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Ageing

Welcome to the Trinity Ageing Theme. Our mission is to help face the current and future opportunities and challenges of ageing by conducting and supporting word-class research that encompasses the biological, physiological, clinical, epidemiological, socioeconomic, psychosocial, technological, built environment, and cultural aspects of human ageing. As a cross-cutting theme, Ageing research in Trinity aims to be integrated both vertically (i.e., from molecules to society) and horizontally (i.e., across themes and disciplines), as well as spatially (i.e., from community to nursing home settings) and temporally (i.e., from a life course perspective). Our goal is to generate high-quality scientific evidence to help enhance, through a myriad of possible known and still unknown channels, the experience of ageing for all.

We believe that to achieve our goal, a fully collaborative and interdisciplinary approach is essential. In that spirit, the TRINITY AGEING RESEARCH CENTRE (TARC) (formerly Trinity EngAGE) was created to act as a hub and catalyst for college-wide Ageing research activities, with potential to shape innovation and national and international policy and transform Trinity from being world class to world leading in this field. TARC helps coordinate Ageing research, in collaboration with Trinity’s teaching hospitals, and other Trinity and national and international research and non-governmental organisations.

Ageing research activities in Trinity are very diverse and examples mentioned here only represent a small fraction. Flagship epidemiological studies include The Irish Longitudinal stuDy on Ageing (TILDA) and the Trinity, University of Ulster and Department of Agriculture (TUDA) Ageing Cohort Study.

As regards clinical research hubs, St James’s Hospital hosts the Mercer's Institute for Successful Ageing (MISA); and Tallaght University Hospital hosts Aois agus Eolas: Centre for Ageing, Neurosciences and the Humanities, the Institute of Memory and Cognition, the Cognitive Clinical Trials Unit, and the National Intellectual Disability Memory Service. The latter has close collaborations with the Trinity Centre for Ageing and Intellectual Disability (TCAID).

Cross-cutting biological research on Immune Ageing and Inflammageing takes place in collaboration with researchers at the Trinity Translational Medicine Institute (TTMI) and Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute (TBSI). Technology research collaborations exist with the Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering (TCBE).

The Social Policy and Ageing Research Centre (SPARC) is a further example of Ageing research activity.

Research in Brain Health and Ageing has been enhanced by collaborations facilitated by the Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI). Other research networks include the Dementia Research Network Ireland (DNRI) and the Irish Frailty Network for Education, Quality Improvement and Research (IFN).

More examples are listed in the webpages of the Discipline of Medical Gerontology in the School of Medicine.

Trinity academics and clinicians are promoting research and teaching in ageing, developing a comprehensive research agenda, broadening the interest of the College and wider community in ageing through public engagement. Trinity plays a leading role in relation to promoting awareness of ageing issues and maintaining relations with relevant external stakeholders.

The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA)

TILDA is the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, a representative population study that traces the health, social and economic circumstances of over 8,500 people over the age of 50 and living in Ireland. Trinity researchers aim to identify early changes and early indicators of decline and to develop new treatments and new technologies to enable early interventions. In response to the COVID-19 crisis that unfolded in 2020, TILDA has produced a number of significant reports on Ireland’s older population to support Government and health authorities’ preparedness plans. Discover these reports and a wide breadth of TILDA research here.

The Ageing Challenge

How can we enhance the experience of ageing for all?
The Ageing Opportunity

How can we all benefit from the longevity dividend?

Publications & Research Outputs

Browse Ageing publications

Trinity Ageing Research Contacts

Professor Rose Anne Kenny

Consultant Physician
Chair of Geriatric Medicine
Regius Professor of Physic
Director, Mercers Institute for Successful Ageing
Founding PI, TILDA
President of the Irish Gerontological Society 2020

Professor Seán Kennelly

Consultant Physician in Geriatric and Stroke Medicine, Department of Age-related healthcare, Tallaght University Hospital
Director, Tallaght University Hospital Institute of Memory and Cognition
Director of Cognitive Clinical Trials Unit
Clinical Director, National Intellectual Disability Memory Service
Clinical Associate Professor in Medical Gerontology