of Friday's programme, Prof Fergal O'Brien said: "I'm very pleased that our research is being highlighted by The Science Squad. It really is a great opportunity to demonstrate the science behind the technologies that we have developed and to show how basic research can be translated towards the commercial and clinical arenas."

RTÈ's Science Squad is presented by Aoibhinn Ni Shuilleabhain, Kathriona Devereux and Jonathon McCrea. Here is a preview of the other episodes in this series that feature RCSI research:

PROGRAMME 4 - 27 September
Do you have what it takes to be a top surgeon? - It has been acknowledged that certain natural abilities and personality characteristics can influence surgeons' performance. At RCSI, new technologies have allowed for a move towards more skills lab training involving simulators, where students can learn skills in a controlled environment, allowing for safer and accelerated learning. An RCSI team including Professor Oscar Traynor tests, presenter, Jonathan's natural suitability to a surgical profession, highlighting both the new technology being used in skills labs and the human factors modules that are transforming surgical training.

PROGRAMME 6 - 18 October
GP Surgery of the Future - New technologies, from the Biomedical Diagnostic Institute in DCU, are now being used in clinical trials at the RCSI Clinical Research Centre in Beaumont Hospital, where Aoibhinn meets Professor Dermot Kenny to find out how these new tests could transform the future of healthcare. These developments allow for simple testing of major diseases, such as cancer, liver disease and cardiovascular conditions, in primary care settings such as the GP office rather than being referred to hospitals for major testing.

PROGRAMME 7 -  27 October
Malaria
Malaria is a huge global public health problem, which claims approximately 1 million lives each year. RCSI has developed a new vaccine that is being trialled in Ireland. In this episode, Kathriona meets Professor Sam McConkey, Head of International Health and Tropical Medicine at RCSI and Principal Investigator on the trial to find out about the development of this potential vaccine, and speaks to some of the volunteers who are involved in the clinical trials.