ALLERGAN INNOVATION AWARD WINNER ANNOUNCED AT IT SLIGO
– Prestigious award to further ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE RESEARCH –
Patricia Regan of the Faculty of Science at Institute of Technology Sligo has been announced as the winner of the Allergan Innovation Award. This prestigious award, with an Allergan sponsored bursary of €7,500 will go towards furthering Patricia’s pioneering research into Alzheimer’s disease, entitled: “Towards diagnostic and theranostic glycosylation biomarkers in Alzheimer’s disease”. This specialist scientific analysis will be carried out under the expert supervision of Dr. Margaret Doherty, a leading lecturer in Biomedical Science at IT Sligo.
Through a multi-disciplinary approach to glycosylation analysis, which examines unique cellular structures, the Allergan Innovation Award will allow for the combination of several complementary techniques, to provide novel insights into understanding this debilitating neurological disorder. Recognised for playing a crucial role in normal brain development, further studies of glycosylation profiles such as this aims to provide pivotal diagnostic evidence in the field of Alzheimer’s research.
Speaking about the Allergan Innovation Award, Paul Coffey, Vice President and Westport Plant General Manager, Allergan Ireland, said: “We are delighted that the Allergan Innovation Award Programme will allow researchers, such as Patricia, to further advance their studies in the field of Life and Health Sciences. For a company such as Allergan, scientific research and innovation are essential to the future of our industry, so we hope that this Innovation Award will inspire the next generation of pioneering researchers. Collaborating with a prestigious institute, such as IT Sligo, is an exciting initiative for all involved, and we look forward to the positive results and experiences it will bring for students and our industry.”
Speaking about the Award, Dr Jeremy Bird , Head of the Science Faculty at IT Sligo commented: “IT Sligo is deeply appreciative of Allergan’s commitment to supporting research in the region and IT Sligo’s ambition to build research structures towards a regional Technical University. We are delighted that Patricia Regan has been chosen as the recipient of this award which will allow her to further progress her research studies in Alzheimer’s disease.
The Allergan Innovation Award will enhance the research project by ensuring attendance at key discipline meetings, equipment and materials purchase, and enhancing the ability to liaise with key research groups”.
If you are interested in research and would like to study a Master’s at IT Sligo, please visit: https://www.itsligo.ie/masters/
PHOTO CAPTION: Richard O’Boyle (Allergan Ireland), Patricia Regan (postgraduate research student IT Sligo), Paul Coffey (Vice President and Westport Plant General Manager, Allergan Ireland), Jeremy Bird (Head of Faculty of Science IT Sligo).