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AHSS Grant

UCD Health Affairs Academic Health Science System (AHSS) Grant

Established in 2021, the UCD Health Affairs Academic Health Science System (AHSS) Grant aims to foster collaboration between the UCD College of Health and Agricultural Sciences (CHAS), its clinical partners, affiliated community healthcare organisations, and the HSE Dublin and South East region.

By promoting an integrated approach to healthcare, UCD Health Affairs seeks to develop an Academic Health Science System (AHSS) that facilitates collaboration among hospitals, universities, and community healthcare organisations.

Research demonstrates that patients achieve better outcomes within an AHSS due to the seamless integration of teaching, training, research, and innovation with clinical services. This integrated approach enhances the recruitment and retention of high-quality staff and ensures the delivery of evidence-based care.

The grant is designed to support health and science-related research or educational/innovation projects that advance the AHSS concept and align with the key strategic objectives of the College and Schools. Applications are invited annually.

Grant Details

  • Funding: UCD Health Affairs
  • Awards: At least four projects will be funded, with a maximum of €25,000 per project.
  • Project Duration: Grants can be used over 1, 2, or 3 years, depending on the proposed project timeline.
  • Reapplication: Unsuccessful applicants are encouraged to reapply in subsequent years.

Eligibility Criteria:

The UCD Health Affairs AHSS Grant is open to researchers from all five schools within UCD CHAS, as well as clinical partners, affiliated community healthcare organisations, and the HSE Dublin and South East region. Eligible applicants include:

  • Academic staff (principal investigators)
  • Postdoctoral researchers
  • Clinical staff, including Medical staff (consultants, GPs, research fellows, NCHDs), Nursing staff, Health and social care professionals

The projects should fulfil each of the following eligibility criteria. The application must demonstrate how the project will:

  • be health or science-related research or educational/innovation projects from the Schools within UCD CHAS (with the possibility of multi-school bids) or from the clinical partners and affiliated community healthcare organisations and HSE Dublin and South East region.
  • clearly align with key College/School research and/or education strategic objectives.
  • proposals from the clinical partners and affiliated community healthcare organisations must have a PI/Co-PI with a formal appointment or adjunct affiliation with UCD
  • proposals from UCD CHAS must include a nominated collaborator within at least one of the clinical partners and/or affiliated community healthcare organisations.
  • enhance the Academic Health Science System (AHSS) in Ireland i.e., enhance research and innovation and/or teaching and training across the hospital, community and University e.g., education/training projects using simulation technology.
  • support and develop integrated care, e.g., improve patient pathways and communication across and between the hospital and community settings.
  • demonstrate an integrated collaborative approach between the clinical partners and UCD CHAS e.g., bring new research ideas and concepts (bench) from the laboratory to the bedside and/or to public health.
  • work to create a strong sustainable relationship between clinical partners, the community healthcare organisations, UCD Health Affairs and UCD CHAS that results in raising awareness and increasing visibility of HSE Regions clinical partners and the community healthcare organisations within UCD CHAS, and of UCD CHAS and UCD Health Affairs.

 

UCD Health Affairs AHSS Grant Application Form 2024-2025  - Click to download

Key Dates:

Open at 9am Monday, 13th January 2025

Close at 5pm on Friday, 21st March 2025

Submission details:

Grant Details

  • Funding: UCD Health Affairs
  • Awards: At least four projects will be funded, with a maximum of €25,000 per project.
  • Project Duration: Grants can be used over 1, 2, or 3 years, depending on the proposed project timeline.
  • Reapplication: Unsuccessful applicants are encouraged to reapply in subsequent years.

