Promoting Brain Research

Promoting Brain Research is one of the four parts of the Love Your Brain campaign.

The partners involved in Love Your Brain have united to collectively say that Brain Research is important to tackle the challenges that face people who have a neurological condition. One in every four people will be affected by a neurological condition at some point in their lives. Brain diseases represent 35% of all disease burden in Ireland and cost the health system over €3 Billion a year. However, only 1% of that cost is invested in researching new ways to tackle brain diseases. 

Building a Supportive Framework for Brain Research in Ireland

Ireland currently ranks 8th in the world for scientific excellence in Neuroscience and Behaviour, but we need much greater investment to have true impact for those most affected by brain diseases.

Brain research is an area of emerging opportunity in Ireland, but the sector is affected by significant challenges which impact on the entire research landscape. The factors impacting on the strength and sustainability of this work in Ireland are reflected across the research landscape and require systemic change. A coalition of research institutes and representative bodies have come together under the Love Your Brain campaign to create a manifesto called Building a Supportive Framework for Brain Research in Ireland.

In this manifesto we highlight SIX KEY PRIORITIES and associated ASKS which, if delivered, will greatly facilitate and enhance Ireland’s potential in this area going forward.  

The Key Priorities we have identified are:

1. Increased Dedicated Research Funding for Neuroscience Research, Including Basic Research
2. Leadership and Co-Ordination
3. Investment in Technology, Information Systems and Research Infrastructure
4. Legislative and Policy Development
5. Creating a Supportive Environment for Neuroscience Research
6. Supporting Initiatives which Facilitate Public & Patient Involvement at all stages of research

 

Under these priorities, we are asking the government and policymakers to:

1. Invest more public funding in Brain Research
2. Implement the HSE research strategy  to translate health research into successful clinical practice
3. Provide adequate infrastructure and resources to support epidemiology, clinical evaluation and genomics research.
4. Develop and implement legislation to support genomics-based and biomedical brain research
5. Enable people to pursue a career in neuroscience by developing core infrastructure and structured networks
6. Support and promote patient and public involvement in research

 

We would encourage you to download the manifesto and lobby your political representatives to increase the support available for Brain Research in Ireland.

Existing neuroscience research institutions and networks in Ireland

There are a number of institutions and networks performing brain research in Ireland. The Irish Brain Council has compiled the below list:

• Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience
• Global Brain Health Institute 
• Trinity College Academic Unit of Neurology
• FutureNeuro
• CURAM 
• APC Microbiome 
• Cork Neuroscience Centre
• INFANT 
• Galway Neuroscience Centre
• NICOG (Centre for neuroimaging and cognitive genomics) 
• Centre for Pain Research Pain
• Maynooth University Neurolab
• ALL Institute 
• Human Health Institute 
• Hamilton Institute 
• Dublin City University International Centre for Neurotherapeutics
• INSIGHT
• University College Dublin Centre for Neuroscience

The Irish Brain Council

The Irish Brain Council (IBC) is an independent group of organisations which have come together to promote and advocate for brain research in Ireland 

Promoting Brain Research in Ireland

Read the Irish Brain Council Inaugural Position Paper here