The west of Ireland’s status as a global leader in medical technology research and manufacturing received a €34 million boost today, Thursday, with the announcement of a new project to integrate academia, industry and commerce.
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless, confirmed University of Galway will headquarter Ireland’s European-funded Accelerating Research to Commercialisation Hub (ARC ), in an alliance with Atlantic Technological University (ATU ), and the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland (RSCI ).
The three colleges will immediately commence 23 research-led innovation projects selected for their strong potential to improve patient outcomes. These will bring together clinical and commercial expertise, cutting-edge research and regional networks to develop solutions for tackling chronic disease.
ARC’s focus will be on smart implants, advanced wearable medical devices, novel sensors and AI or machine learning modelling.
The landmark funding investment of €34.3 million is provided by the Government of Ireland and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF ).
The primary objective of ARC Hub is to drive regional development by accelerating novel, cutting-edge product research and make it ready for commercial release. It also supports the development of entrepreneurial scientists and engineers with the skills to realise commercial opportunities from research.
The ARC Hub for HealthTech will support interdisciplinary teams, provide regulatory and market insight, accelerate clinical and commercial pathways and build partnerships with industry and healthcare stakeholders. It will act as a national testbed for innovation translation, guiding academic research teams through key steps towards commercialisation.
Speaking at the announcement, Minister Lawless said ARC Hub wil ultimately benefit patients by encouraging everyone in the process of building healthcare solutions, including researchers, engineers, technologists, manufacturers, clinicians, physicians and surgeons.
“The Research Ireland ARC Hub for HealthTech will help transform regional innovation and entrepreneurial training in the North West region and beyond. [It]will play an instrumental role in accelerating the commercialisation of research and getting health solutions to those that need them faster.”
Professor Peter McHugh, Interim President of University of Galway, said the investment recognises the power of regional collaboration.
“While our region faces significant challenges – scoring below the EU and national averages in regional competitiveness – we also have a unique and internationally-renowned ecosystem from which to build, and a proud history of achievement in the broad health technology domain.
“University of Galway’s long-established presence, including our network of medical academies, combined with ATU’s multi-campus reach and RCSI’s expertise, creates a formidable alliance,” he said.
Prof Garry Duffy, Established Professor of Health Technology Innovation at University of Galway, will direct the ARC Hub for HealthTech, and Prof Aoife Lowery, Professor of Surgery at University of Galway, and Director of its Clinical Research Facility, will be ARC’s clinical lead.
“Our aim is to connect breakthrough science with the people and systems who can translate it into patient benefit,” said Prof Lowery. “By embedding clinical insight from the earliest stages of innovation, we will support technologies that are both impactful and implementable in real-world healthcare settings.”
