Dr Deirdre Kilbane is responsible for the strategic direction of Walton Institute’s basic research activities. She plays a key role in driving Walton’s research divisions which support the development of innovative technologies across AgriTech, Healthcare, Smart Cities, Energy, and ICT. Her research interests include nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, and quantum physics. She is a coordinator and principal investigator of the EU Horizon 2020 FETOpen project PRIME. The aim of this project is to develop a living brain implant that can sense and suppress epilepsy seizures before they happen. She is a member the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centres, CONNECT (for Future Networks & Communications), and FutureNeuro (for Chronic and Rare Neurological Diseases).