How do you get fantastic ideas that will improve people’s health from the university lab to the local clinic? This is the challenge BioInnovate has been tackling for 12 years as part of the MedTech sector in Galway. In this article Prof Martin O’Halloran, Established Professor in Medical Electronics at University of Galway and Executive Director of BioInnovate, explains the unique recruitment process BioInnovate uses to find the health champions of the future, and his passion for bridging the gap between research and patient care through innovation. 

In this article, Cois Coiribe connects with Prof Colette Kelly and Prof Saoirse Nic Gabhainn, both Personal Professors of Health Promotion at University of Galway. They lead the University‘s Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) Ireland team, based in the Health Promotion Research Centre, a World Health Organization Collaborative Centre. Founded in 1990, the Centre is now based in the School of Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences.    Over the last 30 years, University of Galway has made major contributions to research in child and adolescent health policy and practice through the Irish HBSC study. This national study has been repeated seven times, every four years since 1998. Over time, it has had a substantial impact on policy and strategy around children’s and young people’s health and wellbeing. As a long-term project, it has established, monitored and shaped national indicators of child health. Through the Irish HBSC team’s leadership, it has significantly enhanced youth participation in European policy making.

Complementing Cois Coiribe‘s article on Finding Ways to Live Well as We Age from Prof Abhay Pandit, Founding Director of CÚRAM, this spotlight feature on Dr Andrew Daly explores his unique research and motivations. Read on to find out more about both his academic insight as well as his vision for the years to come.