Trinity researcher awarded €4.6 million Wellcome Career Development Award

Posted on: 05 December 2025

The Wellcome Career Development Award is among the most competitive and prestigious research funding schemes globally, supporting a select number of established researchers with transformative visions each year.

Dr Kinchin will lead ‘Valuing Vanishing Voices: creating empowerment and inclusion in health economics’ a research programme that aims to transform how healthcare systems measure and value the quality of life of people living with dementia.

This landmark fellowship is the largest individual research award received by an Irish researcher to date. It positions Dr Kinchin and Trinity College Dublin as leaders in global Brain Health Economics research.

Dr. Irina Kinchin

Professor Sinéad Ryan, Dean of Research at Trinity College Dublin, said:

"Dr Kinchin's achievement is a testament to the calibre of research at Trinity. This award not only recognises individual excellence but also strengthens Ireland's position as a hub for world-leading scientific discovery. It is a proud moment for Trinity and a significant win for the Irish research community.”

Putting lived experience at the heart of evidence

In health economics and outcomes research, evidence has long predominantly relied on proxy reports, underrepresenting the direct input of people living with dementia. This incomplete evidence base then guides care and resource allocation decisions, contributing to what is sometimes described as a high‑cost “sickcare” system, one that prioritises symptom treatment over capturing and improving meaningful, person‑centred outcomes.

Dr Kinchin, also a Senior Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health at the Global Brain Health Institute, explains:

“When we exclude people living with dementia from research, we risk allocating resources to interventions that don’t truly matter to the people we aim to help,” explains. “We reinforce marginalisation and inform unresponsive care. This research will change that.”

What is the real-world impact of this work?

One participant from Dr Kinchin's pilot study shared a sentiment that captures the essence of this research:

"I can tell you what's important to me now. Tomorrow might be different, but you need to keep asking me.”

The eight‑year research programme will deliver several field‑defining innovations:

• Build longitudinal evidence base of quality of life in dementia - tracking from mild stages through progression - with the first dedicated cohort focus on measurement and valuation of quality of life in Lewy body dementia.
• Develop and validate decision-making methods that enable people with dementia to express preferences directly.
• Launch VOICE - the evidence-based toolkit purpose-built for person-centred quality-of-life assessment in dementia, adaptable to other progressive conditions.

The programme integrates eye‑tracking, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Games for Health with longitudinal mixed‑methods, underpinned by bioethics, engaged practice, and a Lived Experience Panel of people living with dementia and care partners.

"This award recognises not only Dr Kinchin’s visionary leadership, but Trinity's commitment to impact-led research," said Dr Fergus McAuliffe, Head of Research Engagement and Impact at Trinity College Dublin. "With 57 million people living with dementia worldwide - a number projected to triple by 2050 - this programme offers a new model for putting what matters to people at the centre of care, with the potential to transform care for millions globally."

Dr Ben Murton, Head of Early Career and Career Development Researchers at Wellcome, said:

"This research fills a critical gap in health economics and deepens our understanding and evaluation of an ageing population. By generating technology-driven methodologies and evidence-based frameworks, we can improve how quality of life is assessed in dementia - with the potential to scale this approach to other progressive conditions.

“At the heart of our Discovery Research programme is a commitment to addressing the needs and priorities of communities affected by health disparities. This grant reflects the breadth of work we support: from improving our understanding of the complexities of human life to developing practical applications that can improve healthcare.”

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