Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal disease resulting in muscle weakness, paralysis and ultimately death, often within 2-3 years of symptom onset. These symptoms arise due to the loss of motor neurons from the brain and spinal cord. Treatment options are limited and have little impact on halting progression of the disease. This research project is aimed at developing and characterising new models of ALS that can be used to investigate how motor neurons degenerate in people living with ALS.

AI in Parkinson’s Disease (AIPD) is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Joint Industry-Academic Doctoral Network. AIPD will train a group of 14 Doctoral Candidates in an intersectoral, international and interdisciplinary setting with the aim to educate the next generation of medical data scientists. Our program stands out by a strong translational focus bridging academia and industry. PhD candidates will benefit from:

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is the second most frequent, degenerative neurological condition affecting up to ten million worldwide and occurs through loss of dopamine-producing neurons. PD etiology/pathogenesis remain incompletely understood, however, mitochondrial dysfunction, protein aggregation and neuroinflammation play a role in PD development.

Parkinson’s disease is a debilitating disorder characterized by uncontrolled limb shaking (tremor), slow movement, dementia and depression. It is the second most common age-related neurodegenerative disease affecting ~10 million worldwide, yet the causes of tremor are poorly understood and treatment is wholly inadequate. Tremor is linked to proteins called ion channels. These tiny molecular pores are studded into the cell membrane, permit the flow of ions through it and help to control nerves.

α-Synuclein (α-Syn) pathology is inextricably linked to the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD), yet we have very limited understanding why specific neuronal populations are vulnerable to α-Syn-related PD pathology while others are much more resistant.

For the past 20 years, no new licensed drugs have been available for Alzheimer’s disease. Soon, disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) will be available in Ireland to slow its progression. However, these expensive drugs require significant changes in our healthcare system. An implementation plan, or care pathway, is needed to guide clinicians, patients, and policymakers. This plan should involve various stakeholders to ensure inclusive and effective integration of these treatments.

Hip fracture is a serious event in the lives of older people, with about two in ten individuals dying in the first year after their injury and many more losing their independence. Three in ten older people who break their hip are living with dementia, have memory and concentration problems, or confused thinking. Currently in Ireland, we know little about how people who have memory and concentration problems or confused thinking recover after hip fracture.

The HOMEDEM(Co-designing a home with dementia) Doctoral Training Network carries out research at several levels: a) the micro level, how dementia affects relationships between PwD and their care constellations; b) the meso level, understanding the changing needs of the home living environment; and c) at the macro level, understanding how care constellations navigate the complex care ecosystem of community-based support and services. HOMEDEM is a network of 8 PhD researchers across europe researching different aspects of dementia care in Europe.

This project’s research question is: Are mobility assessments acquired in non-clinical environments markers for clinically acquired cognitive or motor measures? This project will examine correlations between mobility measures acquired in the clinic and at home and measures of cognition. 

The rapidly growing number of people with dementia has created an urgent need for developing socially sustainable care. Sustainability entails the availability of sufficient health and social care services, safety, opportunities for social participation and agency regarding one’s personal life and care services (Littig & Giessler 2005). These principles must apply to persons living with dementia and, at the same time, to the vast number of their informal carers, who play a significant role in providing care.