It’s a time of year to take stock, to appreciate the successes of 2023 and to think about the future.

A quick look at some numbers gives a sense of the level of activity during the year.

  • We made 58 new awards, worth approximately €51 million across 15 schemes.  
  • We released 11 new publications – many looking at key health and social care topics such as problem drug and alcohol use, disability and mental health.
  • €36 million additional funding was leveraged by health researchers based in Ireland through the Horizon Europe framework programme.
  • We presented six times at the Citizens Assembly on Drug Use to provide expert evidence and help inform decision-making.
  • We supported National Research Ethics Committees to issue 150 ethics opinions and 455 substantial modifications for research proposals through the National Office.  
  • We hosted five successful conferences covering grant holders, research ethics, drugs and alcohol.

To help everyone to reflect, in December we ran a series of #HRB2023 posts on X – 12 of them, it is Christmas after all.

The posts captured some memories of projects and events from the past year, as well as practical tips and resources to help you into the future.

Applying for Horizon Europe funding? If so, here is a snappy guide on how to approach and write that proposal and (fingers crossed!) secure the funding for your health project! https://tinyurl.com/HRBHorizonGuide #HRB2023

In July, we published a report on disability services in Ireland, and needs for the next 5 years. Full report: https://tinyurl.com/HRBdisabilityreport and handy infographic: https://tinyurl.com/HRBdisabilityservices #HRB2023

“We can’t move forward on any issues if we can’t work side by side with others as well.” Wise words from HRB CEO Dr Mairéad O’Driscoll at our Grant Holders Conference in Feb. Learn more: https://tinyurl.com/HRBCollaboration #HRB2023

From October 2023, we increased the stipend for our existing and new HRB-funded PhD candidates – up from €19,000 to €25,000 per year. Read more here: https://tinyurl.com/HRBstipend #HRB2023

The cross-border initiative CHITIN has enabled collaborative research and trials in areas such as diabetes, obesity and stroke plus many more in the last 5 years. Find out more here: https://tinyurl.com/CHITINvideo #HRB2023

Carrying out an evidence review? Dr Jean Long and Dr Lisa Murphy from the HRB Evidence Centre have 7 steps to help you make it an epic one: https://tinyurl.com/HRBEvidence #HRB2023

The HRB was invited to contribute to the Citizens’ Assembly on Drug Use in a number of ways throughout 2023, informing the discussions on this important issue for Irish society. Read more and watch back our experts’ presentations here: https://tinyurl.com/534dm88a #HRB2023

Data Access, Storage, Sharing and Linkage (DASSL) are key for health research in the 21st century. HRB supported @ichec to develop recommendations for technical infrastructure in Ireland. Read more: https://tinyurl.com/HRBDASSL #HRB2023

HRB carried out the first study in Ireland to use routinely collected drug treatment data to gain insights into affected family members and their support needs. Learn more here: https://tinyurl.com/AffectedFamilyMembers #HRB2023

Earlier this year, mid-way through HRB’s strategy for 2021-2025, HRB Chief Executive Dr Mairéad O’Driscoll reflected on progress to date and the shape of things to come. Read more here: https://tinyurl.com/HRBsnapshots #HRB2023

In 2023, we invested €1.9 million for 10 projects in our Applied Partnership Awards. These awards bring knowledge users and researchers together around a specific need in the Irish health/social care system. Read more here: https://tinyurl.com/HRBAPAs #HRB2023. Detailed information on the next call will be announced in January 2024.

Hosted jointly with @NREC_Office, this year our National Conference put research ethics centre stage. More than 300 people registered to join us and discuss burning ethical questions in areas from inclusion to emerging technologies. Watch back here: https://tinyurl.com/urh2tf6s #HRB2023

And finally, for a bit of reading over the holidays, Health Research in Action is hot off the presses, highlighting some of the many notable impacts and outcomes of the Health Research Board’s recent activities. Featuring 29 stories grouped into four themes, it demonstrates the scope and influence of HRB work. https://bit.ly/4apwtIu
 
Wishing all of our community a wonderful festive season and the best for 2024.