In the News..

University of Galway has welcomed 19 research students to campus as part of the 2025 Hardiman PhD Scholarship. The new scholars have come from 11 different countries to take part in the scheme and the opportunity to pursue a structured doctorate at the University on topics aligned to our research pillars of Innovation for health; Creativity, culture & society; Sustainable & resilient environments: earth & ocean; and Transformative data & AI. Applications for the 2026 round of Hardiman PhD Scholarships will open on Monday December 1st, 2025, and will remain open until Friday February 6th, 2026 at 5pm. For more information or to apply for a Hardiman PhD Scholarship visit: www.universityofgalway.ie/hardiman-scholarships Professor Dónal Leech, Dean of Graduate Studies at University of Galway, said: “I welcome our excellent Hardiman Research scholar recipients to the University. The 19 scholars were selected from a large pool of applicants seeking to develop their research skills and independence through our renowned structured PhD programmes across our four research pillars, to deliver distinctive research impact. The scholarship is a recognition of excellence for the awardees and provides fee and stipend support over four years for the researchers to generate new knowledge that improves our world.” The Hardiman PhD Scholarships are open across all four Colleges at University of Galway. The 2025 Hardiman PhD scholars and their subject areas include: College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Celtic Studies Makalay Sonda, Sierra Leone - Analysing the gendered impacts of online violence against women in politics with case studies of Ireland and Sierra Leone. Nicole O'Byrne, America - Embodied New Mythology for Climate Activism: Deep Ecology and Ritual Performance in Contemporary theatre in Ireland. In the field of Drama and Theatre Studies. Maitiú Mac Cárthaigh, Ireland - Good Queers? The Sexual Politics of Irish Rural Futures – a research-led creative practice. Allison Fairfield Hart, Canada - Research on the acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness of an online course for parents to address food selectivity in their children. Daniel Gallen, Ireland - An oral history of Irish LGBTQ+ emigration to New York, San Francisco, and New Orleans. Philip Keegan, Ireland - The Interplay of Policy, Media, and Public Opinion on Migrants and Migration in Ireland. Cara Coffey, Ireland - Adapting the Preschool Life Skills Programme: Enhancing Inclusion in Early Childhood Education in Ireland. College of Business, Public Policy and Law Pratik Purswani, India - Studying disruptive climate protests under international human rights law. Abass Kargbo, Sierra Leone - The Long-Term Effects of Additional Schooling in the Developing World. Eden Mulugeta, Ethiopia - Digital memorials and their role in intergenerational memory, transitional justice, and peacebuilding in post-conflict African societies. Amil Jafarguliyev, Azerbaijan - Remedying Barriers to Entry Posed by Lock-in Effects in Digital Markets Through Mandated Interoperability and Data Portability under European Union Law. College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Patricia Harte, Ireland - Evaluating the impact of a community-based mental health promotion initiative, Act Belong Commit, on the mental wellbeing of participants. Lara Ressin, Germany - The influence of brain architecture on functional connectivity and how this relationship relates to cognition and bipolar disorder. Emily Cronin, Ireland - Investigating the role of damp hospital environments as persistent reservoirs for antimicrobial resistant bacteria that can colonise and infect patients. Aiden Vassilian, France - Engineering of CAR-T cells to hijack tumour immunosuppression, enhancing persistence, and improving outcomes in colorectal and ovarian cancers. College of Science and Engineering Abdul Mateen Khan, Pakistan - Sustainable construction through digitalization and BIM integration, focusing on energy efficiency, lifecycle optimization, and productivity in modern building practices. Brandon Collier, America - Characterising the adaptive traits of globally invasive widow spider species. Nikita Gondalia, India - Investigating the novel genes and pathways controlling haploid induction in plants, opening innovative strategies to enhance global crop breeding efficiency. George Aryee, Ghana - Predicting Peripheral Artery Disease outcomes using Electrocardiogram, lifestyle and clinical factors.  Ends

