A rapid response to the Covid-19 crisis

Maynooth University staff and students stepped up with vital research and initiatives when the pandemic struck

An app to predict disease path

Prof Andrew Parnell is leading a team at the Hamilton Institute to generate computational tools to help Ireland predict the epidemiological and economic consequences of easing restrictions during the recovery of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Spotting genetic changes in virus

Dr Fiona Walsh in the Department of Biology is partnering in a project led by Teagasc and the APC Microbiome Ireland Sequencing Centre to examine the genetic makeup of Covid-19 viruses circulating in Ireland. All the above research was awarded funding under the Government’s Covid-19 Rapid Response Research and Innovation Programme coordinated by Science Foundation Ireland.

Millennials’ difficulties with workplace disruptions

Prof Audra Mockaitis in the School of Business is studying how different generations respond to remote working and has found that millennials (aged 24 to 40) are experiencing more difficulties in coping with workplace disruptions and require more supervision than other generations.

Maynooth Students’ Union officers model healthy behaviour on campus

MU drone helps identify public health risks

Dr Tim McCarthy in the Department of Computer Science is developing a drone coordination and operations centre, and platform, to analyse data which can detect where human activities could pose a risk to public health through the spread of Covid-19. The platform for emergency services aims to support local authorities, organisations and Government agencies to manage general movement and the easing of social distancing restrictions in public spaces.

New antibodies tests on the way

A project led by MU Prof Sean Doyle is developing two new tests for antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 which will help to identify who may have developed immunity to Covid-19. His team includes Dr David Fitzpatrick, Dr Rebecca Owens and Dr Ozgur Bayram of the Department of Biology and the Kathleen Lonsdale Institute for Human Health Research.

Resistance to Covid-19 vaccine

A collaborative study by Dr Philip Hyland in the Department of Psychology found that almost half of the people surveyed were feeling lonely; 23% reported clinically meaningful levels of depression; 20% reported clinically meaningful levels of anxiety. Only 65% of people surveyed last spring indicated that they would accept a vaccine for themselves and their children.

Schools in lockdown study

Dr Majella Dempsey and Dr Jolanta Burke in the Department of Education studied primary school principals’ and deputy principals’ responses to school closures, and good practices that could be replicated by schools facing challenges during closures.

RIP.ie sheds light on death rates

Dr Gerard McCarthy studied the geographical spread of death notices posted in rip.ie website, finding a record number of death notices in April. Dr McCarthy’s second collaborative study with MU’s Rebecca Dempsey and Prof Andrew Coogan, and University of Limerick’s Dr Pádraig MacCarron, found that Covid-19 killed more people in one month than the most recent severe flu season killed in three months, debunking the myth that Covid-19 mortality rates are no worse than the flu.

Leaving Cert students 2020 study

Prof Sinéad McGilloway and Dr Jolanta Burke led psychology research on how Leaving Cert students were dealing with the pandemic, and their overall health and wellbeing. The survey of 1,000 Leaving Cert students found almost 75% of participants preferred calculated grades over the traditional Leaving Cert. Almost half of the students (46%) who completed the survey reported high levels of depression and/or anxiety, and a similar proportion (44%) reported that they were not coping well in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Beliefs about infectious diseases

Dr Thomas Strong of the Department of Anthropology is researching how people’s beliefs about infectious disease inform health-protective behaviour. The international collaboration uses digital ethnography, citizen science, interviews and participant observation in Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand.

PPE and equipment to fight Covid-19

The Department of Biology loaned research equipment including a real-time PCR device and associated instrumentation to the National Virus Reference Laboratory to enhance the State’s capacity to carry out molecular testing for SARS-CoV-2.

Moving online in record time

All teaching staff adapted to move all teaching online in record time in Spring 2020, with many academics and students engaged in remote learning for the first time. They experimented with platforms, mastered new pedagogies and survived endless wi-fi challenges. Over the summer the Centre for Teaching and Learning, together with IT Services, implemented the brand new Panopto virtual learning platform in record time.

