University of Galway has welcomed the announcement that two academics, a student and a member of the alumni are Fulbright Irish Awardees for 2023-24. They were presented with awards by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, and US Chargé d'Affaires to Ireland Mike Clausen at a ceremony in the US Ambassador’s Residence.  Professor Becky Whay, Vice-President International at University of Galway, said: “The tradition of Fulbright is one which builds on the unique and deep bonds between Ireland and the US, as well as affording some of our keenest and brightest researchers an opportunity to further their academic excellence and cultural collaboration. University of Galway is delighted to see our academics, student and alumnus feature in the programme and we look forward to their return, as they add to transatlantic academic and cultural links.”   University of Galway awardees are:   Fulbright Irish Scholar Dr James Britton, Irish Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow in the Physiology Department, College of Medicine at University of Galway, is to take up an opportunity as a Fulbright-NUI Scholar at the Chalasani Lab, Salk Institute, California. His Ph.D. focused on neural tissue repair and regeneration strategies and biomedical device development. His postdoctoral fellowship is focused on the acoustic neuromodulation of cells and the development of novel medical intervention strategies. His Fulbright year will see him investigate the use of Sonogenetics to modulate the electrical firing of neurons and how this technique can be used to treat neurological conditions. Fulbright Irish Scholar in Residence  Tom Felle, Associate Professor of Journalism at University of Galway. His research interests encompass digital news, verification, data-driven journalism, fake news and disinformation, and democracy-related topics such as trust, transparency, and accountability. He has provided advice and testimony to national governments and the EU, and collaborated with the United Nations migration agency, IOM, as the lead academic partner for the Global Migration Media Academy from 2020-2022. His Fulbright award will see him work on creative writing, journalism and internationalisation projects with East Los Angeles College, California. Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistants  Shauna Ní Dhochartaigh is a BA in Gaeilge and History student and native of Rann na Feirste, in the heart of the Donegal Gaeltacht. She was the 2022 Gaeltacht Mary in the Mary from Dungloe International Arts Festival. Shauna was Debating Officer of the Cumann Gaelach in the University and guided the society’s debating team to victory in Gael Linn’s Debating Competition at Oireachtas na Samhna 2022. She will be a Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant at the University of Notre Dame, Indiana. Seán Ó Coistealbha is a native of An Spideal, Connemara. He is a graduate of Irish and history from the University. He taught in Dublin from 1979-80; worked as a language and cultural officer at Údarás na Gaeltachta from 1980-81; and was Youth Manager at Muintearas Teo and subsequently chief executive until January 2023. He is a published poet and has had numerous stage and film appearances as an actor. He is passionate about the Irish language, archaeology, heritage, culture and the Irish diaspora. Sean will be a Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. The Fulbright bilateral exchange program is known for selecting outstanding candidates from across the island of Ireland to study and work with US institutions across all disciplines ranging from health, science, technology and business to the arts and culture. As the Fulbright Awardees forge ahead on these exciting opportunities, the breadth of their US engagement is diverse and impressive. Fulbright Irish Scholars, Students, and Foreign Language Teaching Assistants will also engage with US society and share their knowledge and expertise when they return home. U.S. Chargé d'Affaires to Ireland, Mike Clausen said: “The Fulbright Program represents the US government’s preeminent international educational and cultural exchange initiative. It plays a crucial role in sustaining and advancing the unique and close relationship between the United States and Ireland. Fulbright awardees exchange research, knowledge, ideas, and culture and contribute to solving important global problems. I congratulate this year’s awardees and wish them success in the United States and beyond.” The next round of applications for Fulbright Irish Awards will open on 28th August 2023. Interested candidates should visit www.fulbright.ie for more information. Ends

University of Galway researchers have developed a modular approach to vaccine synthesis, potentially enabling production of a new cancer vaccine prototype. The study, published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, is a collaboration involving a number of laboratories in Ireland, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Spain and the US. The research paper, available here, describes a novel approach and has implications for vaccine design.  The vaccine contains three different components which can be assembled like lego blocks. The first is a targeting component, a glycocluster, to selectively deliver and increase uptake of the vaccine into the relevant cells of the immune system. The second component is a T-helper epitope in order to to generate long-term immunity. The third component is a cancer T-antigen containing molecule (MUC-1), in order to stimulate the immune system to generate immunity against cancer associated antigens found on breast tumour cell surfaces.   