Eligibility Criteria:

The UCD Health Affairs AHSS Grant is open to researchers from all five schools within UCD CHAS, as well as clinical partners, affiliated community healthcare organisations, and the HSE Dublin and South East region. Eligible applicants include:

  • Academic staff (principal investigators)
  • Postdoctoral researchers
  • Clinical staff, including Medical staff (consultants, GPs, research fellows, NCHDs), Nursing staff, Health and social care professionals

The projects should fulfil each of the following eligibility criteria. The application must demonstrate how the project will:

  • be health or science-related research or educational/innovation projects from the Schools within UCD CHAS (with the possibility of multi-school bids) or from the clinical partners and affiliated community healthcare organisations and HSE Dublin and South East region.
  • clearly align with key College/School research and/or education strategic objectives.
  • proposals from the clinical partners and affiliated community healthcare organisations must have a PI/Co-PI with a formal appointment or adjunct affiliation with UCD
  • proposals from UCD CHAS must include a nominated collaborator within at least one of the clinical partners and/or affiliated community healthcare organisations.
  • enhance the Academic Health Science System (AHSS) in Ireland i.e., enhance research and innovation and/or teaching and training across the hospital, community and University e.g., education/training projects using simulation technology.
  • support and develop integrated care, e.g., improve patient pathways and communication across and between the hospital and community settings.
  • demonstrate an integrated collaborative approach between the clinical partners and UCD CHAS e.g., bring new research ideas and concepts (bench) from the laboratory to the bedside and/or to public health.
  • work to create a strong sustainable relationship between clinical partners, the community healthcare organisations, UCD Health Affairs and UCD CHAS that results in raising awareness and increasing visibility of HSE Regions clinical partners and the community healthcare organisations within UCD CHAS, and of UCD CHAS and UCD Health Affairs.

Please note that while the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh, Our Lady’s Hospital Navan, and Regional Hospital Mullingar are now located in different health regions, for the purposes of this grant, all four hospitals are still eligible to apply.

For further information, please contact Kasia Gaughan ((opens in a new window)(opens in a new window)kasia.gaughan@ucd.ie), Project Manager at UCD Health Affairs.

UCD Health Affairs AHSS Grant 2023/2024 awarded to Four Projects Across UCD CHAS and associated Healthcare Partners


The UCD Health Affairs Academic Health Science System Grant is designed to strengthen the partnership between UCD healthcare affiliates and the UCD College of Health and Agricultural Sciences. This cycle, we were thrilled to review 22 outstanding submissions, ultimately awarding the AHSS Grant to four exceptional projects. We extend our warmest congratulations to both the project leads and their teams within UCD CHAS and our healthcare partners for their successful projects.

UCD Health Affairs Health Affairs Academic Health Science System 2023/2024 Awardees:

BACKTRACK Ireland Technology enabled primary care pathways for back pain.

This project is an innovative health-related collaborative research project between SPHPSS, School of Medicine, UCD Insight Centre for Data Analytics, and IEHG affiliated community health organisation (CHO) areas and aims to co-design and pilot a technology enabled care pathway for LBP patients in primary care.

Project Lead:

Associate Professor Cliona O’Sullivan, UCD School of Public Health Physiotherapy and Sports Science

Project Team:

Professor Brian Caulfield, UCD Insight Centre for Data Analytics and UCD School of Public Health Physiotherapy and Sports Science

Dr Joe Gallagher, UCD School of Medicine, Department of General Practice

Grainne Duffin, Physiotherapist Manager for Wicklow, HSE Community Healthcare East, (CH06) Wicklow

Eileen Kelly, Physiotherapist Manager for Dublin South, HSE Community Healthcare East, (CH06)

Deirdre Murphy, Physiotherapist Manager for Dublin Southeast, HSE Community Healthcare East, (CH06)

Shane Keogh, Physiotherapist, Bray Primary Care Centre, HSE Community Healthcare East, (CH06)

Multi-marker risk assessment of kidney sensitivity to injury to personalize prevention of acute kidney injury –Chemotherapy (SPAREKID-Cancer Chemotherapy)

The project is a collaboration between UCD School of Medicine and the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital oncology department and haematology department. This collaboration strengthens the project's ability to achieve its clinical and research translational goals, not only within Ireland but also on a global scale. By leveraging this international expertise, the project positions Ireland at the forefront of medical care for this patient population, and provides staff, trainees, and patients in the AHSS to participate in cutting edge research

Project Lead:

Professor Patrick Murray – UCD School of Medicine / Mater Misericordiae University Hospital

Project Team:

Dr. Anne Fortune- - UCD School of Medicine / Mater Misericordiae University Hospital

Dr. Michael Strader - - UCD School of Medicine

Evaluation and Co-design of Nursing Capabilities Framework for the Acute Virtual Ward Implementation.

