University of Galway is leading three new projects that aim to make medical treatments safer, faster and more effective, after researchers secured the support of one of Europe’s most prestigious funding programmes.

The awards were made by the European Commission’s Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions-Doctoral Network programme (MSCA DN), as part of Horizon Europe 2020.

The programme supports researchers to become future leaders while investing in the University of Galway projects to improve lives and pave the way for better, more affordable healthcare.

The network also provides training to make the researchers more creative, entrepreneurial and innovative, boosting their employability in the long-term.

One University of Galway project has an emphasis on sustainability and a move away from animal testing for brain disease; a second is looking at cardiovascular issues, specifically around improving heart stent durability and longevity; and a third seeks to advance equity, diversity and inclusion in clinical trials.

Professor Fidelma Dunne, Director of the Institute for Clinical Trials at University of Galway, said: “These projects show how research can make a real difference in people’s lives. University of Galway is proud to be leading the way in creating smarter, safer, and more sustainable healthcare solutions.”

Professor Ted Vaughan, Interim Director of the Institute for Health Discovery and Innovation at University of Galway, said that the projects exemplified the mission of the new Institute – to accelerate fundamental and applied understanding of disease and enable disruptive solutions to health-based challenges.

“By combining cutting-edge science with collaborative training, we are not only advancing medical technologies but also shaping the next generation of research leaders. This investment from the European Commission underscores the importance of innovation that is ethical, inclusive, and focused on improving patient outcomes across society.”

The University of Galway projects funded by the Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions-Doctoral Network are:

■ Dr Mihai Lomora leads the €4.2 million CerebroMachinesTrain Doctoral Network research project – Smarter Drug Delivery for Brain Diseases. Using advanced 3D brain models that mimic real brain tissue, the project will test tiny machines which are being developed to bring medicine exactly where it is needed. It avoids animal testing, making research faster, more ethical, and more accurate.

■ Dr William Ronan leads the €2.71 million MEDALLOY research project – Stronger, Safer Materials for Life-Saving Devices. It focuses on making materials used in minimally invasive medical devices – like stents and heart valve supports – stronger and longer lasting.

■ Dr Eimear Morrissey leads the €4.4 million EDICT research project – Advancing Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Clinical Trials. It is a research and training network led by the Health Research Board-Trials Methodology Research Network, based at University of Galway, which seeks to include older adults, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, or those from lower-income backgrounds in clinical trials. It will develop new tools, methods and policies to make clinical trials more inclusive, fair, and effective across Europe.

■ A fourth project, DECADOCS – Decadent Travellers and the Reception of Classical Antiquity, involving Dr Muireann O’Cinneide, is in partnership with Goldsmiths, University of London and the Cúirt International Festival of Literature. It is the first doctoral network dedicated to the study of decadence, the disruptive societal phenomenon traditionally associated with accelerated decline and decay.

Pictured: The University of Galway researchers involved in the newly-funded projects (from left): Dr Mihai Lomora, College of Science and Engineering; Dr Eimear Morrisey, College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences; Dr Muireann O’Cinneide, College of Arts Social Sciences and Celtic Studies; and Dr William Ronan, College of Science and Engineering. Photo: Aengus McMahon.