Date: August 8th 2025
The Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme was initiated in Galway in 2022 in a collaboration between CÚRAM, the Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (WiSTEM) student society, the College of Science and Engineering at University of Galway and the University of Galway Universities and Schools of Sanctuary Programme.
Prof Abhay Pandit, Founding Director of CÚRAM, explains “We developed this initiative to highlight STEM research as an exciting, long-term career option and to encourage underrepresented STEM students to achieve their full potential. We hope these internships will address the low levels of participation of underrepresented groups in research careers and third-level education.”
“Over the past few years we have heard from applicants to the UROP programme that the process of finding and applying for an internship as an undergraduate can be challenging, particularly internships that pay enough money to make it feasible for students to take it on” he says. “Our aim is not only to support students to gain practical lab experience, but to meet and network with other established researchers and benefit from the mentorship that comes with the programme. We hope that this will help them better understand the opportunities that are out there for them, particularly in the medtech sector which is so important to Ireland’s economy.”
Having received pilot funding in 2022 through Research Ireland’s Discover Programme, an investment which aims to improve public understanding of science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM), CÚRAM has continued to support a small number of internships each year since then with the total number of undergraduates supported through the programme now at 30.
This year, undergraduate students Sobeera Adekola and Aoife O’Dea completed the UROP programme under the supervision of CÚRAM Investigators Dr Isma Liza Mohd Isa and Prof Eilis Dowd at University of Galway.
Sobeera is studying general science, going into her third year and planning to specialise in anatomy in her final year. She applied for the UROP bursary to gain experience in a working laboratory, to see if it was something she wanted to do in the future as a career. Supervised by Dr Mohd Isa, she focused on performing immunostaining of various types of cells, applying markers to identify different cell structures. Sobeera worked alongside researchers Muhammad Izzat Zulkiflee and Zaim Bin Razak and gained valuable first-hand experience with advanced imaging techniques, specifically confocal microscopy, which she used to analyse stained cells and capture high-quality images for more in-depth interpretation.
“This experience has really allowed me to develop my laboratory skills, especially in immunostaining techniques and confocal microscopy. It gave me a deeper understanding of cellular biology, and a much better idea of what it is like to work with others in a research environment. It also gave me the opportunity to reflect on my own career preferences and although working in a laboratory is one of the things that I consider doing in the future, the idea of exploring other areas within science and healthcare is not out of the equation either. I am very grateful to have had this experience, as it has given me valuable insight, skills, and clarity about my future path” she says.
Aoife O’Dea will begin her third year studying Biomedical Science this September and intends to specialise in biochemistry. She has an overall interest in neuroscience and neurodegenerative diseases.
“I was looking for a way to consolidate all that I have been learning throughout my lectures and to gain a better understanding of the day-to-day routine of a researcher. In particular, I hoped to work in a lab that had a focus on neurodegeneration, to see first-hand the work being done in this area of research” she explains.
Aoife had the opportunity to observe and partake in the research being done with regard to Parkinson’s Disease in the Dowd lab. Under the guidance of Prof Eilís Dowd and her team, she was trained in a number of new research techniques, including immunohistochemical staining, learning the theory behind the technique whilst also using it in the lab.
“This opportunity has greatly impacted how I view my career in science” says Aoife. “While I was sure that I wanted to pursue a career in science, I felt lost in navigating the transition between university and full-time research. Throughout the programme, I met a large variety of scientists, all with different backgrounds and qualifications, and gained an understanding of the paths that they took to get where they are today. Being able to learn from the experience of these established researchers made a potential career in research feel so much more attainable and I feel much more confident in seeking out this career upon the completion of my degree.”
UROP, the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme at CÚRAM Research Ireland Centre for Medical Devices aims to support underrepresented undergraduate student development by providing fully paid summer internships with CÚRAM investigators for six weeks between May and August each year. The Programme is designed to grow and encourage participation in STEM education and public engagement, inspiring our young people to explore STEM roles in the future.
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