This project is a joint proposal between the UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems (UCD SNMHS), Nursing and Midwifery, IEHG and the Department of Nursing St Vincent’s University Hospital.  By enhancing collaboration in research, the project will provide a developmental platform for nurse-led research within the group. Facilitating the nursing workforce to take a leading role in this project and providing the opportunity for research to inform implementation support for health system reform where nurses will be pivotal to its success.

Project Lead:

Dr Freda Browne - UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems

Project Team:

Dr Carmel Davies - UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems

Dr Deirdre O Donnell - UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems

Assoc Professor Mary Ryder - UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems

Dr Andrew Darley – UCD SNUCD, UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems. MHS

Dr John Gilmore - UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems

Dr Jonathan Drennan - UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems

Ann Flynn – Director of Nursing SVUH

Paul Gallagher – Chief Director of Nursing and Midwifery IEHG

Joan Killeen – Directorate Nurse Manager, Emergency Medicine SVUH

Marianne Walsh – Assistant Director of Nursing SVUH

Kellie Kearney – Advance Nurse Practitioner SVUH

Anne Jones – Nurse Lead for Quality and Patient Safety Improvement IEHG, 

Caríosa Murray - Nursing and MidwiferyInformation Officer and eHealth Director of Nursing MidwiferyIEHG

Dr Sahar Hammound- UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, UCD IRIS

Dr Dimuthu Rathnayake - UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems UCD IRIS

Obesity Stigma Education for All (OSE4ALL): co-design of an inter-professional e-Learning resource to support destigmatisation of obesity among healthcare professionals

This project assembles a multidisciplinary team of academics, clinicians, and patient representatives, who represent both hospital and community settings, all of whom have been involved in project design and are members of the project steering group for the duration of the research. The e-learning resource will be piloted in UCD (HCP students) and in both the hospital (SVUH) and

community setting (CHO6). Project aligns with CHAS’s Strategic Objectives of undertaking quality, impactful and innovative research and will generate and share new knowledge that will inform curricula, clinical education and training across collaborating CHAS Schools  and  allow to engage with clinicians, academics and patients nationally.

Project Leads:

Dr Grainne O’Donoghue - UCD School of Public Health Physiotherapy and Sports Science

Dr Jean O’Connell- St Columcille’s Hospital and SVUH

AHSS Grant 2022/2023 Awarded to Four Projects Across UCD CHAS and Associated Healthcare Partners

The UCD Health Affairs AHSS Grant aims to enhance the collaboration between IEHG, its affiliated community healthcare organisations, and UCD CHAS. We aim to raise awareness of UCD Health Affairs and to foster synergies between UCD CHAS, UCD Health Affairs, IEHG, and its affiliated community areas.

This year we received 28 excellent applications and the AHSS Grant was awarded to four projects. A huge congratulations to the project leads and project teams across UCD CHAS and healthcare partners on their successful projects.

AHSS Grant 2022/2023 Awardees:

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Renal Functional Reserve Assessment in Obesity led by Prof Neil Docherty.

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Health and Wellbeing of the Health Workforce Across Maternity Settings (MatWell) led by Prof Jonathan Drennan.

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telTaz Digital Mental Health Assessment Tool for Children: a Usability Study led by Prof Aisling Mulligan

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Quantifying Circulating Tumour DNA in Uveal Melanoma Patients; Improving Care led by Dr. Patrick Murtagh

UCD Health Affairs

Woodview House, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
T: +353 1 716 3481 | E: health.affairs@ucd.ie