Research Engagement 

On the 28th November I had the pleasure of attending FutureNeuro research day, a collaborative event where funded researchers, students, and colleagues come together to present, discuss, and share their work. The event provided a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas, place individual projects within a broader research context, and learn from the diverse expertise within the research centre.

 

I was grateful for the opportunity to present my own work, which uses new methods to explore short tandem repeats. These are an under-characterised genetic feature that plays a significant role in the biology of many heritable neurological and neurodevelopmental conditions. Improving our understanding of these genetic features promises to advance knowledge of brain development and neurological disease and may ultimately help identify new therapeutic targets to benefit patients and research participants. The opportunity to engage the expertise of the research centre in tackling technical challenges, exploring research applications, and characterising the context of this work in the wider scientific literature was invaluable.

 

Research Day also recognises the many ways individuals contribute to the scientific community through awards that acknowledge not only direct research achievements, but also efforts in public engagement and inspiring the next generation of scientists. Research is inherently collaborative, and no single individual can embody all the expertise required to address complex scientific questions. Over the last several decades the roles in which the wider communities play in research is being increasingly recognised, and their ability to contribute to existing gaps in our knowledge base has been identified as a key area of development in scientific research.

 

In clinical and human research especially, it has become increasingly clear that meaningful progress requires the inclusion of lived experience and public perspectives. Engaging research participants and the wider community helps ensure that research is relevant, effective, and truly impactful.

 

I am incredibly fortunate to be part of Lorna’s research team, which places great value on bridging these knowledge gaps through collaboration and engagement. I am also grateful to be part of the FutureNeuro network, a community similarly committed to engaging patients and the public to improve research quality. Through participation, and creating opportunities for collaboration, my own research focus has been shaped toward more meaningful and impactful outcomes, with the potential to benefit patients, researchers, and the public both nationally and internationally.

 

With the support of Lorna, the Family Genomics Team, collaborators in Maynooth, and members of the FutureNeuro network in the Communications and Operations teams, I was honoured to contribute and/or lead in outreach initiatives such as My Moving Brain, Maynooth Summer School, Maynooth LC Practical Demonstrating and both Science Night and Sensory Friendly Science Night, and also engage with other researchers in workshops and other training. For my role in these events I was nominated and subsequentely awarded the FutureNeuro Education and Public Engagement Champion award.

 

I would like to sincerely thank everyone involved in making these events successful, and all those who contributed their time, expertise, enthusiasm, and support. It means a tremendous amount to me, and it has been such a pleasure seeing the impact this work has accomplished. Looking forward to what we will achieve in 2026!