UCC scientists on winning streak
Three scientists have been awarded funding for their projects tackling different social issues.
The Health Research Board has announced its support for the University College Cork-led projects that will tackle health inequality, prevent childhood obesity, and explore how our gut can affect our memory, concentration, and social interactions.
Dr Monica O'Mullane, based in UCC’s Institute for Social Science in the 21st Century, has been funded to develop a Health Impact Assessment Implementation Model (HIA-IM) - a tool aimed at tackling health inequalities.
She said: "Public health research has shown that our health and wellbeing are affected by the circumstances into which we are born, grow, live, work and age.
"HIA-IM is now needed more than ever to ‘health-proof’ public policies as we cope with challenges such as the global climate emergency.”
Dr Karen Matvienko-Sikar, a lecturer in UCC’s School of Public Health, has been awarded funding to develop a standardised approach to measuring infant feeding outcomes to prevent childhood obesity.
Dr Matvienko-Sikar said: "Approximately one in five children experience obesity worldwide, making it a major public health challenge. What, how and when children are fed in the first year of life contributes to childhood obesity risk.
"This research aims to provide researchers, practitioners, and policymakers with a toolkit of measurement instruments, such as questionnaires and clinical assessments, to better evaluate infant-feeding interventions and prevent childhood obesity," she added.
Dr Linda Katona is a neuroscientist based at UCC’s Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience and the APC Microbiome Ireland SFI Research Centre has also been awarded by the HRB’s Emerging Investigator Awards for Health. Her research seeks to identify the gut microbiome-responsive brain biomarkers of cognitive impairments relevant to schizophrenia.
"Ireland has among the highest rates of mental illness in Europe, and schizophrenia is one of the leading psychiatric diagnoses nationally and the one carrying the biggest economic cost," said Dr Katona.
She added: "This project will examine questions such as how our gut microbiome, through the vagus nerve, interferes with our memory and how it influences our social interactions. This study could revolutionise how schizophrenia and similar brain disorders are treated, significantly improving the lives of millions of people globally."
Professor John O’Halloran, UCC President said: "We are delighted to have secured these prestigious, highly competitive research awards from HRB. Securing our future through excellence in research and in supporting excellent researchers is the highest priority at UCC."
John Cryan, UCC Vice President for Research & Innovation Professor said: "I am delighted to congratulate Doctors Katona, O’Mulane and Matvienko-Sikar for this important recognition of their impactful research. I am particularly pleased to see this strong representation of female health researchers here in UCC for these highly sought after awards."