Groundbreaking collaborative AI project ONEHEALTH aiming to achieve ‘lasting improvements’ in public health

A new €10m collaborative research project led by science and technology hub Catalyst is aiming to address some of the most critical public health challenges over the next four years.

ONEHEALTH is a cross-border life and health sciences partnership that will use a pioneering artificial intelligence approach to tackle pressing health and agrifood challenges by recognising the vital connections between human, animal, and environmental health. This holistic approach to connecting data and industries is an incredibly exciting opportunity that will be unique at this scale.

The project, which is supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), has received funding of €9,852,752 and will be led by Catalyst, in partnership with Atlantic Technology University (ATU), Queen’s University Belfast (QUB), Health Innovation Research Alliance Northern Ireland (HIRANI), Tyndall National Institute Cork and the University of Galway. 

The initiative specifically targets common challenges such as fragmented health data, limited collaboration between research bodies and SMEs, and a shortage of scalable solutions for complex health issues.

It will encourage cross-sector collaboration among medical experts, veterinarians, ecologists, and public health officials to address complex health issues that arise from the interconnections between human health, animal health, and environmental health.

Through strategic investments in research and innovation, ONEHEALTH’s ultimate vision is to create lasting improvements in public health and economic resilience by significantly enhancing cross-border research collaboration between Northern Ireland and the Border Region. Key targets for the project’s four-year timeline include:

• Delivery of 12 cross-border research and innovation projects.
• Assisting 20 SMEs in developing new products or processes.
• Providing structured mentorship and support to 20 additional SMEs through dedicated accelerator programmes.
• Producing 20 significant joint publications, industry white papers, or patents resulting from cross-border collaborations.

The project brings together leading academic institutions and industry partners across the island of Ireland to drive innovation at the intersection of human, animal, and environmental health

Dr Rob Grundy, Director of Innovation Partnerships, Catalyst said: ‘ONEHEALTH is a unique opportunity to gain insight and achieve impact in an area that represents the intersection of several diverse areas of research. This promises to deliver transformative outputs to human, animal and environmental health. Catalyst is excited to be a part of such a diverse consortium that breaks down barriers of both geography and scientific research whilst employing cutting-edge AI and digital technologies.’

Professor Mark Lawler, Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Professor of Digital Health at Queen’s University Belfast, Health Lead for the Momentum One Zero Innovation Centre and Northern Ireland Lead for ONEHEALTH said: “ONEHEALTH is a game-changer, uniting unrivalled academic and industry expertise from across the island of Ireland to address the greatest challenges in human health. We will focus on identifying and solving complex challenges that are particular to the region, with a key focus on human, environmental and animal health, reflecting our Faculty’s focus on health equity, personal health improvement and population health and well-being. Through ONEHEALTH, we will maximise both the health dividend of peace and the economic dividend of health, both critical to the island of Ireland flourishing in these challenging times. I am very excited to apply our digitally enhanced data-informed approach at Momentum One Zero to deliver new business opportunities, increase employment and enhance skills across the region.”

Dr Michael McCann, Director of the JANUS Research Group at Atlantic Technological University said: “ATU welcomes the opportunity to act as the Republic of Ireland’s lead academic partner in the ONEHEALTH consortium. As the principal cross-border academic institution serving Ireland’s north-west, this initiative represents a significant strategic opportunity to deliver impactful, collaborative research across the island. Through the work of the JANUS Research Group and in partnership with colleagues across academia, industry, and the public sector, we will apply advanced AI and digital technologies to address complex challenges at the intersection of human, animal, and environmental health. ONEHEALTH strengthens ATU’s role in driving regional resilience, innovation, and sustainable cross-border development.”

Professor John Breslin of the Insight and VistaMilk Research Ireland Centres at the University of Galway, said: “We are delighted to be a funded partner in the collaborative ONEHEALTH project, which will enable us to develop and commercialise technology innovations at the intersection of human, animal, and environmental health. By fostering collaboration across disciplines and leveraging the newest developments in AI, ONEHEALTH will not only enhance public health and agrifood outcomes but also create new cross-border economic opportunities while stimulating entrepreneurial activity. This investment marks a significant step towards a more resilient and sustainable future, where science, technology, and cross-sectoral partnerships come together to tackle some of the most pressing health challenges of our time.”

Dr. Paul Galvin, Head of ICT for Health Strategic Programmes, Senior Head of Group – Bioelectronics, Director – ENTIRE EDIH, Tyndall National Institute, said: “Tyndall is delighted with the opportunity provided through the collaborative ONEHEALTH project to deliver impact from our research expertise, infrastructure and technology platforms, to create novel solutions for human and animal, health and wellbeing. The ONEHEALTH project will leverage Tyndall’s interdisciplinary research capabilities and industry-facing Digital Healthtech programmes, to enable and promote cross-border collaborations, and deliver economic impacts.”

Prof Joann Rhodes, CEO of HIRANI, said: “Connecting world-class Expertise North and South establishes a new paradigm to deliver versatile solutions that meet both the needs of patients and our differing health systems, whilst also fostering economic growth. Our organisation is excited to contribute sector-specific expertise to the OneHealth partnership, which promises to create exceptional value and aligns with our mission to increase the health and prosperity across NI.”

SEUPB Chief Executive Gina McIntyre added: “Economic development in any post-conflict region is essential for underpinning peace, by creating prosperity. The provision of support for SMEs, research and innovation in specific areas identified is a key focus within the PEACEPLUS Programme. 

“By investing in collaborative innovation, we will see the development of strong and entrepreneurial, innovation-led ecosystems that drive sustainable growth, increased productivity and competitive advantage.”

For more information please contact:

Jamie Stinson, Head of Brand and Marketing, Catalyst
Jamie.stinson@wearecatalyst.org

The Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) is a North South Body with the statutory remit for managing EU funding programmes within Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland.

The PEACEPLUS Programme has been designed to promote peace and prosperity across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland, and has a total value of €1.14bn.

PEACEPLUS is co-funded by the European Union, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Government of Ireland, and the Northern Ireland Executive.