Two Conway Fellows awarded HRB funding to address major health challenges

The Health Research Board (HRB) has announced €12.4 million in funding to support 29 investigator-led projects (ILP) across three overarching themes; patient-oriented research, population health research, and health service research.
 
Conway Fellows, Dr Rory Johnson, Associate Professor, UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science and Dr Gary Brennan, Assistant Professor, UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science will receive awards totalling €857,160 to support their patient-orientated research projects over four years. 

Pictured (L-R): Dr Rory Johnson & Dr Garry Brennan

Dr Mairead O’Driscoll, Chief Executive at the HRB, said: “The ILP scheme illustrates the HRB’s commitment to support high-quality investigator-led research. We want to create new internationally relevant knowledge that will help to address major health challenges in society. And we want to make a positive impact on tomorrow’s health care.”

Precision RNA therapeutics for lung adenocarcinoma

Dr Rory Johnson aims to improve available therapies for patients with lung adenocarcinoma. The outlook for patients is poor because there are few treatments, and those available can cause side effects or become less effective over time. 

This project aims to develop better therapies for patients, their families, and caregivers. The Johnson team plan to use a new technology called RNA therapeutics (RNATx), which can safely and effectively control genes that cause disease. RNATx is a promising new treatment approach that was recognized with the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2023.

Since RNATx is a new technology, scientists need to find new gene targets. The Johnson team has identified special genes called long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) that could help treat lung cancer with fewer side effects. They will design and test drugs that can block these genes. These drugs will go through a strict testing process to ensure they work well, are safe, and can be used alongside other cancer treatments.

The project brings together a team of international experts in RNA therapeutics and cancer models, with input from patients to make sure the work stays relevant. The goal is to create effective cancer treatments that are ready for commercial development and clinical testing, offering new hope for lung cancer patients.

Targeting m6A regulating enzymes to control aberrant gene networks in epilepsy.

Dr Gary Brennan is focused on controlling gene changes in epilepsy as a therapeutic strategy. Epilepsy is a serious, long-term condition where people have repeated seizures, often with memory or thinking problems.
 
Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is the most common form in adults, usually caused by brain injuries like trauma, stroke, or severe seizures. These injuries cause big changes in how genes are turned on or off in brain cells, which leads to seizures. Unfortunately, about one-third of people with TLE don't respond to medications.

The Brennan group are interested in how these gene changes are controlled at different levels, including a process called RNA methylation. 

They are using both animal models and human samples to study how this process affects the development of epilepsy and to test if blocking it could be a new treatment strategy. The goal is to find new ways to understand and potentially prevent or treat epilepsy by targeting abnormal gene networks.

The successful investigator-led projects were selected by an international panel of experts following a rigorous application process.  A public review was undertaken alongside the scientific peer review to assess whether the research is in the best interests of the patient or the general health of the population. Successful projects were selected based on their scientific quality and innovation, potential impact, and feasibility.  

The ILP is the HRB’s largest award scheme. This latest round of funding brings the total number of grants supported under this scheme in the past 5 years to 56 awards with a combined value of €20.6 million. The next round is expected to open around August 2025. Learn more on the HRB website.