The Health and Biomedical Research Centre (HEAL)

Heal Mission

The Health and Biomedical Strategic Research Centre (HEAL) will, through undertaking transformative health and biomedical research, innovation and discovery, and training of the next generation of scientists and engineers, support the translation of knowledge and innovation for better health and societal outcomes in Ireland and beyond. 

HEAL Vision

To be recognised nationally and internationally as a high-quality, research-driven centre of excellence, translating interdisciplinary knowledge and innovations to industry and clinical practice with patient and public involvement and engagement, with the ultimate goal of improving healthcare and health outcomes for society.  

The HEAL Strategic Research Centre (SRC) will focus on improving health and wellbeing at the individual and societal level as well as advocating for patient-centred research and health improvement strategies in national policy development and implementation. The aims will be achieved by building on the research strengths of those across IT Sligo and their partners in the Connaught Ulster Alliance (CUA) and harnessing the capacity that has been developed over the last few years in this area as the Institute progresses to a Technological University. The SRC will continuously develop postgraduates capable of addressing regional, national and international healthcare challenges focusing on multi-disciplinary health and biomedical research programmes. The HEAL SRC will work across four pillars listed below.

                                                                             Click on each pillar for further information.

Population Health and Clinical Research
Biomedical and Wearable Technologies
Digital Health Technologies
Health Analytics, Evaluation and Policy

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The activities of the HEAL SRC will be supported by the expertise of its PIs, which includes nutrition, dietetics, genomics, biomedical, biostatistics, behavioural science, applied health economics, health policy, technology assessment, radiomics, data science, artificial intelligence and machine learning. The HEAL SRC objectives include:

  • Accomplish high-quality multidisciplinary health and biomedical research resulting in measurable positive impacts.
  • Provide a focal point for health and biomedical research within the CUA and with all external partners.
  • Develop PhD scholars in various aspects of health and biomedical innovation, analytics, products and services.

The HEAL SRC aspires to have an impact beyond academia, utilising evidence-based research to the benefit of practice, policy, community, and the health and wellbeing of all people and society.  As healthcare delivery reforms aligned with the Sláintecare strategy are ongoing in Ireland, the need for multiple perspectives and stakeholder engagement providing robust analysis in healthcare delivery is key to its successful implementation.  This HEAL SRC will work with established collaborators across the public and private sectors, as well as international research networks, to develop the scope of health and biomedical research in Ireland.