Cancer Geneticist and Ovarian cancer specialist Prof Karen Cadoo from St James’s Hospital and Trinity College Dublin will use the award to focus on critical research in the inherited genetic cancer space, with the ultimate aim of ensuring that as many people as possible are aware of their own genetic risk of cancer where this exists, and what they can do to lower it.

“It’s so hard to move research forward when you don’t have time with the demands of clinical work, so to have that time that this award guarantees and to be able to get these projects off the ground and get that all-important data, this will all push towards better resourcing and improvements in our cancer genetic services,” Prof Cadoo said.

Cancer surgeon Prof Aoife Lowery who is based in University Hospital Galway and NUI Galway will be using her award to dedicate time to a range of cutting-edge projects which focus on reducing the burden of treatment for people affected by cancer. These interdisciplinary, collaborative projects investigate less invasive procedures to treat cancerous tumours, and novel ways to reduce the toxic side effects of cancer treatment including chemotherapy- related hair loss and cardiac dysfunction. 

“At the moment, particularly with the backlog caused by cancellations during Covid surges, the clinical workload is very busy and it is difficult to find the time required to do meaningful research. The funding from this award will be used to provide part-time cover for another doctor to undertake some of my hospital sessions allowing me to then dedicate that time to cancer research - so the clinical work will not be affected, but I will have the time to focus on patient-centred cancer research,” said Prof Lowery, who is also receiving support from Enterprise Ireland’s Disruptive Technology Innovation Fund across various projects, and collaborating with colleagues at the Translational Medical Device Laboratory and the CORRIB Core Lab in NUIG.

Prof Jarushka Naidoo of Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre (Beaumont Hospital and RCSI University) will be dedicating her efforts to advancing clinical trials for patients with lung cancer, including a novel investigator-initiated clinical trial of a new targeted therapy for lung cancer, as well as a series of projects that will help improve our understanding of immunotherapy– a treatment that harnesses the body’s own immune system to target cancer cells.

“An award like this is truly transformative. It allows those with an interest and commitment to research to set out their stall in an Irish context, and to take the first steps that will lead to long-term benefits for patients. Many consultants across Ireland have pursued extra training and developed expertise in the best centres in the world. An award like this allows us the time and opportunity to bring that experience home, by building new and needed programs that will help our patients,” Prof Naidoo said.