The Government is to award funding to 22 researchers across the country through the Starting Investigator Research Grant (SIRG) initiative managed through Science Foundation Ireland. Areas of research being supported will include geothermal energy, marine ecology, thermoelectrics, immunology, neuroscience and oncology.
Announcing the investment, Minister for Research and Innovation, Sean Sherlock, said the grants would provide an opportunity for researchers to move forward and "realise their potential in their respective fields".
Twelve of the recipients are Irish and based in nine higher education institutions across the country.
Dr Stephen Simpson, director of life sciences at SFI, said: "[A] dedicated 'early intervention' scheme such as this helps to pave the way for growing Irish-based, world class research groups and progression towards commercialisation of ideas at a later stage in the researchers' careers."
Fiona Donnellan