Multi-million medical device research centre targeting diabetes and Parkinson's to open in Galway

•  26 SEP 2016
• BY ANITA MCSORLEY

With people living longer, but with chronic illnesses, the centre turn their research into clinical application as efficiently and quickly as possible

NUI Galway

A €68 million medical device research centre that will focus on chronic illnesses will open in Co Galway on Monday.

Cúram in NUI Galway will develop medical devices that mimic the body's biology, targeting chronic diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson's and heart disease.

With people living longer, but with chronic illnesses, the 280-strong team will work together to turn their basic research into clinical application as efficiently and quickly as possible.

Scientific Director of Cúram, Abhay Pandit, explained: "“Chronic diseases are the particular focus of Cúram's research. Working with industry partners and clinicians, we will better understand the ‘hostile environment’ of the body and advance medical devices to the next stage where they mimic the body’s biology.

"We want to launch devices which are more effective for the individual patient, but more affordable to lessen the burden on healthcare systems worldwide.

"In the long-term we may have minimally invasive injections instead of operations for back pain, electrodes which degrade within the body over time, or 3D printed muscles and tendons.

"This will not happen overnight, but the unparalleled combination of scientific, industry and clinical and regulatory expertise which Cúram facilitates will get us there in the coming years."

CÚRAMs research will push scientific frontiers, advancing medical devices to the next stage where they mimic the body's biology to target chronic diseases including diabetes, Parkinsons and heart disease.

Chief Scientific Adviser to the government, Professor Mark Ferguson, says the centre has the potential to have a significant impact on healthcare globally, as well as the Irish economy.

“Ireland has a strong track record in all of the disciplines and industries that have been brought together in the Cúram Centre.

The Centre acts as a multi-disciplinary platform to discover new insights, develop new medical devices, and translate these research findings into clinical and commercial reality by a combination of commercial licensing and spinout company formulation," he said.

The centre represents a €49 million investment from the Science Foundation Ireland over six years. It also secured a further €19 million in funding from the EU's Horizon 2020 programme.

The Irish medtech sector currently employs over 29,000 people and is responsible for €12.6 billion worth of exports.

http://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/health-news/multi-million-medical-device-research-8915975