Breast cancer research scientists at University of Galway have secured a new five-year €1.4 million project to drive the next generation of cancer care as part of Precision Oncology Ireland.

The research is funded by €700,000 from the National Breast Cancer Research Institute (NBCRI), which is matched by Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland.

Supported by the Galway University Foundation, the new commitment by NBCRI to breast cancer research at University of Galway builds on the Signature Partnership with the charity which was announced in May 2025. It also reaffirms NBCRI’s focus on a research-informed approach to improving patient outcomes, delivered by cancer research experts.

The Precision Oncology Ireland programme will support research by Professor Róisín Dwyer, Professor Aoife Lowery and Professor Michael Kerin, all of whom are based at the University’s College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences and the Lambe Institute, linking translational and clinical research.

The new investment will enable translational breast cancer research, including the investigation of the potential for treatment of advanced breast cancer using short sequences of RNA – the molecule in all cells which carries genetic codes – as well as the identification of biomarkers to predict how patients will respond to treatment, to ensure they only receive beneficial treatments.

It will also enable an increased understanding of factors that impact the quality of life of patients undergoing chemotherapy, such as treatment toxicity, anxiety, exercise.

The research partnership is part of Precision Oncology Ireland Phase 2 which was formally launched by Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless.

Precision Oncology Ireland is a consortium of universities, charities and international companies, collaborating to deliver next generation cancer care in Ireland.

The new commitment, extending to 2030, expands the work progressed in the first iteration of Precision Oncology Ireland, cementing established research collaborations and developing new ones.

Professor Róisín Dwyer, Principal Investigator at University of Galway’s College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, led the application for the Precision Oncology Ireland research project on behalf of University of Galway and NBCRI.

“Precision Oncology Ireland-2 provides a unique ecosystem where experts from a broad range of backgrounds come together with a common goal – to improve quality of life and outcomes for cancer patients,” she said.

“We are delighted to continue our involvement in this impactful consortium and look forward to contributing to development of approaches to ensure patients receive appropriate targeted therapies while minimising side effects,” she added.

NBCRI chairperson Caroline Loughnane said that their mission was to raise funds to support world-class breast cancer research at University of Galway.

“We are delighted to match the funding from Research Ireland to support the Precision Oncology Ireland breast cancer research programme at the Lambe Institute,” she said.

“Partnering with national research consortia and collaborators is critical for sharing knowledge to improve our understanding of breast cancer, with the goal of delivering better treatments for patients,” she added.

Pictured: Patrick Casey, Director of Operations NBCRI; Caroline Loughnane, Chairperson NBCRI; Professor Róisín Dwyer, Co-applicant and Principal Investigator Precision Oncology Ireland-2; and Professor Michael Kerin, Research Director NBCRI and Funded Investigator Precision Oncology Ireland-2.