CANCER RESEARCH, NEW-AGE radar techniques and models on movement around Dublin are three of the industry–academia partnerships set to receive Government funding.

In total, twenty projects across eight different third-level institutions will share €1.7 million from the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.

The funding announced today is being made through Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and involves research in animal health, energy grids, marine, solar energy, transport and oncology.

Both multinational companies and SMEs participating in the research projects including Siemens, Crystal Innovation, ESB Networks, IBM and Intel Ireland.

Of the 20 projects being funded, UCD projects have received the biggest number with 5, TCD (1), UCC (2), Tyndall Institute (1), UL (1), NUIG (3), NUIM (5) and RCSI (2).

SFI is involved in funding the projects through its Industry Fellowship Programme, an initiative Jobs Minister Richard Bruton says is vital in building up research infrastructure:

The SFI fellowships are an important measure in delivering this, by providing funding to research projects working directly on solutions to problems that particular companies are facing. In this way, we can support researchers who are working on projects which can ultimately be developed into commercial ideas and employment.

“The awards will provide academic researchers with practical working knowledge of relevant business drivers as well as legitimate industry experience and important industry contacts,” adds SFI’s Government adviser Mark Ferguson.

“Industry partners participating in the programme will gain from the up skilling of staff and input into their research and development.”

Read: How to erase a memory – and restore it >

Read: Goats and sheep became individual species more than 4 million years ago >