2024 has been a big year for FutureNeuro as we entered the Centre’s second phase, achieving significant progress in research, industry collaboration, funding, and patient and public engagement. Here’s a closer look at the key highlights that defined the year. 

Advances in Diagnostics 

Profiling Gene Activity in the Living Human Brain 

In a world-first, FutureNeuro researchers, in collaboration with international partners, developed a method to measure gene activity in the living human brain. By analysing mRNA and DNA methylation from the surface of explanted depth electrodes and linking this to neurophysiological data, they created a powerful new approach to study seizure networks. Published in JCI Insight, this could enhance the precision of epilepsy surgeries and has wider applications for conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and schizophrenia. 

Advancing Population Genomics  

Led by our Deputy Director Prof Gianpiero Cavelleri, FutureNeuro and RCSI joined the ambitious €45M Genome of Europe (GoE) project. This pan-European initiative aims to sequence the genomes of 100,000 individuals to create the first European reference genome. The project is expected to drive advances in personalised medicine and public health policy, fostering greater genomic collaboration across Europe and aligning with the European Health Data Space and the 1+MG Initiative. 

Linking Sleep and Neuropsychiatric Conditions 

FutureNeuro Investigator Dr Lorna Lopez, based at Maynooth University, continues to advance understanding of genetic links between sleep disorders and neuropsychiatric conditions through her ERC-funded FamilySleeps project. This work was showcased at this year’s European Society for Human Genetics conference, where team member, Dr Laura Fahey, presented the latest findings. This builds on Dr Lopez’s efforts to use polygenic scores to identify individuals at risk for conditions such as autism, ADHD, and schizophrenia, with the aim of informing more effective treatment strategies. 

Innovations in Therapeutics 

Global Impact: Long-COVID Research 

One of the standout moments in 2024 was a study published in Nature Neuroscience by Prof Matt Campbell, Dr Chris Greene, and Prof Colin Doherty. Their research uncovered how “leaky” brain blood vessels and an overactive immune system may contribute to brain fog in Long-COVID patients. The study also introduced a novel MRI technique to map the impact of Long COVID on the brain’s vascular network. With the highest Altmetric score for a Nature Neuroscience paper this year, the findings are set to pave the way for targeted therapies to address neurological symptoms of Long COVID. 

Dual Role of P2X7 in Seizure Modulation 

Dr Tobias Engel’s team, alongside FutureNeuro colleagues and international collaborators uncovered the complex role of the P2X7 receptor in the brain. While P2X7 is known for driving inflammation through activation of microglia, the study demonstrated its dual role in inhibitory neurons, reducing brain overactivity and protecting against seizures in a mouse model of Dravet syndrome. These findings could open up new therapeutic avenues for treating epilepsy and other neurological conditions by targeting P2X7. 

Making Human Brain Cell Cultures for ALS Research 

Prof Sanbing Shen’s team made a key discovery in ALS research by identifying the critical role of the extracellular matrix in supporting human motor neurons. Their work, which uncovered novel plate-coating factors to enhance neuron survival and function, will improve the consistency of motor neuron cultures used for drug screening and could accelerate the development of effective ALS therapies. 

Linking the Immune System to Psychosis 

Prof David Cotter’s team, in collaboration with international researchers, identified biological pathways linking changes in the immune system—specifically the complement system and coagulation regulators—to negative symptoms in psychosis, such as social withdrawal and reduced motivation. These insights could lead to new biomarkers for predicting and managing these symptoms and inform early intervention and personalised treatments in mental health care. 

Unlocking RNA Clues in Neurodegenerative Disorders 

Prof Jochen Prehn’s team built on their previous work on tRNA fragments as biomarkers for ALS and epilepsy. Their latest research revealed distinct patterns of tRNA fragments in brain tissue from models of Parkinson’s disease, ALS, and frontotemporal dementia. These disease-specific patterns provide valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms driving these disorders and could guide the development of RNA-based therapies tailored to each condition. 

Digital Health Highlights 

We have expanded our research capacity across mental health digital therapeutics, clinical decision-making analytics, AI in healthcare, and medical device evaluation. 

Unlocking the National EPR Dataset 

A major milestone for FutureNeuro’s Digital Health programme was the extraction of a comprehensive dataset from the national epilepsy Electronic Patient Record (EPR), developed in collaboration with teams at Beaumont Hospital. This longitudinal dataset, covering 50,000 person-years and over 10,000 individual patient records, is now being analysed to uncover factors linked to seizure control and treatment outcomes. This resource will help drive the development of predictive models for personalised epilepsy care. 

Building Trust in Secondary Health Data Use 

The DataScape project, co-funded by IQVIA, explored strategies to build trust in the secondary use of health data in Ireland. Led by Prof Kathleen Bennett and Dr Tina Bedenik, the study’s findings align with the European Health Data Space and are fueling discussions with HIQA on establishing robust data standards. A manuscript summarising this work will be published in 2025. 

Celebrating Funding Successes and Early-Career Excellence  

In 2024, FutureNeuro researchers secured over €9M in funding, including €6M in international grants and €3M in national funding. Key highlights included the €2M MSCA COFUND NeuroAdapt Programme, an ERC Starting Grant for Dr Mike Dolan and several successful MSCA Doctoral Network awards and Health Research Board’s Investigator-Led Projects. 

Dr Sanaz Rasti also received the prestigious NUI Grant Scheme Award for Early Career Academics in 2024. Supported by FutureNeuro and RCSI’s School of Population Health, she will organise a conference in 2025 exploring AI in primary healthcare, focusing on diagnostics, clinical decision-making, and AI-driven innovations in healthcare. 

Industry Engagement and Informing Policy  

FutureNeuro signed nine new industry contracts this year, including a multi-site clinical trial for long-term seizure monitoring. Our Business Development Manager, Julia Rakovets, represented FutureNeuro at BioEurope, facilitating over 40 meetings and opening doors to new collaborations. 

We also played a leading role in shaping health policy, advocating for a National Biobank Office to coordinate biobanking nationwide, and engaging with policymakers on the Health Information Bill and National Research Ethics Committees Bill. FutureNeuro experts participated in a policy workshop on AI and genomics, discussing the ethical and practical challenges of integrating AI into healthcare and genomics. 

Patient and Public Engagement 

2024 marked a year of deepened engagement with patients and the public. Our PPI Information Day in April highlighted the importance of patient perspectives in shaping research, with attendees exploring ways to get involved. This led to the launch of our PPI panel for Parkinson’s Disease, supporting the €1.8M 4DPD-Omics project, as well as a Data, Trust, and Transparency group to guide the governance of sensitive patient data. 

Additionally, our Why We Do Research clinic visits brought 16 FutureNeuro team members to the Epilepsy Outpatient Clinic at Beaumont Hospital, fostering meaningful interactions between patients and clinicians. 

The My Moving Brain project, also launched this year, brought together people impacted by brain conditions, caregivers, and clinicians to discuss brain health and inclusion in sport. Feedback from the first Community Connect event was overwhelmingly positive, and more events are planned for 2025. 

We continued our support for important patient events such as the Dravet Syndrome Ireland Symposium and the Epilepsy Ireland National Conference, ensuring that patient voices continue to guide and shape our research. 

Looking Ahead 

As we look to 2025, FutureNeuro remains committed to advancing neuroscience through impactful research, fostering collaborations across sectors, and ensuring patient voices are central to our work. Here’s to another year of discovery and progress!