University College Dublin (UCD) is strengthening Ireland’s pharmaceutical research and development capabilities through a new postdoctoral programme combining artificial intelligence, data science and systems modelling with experimental and clinical biomedical research. UCD announced the COMPASS-POINT programme on 10 September.

Coordinated by Systems Biology Ireland (SBI), COMPASS-POINT has been selected for funding under the 2026 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions COFUND call and will support 15 postdoctoral researchers. The programme will develop expertise in computational modelling, artificial intelligence and machine learning, statistics, data science, systems biology and molecular profiling.

For pharmaceutical companies, the commercial significance lies in the growing role of computational science across the R&D pipeline. Analysing complex biological data and modelling interactions between genes, proteins, cells and disease processes can support target identification, drug discovery, biomarker development and more personalised treatments.

Building this expertise within Ireland’s research ecosystem can also strengthen the specialist talent pipeline available to the life-sciences industry. Pharmaceutical R&D increasingly requires scientists who can combine computational methods with laboratory science, clinical research and translational development. COMPASS-POINT is designed to develop that interdisciplinary capability.

UCD is a major research university with an established biomedical and life-sciences ecosystem. Through Systems Biology Ireland, researchers work across systems biology, computational modelling and biomedical science, while Precision Oncology Ireland brings together academic, clinical and industry partners to advance data-driven cancer research.

Professor Walter Kolch, Director of SBI and Precision Oncology Ireland and lead applicant for COMPASS-POINT, said the programme would build capacity in computational modelling, AI and data science across biological and biomedical research, supporting strategic initiatives such as Precision Oncology Ireland.

The programme will also support computational activity connected with the INSIGHT Centre for Data Analytics and the newly funded Research Ireland RINN Centre for Advanced Therapeutics. RINN is focused on improved CAR-T and CAR-NK cells for autoimmune diseases and cancer, linking computational expertise with next-generation therapeutic development.

Industry exposure is built into the programme through secondment opportunities with partner organisations. This will give fellows experience beyond academia while strengthening connections between researchers, healthcare organisations and commercial partners.

Researchers will have access to UCD’s experimental and computational infrastructure, including the Conway Core Technologies facility, Daedalus Centre, Sonic high-performance computing cluster and national HPC resources through ICHEC.

For Ireland’s pharmaceutical sector, COMPASS-POINT represents investment in capabilities increasingly shaping modern R&D competitiveness. As drug development becomes more data-intensive and advanced therapies require deeper understanding of complex biology, researchers who can connect AI, computational modelling and experimental science can support innovation across the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical value chain.

Source: University College Dublin