Dr Abeer Eshra, a researcher at MU's Hamilton Institute, has been awarded funding as part of the Research Ireland Pathway Programme.
The funding of over €675,000 covers a four-year period and supports and provides resources to establish independent research careers. It also provides each project with additional support for a postgraduate student who will be primarily supervised by the awardee.
Dr Eshra's research, titled Thermally regulated Renewable and Automated DNA Computing Devices (TRAD), aims to create reusable, automated DNA computing systems that could open the door to greener, low-energy computing, and even lead to innovations in areas like smart drug delivery and biosensors.
Dr Eshra is also a member of the team led by Professor Damien Woods that was recently awarded €4 million in funding under the European Innovation Council Pathfinder Challenge programme for research in DNA-based computing and information storage systems.
Making the announcement, Higher Education Minister James Lawless TD said: “This investment, through Research Ireland’s Pathway Programme, will support emerging researchers in their journey from postdoctoral work towards establishing themselves as independent investigators. The projects receiving funding span a range of disciplines, ensuring a broad impact on scientific discovery and societal progress. By aligning with Ireland’s national research priorities, these projects will help drive advancements in key sectors such as healthcare, environmental sustainability, history and education.”
Commenting on the awards, Celine Fitzgerald, Interim CEO, Research Ireland, said: “Our Pathway Programme equips promising researchers with the resources needed to reach the next level and help drive impactful discoveries. These projects will contribute valuable insights into pressing global and national issues including public health policy, digital well-being, technological advancements, healthcare and more.”
In total, the Research Ireland Pathway Programme will fund 36 projects across the country, drawing from a €23 million pool to support research on dementia, endometriosis and combating climate misinformation.