Undergraduate Summer Research Internship 2025
Below are details of the Projects available under the Undergraduate Research Summer Internships 2025 initiative.
Interested applicants should complete this Undergraduate Summer Research Internship Form before the deadline on Thursday 24th April 2025 at 5pm.
There is increasing evidence to suggest that concern for the environmental is linked with metal health outcomes. Martin et al. (2020) identified three ways that climate change may affect mental health: 1) Climate change can directly impact mental health by exposing people to trauma, 2) Climate change may also affect mental health indirectly as a result of changes to social (e.g., eco-migration), economic (e.g., income insecurity) and environmental (e.g., solastalgia) determinants of mental health, and 3) mental health may be impacted by climate change from an individual’s overarching awareness and concern for its imminent threats and potential global consequences. Regarding the latter, anecdotal reports (e.g. Wolf & Salo, 2008; Moser, 2013) and dedicated individual programmes of research (e.g. Searle & Gow, 2010; Jones, Wootton, Vaccaro & Menzies, 2012) have indicated that the general public is becoming increasingly concerned about climate change and that there is a relationship between this concern and mental health symptoms. Despite this, due to the highly politicised nature of this topic, there have been substantial criticisms of such research. Considering this, and in the absence of systematic analyses of the relationship between mental health and ecological concern, there is a need to undertake a systematic review of the aca-demic literature to establish the current state of the science in this area. This review aims to focus on the relationship between mental health and ecological concern in the academic literature to establish the current state of the science in this area. Objectives for the review include: 1) To examine how ecological concern is defined and measured in published literature to date, 2) To investigate the association between levels of eco-concern and key mental health variables in published literature, 3) To explore individuals' perceptions and experiences relating to the impact of ecological concern on mental health and well-being.
For further information contact the project lead:
Dr Simon Dunne | School of Psychology
Email: simon.dunne@dcu.ie
Smoking is the number one habit globally with a significant impact on human health and the environment. Therefore, monitoring and safeguarding the ecosystem is a key area for research and innovation. Traditionally, pollution assessment was based on the detection of chemicals in the environment and changes in fauna and flora and the comparisons with water quality standards. These measurements are weak, are limited by their detection limits to a number of pollutants, but most importantly they cannot produce any mechanistic or predictive insight. This lack of realism is reflected on the legislation over emerging contaminants such as compounds derived from the combustion of cigarettes. Cigarette butts produce tons of litter, and they find their way into the environment due to their improper disposal, thus increasing exposure to humans and other organisms. As such, the filter butts concentrate a great number of compounds which are then metabolized to several more which we cannot even detect. This is why the need for sensitive metrics for pollution assessment is eminent. Systems Toxicology as a novel field of research aims to bridge this gap by introducing molecular markers of physiology as new metrics of responses. The intern will generate first extracts from cigarette filters before and after smoking and characterize their chemical composition. Importantly, the intern will assess the changes in the physiology of daphnids upon exposure to a cigarette-derived pollutants from filters, therefore, providing conclusive insight on their action and the means of their detection. Using metabolomics, phenotypic (lethality, feeding, respiration) and mechanistic markers of physiology the characteristic “molecular fingerprints” will be used to provide biological information. The aim is to revolutionise risk assessment and elevate the water flea as an equivalent to “a canary in the coal mine” or an early warning system to monitor and predict aquatic pollution.
For further information contact the project lead:
Assist. Prof Konstantinos Gkrintzalis | School of Biotechnology
Project: In recent decades, there has been growing recognition of the importance of Computational Thinking (CT) in education. However, in Ireland, access to CT remains limited. Spatial reasoning skills, including mental rotation, spatial orientation, perspective-taking, and navigation, have been linked to problem-solving, algorithmic thinking, and pattern recognition—key components of CT. Despite several studies exploring this relationship, a systematic synthesis of evidence is needed to understand how spatial reasoning training enhances CT, particularly through extended reality (XR) interventions. This study aims to systematically review empirical research on XR-based spatial training interventions and their transferability to CT and AI skills; and to quantitatively explore these effects using a meta-analysis. To achieve this, we will search PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science for experimental studies examining XR-based spatial abilities training in general population samples. The results of this study will contribute to the development of evidence-based educational tools that foster STEM learning, while preparing future Irish innovators in AI.
