The Government has announced details of €40 million in funding which is being awarded to Irish-based researchers.
The money will support 200 researchers and 39 companies across 24 individual projects in a wide range of sectors.
Among the projects to receive a grant is one to develop a clinical test to predict whether breast and prostate cancer tumours are likely to return after surgery.
In the area of food and marine, another will investigate the impact of escaped farmed salmon on wild Irish Atlantic salmon populations.
Money will also go towards a detector to help study stars, galaxies and planet formation.
The money is coming from the Department of Jobs through Science Foundation Ireland's Investigators Programme which aims to support world-class research in key priority areas.
The awards range between €500,000 and €2.7 million over four- to five-year periods.
Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Mary Mitchell O'Connor said the funding gives researchers an opportunity to develop their careers and industry access to new knowledge.
SFI Director General Professor Mark Ferguson said all the projects have been chosen through international peer review.
Ten others were also deemed good enough to be placed on a reserve list for funding, if more becomes available later this year.
