RCSI’s Dr Annie Curtis, Dr Oran Kennedy and Dr Tobias Engel have been awarded a total of €1.5 million through Science Foundation Ireland’s Career Development Award Programme. The RCSI recipients are among 22 researchers who will receive an investment of €13.7 million to support Ireland’s research talent.

Minister of State for Training, Skills and Innovation, John Halligan TD, announced the investment saying: “The awards announced demonstrate the impressive cutting-edge research taking place in the universities across Ireland. The Science Foundation Ireland’s Career Development Awardees are the future leaders of research and innovation in Ireland. Through their promising work, they will continue to shape our research community, and generate positive impacts at a national and global scale. I believe that the important projects receiving funding today will advance Ireland’s economy and society, and further solidify its reputation as a world-leader in scientific advancements.”

Commenting on the awards Professor Mark Ferguson, Director General of Science Foundation Ireland and Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government of Ireland, stated: “Science Foundation Ireland supports researchers at every stage of their careers. This programme helps researchers develop the skills and experience necessary to lead Ireland’s future research in areas such as health, energy, materials and technology. The projects have been selected following a rigorous competitive international merit review process.  I look forward to witnessing the positive impacts that these projects will have for Ireland and wish each awardee every success in their continued scientific research and careers.”

Commenting on the announcement, Professor Janusz Jankowski, Deputy Vice Chancellor, RCSI, said: “These awards to Drs Annie Curtis, Oran Kennedy and Tobias Engel are a testament to the expertise in patient-centred research taking place at RCSI in key areas of immunology, regenerative medicine and neurological disorders, in line with RCSI’s research strategy to improve human health. We look forward to seeing the outcomes of this investment from Science Foundation Ireland which will address unmet clinical needs across these three research areas.” 

The three RCSI research projects focus on: 

• Enhancing epilepsy diagnosis, prediction and treatment - Dr Tobias Engel, RCSI Physiology & Medical Physics
• Investigating how the body clock can affect inflammation - Dr Annie Curtis, RCSI Department of Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics (MCT)
• Exploring the potential to target specific injured tissues in the knee and prevent post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) in cases where people experience a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament - Dr Oran Kennedy, RCSI Department of Anatomy

You can find a full list of the 2018 SFI Career Development Awards here.

About the Science Foundation Ireland Career Development Award Programme

The SFI Career Development Award (CDA) Programme supports excellent investigators in the earlier stages of their research career who are already in an independent academic research position. The award allows researchers to expand their research activities by providing funding to procure required equipment or consumable materials. During the four-year duration of the award, the award can be used to support other researchers by allowing the creation or expansion of a research team to perform novel research.

About Science Foundation Ireland 

Science Foundation Ireland funds oriented basic and applied research in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) which promotes and assists the development and competitiveness of industry, enterprise and employment in Ireland. The Foundation also promotes and supports the study of and engagement with STEM and promotes an awareness and understanding of the value of STEM to society and, in particular, to the growth of the economy.? www.ScienceFoundationIreland.ie.

About RCSI

RCSI is ranked among the top 250 (top 2%) of universities worldwide in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings (2018) and its research is ranked first in Ireland for citations. It is an international not-for-profit health sciences institution, with its headquarters in Dublin, focused on education and research to drive improvements in human health worldwide. RCSI is a signatory of the Athena SWAN Charter and, in 2018 the College achieved the Investors in Diversity Award.