Distinguished Investigator Award 2025 for Prof. Mark Cunningham
Posted on: 28 August 2025
The award from Neuroscience Ireland recognises an outstanding long-standing member of the neuroscience community of Ireland demonstrating international standing in academic and intellectual achievement.
Prof. Mark Cunningham has become a Neuroscience Ireland Awardee for 2025. He was recently awarded the prestigious NSI Tom Connor Distinguished Investigator Award.
Prof. Mark Cunningham (pictured above) said:
“I am deeply honoured to receive the Tom Connor Distinguished Investigator Award. This recognition represents not only a personal milestone but also a reflection of the collaborative efforts and shared commitment to advancing scientific inquiry. I am grateful to my colleagues, mentors, and collaborators whose support has been instrumental throughout my career.”
He is Head of the Discipline of Physiology and the Ellen Mayston Bates Professor of Neurophysiology of Epilepsy in Trinity’s School of Medicine. His research uses electrophysiology to study the mechanisms by which neuronal microcircuits generate organised electrical activity in the brain. He has a particular interest in understanding how pathological electrical activity is generated by the epileptic brain and how this can help develop novel treatments for epilepsy. At FutureNeuro – whose vision is to change the patient journey for people affected by neurological and neuropsychiatric conditions - Prof Cunningham leads the development of human brain slice models, a collaborative project with Eisai aimed at reducing the adverse side effects of Perampanel.
Before joining Trinity, Professor Cunningham held a Professorship in Neuronal Dynamics at the Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University. His research has been funded by the BBSRC, MRC, Wellcome Trust, Epilepsy Research UK, Action on Hearing Loss, Hadwen Trust, Innovate UK, Wolfson Foundation, The Royal Society and Taighde Éireann-Research Ireland. He has also had significant funding from several global pharmaceutical companies.
Professor Cunningham has previously sat on the Biomedical Resource and Technology Development Committee at the Wellcome Trust and the Scientific Advisory Committee for Epilepsy Research UK. He is a fellow of the Centre for the Advancement of Sustainable Medical Innovation (CASMI). He has also acted on numerous advisory boards and as a consultant to numerous pharmaceutical companies. In 2019 he was elected as a Professorial Fellow at Trinity College Dublin.
Media Contact:
Ciara O’Shea | Media Relations | coshea9@tcd.ie | +353 1 896 4204