Researchers at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences have secured two awards under the Research Ireland Pathway Programme, representing a total of €1.28 million in funding, as part of a €9.76m investment supporting 15 early-career researchers nationwide to establish independent research careers.

The Research Ireland Pathway Programme provides four years of funding to support the transition from postdoctoral research to independence along with support for a postgraduate student, helping early-career researchers to build experience in research leadership. RCSI is one of eight institutions with successful projects in this latest round of awards.

Dr Chris Greene, StAR Research Lecturer in the Department of Physiology and Medical Physics and a researcher at FutureNeuro, will investigate the role of blood-brain barrier disruption in drug-resistant epilepsy. Affecting around 60 million people globally, epilepsy remains incurable, with one-third of patients not responding to current treatments.

Dr Greene’s research will use advanced imaging and patient-derived models to understand why blood vessels in the brain break down and how this contributes to treatment resistance, with the aim of identifying new therapeutic approaches.

Dr Nicolas Aristokleous, who will join the RCSI Department of Anatomy and Regenerative Medicine, has been awarded funding to develop simulation-based imaging for cardiovascular disease. This approach uses computational models to generate faster and clearer MRI scans of blood flow in the heart and vessels. The research has the potential to improve diagnosis and treatment planning for conditions such as heart attack and stroke, ultimately enhancing patient outcomes.

Professor Fergal O’Brien, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation at RCSI, congratulated the awardees: “These awards represent an important springboard to independence for emerging researchers. We are proud to support Dr Greene and Dr Aristokleous as they establish their research programmes and pursue innovative work that has strong potential to improve patient care.”