HRI marks International Womens Day with 'HRI Women in Research' campaign

For International Women’s Day 2026, the Health Research Institute is proud to highlight the work and leadership of the women who shape, influence, and advance research across the University of Limerick and beyond. This year, we invited five HRI researchers to share their stories and insights. Their reflections span youth mental health, women’s health, justice, ageing, and patient safety, offering a collective picture of what meaningful, collaborative research looks like in practice. Throughout their work, a shared theme emerges: research that centres lived experience, strengthens communities, and translates into real-world impact.

We begin with the reflections of Dr Ruth Melia, whose work in youth mental health is deeply influenced by the women she collaborates with. As co‑applicant on CO‑PRIME—the first mental health research network in Ireland and a major component of Sharing the Vision – Ireland’s Mental Health Strategy—she highlights the significance of UL women researchers positioned at the centre of this national investment. As Lead Applicant on the HRB‑funded PROACT project, Dr Melia works alongside Jigsaw—The National Centre for Youth Mental Health—to apply advanced analytics to anonymised youth mental health data. The goal is clear: support services in providing the right care, first time. This collaboration is strengthened by team members such as Jigsaw Youth Advocate Eva Lenihan, whose lived experience enriches PROACT’s design and interpretation.

Her supervisory work also reflects her commitment to addressing under‑researched areas: clinical doctoral candidate Susan O’Donovan’s research on EMDR for birth trauma, and doctoral candidate Amy Russell’s work with AsIAm exploring autistic adults’ experiences of suicidality. Additionally, Dr Melia acknowledges the contributions of digital mental health researcher Dr Aoife Whiston, whose leadership helped deliver the Digital Mental Health Conference at UL, coinciding with the launch of Ireland’s first National Digital Mental Health Strategy. She reflects too on the influence of UL researchers such as Professor Ita Richardson, whose commitment to equity and inclusion has shaped her own journey.

Collaboration also defines the work of Dr Aoife Whiston and Dr Elayne Ahern, whose joint leadership of the DAPHNE project expands understanding of women’s well‑being across the menstrual cycle. Supported by research assistants Anna Cunningham and Patricia Cross and a team of psychology students, DAPHNE captures women’s daily experiences over a 28‑day period, including stress, emotions, cognitive functioning, and physical symptoms. What began as two separate projects—Elayne’s focus on cognitive functioning in women with depression and Aoife’s work on menstrual cycle dynamics—merged into a comprehensive longitudinal study through UL seed funding. Despite its intensity, the first wave saw more than 78 participants complete the full cycle before Christmas, demonstrating both the urgent need for women’s health research and participants’ willingness to contribute their experiences. As recruitment opens again, the team is building a dataset that will enable more informed, accurate, and compassionate approaches to women’s health.

The theme of amplifying overlooked experiences continues in the work of doctoral researcher and HRI Postgraduate Hub committee member Lynn Fenton. Her research brings vital attention to women affected by incarceration and gender‑based violence—populations whose voices too often go unheard. Using mixed methods and a social identity approach, Lynn examines how mothers construct maternal identity while imprisoned and how children navigate the stigma and complexity of having an incarcerated parent. Working with multidisciplinary partners and community organisations, she evaluates family‑ and relationship‑focused interventions within prison settings, including a psycho‑social‑educational programme addressing domestic violence, delivered by trained facilitators in an Irish women’s prison. Central to her approach is a commitment to ensuring the voices and lived experiences of imprisoned women guide the research process. Her work, supported by Professor Orla Muldoon and European Research Council funding, highlights both the humanity of the women involved and the structural barriers they face.

Our final contribution in this year’s campaign comes from Dr Margaret O’Connor, consultant geriatrician and member of the Ageing Research Centre (ARC). Reflecting on her career, she emphasises that her most significant professional shifts have come through sustained collaboration with colleagues who think differently but share a commitment to excellence in patient care, research, and education. Working within ARC has reshaped her clinical practice—moving from a disease-centred model to one that prioritises function, independence, quality of life, and the caregiver experience. This shift is informed by ARC’s interdisciplinary approach, linking researchers, clinical teams, and patient partners to ensure research is deeply aligned with the realities of ageing, frailty, and cognitive impairment.

Dr O’Connor has contributed to major real‑world trials including SOLAR, ED‑PLUS, OPTIMEND, TAPAS, CREAT‑ED and CONVINCE, where the emphasis is not just on generating evidence but on translating it into measurable improvements in patient outcomes and system performance. Her national leadership in medical education includes co‑founding and directing the Irish Clinician Educator Training Programme (RCPI), championing simulation-based training, and advocating for a coordinated Midwest Simulation Strategy and the establishment of a Clinical Research Facility in Limerick. She describes ARC as providing a “greenhouse effect”—a structure and culture that allow people and ideas to grow through shared expertise, respectful challenge, and team‑based problem‑solving. For International Women’s Day, her reflection is simple yet profound: a collaborative research culture enables meaningful improvements in patient safety, frontline services, workforce development, and public confidence in healthcare.

Together, the researchers highlighted in the HRI Women in Research 2026 campaign demonstrate the depth, diversity, and impact of women’s contributions across UL. Their work—rooted in collaboration, curiosity, and care—continues to shape policy, improve practice, and enhance lives across all stages and settings. This International Women’s Day, we celebrate them, amplify their voices, and acknowledge the transformative power of research led by women.