Relevance: I have mentored over 80 students across the EU and USA. As Director of the Cognition in Learning Lab, my research focuses on spatial cognition, STEM learning, and developing spatial reasoning training to enhance STEM learning.
Reporting and Mentorship: The student will meet weekly to report progress and bi-weekly for training in Covidence, R, and JASP.
Skills Development: The student will undertake their internship at the Cognition in Learning Lab and will be an affiliated researcher at the Centre for Possibility Studies and CASTeL. They will be trained in systematic literature reviews using the PRISMA protocol, Covidence for data management, and performing meta-analysis with R and JASP. The student will bridge the STEM education gap nationally and internationally, promoting CT among Irish students. This project offers an excellent foundation and could serve as a stepping stone toward a future PhD project.
For further information contact the project lead:
Dr Marianna Pagkratidou | School of Psychology
Email: marianna.pagkratidou@dcu.ie
The NOURISH-PM project, titled "Nutrition and Operational Uplift for Recovery in Surgery of Peritoneal Malignancy," is a nested summer internship project embedded within the PANO Trial registered with clinicaltrials.gov (NCT:05305820). This project addresses the critical need for prehabilitation in patients undergoing cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS-HIPEC) for peritoneal malignancy (PM), a complex and aggressive treatment for advanced abdominal cancers. The primary aim of the NOURISH-PM project is to investigate the impact of exercise and nutrition optimisation on patient outcomes before and after CRS-HIPEC surgery, with a specific focus on Foodbook 24 self-reported food intake, self-reported activity levels, accelerometer and activity log data, as well as hospital stay and surgical complication data. Given that low physical fitness and poor nutrition are significant risk factors for surgical complications, this study is crucial for improving patient care. The project will focus on analyzing physical activity and nutrition data during the follow-up period, with the objective of determining whether supportive programs can positively influence these factors during the preparation and recovery phases.
The PANO Trial, funded by the Irish Research Council Coalesce Scheme and supported by Breakthrough Cancer Research, is a randomized control trial assessing the feasibility of incorporating prehabilitation into the treatment pathway for PM patients. It aims to understand the effects on well-being, physical fitness, and clinical outcomes. The project aligns with national and international research priorities by focusing on poor prognosis cancers and aims to improve survivorship through early intervention. Outputs of NOURISH-PM will complement the broader PANO trial, ultimately enhancing care strategies for PM patients undergoing CRS-HIPEC procedures. This initiative not only contributes to best practice guidelines but also supports the development of tailored, effective interventions for PM patient care within World Cancer Lifestyle research.
For further information contact the project lead:
Dr Lorraine Boran | School of Psychology
Email: lorraine.boran@dcu.ie
Background:
Diabetes mellitus is a debilitating disease characterised by an increase in blood sugar levels (hyperglycaemia). One of the main complications of diabetes is diabetic retinopathy (DR). DR is characterised by blood vessel changes within the eye leading to vision loss. Current treatments can help slow vision loss, but do not present a cure. Hence, novel therapies are urgently needed.
One intervention that has gained in popularity are extracellular vesicles (EVs). EVs are released by endothelial cells and play diverse roles in cell-cell communication. EVs have been used successfully in improving cell function in a range of diseases, including DR.
Hypothesis:
I hypothesise that treating endothelial cells under hyperglycaemic conditions with healthy endothelial cell-derived EVs can help overcome some of the pathophysiology seen in DR.
Aims
This project aims to better understand how retinal microvasculature behaves under hyperglycaemia. Moreover, this project will assess the effect EVs have on the barrier function of retinal endothelial cells and whether EVs may serve as a potential treatment for DR.
