Research
Over the past two decades, Prof. Spillane’s research group has conducted an extensive range of research and innovation activities and projects, ranging from fundamental research on genetics and epigenetics, to applied interdisciplinary research on agriculture and food systems to improve sustainable development outcomes, particularly with developing country partners.
For instance, his research group’s activities have spanned crop biotechnology, genetics, epigenetics, agricultural research (plants, livestock, microbiomes, viruses), genetic resources, agrobiodiversity, health and nutrition, disease diagnostics, climate science, geoinformatics, remote sensing, rural energy access, social and participatory sciences, entrepreneurship & innovation, policies and institutions, education/training and sustainable development), amongst others.
SpillaneLab Research Projects
The following are a range of the current projects and programs in Prof. Spillane’s research group.
| Project Name: | Description: | Partners: | Funder: |
| Legumes for Development (LEG4DEV) | The LEG4DEV project focused on legume-based agroecological intensification of maize and cassava cropping systems in Sub-Saharan Africa for water-food-energy nexus sustainability, nutritional security & livelihood resilience in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Zambia & Malawi. [Learn more about LEG4DEV]. | WUR; SLU; University of Hohenheim; CIMMYT, IITA; ILRI. | Funded by EU DeSIRA programme. |
| EcoFoodSystems | The EcoFoodSystems research and innovation project takes a food systems research approach to enable transitions towards diets that are more sustainable, healthier and affordable for consumers in city regions. [Learn more about EcoFoodSystems]. | Alliance Bioversity & CIAT; Rikolto; Wageningen University & Research | Funded by EU DeSIRA programme & IFAD. |
| Agri-Immanence | AgriImmanence is a research and business project focused on developing a generative AI/IoT enabled digital agronomy advisor for sustainability transitions of covered horti-food production systems. [Learn more about Agri-Immanence]. | CLIM-Eat | Funded by SFI Future Food Systems Challenge. |
| CytoHeterosis | CytoHeterosis is a wet-lab research project focused on harnessing haploid inducers & cyto-nuclear interactions for enhanced plant growth and heterosis effects for sustainable agriculture. | IBERS; ETH Zurich | Funded by SFI Frontiers for the Future. |
| TAPAS | Prof. Spillane co-leads with Prof. Aaron Golden the TAPAS (Tracking Adaptation Progress in Agricultural Systems) project. This project was selected as the winning project of the SFI AI for Societal Good Challenge Program. The project combines AI with satellite remote sensing to measure agricultural systems at scale | Alliance Bioversity & CIAT | Funded by SFI – AI for Societal Good Challenge Program |
| CLIMATE+ | Prof. Spillane leads the Sustainable AgriFood Transitions spoke of the CLIMATE+ SFI Co-Centre for Evidence-Based and Just Solutions for Climate, Biodiversity and Water (with partners in Ireland, Northern Ireland and Great Britain) | Trinity College Dublin, Queen’s University Belfast, Maynooth University, University College Cork, University of Limerick, Dublin City University, Atlantic Technological University, Irish Centre for High-End Computing, AFBI, Ulster University, University of Reading, Newcastle University, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology | Funded by SFI Co-Centre program |
| POLYPLOID | Prof. Spillane is a partner in the EU funded POLYPLOID program which is a collaborative research initiative focused on polyploidy and its role in plant breeding (led by University of Perugia). POLYPLOID aims to increase synergy of inter-related European and international expertise to better understand the mechanisms of polyploidization and to facilitate the application of this increased knowledge in plant breeding. [Learn more about POLYPLOID]. | University of Perugia (UNIPG); University of Milano (UMIL); University of Naples Federico II (UNINA); Sequentia Biotech; IICAR; CERZOS; IBAM; KeyGene; UC Davis; Lincoln University. | Funded by European Union’s Horizon 2020 initiative |
| CLIFF-GRADS | Prof. Spillane is a partner in the Global Alliance for Agricultural Greenhouse Gases CLIFF-GRADS PhD fellowship program. Typically over 40 fellowships of 12,000 USD are disbursed each year to students from circa 20 different developing countries. I.e., USD 480,000 of CLIFF-GRADS fellowship funding disbursed per annum). [Learn more about CLIFF-GRADS]. | Global Research Alliance | Funded by Global Research Alliance |
| IVAP | Prof Spillane manages the Ireland-Vietnam AgriFood Partnership (IVAP) Fellowships at the University of Galway, where three IVAP Full Scholarships have been awarded to support students from the Vietnam National University of Agriculture (VNUA) to participate in the MScCCAFS, MScAST and MIDP Masters programs at University of Galway. | Vietnam National University of Agriculture (VNUA) | Funded by Sustainable Food Systems Ireland (SFSI) & Irish Embassy Vietnam |
In addition, some of the researchers in Prof. Spillane’s research group are funded by fellowships from the Irish Research Council, the University of Galway Hardiman PhD scholarship program and the GRA CLIFF-GRADS program.