Campus Services go above and beyond

Colleagues across the campus moved mountains to prepare the campus for a safe reopening in September in line with all public health and safety guidelines and government requirements. Special kudos to the Campus Services crew, which went above and beyond to ensure residences, classrooms, lab and offices were as prepared and safe as possible.

Supporting our students

Led by Student Services, the University brought colleagues from various offices and departments together to establish a one-stop Student Support Hub (online and on-campus) to help students navigate everything from timetable questions to Covid-related health queries.

Virtual Open Days

The Admissions Office and Communications Office teamed up in June and November to provide sector-leading virtual Open Days experiences for all prospective undergrads. The Virtual Open Day includes the creation of a dedicated digital platform, hundreds of course videos, and live chats.

#PlayingMyPart

Maynooth Students’ Union officers stepped up to the plate throughout the pandemic to support students’ needs. They also worked with the Communications and Marketing Office to put together a multi-channel student communications campaign aimed at promoting safe behaviours in the classroom, on campus, and in the community under the theme #PlayingMyPart.

MU lends napping pods to Tallaght Hospital

The Library’s napping pods at Tallaght Hospital were a source of respite for medical staff putting in long hours during the pandemic. Organised by Professor David Prendergast, Librarian Cathal McCauley, and Michael Rafter, Director of Campus and Commercial Services, whose team dismantled and reassembled the pods, Amazon Web Services volunteered to cover the delivery costs. Full marks to first-year student Brian Crinion, who came up with the idea in 2017 while studying for a BSc in Robotics and Intelligent Devices.

MU develops “Check-in App” to assist in campus contract tracing

In the summer of 2020, as University leadership and staff sought to put in place a robust plan to allow for the safe return to campus for staff and students (and in line with all government guidelines and protocols), one thing became abundantly clear: stopping the virus from spreading on campus would be one key to keeping it open. That would mean identifying cases, and contacts, as quickly as possible. That’s no small task, even if the overall population on campus at any one time would be reduced. So, MU researchers put their expertise and ingenuity to work. A team from the Department of Computer Science and the Department of Electronic Engineering went to work developing the MU Checkin App. Students were asked to download the technology and use it to scan QR codes labelled on every classroom seat and various other locations around campus. The purpose: to understand where people were located on campus, so in the event of a positively identified case, MU could assist the HSE in identifying close contacts quickly. As of the time of publication, Level 5 restrictions forced all but a small group of labs and practicals from taking place on campus – so the app has yet to really be put to the test. No doubt, though, that the Maynooth University Check-in App will be yet another bespoke and important tool to help the entire campus community play their part as (hopefully!) more on-campus learning resumes in 2021.

Will a Covid vaccine be effective in patients with obesity?

Dr Andy Hogan

Thanks to a generous donor, Dr Andy Hogan and his team are hoping to find out

In 2020, two global pandemics met: Covid-19 and Obesity. One in four Irish adults are living with obesity. Emerging evidence has shown that people living with obesity are at greater risk with Covid-19, with higher rates of hospitalisation, ICU admission and death. This places people with obesity as one of the most at risk groups. The most-likely exit from Covid-19 is the roll-out of a safe and effective vaccine. Worryingly, previous research has shown that vaccines such as the H1N1 influenza and Hepatitis B vaccines are less effective in people with obesity. A potential reason for this lack of efficacy may be defects in the immune system of people with obesity, as was observed when studying the H1N1 influenza. A robust immune response is critical for successful immunity following infection with or vaccination against various pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2. Whether people with obesity generate protective immunity to SARS-CoV-2 remains unclear and forms a very important question.

Dr Andrew Hogan (BSc 2004, PhD 2009) from Maynooth University’s Kathleen Lonsdale Institute for Human Health Research is aiming to address this unknown. Dr Hogan and his research team received a €65,000 gift from an anonymous donor this year to investigate if people with obesity previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 generate the same protective immunity as those with a healthy bodyweight. In a parallel study funded through a €300,000 grant from the National Children’s Research Centre, Dr Féaron Cassidy and PhD student Ms Andrea Woodcock from Dr Hogan’s team are trying to pinpoint the exact link in the vaccination chain that is broken in obesity. These studies will provide critical information and may lead to new vaccination approaches.