Dr Maria Prencipe receives SFI Starting Investigator Research Award

Dr Maria Prencipe received Science Foundation Ireland’s Starting Investigator Research Grant (SIRG) for her project entitled Targeting co-regulators of the androgen receptor as a novel therapeutic approach for prostate and breast cancer.

Minister of State for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection, Pat Breen TD, announced the government investment of €10.8 million in research funding for 20 projects. The awards range from €376,000 to €425,000 over four years and the projects funded will support 20 researchers and a further 20 PhD students.

Dr Maria Prencipe (pictured centre) with fellow UCD awardees; Dr Amanda Sosa-Avendano, UCD School of Biosystems and Food Engineering (left); Dr Chris Mark, UCD School of Earth Sciences; Claire Kavanagh, Research Officer and Dipti Pandya, Senior Research Manager, UCD Research. 

Speaking of the awards, Minister Breen said: “I am delighted to announce these SFI Starting Investigator Awards which allow researchers to advance their work and further develop their careers as the next research leaders in Ireland and internationally. These innovative projects demonstrate the impressive cutting-edge research taking place across Ireland, which has significant potential to positively advance Ireland’s economy and society, and further solidify its reputation as a world-leader in scientific advancements.”

Welcoming the announcement, Professor Mark Ferguson, Director General of Science Foundation Ireland and Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government of Ireland said: “Science Foundation Ireland supports researchers at every stage of their careers. The SIRG awards help early-career researchers develop the essential skills and experience necessary to lead Ireland’s future research in areas such as health, energy, materials and technology. Having passed through a rigorous competitive international merit review process, these projects continue to advance Ireland’s international research reputation and I wish each awardee every success.”

The 20 research projects supported by the SFI SIRG programmes will be funded through ten research bodies, as follows: Trinity College Dublin (6); University College Dublin (3); University College Cork (2); University of Limerick (1); Dublin City University (2); Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (2); Tyndall National institute (1); National University of Ireland Galway (1), Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (1) and Teagasc (1). Full details of the award are available online: http://www.sfi.ie/research-news/news/breen-investment-research/SFI-SIRG-Awards-January-2019.pdf