Funded through the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme under the Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Networks scheme, the €3.6 million award includes €1 million in funding for MU. This investment will fund 11 doctoral researchers working across genetics, data science, sleep science and mental health. In addition to their research, the candidates will receive training in leadership, communication and project management, preparing a new generation of researchers to tackle complex health challenges.
Sleep is increasingly recognised as a key pillar of health, alongside exercise and diet, with growing evidence that it plays a critical role in protecting and promoting mental wellbeing yet many of the biological mechanisms linking sleep and mental health remain poorly understood.
Mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia affect millions worldwide and present major challenges for individuals and societies and improving sleep health holds clear potential for enhancing mental health outcomes one of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Addressing this need requires harnessing advances in big data, genomics and technology to develop new preventative and therapeutic approaches a central focus of DataGenChrono.
Prof Andrew Coogan at the Department of Psychology and Kathleen Lonsdale Institute for Human Health Research, Maynooth University, said: “Improving sleep health has enormous potential to protect and promote mental health. This programme brings together outstanding collaborators from across Europe and Canada to train the next generation of researchers who will drive innovation in this important field. I am excited to be part of a programme that combines world class research with the development of future leaders in sleep and mental health research.”
Prof. Lorna Lopez at the Department of Biology, Kathleen Lonsdale Institute for Human Health Research, and FutureNeuro Research Ireland Centre for Translational Brain Science at Maynooth University, said: “We need to advance our understanding of mental health, and to achieve this we need to train the very best researchers. That is why I am so excited about DataGenChrono. Our programme will equip PhD students with expertise in human genomics, data science, sleep, chronobiology and strategic science communication, alongside the AI and leadership skills needed to thrive in the future research landscape. By 2030, our graduates will be ready to lead data driven innovation across academia, healthcare and industry, helping to shape the future of mental health research. Supporting early career researchers is my favourite part of the job, and I am delighted to help this new generation develop into future research leaders.”
MU’s role as the lead institution reflects its international status in sleep research, genetics and mental health, as well as its established track record in training doctoral researchers in these areas.
