Researchers honoured at ICS Research Awards 2025

Award-winning projects include a new potential treatment path for high-grade ovarian cancer, and Ireland’s first patient-led metastatic breast cancer research initiative

On Thursday 20 February, we held our annual Irish Cancer Society (ICS) Research Awards, aimed at honouring the groundbreaking cancer research happening right here in Ireland.

As the largest voluntary funder of cancer research in Ireland, we have invested over €30 million in the last 10 years to fund world-class cancer research around the country. We are incredibly privileged to have funded more than 180 researchers nationwide last year. We believe that through these research efforts a future where no one dies from cancer is within our grasp.

To recognise this incredible progress, every year the ICS hosts our annual Research Awards as an opportunity to highlight the impact made by our funded researchers
and support staff, as well as the contribution of our
patient partners.

Among those to claim top honours this year were Translational and Clinical Project of the Year winner, Dr Karen Slattery. This award is aimed at honouring excellent translational or clinical projects which seek to research new ways to detect cancer as early as possible or research which looks to develop new or improved cancer treatments.

Serous ovarian cancer

Dr Slattery, based in Trinity College Dublin, conducts research to identify new therapeutic targets for the treatment of high-grade serous ovarian cancer. When asked about her work, she said: “My research is focused on understanding how ovarian cancer impacts the immune system. We observed that ovarian cancer patients have dysfunctional immune cells, including important cancer-fighting immune cells called natural killer cells
and T cells.

“By studying the make-up of abdominal fluid containing cancer cells from ovarian cancer patients, we were able to identify a specific type of fat molecule, known as a phospholipid, that is a key driver of this immune dysfunction.

“Importantly, blocking the uptake of this phospholipid into natural killer cells was able to restore their ability to kill cancer cells. These findings may guide the design of future immunotherapies for patients with advanced ovarian cancer.

“Winning this Irish Cancer Society Research Award is a deeply humbling and significant milestone in my career as a scientist. It is an honour to receive recognition for the years of hard work I’ve put into this research.

“Working on this project has been incredibly rewarding, and I am proud of the contribution we’ve made to the field of ovarian cancer research.”

Survivorship

A collaborative cancer research team from University College Cork won the Survivorship Project of the Year Award, which recognises exemplary research to improve the care and quality of life for people affected by cancer.

The Cork-based research group – which consists of a large multidisciplinary team of experts including Prof Josephine Hegarty, Prof Roisin Connolly, Ms Katie Johnston, Dr Brendan Palmer, and Ms Kate O’Connell – took home the prize for their work on the Linking You to Support and Advice (LYSA) study. This trial investigated the feasibility and effectiveness of introducing a nurse-led survivorship clinic into routine post-treatment care for women with breast and gynaecologic cancers across two Irish cancer centres.

Engagement

Ms Chantal Halley, University College Dublin, scooped the Support Staff of the Year Award. This prize recognises an individual who, on a daily basis, works behind the scenes and goes above and beyond the call of duty to support cancer research being carried out across
the country.

Ms Halley was honoured with this prize for her role as Engagement Research Manager at the All-Island Cancer Research Institute, where she supports and engages with multiple cancer research stakeholders to drive forward an all-island cancer research framework and agenda.

Ms Halley said: “This award is an important recognition for everyone who works in similar roles. Research is not a straight path. It relies on many moving parts, and each of us plays a role in keeping things moving forward. Some are at the forefront, in labs, hospitals, and clinics. Others are presenting findings to policymakers, working to turn research into real-world change.

“And then there are those, like me, working behind the scenes, trying to turn ideas into action while simultaneously helping to facilitate opportunities for collaboration,” she said.

PPI

The event also celebrated the central contribution of people affected by cancer to innovative research projects. This was reflected in the Public and Patient Involvement Achievement of the Year Award, which went to Ms Siobhan Gaynor and the Cancer Trials Ireland (CTI) team for their work initiating the first patient-led CTI research project focused on metastatic breast cancer. Ms Gaynor, who is a member of the CTI patient representative group, was driven by her own experience to develop a study researching the gaps in services for metastatic breast cancer patients, and to gain a deeper understanding of their specific needs.

PhD research

The final prize of the night, the PhD Researcher of the Year Award, went to Ms Jennifer Fitzpatrick. Ms Fitzpatrick’s project – ‘The Childhood and Adolescent Cancer Survivors’ Physical Activity and Movement Programme’ (CHAMPS) – is a global first.

The programme was developed, in collaboration with families, to support young people (aged 10 to 19 years) who have had cancer. CHAMPS is a free, personalised, 12-week physical activity programme, based entirely in the young person’s home and guided by their ability and interests in activity.

Ms Fitzpatrick, who is based in the Technological University of the Shannon, said she was delighted to receive this prestigious award: “Receiving a nomination for an Irish Cancer Society Research Award is such an honour. It recognises dedicating the last four years of my work to improving the lives of young people who have had cancer. Seeing first-hand the impact CHAMPS can have on families is incredibly emotional, but also extremely rewarding. 

“I am truly grateful for the platform to develop a global first-of-its-kind programme for young people who have had cancer, but to also be recognised for this achievement is such a privilege.”

The ICS was delighted and heartened to see the calibre of all the nominees and prize winners for this
year’s awards.

The ICS said: “Cancer research in Ireland has a huge impact on the lives of people affected by cancer. It is a driving force in improving not only treatments and outcomes, but also in quality of life beyond cancer. It is fantastic to get an appreciation of the amazing cancer research projects currently happening right across the country, and to see so much progress that is happening in Ireland in the field of cancer research.

“However, none of the vital research we fund at the ICS would be possible without the support of the public, especially on days like Daffodil Day.”