Research

• Introduction 
• Research Projects, Groups, Centres and Institutes
• Projects in Medical Professional Unit
• Publications and Related Activities
• Research Income
• Research Students

Introduction

    To advance the science of medicine through basic and clinical research. This will happen by identifying and promoting excellence in a selected number of research areas and attracting internationally recognized extramural funding. 

To achieve this aim the department will:

• Promote an increase in the number of individuals with protected research time.

• In terms of existing staff members, ensure the distribution of time between teaching, research, administration and clinical activities is explicit.

• Promote the appointment of non-clinical lecturers.

• Encourage the involvement of staff in the National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Sciences.

• Work towards the funding and development of new Clinical and Health Services Research Centres. 

• Develop an administrative support structure.

• Improve communication and collaboration with other departments within NUIG and with other research groups nationally and internationally.

• Enhance external recognition of Department research accomplishments.

Research Projects, Groups, Centres and Institutes

 To give an account of each research group and project in Department, including postdoctoral and support staffing, relationships with University research centres and institutes. Cross reference with other sections above and below. (Maximum 2 pages.)

Most research is performed within the medical professorial unit. There are also active research groups in Cardiology, Geriatric Medicine and Respiratory Medicine. In addition to Professor O’Brien, Clinical Lecturers and Research Registrars the Department of Medicine also has the following research personnel: 

1 Faculty Level Scientist
9 Post Doctoral Fellows
4 Post Graduates
5 MD Students
5 Master of Medical Science Students
7 Technicians

Funding has been received from HEA, HRB and recently CSET has been funded by Science Foundation Ireland. This will be located within the National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Sciences. This is a significant opportunity for expansion in the development of novel research programmes on campus. There are very strong links between this programme and the National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Sciences. 

The Cardiology Group are involved in a human gene therapy trial on Factor administration to the ischaemic myocardium. They are also involved in clinical trials and established research structure including research nurses and registrars. The addition of two additional Cardiologists later this year this area is a significant potential for expansion. 

There is a research registrar in Geriatric Medicine. Both Dr. Mulkerrin and Dr. O’Keeffe are actively involved in research projects in the area of elderly care medicine. Dr. J. J. Gilmartin in the area of Respiratory Medicine also has a research registrar. The holder of this post recently completed an MD, the work from which was formed in Galway under Dr. Gilmartin’s supervision. He has an interest in sleep apnoea and also lung cancer. 

Dr. Maccon Keane in Oncology has received funding through the NCI North/South initiative. He, therefore, has an active clinical trials unit. There is substantial opportunity for development of cancer care research in the University with the appointment of a Professor of Pathology, Professor of Surgery and Professor of Biochemistry all with active research programmes in the area of cancer. In addition there will be expansion of Oncology services, as Galway has been designated a super regional centre with the development of Radiotherapy services and additional Oncology appointments.

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Projects in Medical Professorial Unit:

1) A comparison of NOS isoforms in gene therapy approaches to vascular disease
2) Intramuscular delivery of paraoxonase gene as a therapy for atherosclerosis.
3) Targeted gene delivery using a radiation sensitive promoter to cancer.
4) Gene therapy approaches to protect the beta cell from cytokine mediated damage.
5) Endothelial progenitor cells as a therapeutic approach to wound healing.
6) Therapeutic uses of siRNA in diabetes mellitus.
7) Lentiviral vectors for vascular gene delivery.
8) Therapeutic angiogenesis via NOS gene delivery in diabetes mellitus.
9) Therapeutic use of siRNA for vascular disease.
10) AAV mediated gene delivery to the blood vessel wall.
11) Stent-based gene delivery for in stent restenosis
12) Stent based gene delivery for chronic total vascular occlusion.
13) Design of device systems for percutaneous cell and gene delivery. 
14) Regenerative approaches to ischemia vascular disease.
15) Inhibition of cardiomyocyte apoptosis as a therapeutic approach to myocardial infraction.

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Publications and Related Activities

Details of publications, conference presentations by Departmental staff members are included in their CVs. Here a short overview of research output with numbers and statistics should be given, sufficient to allow an expert outsider to understand the main research specialities of the Department and its present and immediately past research performance. Ancillary research activities such as reviewing or editing for research journals, hosting or organising conferences are also relevant. (Maximum 2 pages.)

Professor T. O’Brien & Research Laboratory staff: (from 1999 – 2003)
Publications 51
Review Articles 9
Book Chapters 5
Abstracts & Presentations 42
Invited Lectures 34
Other Departmental Members Publications (including published abstracts)
Publications 50
Presentations 32

Professor O’Brien is Associate Editor for Endocrine Practice, the Journal of the American College of Endocrinology, The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and the Journal of Translational Medicine.

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Research Income

Tabulated data of external research income over five years, listing sources, success rates, applicants and totals per year. (Maximum 2 pages.)

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Research Students

Departmental policies with respect to research students, supervisor training, student generic training, publication targets, completion time performance and targets. (Maximum 2 pages)
This is an underdeveloped area within the Department. Professor O’Brien has chaired a group within Faculty to develop guidelines for PhD students. He is also the principal investigator of a PhD Pilot Training programme which has been submitted to the Health Research Board. A structure for PhD training is provided in that submission document.

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