A World Leading SFI Research Centre - Science Foundation Ireland - For What's Next

Listen to your Microbes



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Research


Our research aligns closely with the United Nation SDGs and is targeted at harnessing the potential of microbiome science to help address some of the key global challenges we face today.


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People


Our dedicated team of over 300 researchers and world-leading scientists – from microbiologists and immunologists to food-scientists and medical consultants.


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Impact


Over the past 20 years APC has been making genuine social, economic and scientific impact through collaboration, industry engagement, scientific talent, and smart microbiome-based solutions.


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Harnessing the power of the microbiome for people and planet

APC Microbiome Ireland (APC) is a world-leading Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) research centre focused on understanding the gastrointestinal bacterial community and harnessing the power of the microbiome – (or microbiota) – for the health and wellbeing of people and planet. This is one of the fastest moving and exciting areas of biology of relevance to human health, medicine, food ingredients, agriculture, and veterinary science and is of growing importance to the economic welfare of society.

Addressing the big global challenges

Our research is structured in ‘spokes’ or themes that align closely with the United Nation SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals). Our specific goals and mission are targeted at realising the potential of microbiome science to help address some of the key global challenges we face today – such as reducing the societal burden of chronic disease and incidence of infectious disease; combatting the rise in antimicrobial (or antibiotic) resistance (AMR); and developing new and novel ways for microbiome-based science to contribute to more sustainable food production and agri-industry practices that are better for our environment.

Sustained impact: 2019-2023 highlights

Since its inception in 2003, APC’s research has continued to make genuine social, economic and scientific impact. In food and medicine benefitting our health and wellbeing; developing a truly world-class science-based talent pool that feeds industry and academia; advancing the field of microbiome science at home and abroad and bringing significant economic gain to the Irish economy. APC’s unique people-first, research-led environment has led to world-first scientific breakthroughs and novel innovations that positively impact our planet and people, through collaboration, industry engagement, scientific talent, and smart microbiome-based solutions.

5 ERC awards

5 ERC awards

€40m leveraged funding

€40m leveraged funding

4 Portfolio spin-out companies

4 Portfolio spin-out companies

14 Principal Investigators in top 1% highly cited

14 Principal Investigators in top 1% highly cited

1068 Research papers published

1068 Research papers published

22 New patent applications

22 New patent applications

2.9 Field-weighted citation index

2.9 Field-weighted citation index

34 Industry partners

34 Industry partners

Featured News

28 Nov 2023

APC announces winners of inaugural Entrepreneurship Bursary Awards

A core aim of APC Microbiome Ireland’s (APC) strategic Vision 2021‐2026 ‘Making a Difference through Microbiome Science’ is to foster a culture of entrepreneurship and partner with relevant stakeholders to establish new, investor‐ready spin out companies.  To support this, in 2023 APC has launched a new Entrepreneurship Bursary competition with funding awards of up to €5,000 to allow researchers to develop ideas or existing technologies/IP for a new spin‐out company through the generation of proof‐of‐concept experimental data.
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23 Nov 2023

ERC Winner Ines Thiele unlocking the future of personalised medicine with AVATAR project

Congratulations to APC Microbiome Ireland SFI Research Centre Principal Investigator Prof Ines Thiele who has been awarded a €2 million European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grant to spearhead the transformative project AVATAR. This award represents the 6th APC ERC success in the last five years. Prof Thiele leads the Molecular Systems Physiology Group at University of Galway.
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20 Nov 2023

APC Director Prof Paul Ross announced as SFI Researcher of the Year 2023

Monday, 20th November 2023 (Cork) – Professor Paul Ross, APC Microbiome Ireland SFI Research Centre (APC) and University College Cork (UCC) was today announced as SFI Researcher of the Year 2023 at the Research Summit, a joint Summit hosted by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and the Irish Research Council (IRC).  
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15 Nov 2023

A tribute to Prof Tony Ryan from the APC’s Catherine Stanton and Paul Ross 

It was 20 years ago when we wrote a letter to Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH) while both still working in Teagasc asking ‘was there someone we could collaborate on an infant health nutrition programme’.  We got a letter back saying they were really too busy and had none.  Somehow Tony Ryan got hold of this correspondence and the rest is history. 
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Host Institution

Host Logos - UCC and Teagasc

Partner Institutions

APC Microbiome Ireland

Biosciences Building, University College Cork, Ireland,

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