• Dr Mattia Morder (Fellow) / Dr John Goold (Supervisor) –  Project: “ASAP” Anomalous Thermalization for Accelerated Quantum State Preparation
• Dr Letizia Fiorucci (Fellow) / Dr Alessandro Lunghi (Supervisor) – Project: “PREcise” Enabling Precise Simulations of Paramagnetic Relaxation Enhancement

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Smart Islands is a cross-border engaged research and citizen science initiative that began in January 2026. With island primary schools as a hub, the project focuses on working with local communities on Rathlin Island (Northern Ireland) and Inis Mór (Republic of Ireland) to identify how materials science and bioengineering can improve island life across 3 themes: Health, Energy & Sustainability and Biodiversity. Smart Islands promotes interdisciplinary innovation by bringing together citizens of all ages with experts in societal challenges and materials science.

AMBER & Engaged Research

Smart Islands brings AMBER researchers in dialogue with local communities from the beginning of research. It is through this dialogue that issues and needs of relevance to citizens are identified, which researchers respond to. Using a model developed as part of the Amai! project in Flanders, Belgium, Smart Islands brings STEM and Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences to work meaningfully together.

Project coordinators

• Mairead Holden, AMBER
• Beverley McCormick, School of Education, Ulster University
• Adrian Boyd, School of Biomedical Engineering, Ulster University
• Tríona Nic Fhinn, Comhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscoileanna  (COGG)

Consultants: Prof. Justin Magee (Ulster University) & Jef Van Laer (Citizen Science Advisor, Scivil)

This past week AMBER and partners travelled to Inis Mór and Rathlin Island visiting primary schools used as hubs to explore how materials science and bioengineering can improve island life, from health and energy to sustainability and biodiversity. Seeing pupils design solutions for their communities using LEGO as a creative tool was truly inspiring.

TG4 Nuacht Cúla4 came along to film some of the event and featured it this week, click the image below to watch.

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Speaking following the first meeting CRANN and AMBER Executive Director Dr Lorraine Byrne said: ‘I was delighted to be selected as a member of the Research and Innovation Policy Advisory Forum along with colleagues from industry and academia. We had a productive first meeting and I look forward to advising on strategically important research areas such as materials science and bioengineering, that are fundamental to Ireland’s future success and economy.’

The Forum’s establishment reflects international good practice in the development of national R&I systems, as well as stakeholder feedback received by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science during the development of Impact 2030.

Its objective is to inform and support national research and innovation policy development on system-level strategic issues that would benefit from national, as well as international, expertise and experience.

The Forum is be chaired by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.

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Research Ireland, alongside the Embassy of France in Ireland, has announced 15 new research partnerships under the Ulysses programme, supporting collaboration between researchers based in Ireland and France.

Funded and administered by Research Ireland in Ireland, in collaboration with the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research, the Embassy of France in Ireland and Campus France, Ulysses enables researchers to develop new international partnerships through reciprocal research visits over a 24-month period.  

By supporting mobility at an early stage, the programme helps teams to test ideas, share methods, and build the relationships needed for successful, long-term collaborations. 

Announcing the awards, Dr Diarmuid O’Brien, CEO of Research Ireland, commented:

 Ulysses plays an important role in strengthening research relationships between Ireland and France by giving researchers the necessary support to work together. These partnerships help to drive the exchange of ideas across disciplines and build lasting connections that endure beyond individual awards, supporting collaboration at a European level. Research Ireland welcomes the support of the Irish and French strategic funding partners in the programme.

Welcoming the announcement, H.E. Céline Place, the French Ambassador to Ireland, added:

 France and Ireland’s relationship as neighbouring countries and close European partners is deep, durable and dynamic. Research and innovation are key components of the new joint strategic framework linking France and Ireland. Now in its 29th year, Ulysses continues to bind our research communities together across a broad range of disciplines and issues of mutual societal importance. Energy transition, artificial intelligence or global health represent common challenges for France, Ireland and the European Union that need further research collaboration. I am delighted to see this impactful programme, including partnerships with the private sector, continue to flourish.

