Professor Valeria Nicolosi of the School of Chemistry and Professor Matthew Campbell of the School of Genetics and Microbiology have won the European Research Council (ERC) proof of concept awards.
Each of the €150,000 awards are intended to develop the innovation potential of ideas arising from their previously funded ERC projects.
Nicolosi, who also works with the Research Ireland Centre of Advanced Materials and BioEngineering Research (AMBER), will be using the award to “investigate the potential of transforming low-value wood waste into sustainable, high-value, high-performance electromagnetic interference shielding materials”.
These materials are essential for the protection of sensitive devices from electromagnetic interference (EMI), which can cause malfunctions or health risks if such devices are compromised.
Conventional EMI shielding materials are made from unsustainable metals and plastics, which combined with an increased societal reliance on electronics, requires a more environmentally friendly alternative to be found.
Nicolosi’s team plans to turn wood waste into “high-performance inks that can be used in 3D printing to create EMI shielding materials.” By using non-recycled waste, the project aims to “find a better, sustainable alternative” to the current EMI products.
Nicolosi said the funding represents “a significant milestone, not just for advancing the science of electromagnetic interference shielding, but for taking meaningful steps toward a more sustainable future”.
“This research has the power to not only protect sensitive electronics but also contribute to reducing electronic waste and promoting a circular economy,” she added,
Campbell aims to use his funding to develop a novel gene therapy for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a common form of blindness.
Campbell has been previously awarded ERC funding for his ongoing “Retina-Rhythm” project which discovered that blood vessels in the retina become leaky in patients with early and intermediate stages of AMD. He will use the proof of concept funding to develop a treatment to prevent this blood vessel leakiness.
Campbell says that this funding will allow him and his team to “accelerate the development of a totally new concept and treatment paradigm for AMD”.
“I’m really excited about the potential this project holds and looking forward to getting the work started,” added Campbell.
Trinity’s Dean of Research Professor Sinéad Ryan offered her support to the ongoing further research and congratulated the researchers on their “continued success in securing ERC funding”.
“These exciting projects have such potential to make lasting impacts on human health and environmental sustainability and exemplify the real-world benefits of supporting fundamental research,” she added.
These awards bring Trinity’s total number of ERC Proof of Concept awards to 23, enabling Trinity researchers to progress their research “from new scientific knowledge towards innovative tools and technologies”.