Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin
Trinity College Dublin is both Ireland’s oldest university, having been established in 1592, and its premier university. There are 15,600 students and 3,700 staff. Trinity College is ranked in 61st position in the top 100 world universities by the QS World University Rankings 2013. In the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for 2013, Trinity is ranked 129th in the top 200 world universities. Trinity’s strategic research focus is on five key areas – Materials & Intelligent Systems, Biosciences and Translational Research, Transport, Energy & Environment, European & International Integration, and Culture & Creative Arts.
Infection and immunity is a major research theme within the pillar Biosciences and Translational Research with involvement across a number of schools. These include the Schools of Biochemistry and Immunology, Genetics and Microbiology, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Medicine and the Dental School. Much research has focused on issues relating to Innate immunity and includes the nature of infectious agents and their contribution to disease, immunity to and immune evasion by bacteria, viruses and parasites, vaccine and adjuvant development, inflammatory diseases and drugs that suppress inflammation.
The Department of Microbiology is an academic department committed to exploration of the interactions between microbial pathogens and their animal hosts and to advancement of knowledge likely to impact positively on the development of vaccines, diagnostic tools and novel preventive and therapeutic treatments to combat and control infectious and communicable diseases affecting mankind and domestic animals worldwide