Past, Present and Future
Royal Irish Academy - Excellent Research: Ireland and the ERC
Excellent Science: Ireland and the ERC, Dublin 17/11/14
My ERC Experience:
Dr. David Hoey
Dept. Mechanical, Aeronautical, and Biomedical Engineering
Centre for Applied Biomedical Engineering Research (CABER),
Materials and Surface Science Institute (MSSI).
University of Limerick
1
European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant 2013:
“Primary Cilium-Mediated Mesenchymal Stem Cell
Mechanobiology in Bone”
Evaluation Panel
Physical Sciences and Engineering
PE8: Products and Processes Engineering
Excellent Science: Ireland and the ERC, Dublin 17/11/14
My Application
Osteocytes
2
MSCs
Osteoblasts
• Why did I apply to the ERC?
• Intimidating
 New PI
 Competitiveness (IE)
• Financial
 €1.5 Million over 5 years
 SFI Support Programme
 Excellent for young researchers (new PIs)
• The suitability
Excellent Science: Ireland and the ERC, Dublin 17/11/14
The Past
 Broad scope
 Basic science (blue sky)
• Prestige
 Research excellence
3
• Credibility
 Institutional
 Internationally
• Facilities
 Laboratory
 Research Team
• Teaching
• Research
 More focus
 Ambitious / High risk
Excellent Science: Ireland and the ERC, Dublin 17/11/14
The Present
4
• Multi-scale analysis of cilia-mediated bone formation
 Development of innovative techniques
•
•
•
Animal
Cell Culture
Single Cell
–
•
Primary Cilium
Biomaterials
Excellent Science: Ireland and the ERC, Dublin 17/11/14
The Present
Osteocytes
5
MSCs
Osteoblasts
Hoey, D.A., Tormey, S., et al; Stem Cells. 2012
• Multi-scale analysis of cilia-mediated bone formation
 Development of innovative techniques
•
•
•
Animal
Cell Culture
Single Cell
–
•
Primary Cilium
Biomaterials
Excellent Science: Ireland and the ERC, Dublin 17/11/14
The Present
Osteocytes
6
MSCs
Osteoblasts
• Multi-scale analysis of cilia-mediated bone formation
 Development of innovative techniques
•
•
•
Animal
Cell Culture
Single Cell
–
•
Primary Cilium
Biomaterials
Excellent Science: Ireland and the ERC, Dublin 17/11/14
The Present
Osteocytes
7
MSCs
Osteoblasts
Collaborators
Prof. Chris Jacobs (Columbia, US)
Prof. Peter Wang (Stanford, US)
Prof. Kristen Verhey (Michigan. US)
Prof. Masamichi Ohkura (Saitama University, Japan)
• Multi-scale analysis of cilia-mediated bone formation
 Development of innovative techniques
•
•
•
Animal
Cell Culture
Single Cell
–
•
Primary Cilium
Biomaterials
Excellent Science: Ireland and the ERC, Dublin 17/11/14
The Present
Osteocytes
8
MSCs
Osteoblasts
• Create foundations for my career
• Develop my niche area
• Obtain research independence
• Grant applications
• Domino effect on other grants
• International Collaborators
• Preliminary data
• Excellent science
• Research awards
• High impact publications
Excellent Science: Ireland and the ERC, Dublin 17/11/14
The Future
9
Acknowledgements:
Acknowledgements:
Research Team
Dr. Marie-Noelle Labour
Niall Kelly
Robert Thomas Brady
Elena Stavenschi
Michele Corrigan
Kian Eichholz
Gillian Johnson
Anushree Dwivedi
Siobhan Coyle
Collaborators
Prof. Christopher Jacobs
Prof. Soren Christensen
Prof. Fergal O’Brien
Prof. Daniel Kelly
Dr. Julia Chen
Dr. Kristen Lee
Supported by:
European Research Council Starting Grant (No. 336882)
Science Foundation Ireland (No. SFI/13/ERC/L2864)
IRCSET-Marie Curie International Mobility Fellowship in Science, Engineering and Technology
Excellent Science: Ireland and the ERC, Dublin 17/11/14
Thank You
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