New Documentary Showcases Ireland’s MedTech Strengths

‘Counter Attack’, the ninth documentary from the CÚRAM Research Ireland Centre for Medical Devices and Ardán’s Science on Screen public engagement programme, premiered at the Lighthouse Cinema in Dublin this week.

Medical device research thrives on a multi-disciplinary approach where combining knowledge from many fields deepens our understanding of global health conditions. Cardiovascular disease, one of the leading causes of death globally, was the subject of ‘Counter Attack’, the new Science on Screen documentary directed by Tiernan.

Williams and produced by Maria O’Neill of Cluster Fox Films.

The documentary features CÚRAM’s University of Galway-based researchers, including vascular surgeon Dr Niamh Hynes, who focuses on the body’s largest artery – the aorta. Her research looks at predicting if, and when, an aortic rupture will happen and, using AI and machine learning, how we can build computer models or ‘digital twins’ of aortas to understand the rupture process.

Also featured is Kildare-based musician Frankie Lane, who suffered a heart attack followed by a cardiac arrest, Frankie’s wife Anita Lane and Cork-based paramedic Pat McCarthy. The screening was followed by a panel discussion and an audience Q&A chaired by Dr Claire O’Connell.

Professor Abhay Pandit, founding director of CÚRAM, spoke about cardiovascular disease research, explaining that while it can take a long time for research to reach the patient, innovations are being created all the time. He gave the example of an injectable hydrogel that he is working on that will, in the future, help preserve the health of the heart muscle after a heart attack event.

Frankie and Anita Lane spoke about the emotional impact of their experience, while paramedic Pat McCarthy shared statistics about survival rates for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests and the importance of understanding that there are many different signs and symptoms.

“At CÚRAM, our goal is to develop superior devices that are durable. We achieve this by uniting experts from diverse fields, including clinicians like myself, engineers, biomedical scientists, and social scientists, all while keeping the patient at the heart of our team,” commented Dr Niamh Hynes.

“We cannot grasp what is most important or urgent without their perspective. Conversations like these are crucial not only for raising awareness and prevention but also for helping people recognise how valuable their lived experiences with these conditions are to the research community.”

Watch the ‘Counter Attack’ trailer at Counter Attack – Trailer on Vimeo

2025 marks the 10th year of CÚRAM & Ardán’s Science on Screen programme, which was founded to explore the stories behind science and to facilitate, promote and increase the inclusion of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) content in Irish film and TV production.

Over the last ten years, the films and animations produced through Science on Screen have been screened in 30 different countries and reached almost 2 million people through broadcasts, film festivals, through community, academic and clinical screenings and via online platforms and public exhibits. If you are interested in hosting a screening, please contact CÚRAM or Ardán for more information.

Find out more at www.ardan.ie and www.curamdevices.ie.