Science - News & Events | Trinity College Dublin

“Bioprospecting” scientist sleuthing for crop-aiding fungi brings their spectacular beauty to life

Diego Bianchi, a PhD candidate in the School of Natural Sciences, has launched the Fungal Galaxies gallery to show off the spectacular beauty of some of his new agricultural allies.

18 Feb 2025

Environment|Research|Science

Onscreen chemistry: New book considers the portrayal of chemical science in film and TV

From Transylvania and Chernobyl to colourful glassware and narcotics, explore the fascinating world of the big and small screen through a chemist’s eye as cinema and television are passed under the microscope in a new book authored by Trinity’s Dr John O’Donoghue.

17 Feb 2025

Research|Science

New blood test could improve Alzheimer’s Disease diagnosis

Up to half of all people living with Alzheimer’s Disease in Ireland remain undiagnosed. A new blood test may have the potential to transform patient care, allowing for better diagnosis, earlier interventions and more targeted treatments

14 Feb 2025

Health|Research|Science

Research brings hope for improved early detection of pancreatic cancer

The discovery of a 'biomarker panel' could have a profound impact on the ability to identify patients at risk of developing PC at an earlier stage.

14 Feb 2025

Health|Research|Science

From collisions to stellar cannibalism – the surprising diversity of exploding white dwarfs

Astrophysicists have unearthed a surprising diversity in the ways in which white dwarf stars explode in deep space after assessing almost 4,000 such events captured in detail by a next-gen astronomical sky survey.

14 Feb 2025

Research|Science

Trinity to headquarter new €31.6 million Research Ireland ARC Hub for Therapeutics

The overall goal of the Hub is to take world-leading research to commercialisation outcomes such as spinouts and licenses. Along with Trinity, University College Dublin (UCD) and RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences (RCSI) are consortium partners.

12 Feb 2025

Awards and Funding|Health|Innovation|Research|Science

Exciting and dynamic rugby to flow from Irish AI research

A groundbreaking research project funded by Lero, the Research Ireland Centre for Software, and the IRFU is deploying AI to analyse the tackle event in rugby to enhance player welfare and performance.

11 Feb 2025

Research|Science

A tribute to Michael Purser 1937 – 2025

Michael Purser, who passed away recently, taught in Trinity for four decades and left a lasting impression on students and colleagues alike.

7 Feb 2025

Community|Science|Students

Ancient DNA analyses bring to life the 11,000-year intertwined genomic history of sheep and humans

The rise of pastoralist peoples in the Eurasian steppes and their westward spread some 5,000 years ago may have been fuelled by sheep herding and people exploiting their milk.

30 Jan 2025

Culture|Research|Science

Genome of Ireland research project launches to aid development of a European reference genome

Researchers from Trinity and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) are leading the Irish component of the Genome of Europe project, which aims to map the genomes of a representative sample of the residents of Europe.

30 Jan 2025

Health|Research|Science

Bad hair bears! Greasy hair gives polar bears fur with anti-icing properties

An international team of scientists has discovered the anti-icing secret of polar bear fur – something that allows one of the planet’s most iconic animals to survive and thrive in one of its most punishing climates. That secret? Greasy hair.

29 Jan 2025

Environment|Research|Science

Trinity welcomes Nobel Prize winner, Prof. Ben Feringa

Prof. Feringa delivered a research seminar to over 250 people on “the art of building small” and met with early career researchers in the School of Chemistry during his visit.

24 Jan 2025

Research|Science

Trinity scientists win European Research Council Proof of Concept awards

Profs. Valeria Nicolosi and Matthew Campbell have won the awards, valued at €150,000 each, to explore the innovation potential of ideas arising from their previously funded ERC projects.

23 Jan 2025

Awards and Funding|Innovation|Research|Science

Irish public trust in scientists ahead of global averages

The research, conducted by an international team including researchers from the School of Education, is the largest post-pandemic study on public trust in scientists.

20 Jan 2025

Research|Science|Society

Astrophysicists reveal structure of 74 exocomet belts orbiting nearby stars in landmark survey

Crystal-clear images show light being emitted from millimetre-sized pebbles within the belts that orbit 74 nearby stars of a wide variety of ages – from those that are just emerging from birth to those in more mature systems like our own Solar System.