Five of this year’s awards are supported by strategic funding partners in both Ireland and France to support research on shared national and European priorities in sustainability and energy. EirGrid is partnering with Réseau de Transport d’Électricité (RTE-France) to support two research projects aligned with renewable energy systems and smart grids, while the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and ADEME, the French Environment and Energy Management Agency, are partnering to support three projects focused on sustainable energy and environmental challenges. 

Some highlights of supported projects include: 

• Experimental underwater robotics for marine renewable energy systems;
• Developing an evidence-based framework for assessment accommodations in higher education to support the full inclusion of autistic students in universities and colleges;
• Investigating persistent organic matter behaviour in dry and wet anaerobic digestion;
• Multimodal capture of human behaviour for modelling multisensory collaborative virtual reality applications. 

Kerrie Sheehan, Head of Research, Innovation and Electricity at SEAI, said: 

As a proud cofunder of Ulysses 2026, SEAI is committed to strengthening our French-Irish partnership with ADEME to advance clean, secure and sustainable energy. By bringing researchers from both nations together, we aim to spark the crossborder innovation needed to accelerate our transition to a greener future. We have seen that these seed-level grants ignite trusted partnerships and bold ideas that ultimately drive breakthroughs in sustainable energy.

John Ging, Head of Interconnection at EirGrid, commented:

EirGrid is proud to reaffirm our commitment to advancing research and innovation across a broad range of academic disciplines, recognising that the future of our energy systems depends as much on collaboration between people as it does on technological progress. We are proud to continue our longstanding partnership with RTE, the French Transmission System Operator, to cofund pioneering, crossborder research through the Ulysses programme. This sustained cooperation not only supports excellence within Irish and French universities, but also strengthens the vital FrancoIrish relationship through helping our countries work together to shape a resilient, interconnected and sustainable power system for generations to come.

Established in 1997, Ulysses has supported over 700 researchers, helping to build lasting research links between Irish and French institutions. While these awards are focused, the goal of Ulysses is to support collaborations that can grow into larger bilateral and European initiatives. 

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CRANN Director Professor Stefano Sanvito of Trinity College Dublin said of his appointment to the National Science Advice Forum, ‘I look forward to engaging with colleagues and Government on this advice forum and providing internationally recognised scientific expertise in the physical and computational aspects of materials science. We are in a materials age with materials science contributing to the green and digital transition and I look for to contributing to science advice in policy formation through this forum.’

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In this wide‑ranging conversation with Professor Shane Bergin, Professor Coey discusses his early scientific influences, his groundbreaking work in magnetism, and the evolution of physics research in Ireland over nearly five decades. An internationally recognised authority in his field and a Fellow of the Royal Society, he played a central role in establishing modern condensed‑matter and materials‑science research at Trinity.

The School of Physics, Trinity College Dublin is releasing this recording to mark what would have been his first birthday since his passing in 2025, offering colleagues, students, graduates, and friends an opportunity to hear his story in his own words.

Speaking on the release of the interview, Professor J N. Coleman, Head of the School of Physics, said: “Professor Mike Coey’s legacy within the School of Physics, Trinity College Dublin is profound and enduring. Over nearly five decades, he shaped the intellectual fabric of the School through pioneering research in magnetism, his commitment to teaching and learning, and his dedication to public engagement with science. His work not only advanced physics and materials science globally but also inspired generations of students and researchers who continue to carry his influence forward.”

“His voice, captured in this recording from the School’s Physics 300 celebrations, remains a vital part of our history. To mark his first birthday since his passing, the School is honoured to share this oral history with our colleagues, students, graduates, and friends.”

Listen on Spotify: Oral‑history podcast featuring the late Professor Michael Coey (1945–2025)

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Funding was announced today by Research Ireland for 63 New Foundations awards, with a total investment of €754,352, to support community-engaged research across Ireland. The New Foundations programme supports researchers from all disciplines to undertake research, networking, dissemination and capacity-building activities in partnership with community, voluntary, cultural and public bodies.  

