Disorders of the Brain and Nervous System

To advance transformative research that deepens our understanding of brain and nervous system disorders, drives innovation in early diagnosis and treatment, and improves the lives of individuals affected by neurological and neuropsychiatric conditions worldwide. We are committed to fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, leveraging cutting-edge technologies, and translating scientific discoveries into real-world impact.

Objective

This Health-based Challenge is dedicated to advancing our understanding and treatment of disorders of the brain and nervous system. We aim to explore the underlying pathophysiology at molecular, cellular, and systems levels to uncover the mechanisms driving these conditions. A major focus is on developing improved methods for early diagnosis, including biomarker discovery, neuroimaging, neurological testing, applied diagnostics, and AI-driven innovations. In parallel, we work to identify and validate novel therapeutic targets and treatment strategies to enhance patient care and outcomes for those affected by neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders.

Research Focus

Areas of research focus within this health-based challenge include, but are not limited to, the following:

(i) Neurodegenerative Disorders and Neuroregeneration

(ii) Neuropsychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Disorders

(iii) Pain

Research in these thematic areas is in collaboration with the following Research Centres at the University:

- The Galway Neuroscience Centre (https://www.universityofgalway.ie/neuroscience/)

- The Centre for Neuroimaging, Cognition and Genomics (https://www.universityofgalway.ie/nicog/)

- The Centre for Pan Research: (https://www.universityofgalway.ie/centre-for-pain-research/)

Funding Ambition

We are committed to supporting our members in securing national and international grant funding, providing guidance, infrastructure, and strategic partnerships to enhance research success.

Challenge Co-Lead - Prof. David Finn

David Finn is Established Professor of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Principal Investigator and Founding Co-Director of the Centre for Pain Research at University of Galway, Ireland. Professor Finn graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Biotechnology from University of Galway and a PhD in Neuroscience from University of Bristol, and he worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Nottingham before his appointment as an academic at University of Galway in 2004.

His research focuses on the affective and cognitive dimensions of pain, stress-pain interactions, and neuroinflammatory processes, with an emphasis on the endogenous cannabinoid system. He is Past-President of the International Cannabinoid Research Society (ICRS) and of the Irish Pain Society.

He has been a member of the Presidential Task Forces for Cannabis, Cannabinoids and Chronic Pain of both the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) and the European Pain Federation (EFIC), and leader of the Basic Science Work Package for the IASP Task Force. He is a member of the EFIC Working Groups for Translational Pain Research and Pain Research Strategy, the IASP Task Force for Use of Animals in Pain Research, a member of the Scientific Programme Committees for the IASP 2026 and 2024 World Pain Congresses, NeuPSIG 2025, EFIC 2022, and a member of EFIC Council.

Professor Finn is a member of the Editorial Boards of multiple international scientific journals including Pain, Journal of Psychopharmacology, Frontiers in Neuropharmacology, Frontiers in Pain Research, and the Scandinavian Journal of Pain. He has published over 190 peer-reviewed journal papers and book chapters and frequently lectures at international conferences.

Challenge Co-Lead - Prof. Eilís Dowd

Professor Eilís Dowd received her PhD from the University of Edinburgh, after which she completed post-doctoral research at the University of Cambridge, McGill University and Cardiff University.

She now holds a Full Professorship in Pharmacology at the University of Galway where one of her primary interests is in the potential of biomaterials to enhance brain repair for Parkinson’s. Over the years, her research has been funded by the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, the Wellcome Trust, the European Union, Science Foundation Ireland, the Health Research Board and the Irish Research Council.

Her research was the subject of the Parkinson’s documentary “Feats of Modest Valour” which won the AAAS “Scientist Award” at the Imagine Science Film Festival in New York. Her contributions have been recognised through leadership positions including the Presidencies of both NECTAR (the Network for European CNS Transplantation and Restoration) and Neuroscience Ireland (Ireland’s official neuroscience society).

She has also served on the Governing Councils of both the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) and the International Brain Research Organization (IBRO), and she holds editorial roles with the British Journal of Pharmacology, the European Journal of Neuroscience and Neuronal Signaling.

Challenge Co-Lead - Prof. Derek Morris

Prof. Derek Morris is a geneticist and his area of expertise is the identification of risk genes for psychiatric disorders. He was educated at University of Galway (BSc in Biotechnology; 1998) and Cardiff University (PhD in Molecular Genetics; 2001). His research career has focused on neuropsychiatric genetics. His first postdoctoral position was at Trinity College Dublin where he was awarded a Health Research Board Postdoctoral Career Development Research Fellowship (2003) and was appointed Lecturer in Molecular Psychiatry (2006). Using Science Foundation Ireland funding, he set up TrinSeq, the first next-generation DNA sequencing lab in Ireland (2008).

In 2013, Derek moved to University of Galway where he is now Personal Professor of Human Genetics and Genomics and Director of the Centre for Neuroimaging, Cognition and Genomics (NICOG). He has >270 publications including >40 as first/senior author and he has secured >€4M in funding for his group. He is involved in international consortia undertaking genetic studies of psychiatric disorders that have been published in Nature, Science and Cell.

Derek is a former President of the Irish Society of Human Genetics (2014-16) and a former Director of the Galway Neuroscience Centre (2021-22). He was awarded the University of Galway President’s Award for Research Excellence in 2017 and was ranked in the top 1% of Highly Cited Researchers for 2018 (Clarivate Analytics). He was the first Programme Director for the BSc in Genetics and Genomics at University of Galway, which he helped establish as a new course in 2020.

Contact Details

Email address: david.finn@universityofgalway.ie
Phone: 00353 91 495280