Research Design and Methodology:
Primary human retinal microvascular endothelial cells will be grown under different controlled conditions: normoglycaemia (5 mM glucose) control, hyperglycaemia (15 and 30 mM glucose, simulating pre-diabetes and diabetes, and osmotic control (15 and 30 mM mannose).
Cell viability (Crystal Violet), reactive oxygen species (ROS) production (Dihydroethidium and MitoSOX) and barrier function (FITC-Dextran permeability assay) will be measured to determine the effect of the culturing conditions.
EVs isolated from cultured endothelial cells will be characterized using dynamic light scattering and western blotting to visualize known EV markers such as tetraspanins.
Lastly, endothelial cells will be treated with EVs and their effects on endothelial cell viability, ROS production and barrier function will be assayed.
For further information contact the project lead:
Assist. Prof Janosch Heller | School of Biotechnology
Email: Janosch.Heller@dcu.ie
DCU is leading on the implementation of one of two workstreams that form the focus of the extension project. The Banking and Payments Federation of Ireland (BPFI) as well as the Financial Alliance (FA - Singapore) and CSA Working Group (London) are key industry partners supporting the project team in this activity. The focus of this is a report on good practice and policy recommendations for enhanced detection of OSAEC related payments in the financial sector. Additionally,an associated recommendation for enhanced training of key stakeholders in the detection, verification and reporting of suspicious transactions within the financial and payments sector (e.g., compliance officers, fraud detection and AML specialists as well as law enforcement liaisons). To this end, the BPFI, FA and CSA working group are facilitating the recruitment of participants in one to one interviews with relevant stakeholders from banking, payments, fintech and fincrime sectors, to be take place online. Additionally they will support the distribution of a confidential survey of training needs across the financial sector to inform the content of the associated training requirement. It is envisaged that the final report will be finalised in August 2025, with dissemination events to take place in the Philippines (to financial sector organisations with in-country operations) and/or in Ireland.
The second activity, relevant to this internship application involves the development of an OSAEC-related payments typology based on analysis of donated de-identified data related to suspicious transaction reports..
This analysis will take place between May and July 2025 to inform the intended typology development. Additionally, this will include existing project data sources and in consultation with our industry partner, AMLakas, which maintains expertise in developing OSAEC-related payment detection typologies to support the identification of potential OSAEC-related transactions on financial services platforms.
For further information contact the project lead:
Dr Maggie Brennan | School of Psychology
Email: maggie.brennan@dcu.ie
Cancer nurses play a crucial role in the delivery of personalised interventions to address the lifestyle and symptom needs of people affected by cancer. However, there are gaps in nurses' knowledge and skills in this area due to the lack of a specialised curriculum.
This study aims to develop a precision oncology competence framework for cancer nursing. The internship forms part of a larger, high-impact initiative contributing to the Lancet Oncology Commission on Precision Cancer Care (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(23)0000…). The intern will work alongside an international research team to define nursing roles and scope of practice in precision oncology globally, with the opportunity to contribute as a co-author to the Commission report.
The intern’s primary focus will be Phase 1 of the project: an international analysis and mapping of postgraduate precision oncology education programmes for cancer nurses. This will involve systematic and grey literature searches of professional and academic sources, guided by Posner’s Process for Curriculum Analysis (2004). The intern will use and adapt a validated data extraction tool developed by the PI (Drury, 2023), informed by Kirkpatrick’s four levels of learning, to capture key elements such as programme aims, curriculum models, competencies, delivery methods, and assessments.
Concurrently, the PI and international collaborators will lead Phase 2 (qualitative interviews with precision medicine experts to explore the role of specialist nurses) and Phase 3 (a Delphi consensus study to finalise competencies and curriculum content). While the intern’s primary focus is Phase 1, they will have the opportunity to contribute to the analysis and interpretation of Phase 1 data and Phase 2 design. This will provide valuable experience in data analysis, research design, and international collaboration while supporting the intern’s skill development and future competitiveness for postgraduate research opportunities.
For further information contact the project lead:
Dr Amanda Drury | School of Nursing, Psychotherapy and Community Health
Email: amanda.drury@dcu.ie