The programme is designed to support meaningful collaborations between academia and communities, and to generate knowledge that responds to real-world needs and societal challenges. 

Ian Major received funding of €9,990 for Project ‘Building an Interdisciplinary Network for Biomass-Derived Chemical Building Blocks for Sustainable Materials in Ireland’ which explores how Irish-grown crops, agricultural residues, and forestry waste can be transformed into sustainable materials such as foams, resins, and coatings, thus reducing reliance on fossil-based chemicals.

Joseph Roche received funding of €10,000 for Project ‘Mapping Ireland’s Learning Ecosystems: A shared infrastructure for science engagement’ which will explore the infrastructure underpinning Ireland’s science engagement ecosystems.

Welcoming the announcement, Dr Diarmuid O’Brien, CEO of Research Ireland, said: 

“The New Foundations programme enables researchers to work in close partnership with communities and public bodies to address a range of complex societal challenges. These awards support early-stage collaborative research, generating knowledge and evidence to inform national policy and deliver meaningful impact for people and communities across Ireland and beyond. I would like to congratulate all the awardees, and I look forward to seeing where their projects lead.”

Fourteen of this year’s awards were co-funded by a range of Government departments and agencies across six thematic strands, including the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Irish Aid), Department of Children, Disability and Equality, Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, the Policing and Community Safety Authority, the Heritage Council, and the Electoral Commission (An Coimisiún Toghcháin). 

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In his talk, Prof. Sanvito discussed how AI and machine learning met the stringent accuracy and reproducibility demands of the physical sciences. He highlighted ML-based prediction of magnetic properties, automated data mining from scientific literature, and the development of quantum-accurate material models that accelerated materials discovery. He also showcased AI-driven visual analysis, including denoising electron microscopy images and enhancing tomographic data, with applications extending to medical imaging.

The global materials research community gathers at SRM University-AP, Amaravati, for the 4th International Conference on Materials Genome (ICMG-IV), a flagship event under the Asian Consortium on Computational Materials Science (ACCMS). Bringing together leading scientists, researchers, and innovators, ICMG-IV explores how computation, artificial intelligence, and experimental science are reshaping the future of materials discovery.

His lecture sets the tone for three days of high-impact discussions, global collaboration, and breakthrough ideas. ICMG-IV promises to be a defining moment for researchers shaping tomorrow’s materials landscape.

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The study, published in the journal Bioactive Materials, shows how a 3D implant designed to mimic the structure and stiffness of the spinal cord can be combined with tiny particles engineered to carry RNA to encourage nerve cells (neurons) to grow. The work was led by researchers at RCSI’s Tissue Engineering Research Group (TERG) and the Research Ireland Centre for Advanced Materials and BioEngineering Research (AMBER).

Spinal cord injuries often result in permanent paralysis because damaged neurons in the central nervous system have a very limited capacity to regrow. While biomaterial implants can provide physical support at the injury site, these cells also face molecular barriers that prevent their regrowth.

To overcome this, the team developed a multifunctional implant that not only supports regenerating tissue but also delivers RNA-based signals that encourage neurons to switch their growth mechanisms back on.

These signals target one such barrier, a gene called PTEN, which is known to suppress neuron regrowth after injury. By silencing PTEN at the injury site, the implant helps remove an internal barrier to repair in these cells.

“We’ve created an environment that both physically and biologically re-enhances the regenerative capacity of injured neurons, which is a key requirement for restoring function after spinal cord injury,” said Professor Fergal O’Brien, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, Professor of Bioengineering and Regenerative Medicine, AMBER Deputy Director and Head of RCSI TERG.

“In laboratory models of spinal cord injury, neurons exposed to the RNA-activated implant showed significantly enhanced growth.”