Spiorad Medical leads on breakthrough cardiovascular medical device to simplify procedures and improve patient recovery A consortium led by University of Galway medtech startup Spiorad Medical has secured a €1.7million euro investment through the Government’s Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF). Spiorad Medical aims to develop a next-generation vascular closure device to simplify cardiovascular procedures while improving outcomes and recovery for patients. The device is designed to stop bleeding quickly and safely during structural cardiovascular procedures such as TAVI or EVAR that use larger tubes or access devices. The successful consortium is a partnership involving Spiorad Medical, University of Galway and Dolmen Design and Innovation Ltd, combining breakthrough medtech and the University’s research expertise with Dolmen’s leading product design capabilities. Judi O’Malley, Co-founder and CEO of Spiorad Medical, said: “With this DTIF award, we can accelerate the development of advanced cardiovascular procedures and deliver better outcomes for patients. Our ambition as a consortium is to help transform vascular closure technology, delivering greater access, ease of use and improved solutions to the interventionalist’s challenge - resulting in better clinical outcomes and faster recovery for patients.” Professor Lokesh Joshi, Vice President for Research and Innovation at University of Galway, said: “Congratulations to Judi O’Malley, the Spiorad team, the University of Galway, and Dolmen Design and Innovation for this fantastic achievement under the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund. This is another great example of a University of Galway startup delivering real impact for patients and clinicians.” Spiorad Medical is an Enterprise Ireland HPSU client company based at University of Galway’s Business Innovation Centre. University of Galway research and innovation has led to 21 new spin-outs being created and 195 new inventions since 2020. University of Galway is also part of 35 consortia which have successfully applied to the Government’s Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund. University of Galway’s Galway’s Business Innovation Centre is supported under the KT Boost Programme, co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the Northern & Western Regional Programme 2021-2027. Ends  

Documentary explores how clinical trials are transforming diabetes care through collaboration with patients  Imperfect Days, a new Science on Screen documentary highlighting how clinical trials are transforming healthcare for people living with diabetes, will premiere at The Pálás Cinema, Galway City, on Sunday afternoon, December 7th.  Directed by David Qualter and produced by Laura Qualter of Prospect Films, Imperfect Days brings audiences into the lives of Carmel McDonagh, Tony Marshall and Faye Burke, who share their personal experiences of managing diabetes and participating in clinical trials.  The film also features leading researchers and clinicians from University of Galway, Galway University Hospitals and the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland, including Professor Fidelma Dunne, Director of the Institute for Clinical Trials at University of Galway; Professor Seamus Sreenan; Professor Matt Griffin; and Dr Christine Newman, who are at the forefront of clinical trial research and innovation in Ireland and are seeing firsthand its transformative effects.  The 25-minute documentary was produced with funding from a Health Research Board grant to the Diabetes Collaborative Clinical Trial Network, under the umbrella of Science on Screen, - a partnership between CÚRAM, the Research Ireland Centre for Medical Devices at University of Galway and Ardán, the Galway-based film and television agency.  Filmed in Dublin and Galway, Imperfect Days explores – with both sensitivity and humour – the day-to-day realities of living with diabetes. The film also shines a light on how clinical trials and public and patient involvement (PPI) are driving progress in diabetes research and care. Through pioneering trials in areas including gestational diabetes, cardiovascular disease and related chronic conditions, the Diabetes Collaborative Clinical Trial Network is advancing research that is conducted not only for patients but with them, through meaningful PPI collaboration. David Qualter, Director, Prospect Films said: “This film is really about partnership - between researchers, clinicians, and the people who live with diabetes every day, We wanted to show how collaboration and clinical research are not abstract ideas, but real forces that are changing lives across Ireland. It was great to work with Ardán and CÚRAM on this project and an honour to be tasked with creating the 10th documentary of the fantastic Science on Screen scheme.”  Professor Fidelma Dunne, Director, Diabetes Collaborative Clinical Trial Network and Director of the Institute for Clinical Trials at University of Galway, said: “Clinical trials are the bridge between scientific discovery and real-world impact. Through the Diabetes Collaborative Clinical Trial Network, we’re ensuring that research in Ireland reflects the priorities and lived experiences of people living with diabetes. Imperfect Days highlights just how vital that partnership has become.”  Professor Abhay Pandit, founding Director of CÚRAM, said: “We’re delighted to have partnered with the Diabetes Collaborative Clinical Trial Network for this latest film. This is the 10th film produced through our Science on Screen programme, and it is another powerful and engaging example of scientific storytelling that we hope will reach a wide audience. Congratulations to the filmmakers and participants on an excellent production.”  Alan Duggan, Ardán Chief Executive, said: "For more than ten years, the collaboration between Ardán and CÚRAM through Science on Screen has played a huge part in Ardán’s goal to create opportunities for emerging filmmakers. The documentaries created not only highlighted the groundbreaking research taking place at CÚRAM, but also reminds us that behind every illness or diagnosis there is a human story to be told. Science on Screen not only makes STEM subjects more accessible to the media audience but also provides valuable insights into the extraordinary work that is shaping the future of medicine." Ends