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€2m awarded to future UCC research leaders in health and social care research
University College Cork (UCC) researchers have been awarded a combined €2m for separate projects that will find novel solutions to monitor patients with inflammatory kidney disease and better understand how social determinants affect suicidal behaviours.
The projects have been awarded funding under the Health Research Board (HRB) Research Career Framework schemes that are designed specifically to provide emerging researchers with opportunities to establish themselves as independent investigators.
Improved response and treatment for kidney failure
Kidney disease affects 1 in 7 of the Irish population. Glomerulonephritis (inflammatory kidney disease) is a common cause of kidney disease. Unfortunately, this disease can progress silently, and there are no biomarkers in clinical practice to predict disease activity, remission or future risk of kidney failure.
This €1,356,031 Emerging Clinician Scientist project brings together researchers from Ireland, Canada, Czech Republic and Vasculitis Ireland to conduct a series of studies that will better understand the clinical utility of safe, painless urine tests (usCD163) in monitoring patients with glomerulonephritis (a form of inflammatory kidney disease). These urine tests may help identify those at high risk of kidney disease activity that were not detected in routine practice and also may reassure those at low risk of kidney failure, with potential reduction in treatments required.
Lead applicant Dr Sarah Moran, Clinical Senior Lecturer in the School of Medicine and Consultant Nephrologist in Cork University Hospital said: "This transformational career development award will provide the opportunity to continue the translation of a urinary biomarker, usCD163, into clinical practice. This project will advance our ability to personalise the care of people living with glomerular disease and aims to predict and potentially prevent kidney failure."
The role of social inequalities in youth self-harm and suicide
Rates of youth self-harm have increased significantly in recent years, with self-harm the strongest risk factor for subsequent suicide. Recent research has highlighted the accelerating impact of social inequalities on youth mental health globally. To date, equality issues have neither received the research nor the policy focus required to fully understand and address emerging trends.
The Targeting inequalities in self-harm and suicide among children, adolescents and young adults (EQUALISE) study will examine how social determinants including gender, ethnicity, income, housing and education affect suicidal behaviours through inter-linked national studies.
The research programme includes an examination of inequalities underlying youth suicide through a national study of all suicides in a five-year period. The second study involves a large-scale survey of young people to identify the key social determinants of suicidal thoughts and behaviours, examining factors such as access to healthcare and mental health factors. In the third study, potential causal pathways from childhood deprivation to self-harm in adolescence and early adulthood will be examined in the Growing up in Ireland national longitudinal study.
Lead applicant Dr Elaine McMahon, Senior Research Fellow jointly based at the School of Public Health and the National Suicide Research Foundation, has been awarded €695,251 under the Emerging Investigator Award scheme to lead this research. Dr McMahon said: “This award will provide the opportunity to address critical emerging trends in youth mental health, self-harm and suicide, through three large-scale national studies. Through this research programme we aim to contribute to the evidence base for upstream approaches which can influence outcomes.”
Professor Helen Whelton, Head of the College of Medicine and Health at UCC said: "I am delighted with the success of Dr Sarah Moran and Dr Elaine McMahon. These awards are critical to the future of our Academic Health Sciences System, helping to under pin the partnership between HSE and the university. Such awards play a major role in the development of our pipeline of researchers and clinician scientists. The ultimate beneficiaries are the patients and public who are the focus of these research efforts."
Professor John F. Cryan, UCC Vice President for Research and Innovation said: "Congratulations to these early-career researchers in receiving these prestigious HRB awards, in key research areas that will address critical health, and societal challenges. The awards will provide important support to these emerging researchers, enabling them to become independent research leaders."