Medical Device Research Hub CÚRAM Opens In Ireland
By Jof Enriquez,
Follow me on Twitter @jofenriq
Galway, Ireland further solidifies its position as a global center for medical technology as it opens CÚRAM, the Centre for Research in Medical Devices, based at NUI Galway. The facility will provide Irish and foreign scientists and entrepreneurs support in developing basic research ideas — in glycoscience, biomaterials science, regenerative medicine and tissue engineering, drug delivery, and medical device design — into commercially viable clinical applications.
"CÚRAM’s research will advance medical devices to mimic the body’s biology, targeting chronic diseases including diabetes, Parkinson’s and heart disease," states the news release.
“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,” said Professor Abhay Pandit, Scientific Director of CÚRAM.
To help realize CÚRAM's vision, Science Foundation Ireland has invested €49 million over six years, and the EU's Horizon 2020 programme has given an additional €19 million. The center is supporting more than 250 researchers from six academic partners, including UCD, Trinity College Dublin, University of Limerick, University College Cork, The Royal College of Surgeons Ireland, and NUI Galway.
Industry partners include major medtech players such as Medtronic, Boston Scientific, Stryker, and several indigenous Irish companies. Medtronic, now based in Ireland, employs 1,882 individuals, while Boston Scientific has 2,800 employees in Galway, which has one-third of the Ireland’s 25,000 medical device employees, according to Technology Voice.
“Cúram’s entrance into the Irish medtech space will give companies here a competitive edge and adds a huge amount of value to an Irish location for multinational medtech companies looking to invest in Ireland in the future,” said Helen Ryan, former chief executive of Galway-based Creganna Medical, who is chairing the board of CÚRAM, reports the Irish Times.
Ireland has become an attractive destination for medtech companies due to a lower corporate tax rate, government support, and strong academe-industry linkages. Eight of the world’s ten largest medical device companies are located in the country, with Europe’s premier cluster of device companies based in the Galway region, according to Enterprise Ireland.
“The medtech sector is hugely important to the Irish economy. With over 400 companies based here, it accounts for over 29,000 jobs and is responsible for €12.6 billion worth of exports. I am delighted to launch CÚRAM, a world-class research centre which will be very significant for our society and our economy. CÚRAM will also play a key role in ensuring that world class skills will be available to companies in Ireland as it is here to futureproof the medtech industry by providing access to unparalleled scientific expertise and innovation,” said Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O’Connor T.D.