June NUI Galway Biomedical Engineer Named an MIT Technology Review 2020 Innovator Under 35

NUI Galway Biomedical Engineer Dr Eimear Dolan has been named in MIT Technology Review’s prestigious annual list of Innovators Under 35 as one of ten global visionaries. Every year, the MIT Technology Review recognises a list of exceptionally talented technologists whose work has great potential to transform the world.

Dr Dolan and colleagues have developed a soft robotic device to improve the long-term performance of implanted medical devices. Their innovation counters what is known as the ‘foreign body response’.  When the body senses an implanted foreign object, it constructs protective tissue to defend the body from this foreign object. This response is one of the main reasons why medical implants fail.

Speaking today, NUI Galway’s Dean of Science and Engineering Professor Walter Gear said: “This acknowledgement of Eimear’s work is a fitting testament to her innovation and drive, and highlights the culture of excellence in NUI Galway and our region’s MedTech hub.  By joining such notable figures as the co-founders of Google with this recognition, Dr Dolan is firmly on the map as an innovator who will make a global impact.  We are pleased and proud to welcome such a world-class innovator back to her alma mater.”  

Gideon Lichfield, editor in chief of MIT Technology Review, said: “MIT Technology Review’s annual Innovators Under 35 list is a chance for us to honor the outstanding people behind the breakthrough technologies of the year that have the potential to disrupt our lives. These profiles offer a glimpse into what the face of technology looks like today as well as in the future.”

Reacting to this prestigious honour, Dr Eimear Dolan from Garrymore, Co. Mayo, said: “It’s a real honour to be listed as a visionary on MIT Technology Review’s Innovators under 35 list. It is very exciting to receive this acknowledgement which highlights our work nationally and internationally. I have been very fortunate to have excellent mentors, colleagues and collaborators throughout my career so far and am delighted to be part of the innovative and vibrant community at NUI Galway.”

For more information about this year’s honorees on the MIT Technology Review visit https://www.technologyreview.com/innovators-under-35/2020/. The honorees are also invited to participate at the upcoming EmTech MIT conference, MIT Technology Review’s annual flagship event that offers a carefully curated perspective on the most significant developments of the year, with a focus on understanding their potential economic and societal impact. EmTech MIT will be held virtually October 20 - 22, 2020.

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