HRB invests €12.5 million to develop Ireland’s future research leaders

Dr Kieran Brennan, UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science is one of the two UCD researchers who have been announced as recipients of Health Research Board (HRB) awards. Dr Brennan is a postdoctoral reseacher working with Conway Fellow, Associate Professor Margaret McGee.

The €12.5 million HRB investment will support seven Emerging Investigator Awards and six Emerging Clinician Scientist Awards.

Dr Kieran Brennan, UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science (pictured) and Associate Professor Tomás Barry, UCD School of Medicine, are among the thirteen recipients. The awards were made under the HRB Research Career Framework that has the specific aim to provide emerging researchers with opportunities to establish themselves as independent investigators.

Dr Brennan's Emerging Investigator Award valued at €798,722 is for patient oriented research that will focus on a blood based-liquid biopsy for prediction of immunotherapy response in multiple myeloma.

Multiple myeloma is an incurable malignancy that accounts for 1% of all cancers, with approximately 390 people being diagnosed in Ireland each year. 

Myeloma cells release small spherical "packages" into the blood known as extracellular vesicles (EVs), which provide information about the tumour cells, and represents a non-invasive way to monitor changes in the cancer cells following treatment. 

This project aims to develop a non-invasive blood test to monitor myeloma progression over the course of treatment that can be used to predict therapy response, thereby aiding clinical decisions on an individual patient basis.

Dr Kieran Brennan said, “We aim to clinically validate a novel EV-based non-invasive liquid biopsy for myeloma, providing a groundbreaking tool for routine disease monitoring that will inform clinical decisions and enable personalised treatments tailored to individual patients.

“Overall, this will lead to better treatment outcomes, and a reduced risk of adverse reactions. This work will be carried out with clinical collaborators in The Mater Hospital Dublin and Vejle Hospital Denmark.” 

Dr Mairéad O'Driscoll, HRB Chief Executive said, “These awards are part of the HRB’s strategic commitment to build research leadership across academic and clinical environments in Ireland. They will create a critical mass of collaborative investigators who will respond to current and emerging health research needs and bridge a key gap in career transition between postdoctoral and research independence stages.”

This is the second round of the ECSA scheme with six new health and social care practitioners awarded bringing the total to 11 awards made since 2020. For the EIAs, this is the fourth round of the call with seven new academic researchers funded, bringing the total to 38 emerging investigators supported since 2017.

Speaking about the schemes, Dr Anne Cody, Head of Investigator-led Grants, Careers and Enablers at the HRB added, “The 2024 awards were selected via a rigorous application and assessment process, which included a two-stage application process, based on international peer review, public review, and interviews by an international panel of experts for shortlisted candidates. We want to ensure that these awards not only enhance the awardees' career development but that they also deliver research with clear pathways to impact.”

For a full list of recipients, visit the HRB website