ProfessorBreandán Kennedy
Full Professor
School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science
Orcid identifier0000-0001-7991-4689 (opens in a new tab)
- Full ProfessorSchool of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science
- 01 716 6740
- University College Dublin, School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, Conway Institute Belfield Dublin 4
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Our goal is to develop genetic and pharmacological treatments for human blindness. Using zebrafish as an in vivo system, we have identified several families with inherited blindness and have used these to characterise disease progression and evaluate therapies. We have also developed in vivo assays enabling us to discover novel drugs with specific neuroprotectant , anti-angiogenic or toxic propertiers in the eye. Technology platforms include: zebrafish : development, expression profiling, genetics, transgenics , morphants and drug screens; Retina: Morphology and Function.
GRANTS
- SEED FUNDINGDeveloping a Core-Integrated Zebrafish Digital Pathology Pipeline for Immune System VisualizationUniversity College Dublin (UCD)1 May 2026 - 30 Apr 2027People funded by this grant:
- Fontana CM,
- Rahman A,
- Kennedy B
- PROJECT GRANTAdvancing prostate cancer therapeutics through patient derived explantsUniversity College Dublin (UCD)1 Nov 2025 - 31 Oct 2027People funded by this grant:
- Perry A,
- McGee M,
- Prencipe M,
- Galvin D,
- Fletcher N
- PROJECT GRANTBridging the Bio-Engineering Gap for Bruch's MembraneUniversity College Dublin (UCD)1 Nov 2025 - 31 Oct 2027People funded by this grant:
- Kennedy B,
- Thorpe S,
- Ní Annaidh A,
- Rodriguez B,
- McCann T
- PROJECT GRANTConnecting the Dots: A One Health Perspective for Unravelling Micro- and Nanoplastic Bioaccumulation and ToxicodynamicsUniversity College Dublin (UCD)1 Nov 2025 - 31 Oct 2027People funded by this grant:
- Xu J,
- MacManus D,
- Fair T,
- Kennedy B,
- Fontana CM
- PROJECT GRANTFluorinated Pollutants: Developmental & Behavioural Impacts in ZebrafishUniversity College Dublin (UCD)1 Nov 2025 - 31 Oct 2027People funded by this grant:
- Fontana CM,
- Murphy C,
- CHUGH G,
- Khan MF,
- Kennedy B
- SEED FUNDINGInnovative Proteomic and Phosphoproteomic Profiling to Identify Regenerative Pathways for treatment of Inherited Retinal DystrophiesRetina Uk1 Oct 2025 - 28 Feb 2026People funded by this grant:
- McCann T,
- Kennedy B
- POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPIdentification, characterization and optimization of novel immune-engineered peptides for the treatment of metastatic uveal melanoma (CURAM - MedTrain+)Horizon Europe1 May 2025 - 30 Apr 2028People funded by this grant:
- Kennedy B,
- Fontana CM
- SEED FUNDINGTo present my research at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) 2026 annual meetingUniversity College Dublin (UCD)1 Apr 2025 - 1 Oct 2026People funded by this grant:
- Kennedy B,
- McCann T,
- Ruddin G
- GRANTUCD Equip Scheme 2021University College Dublin (UCD)21 Jun 2021 - 20 Jun 2022People funded by this grant:
- Kennedy B,
- Blacque O,
- Wang W,
- Wallace D,
- O'Sullivan N
- GRANTUCD EQUIP Scheme 2018University College Dublin (UCD)7 Mar 2019 - 6 Mar 2020People funded by this grant:
- Kennedy B
- GRANTInherited Blindness Summer SchoolBritish Pharmacological Society1 Jul 2018 - 31 Aug 2018People funded by this grant:
- Kennedy B
- GRANTDeveloping Drugs that Prevent Loss of VisionScience Foundation Ireland (SFI)1 Jan 2018 - 31 Aug 2019People funded by this grant:
- Kennedy B
- GRANTInherited Childhood Blindness: Understanding Visual Cycle Biology to Develop Treatments.Irish Research Council (IRC)1 Jan 2018 - 31 Dec 2021People funded by this grant:
- Kennedy B
- GRANTRestoring Vision in global forms of rare diseaseEnterprise Ireland (EI)26 Oct 2017 - 25 Jul 2018People funded by this grant:
- Kennedy B
- GRANTOcular Melanoma: Deciphering the role of Cysteinyl Leukotriene Receptors in Disease Pathophysiology and Treatment EfficacyIrish Research Council (IRC)1 Oct 2017 - 30 Sep 2021People funded by this grant:
- Kennedy B
- GRANTCharacterisation Of Novel Factors Regulating Cone Photoreceptor Development Function And Survival: Target Based Identification Of Novel Neuroprotective CompoundsThe Wellcome Trust (WT)1 Oct 2015 - 31 Jan 2019People funded by this grant:
- Kennedy B
- GRANTIdentification of drugs that can safely and effectively maintain visual function.....Fighting Blindness1 Mar 2015 - 28 Feb 2018People funded by this grant:
- Kennedy B
- GRANTDeveloping Improved Therapeutics For Ocular Neovascularisation & InflammationHealth Research Board1 Oct 2013 - 30 Sep 2017People funded by this grant:
- Kennedy B
- GRANTNewman Fellowship in Colorectal Cancer - Dr Aidan MurphyUniversity College Dublin Foundation Clg1 Jul 2010 - 30 Jun 2012People funded by this grant:
- Fennelly D,
- Kennedy B