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Research

The School of Medicine at NUI Galway has a strong commitment to research. At the heart of our research programme is a desire to see immediate benefits to patients from new research-based therapies and treatments. We are conscious too of the need to train the next generation of physician scientists, and believe that an emphasis on research should be part of undergraduate education. Numbers of students undertaking PhD degrees has markedly increased in recent years. The Faculty also offers many postgraduate research positions across its varied research programmes.

Two areas of primary importance at NUIG and UCHG are cancer research and regenerative medicine. World class medical research centres in these areas at NUI Galway include The Regenerative Medicine Institute (REMEDI) directed by Professor Tim O' Brien, and The National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Science (NCBES). For more information click on the REMEDI or NCBES websites.

The NCBES is located in the Orbsen building on the main campus at NUIG. This multidisciplinary facility provides an environment where expertise in molecular and cell biology, imaging technology, clinical sciences and engineering sciences merge. This facility is currently undergoing a major expansion, and key staff are being added to strengthen further the University's capacity to conduct research in these specialised fields. The efforts of the medical researchers are complemented by the work of the Genome Stability and Cancer Biology Cluster of researchers in the Department of Biochemistry at NUIG, headed by Dr. Noel Lowndes, who leads a world class research group focused on understanding the biology of the cancer cell. This research cluster includes Drs. Ciaran Morrison, Heinz-Peter Nasheuer and Michael McCarthy, whose research groups all focus on understanding the molecular defects that occur during the development of cancer.

Cancer research at NUIG is further strengthened by the research work on Apoptosis led by Dr. Afsin Samali. This group studies defects in apoptosis which are key events in tumor development, and which also confer resistance to conventional cancer therapies. The work of this cluster complements the investigations of REMEDI. Dr. Michael O'Dwyer, a Consultant Haemotologist at UCHG, is working closely with the Apoptosis group to explore the utility of TRAIL, which induces apoptosis, as a targeted therapeutic in AML. Professor Michael Kerin, whose research focuses on breast cancer, is also closely linked with this group.

A group of researchers including Dr. Aoife Boyd, and Dr. Conor O'Byrne, with expertise in bacterial induction of cellular signalling and bacterial proteomics respectively have been focusing on Infection and Inflammation. This group is interested in the role of Heliobacter pylori (classed as a type 1 carcinogen) in gastric cancer development. Their research is examining the factors associated with the induction of gastric atrophy, a precursor state before gastric cancer development, as well as the role of H. pylori in triggering apoptosis induction in the stomach.

Dr. Michael O' Dwyer, who came to us from the Oregon Cancer Institute in 2003, has a particular interest and expertise in targeted approaches to haematologic malignancies. Based on his previous track record, he has attracted major clinical trials to Galway.

Professor Michael Kerin (Surgery) and Professor Grace Callagy (Pathology) have strong interest in breast cancer research. Dr. Kerin is Director of the National Breast Cancer Research Institute.

Professor Larry Egan, Chair of Clinical Pharmacology at NUIG, is a leading researcher in gastrointestinal cancer.

Professor Frank Sullivan, Consultant Radiation Oncologist, and Director of the Radiation Unit at UCHG, has a particular interest in lung cancer research. Dr. Sullivan is a Principal Investigator on the International Early Lung Cancer Action Project Trial (I-ELCAP), a seminal study in the use of novel imaging protocol to effectively detect lung cancers. He continues to hold Adjunct Faculty appointments at the National Cancer Institute (USA) and Georgetown University (Washington DC).

The University continues to develop world-class research centres, attracting internationally renowned academics and record levels of research funding. A new Centre for Health Services Research and Development is planned, to promote cross-disciplinary research linking General Practice, Health Promotion, Nursing Studies, the Irish Centre for Social Gerontology and a range of other disciplines.

Members of the Faculty, working alongside colleagues from Science and Engineering, have gained an international reputation for leading cancer research programmes, stem cell and gene therapy research, and advances in biomedical engineering. Galway has the largest cluster of medical device companies in Europe, employing over 6000. Close ties exist between these companies and the university-based researchers.

Professor Frank Barry is an internationally renowned stem cell researcher. His particular research interest is in the therapeutic application of adult stem cells, especially mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from bone marrow. For 10 years he has directed a series of research programmes focusing on the isolation and characterization of adult stem cells, and on the development of methods for their delivery in a variety of clinical indications. This has included cardiovascular and arthritic diseases. He has also developed approaches for the use of MSCs for the delivery of specific therapeutic genes, for example in rheumatoid arthritis. In addition he has an interest in proteomics and mass spectrometry for the identification of surface molecules on cells. Prof Barry has worked both in academia and in industry, and came to REMEDI in 2004 from Osiris Therapeutics Inc., Baltimore, Maryland, where he was Director of Arthritis Research.

Professor Giles (Director of HRB Clincial Research Facility,Galway) holds joint positions in GUH, Trinity College Dublin and St James Hospital Dublin. He also has a leadership position in the HRB Wellcome Dublin CRF. He is a cancer specialist with more than two decades of experience in the development of novel drugs, immunotherapies, and other highly targeted approaches, including cancer-directed viruses. He has served as principal investigator on numerous international Phase I, II, and III clinical studies of many novel agents. He holds numerous patents and technology licenses. His awards have included the BioLink USA-Ireland Lifescience Award and the Medtronic Award for Health Care and Medical Science, NUIG.

Prof Martin O’Donnell is Associate Director of the CRFG and Associate Professor of Translational Medicine, NUIG. He is Principal Investigator of a large international study of risk factors for stroke (INTERSTROKE, 96 centres in 35 countries), with a recent major publication in the Lancet. In addition, he is a Steering Committee member of a number of large randomized controlled trials in cardiovascular disease (AVERROES, EMBRACE and APOLLO) and a member of the WHO Global Burden of Disease Stroke Committee. He has published over 50 peer-reviewed publications, many in high-impact medical journals. Medical device research has also been a focus of his research, as Principal Investigator of a research programme that resulted in FDA approval of a lower limb device for Post-thrombotic Syndrome ( Venowave^TM). He is Director of the first MSc in Clinical Research in Ireland (NUI Galway in collaboration with McMaster University).   

Research in the School centres around five main themes. These five major research themes, and the key research leaders in each area, are shown below. Click on any heading for more information.

Aetiology & Pathogenesis	Developmental Therapeutics	Regenerative Medicine	Clinical Trials	Health Services Research
Egan McDonald Kerin	Giles Morrison Cormican	O'Brien McGonagle Laffey	Morrison Kerin Laffey Egan	Murphy Dineen Dunne

For more information on research in NUI Galway go to the University's research page.

    

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