17 Jan 2025

Research|Science

Ancient genomes reveal an Iron Age society centred on women

A groundbreaking study led by geneticists from Trinity finds evidence that land was inherited through the female line in Iron Age Britain, with husbands moving to live with their wife’s community.

15 Jan 2025

Research|Science

Astrophysicists honoured for gravitational wave astronomy work

Evan Keane, Associate Professor at Trinity and Director of Trinity’s Rosse Observatory, has been honoured with the Royal Astronomical Society’s Group Achievement Award for his European Pulsar Timing Array (EPTA) work.

13 Jan 2025

Awards and Funding|Research|Science

Scientists develop “Malteser-like” molecules with potential applications in targeted drug delivery

The scientists have taken a major step forwards in tackling one of the greatest abiding challenges in chemistry, by learning how to programme the self-assembly of molecules in such a way that the end result is predictable and desirable.

13 Jan 2025

Health|Research|Science

Can native woodland flourish without farmers? They also deserve a just transition

There are ongoing calls and policy targets to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and afforestation is identified as a vital solution to mitigating impacts, but significant challenges remain.

10 Jan 2025

Environment|Research|Science|Sustainability

Trinity joins the Alliance for Open Media

Researchers will now collaborate with the Alliance’s community of internet and media technology member companies to drive open standards for cutting-edge video, audio, and multimedia advancements worldwide.

18 Dec 2024

Innovation|Research|Science

Exploring role of understudied dysfunctional immune cells in severe COVID-19

Study focuses on understanding how ‘notoriously understudied’ immune cells behave abnormally in patients with severe COVID-19 and provides insights into mechanism behind COVID-19 disease progression.

18 Dec 2024

Health|Research|Science

Prestigious Wellcome Trust Award for Cathal Walsh and Matthew Chersich

The award valued at €3.3m over three years will enable the team to track the impacts of climate change on maternal and child health

2 Dec 2024

Environment|Health|Research|Science

Trinity project Climate Smart showcased at Climate Education Day 2024

Professor Anna Davies has been working for the past three years developing resources with and for Transition Year students in Ireland to help them get to grips with the wicked problem of climate change adaptation.

28 Nov 2024

Environment|Science|Students|Sustainability

Trinity establishes AI Accountability Lab

The AI Accountability Lab, led by Dr Abeba Birhane, will be housed in the ADAPT Research Ireland Centre in Trinity’s School of Computer Science and Statistics.

28 Nov 2024

Research|Science|Society

80-year experiment put in the hands of Ireland’s young scientists

The National Pitch Tar Drop Event, run by Trinity's School of Physics in collaboration with the AMBER Research Ireland Centre and the Institute of Physics. will see a School in every county participate in Citizen Science.

27 Nov 2024

Research|Science|Students

Their DNA survives in diverse populations across the world – but who were the Denisovans?

Dr Linda Ongaro, from Trinity's School of Genetics and Microbiology, explains what we know of the hominin species that interbred with humans in our early history, and whose genetic legacy remains in our DNA.

26 Nov 2024

Culture|Research|Science

Herodotus' theory on Armenian origins debunked by first whole-genome study

Researchers also shed light on the population structure and genetic variation of different Armenian groups, finding that populations from the eastern, western, and central parts of the Armenian highlands show a relatively high level of similarity.

25 Nov 2024

Culture|Research|Science

Professor Seamus Martin awarded 2025 Royal Irish Academy Gold Medal

Prof. Martin MRIA, Smurfit Professor of Medical Genetics within Trinity’s School of Genetics and Microbiology, won the Medal in Life and Medical Sciences. He was recognised for making a demonstrable and internationally recognised outstanding scholarly contribution in his field.

22 Nov 2024

Awards and Funding|Health|Research|Science

Six Trinity researchers recognised as future research leaders in HRB awards

Trinity researchers have received awards for 6 projects out of a total 13 projects in the most recent call, and €5.3 million out of a €12.5 million investment from the Health Research Board (HRB)

22 Nov 2024

Arts|Awards and Funding|Research|Science

Researchers discover new cognitive blueprint for making and breaking habits

Cognitive neuroscientists in the School of Psychology have published new research describing a brand new approach to making habit change achievable and lasting.

19 Nov 2024

Research|Science|Society