DCU researchers secure €2.2m for breakthrough health and tech projects
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD, recently announced a total of €20 million for 22 projects nationwide. Within this cohort, DCU’s Dr Darren Fayne, Dr David Long, and Dr Paulo Guasoni secured significant backing for their respective fields.
Mapping the Human ‘Pocketome’
Dr Darren Fayne, of the School of Chemical Sciences, has been awarded €803,751 for the Human-Pocketome-Pharmacophore (HP2) project. This initiative seeks to build a 3D digital library of every protein binding site within the human body.
By utilising advanced computational approaches to map these "pockets" at an atomic level, the team aims to create a blueprint for the next generation of precision medicine. This digital-first approach, involving collaborators from Trinity College Dublin, St James’s Hospital and the University of Barcelona, significantly accelerates the discovery of treatments by removing the traditional guesswork involved in drug design.
"This ambitious project will enable us to examine the causes of many diseases at an atomic level," said Dr Darren Fayne. "By mapping the 'locks' of all human proteins, we can design new 'keys', small molecules, to switch off faulty proteins and treat disease at the source."
Deciphering Solar Particle Mysteries
In the School of Physical Sciences, Dr David Long has received €608,460 to investigate the origins of solar energetic particles. His project, SEP Origins, examines how giant shock waves in the Sun’s atmosphere accelerate particles to near-light speeds—a process that can disrupt satellite and communication systems on Earth.
The research explores the hypothesis that small-scale solar flares, known as "campfires," provide the initial energy boost required for these particles to be captured by larger shock waves. Understanding this "spark" is critical for predicting and mitigating the impact of solar events on our global infrastructure.
"As these particles flood the solar system, they have significant implications for our near-Earth systems," explained Dr David Long. "Understanding how and where this energisation occurs is vital for our ability to predict and mitigate the effects of energetic particle events."
The Future of Decentralised Finance
Dr Paolo Guasoni, from the School of Mathematical Sciences, secured €793,126 for his work on Payment Channel Networks. As digital economies shift toward peer-to-peer systems, Dr Guasoni’s research focuses on making these decentralised networks faster, cheaper, and more secure.
The project will develop sophisticated mathematical models to understand how network structure and liquidity incentives shape the resilience of off-chain transactions. This work is poised to provide the foundational insights necessary for the next evolution of financial infrastructure.
"Realising the potential of decentralised networks requires a deeper understanding of costs, liquidity, and incentives," noted Dr Paolo Guasoni. "This award allows us to develop the tools and insights needed to inform both academic research and practical financial design."
ENDS
About Frontiers for Future
The Frontiers for the Future programme, managed by Research Ireland, is designed to support independent investigators pursuing bold ideas over a four-to-five-year period.