50 jobs at new national institute in UCC

Fifty jobs will be created at a hi-tech future foods and smart medicine research centre in University College Cork which will today be designated a national institute.

The APC centre will be formally launched as the APC Microbiome Institute, recognising its national contribution to this area of cutting-edge research.

Founded in 2003 as the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre — a partnership between UCC, Teagasc, and CIT — the APC’s team of 90 scientists and researchers are exploring the links between the microbes (bacteria and viruses) living in and on the body, and the increased incidences of obesity, diabetes, allergies, and chronic inflammatory diseases.

A great day at the Aula Maxima with our industry partners #corkmicrobiome @scienceirel @ucc pic.twitter.com/MtCTtLjKpP

— APC Microbiome Ireland (@Pharmabiotic) August 27, 2015

The centre is working with 12 industry partners, from the food, pharmaceutical, and diagnostic sectors, including Kerry, Alimentary Health, GE Healthcare, and Sigmoid Pharma, and it recently announced partnerships with Janssen Biotech, Second Genome, and 4D Pharma. The jobs have arisen from the centre’s capacity to attract new industrial partnerships.

Prof Fergus Shanahan, director of the APC Microbiome Institute, said they now partner with eight global corporations which employ 7,000 people in Ireland, and nine international firms with no prior relationship with the country.

Michael Murphy @ucc president welcomes guests to launch of APC Microbiome Institute @Pharmabiotic pic.twitter.com/H9PjqltME8

— John F. Cryan (@jfcryan) August 27, 2015

“The current vision for enterprise policy in Ireland is that research partnerships would encourage multinational companies to locate in Ireland,” he said.

The APC is delighted to be in the vanguard in delivering on this national ambition, he said.

To mark today’s event, Dr Martin Blaser, an infectious disease specialist, will deliver the inaugural APC Distinguished Lecture. Several leading scientists will also attend a symposium.

Fascinating talk on Innovation by @ucc's Dr Lawrence Dooley at @JCICork #MeetGrowLearnCork pic.twitter.com/l8Cqfhbf3T

— Stephen Spillane (He/Him) 🇺🇦🌻🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ (@spiller2) August 27, 2015