CÚRAM, the Science Foundation Ireland Centre for Research in Medical Devices based at the National University of Ireland in Galway, was established in 2015 with help from EU funding. It comprises a cooperation network of academic, clinical and industry partners, including 24 Irish and multinational companies. These bring together a range of perspectives to develop medical devices and implants, as well as cell, drug and device combination products which address unmet clinical needs, particularly for chronic illness.
- 29 August 2017
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. Science Foundation Ireland is delighted to support CÚRAM – a world-class research centre that has the potential to have a significant impact on both healthcare globally and the Irish economy locally.
The centre’s work incorporates biomaterials, drug delivery, tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, glycoscience and device design to enhance existing devices and develop and validate new ones. This covers everything from molecular design to manufacturing. Multidisciplinary clinical collaboration ensures fast and efficient transfer of research findings to commercialisation and practical application.
CÚRAM also attracts researchers to Ireland. A key part of its work is to train the next generation of scientists, employees and entrepreneurs in the health technology sector.
Better treatment of chronic illness
Demographic shifts mean people are living longer, but often with chronic illnesses such as diabetes, Parkinson’s and heart disease. Working with industry and clinicians, researchers aim to better understand the body and advance medical devices to the point where they mimic its biology.
CÚRAM combines strands of biomedical science that have come of age over the last decade to create devices which are more effective for patients and more affordable for health services. It also guards against future obsolescence of its technology.
World class skills in a vital sector
Health technology is very important to the Irish economy with over 400 companies based in the country. It accounts for more than 29 000 jobs and EUR 12.6 billion worth of exports. CÚRAM is helping to make world class skills available to companies in Ireland so as to give them a competitive edge. It contributes to consolidating the country’s position at the forefront of the medical device industry, including by increasing its pull as an investment location for multinational companies.
The research and development opportunities, access to world class scientists and multidisciplinary environment which CÚRAM offers are key to attracting partners. As well as multinational medical device companies, it aims to link up with start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises to take the risk out of research and development for such businesses and give it a more prominent place in their work.
CÚRAM has over 250 researchers working with industry and on exploratory research. Its partnerships with industry have the potential to create more jobs. One example is MedTrain, an industry-academic fellowship programme that will see 31 researchers enrol at CÚRAM in the next four years.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “CÚRAM – Centre for Research in Medical Devices” is EUR 28 823 238, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 14 411 619 through the “Border, Midland and Western” Regional Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period.