People involved in ground-breaking research projects around the country were honoured at the Irish Cancer Society Research Awards on Thursday, February 19 at Irish Cancer Society Head Office in Ballsbridge.
Every year, the Irish Cancer Society invests approximately €4 million in innovative cancer research.
In 2025, the Society funded?25?new projects and supported over 150 cancer researchers across Ireland.
The event, hosted by the Irish Cancer Society’s Head of Research, Dr Claire Kilty, celebrates some of the amazing work in cancer research being carried out by nominees around Ireland, funded by the Irish Cancer Society.
Among those to claim top honours were Prof Sinead Brennan, Roisin O’Maolalai, Ciaran Malone, Sam Ryan and Jill Nicholson from the St Luke’s Radiation Oncology Network in Rathgar who scooped the Irish Cancer Society Clinical and Translational Project of the Year Award.
Their project explored using a new technology called surface-guided radiotherapy to establish whether open-faced masks could safely replace traditional closed masks for patients undergoing radiotherapy, and if this could offer an improved patient experience while maintaining the same level of accuracy provided by closed masks.
Their findings demonstrated that open-faced masks, when used with surface-guided radiotherapy, provide the same level of treatment precision as closed masks, while significantly reducing patient distress.
Welcoming the group’s Clinical and Translational Project of the Year Award, Roisin O’Maolalai, who is from Glasnevin and is the manager of the Irish Research Radiation Oncology Group, said: “Our work shows that it is possible to deliver safe, accurate radiotherapy in a way that is more comfortable, reassuring, and compassionate for patients undergoing cancer treatment.
“Winning an Irish Cancer Society Research Award is an enormous honour.
“It represents recognition that patient-centred, practice-changing research matters, and that improving how people experience cancer treatment is an important area for research.”
Congratulating the winners, Irish Cancer Society Head of Research Dr Claire Kilty 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 in quality of life beyond cancer.
“It was fantastic to get an appreciation of the amazing cancer research projects currently happening right across the country at the Irish Cancer Society Research Awards, and to be able to recognise the great strides that are being made in cancer research.
“We are proud to be the largest voluntary funder of cancer research in Ireland. However, none of the vital research we fund would be possible without the support of the public, especially on days like Daffodil Day.
“We would encourage everyone to please get out there and support Daffodil Day in whatever way you can on March 20th.”