HRB Open Research Blog

The future of genomics in Ireland

By Guest Author

22 June 2021

In this Q&A, Cathal Seoighe, the scientific director of the SFI Centre for Research Training in Genomics Data Science, explains why genomics and clinical genetics have fallen behind other countries and shares his recommendations for a national genomics health strategy, and how this could benefit patients and the public.

Creating a Covid-19 toolbox

By Guest Author

30 April 2021

Catherine Darker, Associate Professor of Health Services Research at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, is leading a research project to explore the implications of COVID-19 on the public health jurisdictions of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. In this interview, Catherine tell us more about the project and their plans, as set out in their Study Protocol, published on HRB Open Research on creating a toolbox for public health messaging to guide decision makers in their approach to further waves of COVID-19 or for future epidemics.

Do Early Career Researchers feel encouraged to practise open science?

By Guest Author

16 March 2021

In this Q&A, Elaine Toomey, University of Limerick, and Ksenija Zečević, National University of Ireland/University of Ljubljana, discuss the complexities, covering the challenges and the opportunities to practising open science for early career researchers in health research in Ireland. Read on to learn about their findings of the views and experiences of ECRs, the first qualitative study to explore this, published in their Research Article on HRB Open Research. Toomey and Zečević share their recommendations for adequately preparing researchers for an open research environment early on in their careers.

HRB Open Research – growing our influence three years on

By Guest Author

26 February 2021

At the Health Research Board (HRB), we pride ourselves on leading innovative approaches to underpin health research. So, to celebrate the 3rd birthday of our publishing platform, HRB Open Research, we showcase highlights from our endeavors and celebrate how more of the research community are embracing open research and its growing popularity in Ireland. 

What a difference RAinDRoP makes – the interdisciplinary partnership transforming care across the life span for people and families living with rare diseases in Ireland

By Guest Author

24 February 2021

‘Rare is many. Rare is strong. Rare is proud.’ Rare Disease Day takes place on 28th February, and for this global awareness day we hear from Suja Somanadhan, UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, Ireland, who educates us about rare diseases and informs us about Rare Disease Research Partnership (RAinDRop), of which she is both the founder and lead, responsible for bringing together a wide variety of diverse voices in the rare disease community in Ireland.

Covid-19 research updates: ethics, mental health, and social distancing

By Guest Author

29 January 2021

Today, we share the Q&As with three authors who have published in the Coronavirus Collection for readers to gain deeper insight into the undergoing investigations. The three interviewees discuss three valuable projects; one to influence health policies, one to safeguard human participants in clinical trials, and one to provide much needed mental health support to healthcare workers on the frontline.

Celebrating the achievements of our Covid-19 rapid response research

By Guest Author

14 December 2020

As 2020 draws to a close, we thought we would share some of the projects that researchers have been busy working on to help improve people’s health and wellbeing during the Covid-19 pandemic. So far, we have 19 articles published in the Coronavirus collection, which was set up to highlight research related to coronavirus on our publishing platform, HRB Open Research. Read on for the article highlights, and to hear from the researchers we interviewed to discuss the work they have published as part of this funding call.