The University of Limerick Foundation contributed €36million in philanthropic gifts to fund the €52million Bernal Project aimed at significantly supporting Ireland’s national research priorities in the strategic areas of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Energy Research and Development. 70% of the cost of the project, which involves the recruitment of 10 world leading professors, a start-up seed fund to support their teaching and research activity and the construction of a new advanced research building on campus, were funded philanthropically with the remaining 30% of the cost met by state contributions and University funding. The Atlantic Philanthropies has been the project’s main sponsor to date with a commitment of €26.3million.
Named after influential 20th century Irish scientist, John Desmond Bernal who was regarded as the founding father of molecular biology, the project outlines a detailed plan to enhance research excellence in the fields of; pharmaceutical science and engineering; energy and sustainable environment; modern and biomedical materials and engineering.
This Bernal Project gifts brings the total amount of philanthropic funds generated by the University of Limerick Foundation since its establishment in 1989 to over €200million.