A quick summary of UCC’s breakthrough science research
By Science and Environment Editor Leah Moynihan
With so much going on in UCC, it is hard to keep up with the university’s latest research. UCC is ranked 2% in the top research universities globally and has 600 esteemed academic staff in the college of SEFS. The university has published in many prestigious journals and has received funding across its multiple interdisciplinary fields. They work with many partners including the Tyndal Institute, the Environment Research Institute, the Irish Cancer Society, and the Centre for Marine and Renewable Energy. From superconductors to medical treatments, 2023 has been a successful year for grants, breakthroughs, and awards for all the science sectors in UCC. So, here is a summary of just a few of the innovative research projects that are changing our world.
Our first study looks at research into pathogens. Professor Ruth Massey of the School of Microbiology and the School of Medicine is investigating the curious world of disease-causing human pathogens, such as Streptococcus pneumoniae. They are exploring key pathogenic approaches in recognizing targets for medical treatment. This is groundbreaking work as it is essential that we understand these bacterial processes in order to treat infection.
Researchers at the Macroscopic Quantum Matter Group have published breakthrough findings in the prestigious journal Nature. By using powerful quantum microscopes, they have succeeded in investigated the characteristics of a new type of material and superconductor Uranium Ditelluride (Ute2). This is exciting as it could be a step to creating more effective quantum computers.
In the social sciences, Professor Adrian Favell is leading an innovative project, “The Orders and Borders of Global Inequality: Migration and Mobilities in Late Capitalism”. The study looks at international migration during globalisation, and how it was altered from 1970 to 2020. It also investigates the power of governance and inequalities on global migration, which is essential in better understanding the complex world that we live in.
Dr Marguerite Nyhan is working on research in modelling human-environment interactions, which could not be more important in our urban landscapes. By utilising AI, the accuracy in understanding urban spaces and their environmental impacts has increased significantly. This maximises environmental health in busy areas and helps in creating more sustainable cities.
For our last research project, a major theory in biology is questioned. UCC Palaeontology PhD student Holly-Anne Turner and her colleagues challenge the common ‘Fibonacci theory’ describing a famous spiralling pattern in nature. Using a 3D model on a 407-million-year-old clubmoss fossil from the famous Rhynie chert, it was found that the spiral leaf arrangement was organized in non-Fibonacci spirals which is rare in modern plants. This groundbreaking find leads to many more questions about the evolutionary path of leaves, perhaps indicating that leaf spiral evolution separated into two distinct paths.
If you are interested in reading more about these exciting studies, check out these links below:
