In the News..

#NoExcuse. UNiTE to end violence against women University of Galway is joining with 15 third level education institutions in Ireland as part of the global campaign - 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. The campaign gets underway today Monday November 25th - the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. The initiative will highlight the urgent need to eliminate violence against women and girls, underscored by this year’s theme: Every 11 Minutes, a Woman is Killed. #NoExcuse Dr Helen Maher, Vice President of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, said: “Universities have a responsibility not only to educate but to create safe and inclusive spaces for all. Our campaign on gender-based violence reflects our commitment to raising awareness, supporting survivors, and fostering a culture of respect and accountability. This is informed by research, policy and practice to ensure a comprehensive and collective approach to build a community where everyone feels safe and valued.” Niamh Kavanagh, Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Manager at the University of Galway, said: “The University of Galway was delighted to collaborate with Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and SVH (Sexual Violence and Harassment) colleagues from 16 higher education institutions across the country to have a meaningful sectoral response for this campaign.” The 16 Days of Activism campaign runs until December 10th (Human Rights Day). It was launched in 1991 by the Women’s Global Leadership Institute as a call to prevent and eliminate gender-based violence worldwide. Now, with the backing of the United Nations Secretary-General’s UNiTE by 2030 to End Violence against Women campaign, universities, organisations, and individuals around the globe are joining the cause. University of Galway calls upon students, staff, and the wider community to participate in these 16 Days of Activism to foster a world where no woman or girl lives in fear of violence. How to Get Involved: Promote Zero Tolerance: Use your voice to spread a message of zero tolerance for violence against women and girls. Engage Leaders: Advocate for policies that enforce zero tolerance towards violence and protect women’s rights. Support Local Women’s Organisations: Donations and volunteer support are critical to the success of these organisations. Share Awareness Using #NoExcuse: Amplify the message on social media, in schools, workplaces, and communities. The national campaign at third level includes University of Galway; Atlantic Technological University; Dublin City University; Dundalk Institute of Technology; IADT- Institute of Art, Design and Technology; Mary Immaculate College; Munster Technological University; Maynooth University; South East Technological University; Technological University Dublin; Technological University of the Shannon; University College Cork; University College Dublin; University of Limerick; Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and Trinity College Dublin. Read more about University of Galway’s 16 days of Activism against Gender Based Violence schedule of events here: https://www.universityofgalway.ie/equalityanddiversity/sexualviolenceandharassmentpreventionandresponse/16daysofactivismagainstgenderbasedviolence/ Ends

Three University of Galway academics have been named on the annual Highly Cited Researchers 2024 list from Clarivate. Professors Ines Thiele, Henry Curran and Patrick W. Serruys have once again joined the prestigious list of almost 7,000 researchers from more than 1,200 institutions in 59 countries and regions around the world. The academics who make the Clarivate list have demonstrated significant and broad influence in their research through the publication of multiple highly cited papers during the last decade. Professor Jim Livesey, Vice President for Research and Innovation, University of Galway, said: “A huge congratulations to our academics - Ines Thiele, Henry Curran and Patrick Serruys - who have been named this year among the world’s most highly cited. To be part of this prestigious global group is testament to the quality and impact of their work and a fitting recognition of their determination to develop breakthroughs and solutions for healthcare and engineering of the future. It also highlights the strong commitment to research excellence at University of Galway.” Professor Ines Thiele, listed in the Cross-Field category, is Professor of Systems Biomedicine and principal investigator of the Molecular Systems Physiology group at University of Galway. Professor Thiele has been pioneering the development of digital metabolic twins for humans and human associated microbes. Her team uses these digital twins to develop innovative approaches to accelerate the diagnosis of inherited metabolic diseases and to enable the prediction of personalised treatment strategies. This is her second year being named a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher. Professor Henry Curran, listed in the Engineering category, is Director of the Combustion Chemistry Centre at the School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, College of Science and Engineering and of the Energy Research Centre in the Ryan Institute at University of Galway. His research looks at the study of the chemistry of how fuels burn in combustors to increase efficiency and reduce emissions for a cleaner world. This is his 10th year being named a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher. Professor Patrick W. Serruys, listed in the Clinical Medicine category, is Established Professor of Interventional Medicine and Innovation, Co-founder and Senior Consultant of the CORRIB Research Centre for Advanced Imaging and Core Laboratory at University of Galway’s College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences. Professor Serruys is a world-renowned expert in interventional cardiology and imaging with more than four decades experience in clinical trials and innovation in medicine. He has pioneered several interventional procedures and devices as well as imaging techniques. This is his fifth year being named a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher.   Bar Veinstein, President of Academia and Government at Clarivate, said: “We celebrate these Highly Cited Researchers whose exceptional and community-wide influence shapes the future of science, technology and academia globally. We honour not just their scientific achievement but their impact on driving innovation and addressing wider societal challenges to help transform our world.” The full 2024 Highly Cited Researchers list can be viewed at https://clarivate.com/highly-cited-researchers/. Ends

A new study by researchers at the University of Galway and the University of Limerick suggests that electrical stimulation might be essential for tendons to maintain their health, offering fresh possibilities in tendon repair and regeneration.   The research took place at the CÚRAM Research Centre for Medical Devices, funded through Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland, formerly Science Foundation Ireland.  Tendons resist intense mechanical stress, while facilitating force transmission from muscles to bones. They are also piezoelectric, meaning that when they are stretched, they will produce an electric field, which is thought to be important for regulating tendon cell function. However, when injured, tendons offer limited healing, which often leads to chronic pain and disability, thus affecting patient productivity.   In 2023, major tears or traumatic injuries to tendon, ligaments and muscles affected nearly half a million people in full-time employment in the United States.   Recovery from tendon injuries is slow and often requires extensive rehabilitation, which causes nearly two months of lost work-days per injury. Current regenerative medicine for tendon repair has so far failed to recreate tendon cells' native environment, which ultimately hampers their therapeutic potential.   Led by Dr Marc Fernandez-Yague, who completed his PhD while a researcher with CÚRAM at University of Galway, the research team focused on understanding how electrical and mechanical signals work together to control tendon cell function. Traditionally, tendon cells are extremely difficult to culture in the lab as they rapidly and irreversibly lose their tendon-like functions once isolated from the body.   To address these challenges, the team developed a novel cell culture device - a "tympanic piezoelectric bioreactor" that works in a similar way to the human eardrum and which delivered mechanical vibrations and electrical stimuli to tendon cells.   This dual stimulation caused cells to better retain their healthy, tendon-specific properties, while being expanded in the lab, allowing them to be utilized in tissue repair and regeneration approaches.  Dr Fernandez-Yague said: “Our work is rooted in a deep understanding of how cells sense and interact with their environment. Until now, tendon cells are grown in the lab in a specialised device which stretches them to mimic the effects of body movement. However, this approach overlooks that tendon tissues are piezoelectric – they generate electrical signals when subjected to mechanical stress. Our research project engineered a dynamic electrical-mechanical stimulation systems, which provides cells with the specific signals they need to successfully guide their development, thereby recreating key environmental conditions observed during normal tissue formation and repair.”  Dr Manus Biggs, Associate Professor at University of Galway and principal investigator of the study, outlined some wider implications of the research: “While our approach shows great potential for ultimately growing tendon tissues in the lab, it also has significant implications for generating other tissues that respond to dual electrical and mechanical forces, such as cartilage, bone, and even cardiovascular tissues. This study opens up new possibilities for developing therapies that promote tissue reinforcement and offer alternative or complementary strategies to current physical rehabilitation methods.  “We understand that traditional musculoskeletal therapies often rely on physical therapy which provides mechanical signals to the cells of regenerating tissues. In contrast, incorporating electrical stimulation provides greater precision in controlling how cells respond, offering a more effective approaches for applications in regenerative medicine. Critically, tendon piezoelectricity has long been alluded to have physiological functions. This study is one of the first of its kind that shows that piezoelectric signals can regulate cell differentiation and development.”  The full paper is available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/advs.202405711   Ends