Academic experts from Queen's University Belfast have been appointed to key roles in Ireland's first all-island mental health research initiative. The CO-PRIME (COproducing and Promoting Research and Innovation in Mental HEalth) project has been established to tackle mental ill health through a unified, cross-border approach.

Launched as part of a new €3m investment by the Health Research Board (HRB), the five-year project was officially announced by Mary Butler, Ireland's Minister of State for Mental Health. While led by Maynooth University, the initiative represents a major partnership between several institutions across the island, including Queen's.

The initiative will fund 10 specific research projects aimed at deepening the understanding of critical mental health areas, such as:

• Youth mental health and ADHD in adults.

• Women's mental health.

• Loneliness among the elderly.

The Queen's delegation includes Professor Cherie Armour (School of Psychology), Professor Gavin Davidson (School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work), and Professor Ciaran Mulholland (Centre for Medical Education). They will be joined by Dr Anne Grant and Dr Denise O'Hagan, who represents the Public Health Agency Northern Ireland. Professor Cherie Armour will lead a dedicated project focused on upskilling professionals, researchers, and those with lived experience. She stated: "It is a real pleasure to support the CO-PRIME initiative and lead on efforts to build capacity in mental health research and innovation through education, training, and career development. This will be achieved through cross-border and cross-sector mentoring, educational provision, training, and collaboration to ensure that mental health knowledge is more actionable, inclusive, and transformative."

Professor Gavin Davidson emphasised the collaborative nature of the network, noting: "The Network will facilitate greater all-island and international cooperation. It will bring together researchers, people who have experience of mental health problems, family members, service providers and policy makers."

The project is structured into seven inter-linked work packages focusing on service access, social inclusion, and early intervention. Dr Ciaran Mulholland added: "Our mission is to advance the production and implementation of high-quality mental health research in these areas by supporting a culture of collaboration and shared ownership."

Minister Mary Butler highlighted that dedicated funding for mental health research has tripled since 2022. Dr Gráinne Gorman, Chief Executive of the HRB, added: "This recent investment demonstrates the power of co-production and collaboration in driving research that improves mental health and wellbeing, especially among priority and underserved populations, across the island of Ireland."