Surgical research in Ireland has received a significant uplift as the Health Research Board (HRB) has funded two international surgical trials for the first time through its Investigator-Led Clinical Trials (ILCT) programme. The RCSI National Surgical Research Support Centre (NSRSC), Ireland’s central coordinating hub for surgical trials, played a pivotal role in securing both awards. The centre supported the investigators throughout the application process and will now coordinate trial set-up and delivery across participating hospitals nationwide.

Professor Stewart Walsh, recipient of one of the ILCT awards, serves as the national lead for the WARRIORS trial, led by Imperial College London. This trial will evaluate whether earlier surgical intervention for women with aortic aneurysms improves outcomes. In collaboration with the University of Galway, the NSRSC will facilitate the study’s rollout across four Irish hospital sites.

The second ILCT award was received by Dr Oliver Boughton, who, together with Mr Rajiv Merchant from Children’s Health Ireland, will lead the Irish arm of the Op Non-Stop trial. Led internationally by Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and the University of Oxford, this study will investigate optimal surgical management strategies for children with Perthes disease. The NSRSC will support the opening of OpNonStop across paediatric orthopaedic centres nationally, ensuring access for children throughout Ireland.

Established in 2021 by Professor Walsh and Dr Anne-Marie Byrne, the NSRSC has rapidly expanded and now supports 14 surgical studies across Ireland. RCSI recently recognised the centre’s national impact with a €1.2 million investment to further enhance surgical research infrastructure and capacity.

These two HRB awards underscore the NSRSC’s growing influence in elevating the quality, coordination, and visibility of Irish surgical research. As the centre prepares to launch a National Surgical Trials Network and appoint a new Clinical Director, it continues to build on the strong foundations laid by Professor Walsh—strengthening collaboration, attracting international trials, and expanding opportunities for Irish patients and surgeons to participate in high-quality research.