Research

Overview

Critical care research improves outcomes for critically ill patients by developing treatments and strengthening evidence-based practice. Our ICU leads clinical trials, observational studies, and quality improvement initiatives through national and international collaborations.

We are committed to improving outcomes for critically ill patients in the West and Northwest of Ireland through the development and evaluation of innovative, patient-centred treatments. Our research spans the entire hospital journey from the emergency department and intensive care unit (ICU) to the operating theatre, hospital wards, and post-critical care recovery.

We prioritise public and patient involvement to help shape our research and ensure it is relevant and impactful. Our current work spans sepsis, shock, genetics, ventilation, new therapies, and the use of AI to support clinical decision-making.

Areas & Themes

Clinical Research Programmes:

• Respiratory - Prof. John Laffey, Dr. Bairbre McNicholas, Dr. Michael Scully and Dr. John Bates
• Acute Kidney Injury - Dr. Bairbre McNicholas
• Sepsis - Prof. John Laffey and Dr. Bairbre McNicholas
• Trauma - Dr. Ciara Hanley
• Anaesthesia/Perioperative Medicine - Prof. John Laffey
• Airway-Related Research - Craig Lyons and Mike Callaghan
• Pain and Regional Analgesia - John McDonnell, Collaboration with Centre for Pain Research

Research Activity & Impact

Our team engages in a wide spectrum of clinical research, from early-phase investigator-initiated studies to large-scale international phase 3 trials. Over the last five years,we have made significant contributions to high-impact global studies including:

• ICEBERG (AJRCOM, Prof. Laffey, Country PI)
• REACT SHOCK (J Intens Care, 2025, Dr. McNicholas, Country PI)
• VENTIBRAIN (Intens Care Med, 2025, Dr. Hanley, Site PI)
• INTUBE Study (JAMA, 2021, Prof. Laffey, Country PI)
• WEAN SAFE (Lancet RM, 2023, Prof. Laffey, Joint CI)
• TEAM Study (NEJM, 2022, Dr. McNicholas, Site PI)
• REMAP-CAP (NEJM, 2021, JAMA, 2020)
• SOLIDARITY (NEJM, 2020)

We have also led several University of Galway investigator-related trials including:

• CHARTER-Ireland (Joint CIs: Dr. Cosgrave and Prof. Laffey) - A phase 1b/2a trial of inhaled herapin for COVID-19, co-funded by CÚRAM SFI in partnership with two publications in Intensive Care Medicine Experimental, one in 2024 and one in 2025
• Awake Prone Trial (NCT04347941, CI: Dr. McNicholas) - Initiated during the COVID-19 pandemic , study of awake proning in COVID-19 severe respiratory failure. Published in Lancet Resp Med as part in International Meta-Trial in 2021.

Pre-Clinical Research Programmes:

• Regenerative Medicine/Nano Therapies
• Cell Based Therapies for ARDS and Sepsis
• Novel Inhaled Monotherapies for Pneumonia
• Novel Therapies for Antibiotic Resistant Bacterial Infections
• ICU Data/Digital Twin - Dr. Bairbre McNicholas, Prof. John Laffey, Dr. Niall Madden, Prof. Michael Madden, School of Mathematics and Computer Science

These research projects are conducted with the financial support of Taighde Éireann - Research Ireland, under Grant number 13/RC/2073_P2 at CÚRAM Research Ireland Centre for Medical Devices, by a Research Ireland FFP Award (20/FFP-A/8948) to Prof. English (University of Maynooth) and Prof. Laffey, and by a CÚRAM MedTrain+ fellowship under the Marie Sklodowksa Curie Fellowship Programme (ref no. 101081457), HSE Spark Impact Dr. Bairbre McNicholas HRB SDAP 2025-022 Dr. Bairbre McNicholas, Research Ireland Health Technology Arc Hub TP1 Dr. McNicholas/Prof. Laffey.

Environments & Structures

• Clinical Research Programmes: Our Acute and Critical Care Research team collaborates closely with the HRB-Clinical Research Facility, Institute for Clinical Trials, University of Galway Computer Science Department, School of Mathematics and the Irish Critical Care Trails Group to advance treatments for patients with severe , acute illnesses
• Pre-Clinical Research Programmes: Our pre-clinical research programmes are affiliated with the CÚRAM Research Ireland Centre for Medical Devices and the Inflammation, Infection and Sepsis Cluster at the Institute for Health Disease

Staff

Meet our research team and view their profiles, publications, and projects on the University of Galway Research Portal: