Microbiology Department, NUI Galway
Dr Aoife Boyd
"The Human Pathogen Cluster of the Microbiology Department at NUI Galway received funding from the Marie Curie Transfer of Knowledge initiative in order to strengthen our research capability for the study of bacterial pathogen-host interactions within the gastrointestinal tract.
The funding will support seven postdoctoral researchers with expertise in cell signalling and post-genomic technologies to train members of the Human Pathogen Cluster in these technologies while carrying out research within the Microbiology Department. Additionally the project will fund two researchers to spend time abroad in partner laboratories in Finland and the UK to gain further insight into the capabilities of these technologies.
The acquisition of these key research strengths will lead to a novel, high-impact research output by the Human Pathogen cluster and enable us to compete at an international level in the field of host-pathogen interaction research. Successful knowledge transfer will enable strong applications for research funds in the future, both within Ireland and internationally. This knowledge will also help to raise the international profile of the Microbiology Department at NUI, Galway further by increasing the quantity and quality of its publication output.
The assistance provided by the Irish Marie Curie office at the IUA was key to our success in the Transfer of Knowledge scheme. First it was the presentations made by IUA at NUI Galway on the Marie Curie schemes which encouraged us to submit an application. Any questions we had on the application process were readily and cheerfully answered by the staff at IUA's head office. Most importantly Siobhan Harkin prepared a thorough review of our application and provided many helpful suggestions to improve the application according to the evaluation criteria and to the IUA's past experience with successful applications.
We would strongly encourage researchers applying to Marie Curie funding schemes to make use of this great resource."
