Health Research Institute (HRI), University of Limerick
The HRI was established in 2014 to align researchers from different disciplines and partner organisations around common research goals with a focus on health across the lifespan and healthy ageing.
Our Strategy (2023-2028)- Research delivering for Health
Our vision is to become a leading research institute for health and wellbeing research, aligning with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 3: ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages.
Governance and Management
The HRI is committed to operating to the highest standards of governance.
Our organisational structure includes:
- The HRI Executive Committee, which provides strategic leadership, oversees governance, and acts as the Institute's decision-making body.
- The HRI Management Team, which is responsible for implementing the Institute's strategy and supporting its effective operation.
The Executive Committee is currently establishing an External Advisory Board.
Operations
Responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the Institute rests with the Operations Teams based in University of Limerick campus and within the HRI Clinical Research Support Unit (CRSU), located at the Clinical Education and Research Centre (CERC) building on the grounds of University Hospital Limerick (UHL).
Clinical Research Support Unit (CRSU)
The CRSU was established in 2014. It houses a highly skilled clinical research team and provides clinical research facilities including fully equipped clinical rooms, researcher hot desking space and meeting/board rooms for research related meetings and events.
Our Expertise includes:
- Priority Research Areas: Ageing; Cancer; Physical Activity for Health; Food, Diet and Nutrition
- Underpinning Areas of Excellence: Implementation Science; Participatory Health Research; Digital Health
- Biostatistics
- Health informatics
- Data analytics
- Health economics
- Good Clinical Practice
- Trials Methodology
- Critical Appraisal Skills Training
Building Strong Networks
We foster a robust network of researchers within the university and with external partners. Our aim is to attract top researchers, collaborate with industry, and involve patients and communities in our research. By focusing on person-centred, technology-driven healthcare, we strive to improve health outcomes and wellbeing.
Enabling Researchers
We enable access to interdisciplinary research expertise across various departments, building a critical mass of researchers both locally and internationally. We aim to facilitate connections with research leaders, clinical and industry partners, NGOs, charity and advocacy partners and patient communities.
Our Objectives
The Health Research Institute drives the development of health research at UL and with its partners and collaborators. We are committed to advancing person-centred, technology-enabled and integrated healthcare through both individual and collaborative research.
Supported by expertise in biostatistics, health informatics and health economics, and enabled by the Clinical Research Support Unit (CRSU), we provide a collaborative environment that fosters discovery, innovation and research excellence.
Our objectives are to:
- Strengthen the scope and capacity of health research within UL and beyond.
- Support researchers through access to interdisciplinary expertise and collaborative networks.
- Facilitate connections with research leaders, healthcare providers, industry partners, patients and communities.
- Advance person-centred, technology-enabled and integrated healthcare.
- Foster innovative research that contributes to better health, improved care and a healthier society.
The activities of the HRI are supported by expertise in biostatistics, health informatics and health economics, and facilitated by the Clinical Research Support Unit (CRSU). Our goal is to provide a rich collaborative environment that fosters discovery and innovation in health science that will lead to better health, improved care and a healthier society.
The HRI acts as an enabler for researchers by allowing access to interdisciplinary research expertise across a range of departments which will develop a critical mass of researchers - interdepartmental, inter-institutional and international.
The HRI aims to allow easier access to research leaders with significant track records as well as industry partners, patient cohorts and communities.
The HRI’s objectives will support the scope and capacity of research within UL and with its partners. These objectives not only emphasis the importance of individual research, but of establishing a collaborative research network at the heart of our Health research community. We will pursue to advance person-centred, technology enabled, integrated healthcare and treatment.