The research was developed with guidance from an advisory panel supported by the Irish Rugby Football Union Charitable Trust (IRFU-CT), bringing together people living with spinal cord injury, clinicians, neuroscientists and engineers to shape research priorities and ensure relevance to patients’ real-world needs.

“While this study focused on laboratory models, the next steps will to be to test the approach in vivo and explore how RNA-activated biomaterials could help bridge damaged spinal cord tissue and restore lost connections,” said Dr Tara McGuire who carried out the research as a PhD student in TERG.

The study was supported by the IRFU-CT and AMBER the Research Ireland Centre for Advanced Materials and BioEngineering Research with additional funding from the Anatomical Society and the Health Research Board.

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Dietmar Pilz, Director of Technology, Engineering and Quality and Head of ESA ESTEC, and Philip Thomas Head of the ESA Scale Up Programme Division launched the Phi-Lab which included contributions from Peter Burke TD, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, and Alan Dillon TD, Minister of State for Employment, Small Businesses and Retail & Circular Economy, with additional support from Barry Kennedy, CEO of IMR, and Enterprise Ireland.

The European Space Agency (ESA) said of the new Phi Lab:

‘At ESA Phi-Lab Ireland companies can transform cutting-edge research into commercial space technologies.

Headquarters are at Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) collaborating with the AMBER Centre at Trinity College Dublin. The facility is one of several European Space Agency – ESA Phi-Labs located across Europe, which are part of ESA’s ScaleUp activities within its ACCESS programme.

Known as the Phi-LabNET, this network supports research into:
– Advanced manufacturing
– Materials discovery
– Artificial intelligence
– Quantum computing
– Robotics

The first successful applicants to join ESA Phi Lab Ireland are:
– MBRYONICS (Galway) – leaders in photonic satellite communications
– Ubotica Technologies (Dublin) – delivering AI‑enabled Earth observation solutions

A second open call for proposals will be launched later this year.’

For more information on upcoming calls, keep an eye on https://www.esaphilab.ie/

Coverage of the launch by RTE

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This Challenge programme was developed to support novel, potentially disruptive, ideas to drive affective, scalable and sustainable solutions that address complex health and wellbeing challenges in Ireland.

SMART-Sling – An innovative solution for female pelvic organ prolapse:  Lead: Professor Caitriona Lally, Trinity College Dublin; Co-Lead: Dr Larisa Florea, Trinity College Dublin and Societal Impact Champion: Professor Michelle Flood, PPI Ignite Network Lead, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Ireland’s healthcare system is undergoing a critical transformation, underpinned by the need to embrace a whole-system, life-course, person-centred approach to healthcare, that addresses the wider foundational factors of health and wellbeing. Research and innovation are cornerstones of Ireland’s strategic approach to improving healthcare design and delivery, providing better health and wellbeing services, promoting long and healthy lives for all, and reducing health inequalities across the population.

Dr Diarmuid O’Brien, CEO, Research Ireland, said:

Through the Innovating in Health and Wellbeing Challenge, we are empowering research teams to take bold, interdisciplinary approaches to some of the complex issues facing our healthcare system. Together, these seven projects will address the health and wellbeing needs of diverse population groups – from infants & children to older adults, and individuals with chronic conditions – reflecting the programme’s ambition to create better health outcomes for everyone.

These projects have the potential to reshape care pathways, improve outcomes, and ultimately contribute to a better healthcare system for all. We are proud to support these teams at the start of their journey and look forward to seeing their progress over the coming months.

This funding award coincides nicely with International Day of Women and Girls in Science which occurred yesterday, and provides a great example of an all female research team advancing women’s health innovation.

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‘Quantum Quest’, from the creative minds of Adam Rael’s team at Cassette Vision, Alice and Bob are transported to the Quantum Realm, where they experience bizarre phenomena.

Both shorts were created with support from Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland’s National Talent Academy for Animation, based on original storybooks conceived and written through a collaboration between AMBER and Fighting Words.

Both of the shorts can now be viewed below:

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