The incorporation of the glycocluster has led to a much-improved immune response to the vaccine. The glycocluster molecule is comprised of multiple sugars and has a high stickiness or affinity for a receptor (macrophage galactose C-type lectin) on certain immune cells (dendritic cells). The vaccine is about 10 times stickier when it has the glycocluster than when it is absent, which explains its greater uptake into the immune cells and increased efficacy observed for the vaccine prototype. The modular or lego-block approach means that other types of glycoclusters targeting other immune cell lectins or T-helper epitopes or tumour antigens could be built and studied in a systematic manner and thus contributes to the field of vaccine design.   The study was primarily carried out by Dr Adele Gabba while she was a PhD student at University of Galway, under the supervision of Professor Paul Murphy, and subsequently as a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Professor Pol Besenius at the Johannes Gutenburg University of Mainz, Germany. During the PhD study, Adele obtained an EMBO travel award which enable travel to the laboratory of Professor Ulrika Westerlind at Umea University in Sweden where vaccine constructs used in the study were prepared.  The research was performed in a collaboration with laboratories also in Amsterdam, Boston and in Spain. Professor Paul Murphy, Established Professor of Chemistry at University of Galway and SFI Investigator said: “I am hugely in debt to all the collaborators for all their contributions, and especially grateful to Dr Adele Gabba, for the persistence she showed throughout, which was the key to the success of this research, spanning her PhD study and a subsequent period as a postdoctoral researcher in Mainz. “Glycoclusters, after many years of study, are beginning to show applications that benefit health and industry. It may even be possible to use the modular approach incorporating glycoclusters to design vaccines for infectious diseases caused by bacteria or viruses or for the targeted delivery of biopharmaceuticals or small molecule drugs to where they are needed. Importantly, no adverse effects were observed of the prototype during the study, while the efficacy was improved.” The research was supported by the Irish Research Council, European Molecular Biology Organisation, Science Foundation Ireland, the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, the Kempe Foundation, as well as the various institutions supporting the researchers who contributed to the paper. Ends

University of Galway is to launch its new MicroCreds Project with an opportunity for prospective students to come to campus to find out more about the extensive range of part-time, flexible-learning courses on offer.  Micro-credentials are small, accredited courses designed to meet the upskilling and reskilling needs of adult learners, enterprise and organisations. People may choose to undertake an individual micro-credential or continue studying, stacking their skills and knowledge over time.  Janice Mulvany Glennon, Micro-credentials Project Lead at University of Galway, said: “We are one of seven universities working on the innovative MicroCreds national project, with the goal of developing short learning courses, to upskill and reskill people who are in work. Micro-credentials are short, accredited modules developed with and for enterprise and industry, for professional development and are innovative in their approach to lifelong learning.” The MicrcoCreds launch takes places on campus on Wednesday June 14, 2023 and coincides with University of Galway’s Adult Learning Information Evening on the same day from 5.30-7.30pm in the Human Biology Building. Over the course of the evening prospective students will have an opportunity to join one of our talks on Progression Pathways & RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning), Introduction to Micro-credentials, Springboard+ courses and Fees & Funding.  Hosted by the University's Centre for Adult Learning & Professional Development, it creates the opportunity for students to meet representatives from more than 40 part-time courses which will be showcased at the event, including in the subject areas of Business & Management, Science & Technology, Languages, Information Technology, Community Education, Training & Education and Pre-University Courses. Students can find out about the extensive range of part-time, flexible-learning courses on offer.   Information on Springboard+ courses offering funded places on programmes to people who are in work and those who are out of work will also be available, as well as application information for the Adult Learning tuition scholarships for students who are in receipt of specific payments from the Department of Social Protection. Acknowledging the role that work and life experience plays in contributing to learning and the development of skills, the University has been actively involved with industry and adult learners in recognising the prior learning which students bring to their studies.   Suzanne Golden, RPL Project Lead at the University of Galway, explains: “Recognition of Prior Learning is an essential component of the University’s approach to widening access to qualifications and supporting lifelong learning. We recognise that knowledge and skills can be acquired from a range of learning experiences and we aim to offer accessible and flexible progression routes for people who want to build on their prior learning. Using Recognition of Prior Learning, the University can give recognition for what someone already knows, understands and can do, prior to starting on a programme or module.’’  Springboard+ approved courses for 2023/24 available here Student support services and the Career Development Centre will also be on hand on the night to answer any queries learners may have as they decide on course options. For further information on this event and to register for this event visit: universityofgalway.ie/adultlearning/info_eve  More information on MicroCreds here More information on RPL here  Ends