Dublin-based scientists claim that significantly increased financial support for neuroscience research in Ireland will leverage recent advancements made in epilepsy and motor neuron disease treatment, as well as expand investigations into other neurological disorders. FutureNeuro, located at The Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland, is projected to receive a substantial chunk of €104 million provided by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), declared on Tuesday.
Other centres earmarked for this funding include the BiOrbic Bioeconomy SFI Research Centre and the I-Form SFI Research Centre for Advanced Manufacturing, both in UCD. Another recipient is the VistaMilk SFI Research Centre based in Moorepark, Co Cork. Together, these investments will back more than 600 researchers.
David Henshall, the Director of FutureNeuro, expressed a significant demand for novel therapies and improvements in diagnosing and managing all brain disorders. FutureNeuro boasted “remarkable expertise” in epilepsy and motor neuron disease research, and planned to utilise that experience to study other disease areas in their forthcoming phase.
The allocated funds would empower researchers to broaden their knowledge on diseases like multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s, and also explore the genetic roots of brain disorders. Henshall emphasised that these conditions often appear early in a child’s life, greatly affecting their development.
The financial infusion would also revolutionise the work at I-Form, says its director, Denis Dowling. Using digital tools could optimise energy and material consumption, leading to enhanced product performance in the long run. Due to the dwindling raw material supply in mature economies, Dowling pinpoints the necessity to intelligently manage these resources.
Kevin O’Connor, the director of BioOrbic, highlighted how their research was fostering the development of a sustainable economy. He stated that the bioeconomy is the future direction of the Irish economy, predicting the phasing out of the fossil economy.
The funds for VistaMilk will be allocated between primary research for long-term solutions and practical research that gives immediate benefits to farmers and food processing industries, according to the institute’s director, Donagh Berry. He commented that they are heavily concentrating their research on environmental solutions, recognising the predicted 25% carbon reduction by 2030, whilst also assessing technologies for the future up until 2050 once the current technologies have been exhausted by 2030.
Charlie McConalogue, the Agriculture Minister who revealed the funding, refrained from discussing the ongoing investigation concerning the misconduct claims against the SFI director general, Prof Philip Nolan, made by high-ranking employees. He cited the ongoing process as the reason he couldn’t comment that day.
Prof Nolan, who has refuted these claims, is set to assume control of an enlarged national research body, Research Ireland. This will be a combined entity of the SFI and the Irish Research Council.
When questioned about whether the scandal was affecting the public’s trust in the SFI, a state agency receiving €200 million in annual funds from the taxpayers, McConalogue pointed out the clear dynamism and creativity present within the agency through the research being demonstrated at the Mansion House event. He expressed hope for this to continue and stated that the fresh funding validates the SFI’s collaborative approach to research, involving universities, state agencies, and industries. On this instance, backing was given to four exemplary projects.
Patrick O’Donovan, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, was unable to attend the occasion due to his mother’s demise.