2009 Press Releases
11.09.2009
“The Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre at University College Cork and Teagasc is playing a very important role in exploring commercial opportunities in both the pharma and food sectors here, and this emerging area offers enormous possibilities in the future for Ireland,” Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, Conor Lenihan TD said today (Friday, September 11th 2009).
Minister Lenihan was speaking during a visit to University College Cork (UCC) where he launched Phase 2 of the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre (APC), a gastrointestinal health research centre and partnership involving UCC, Teagasc and industry partners, Alimentary Health Limited and GlaxoSmithKline.
During his visit, Minister Lenihan met with UCC and Teagasc based researchers as well as with representatives of Alimentary Health Limited and GlaxoSmithKline. “I am greatly heartened by the proactive partnership shown in recent years by SFI-funded researchers across its portfolio of research initiatives, and I would urge that this collaborative, ‘Smart Economy’ approach continues. The APC is an excellent example in this regard and I am confident we will witness further tangible economic outputs in the course of APC’s research over the coming years,” Minister Lenihan added.
The APC is one of nine Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) funded ‘Centres of Science, Engineering and Technology’ (CSETs) in Ireland, and was launched in 2003. The research undertaken at the APC focuses primarily on the area of gastrointestinal health. In late 2008 the centre was approved 2nd-term funding of more than €17m from the Government through the SFI CSET programme with industry contribution, to support its research programme for a further five years. In the period since its establishment the centre has flourished into a 100-strong multidisciplinary research team with a variety of funding sources, with staff based at both UCC and Teagasc’s Moorepark Food Research Centre.
Addressing the gathering, the Director General of SFI, Professor Frank Gannon said “The APC CSET with SFI funding has demonstrated its ability to blend and bind its wide-ranging research activities in a highly-skilled, effective and consumer-focused manner. This approach embodies what the Smart Economy is about, and bodes well for the health and well-being of individuals and society as a whole. This clarity of purpose was instrumental in the renewal of funding by SFI to the APC. ”
Speaking at the launch, Professor Fergus Shanahan, Director of the APC, in gratitude for the renewed funding, stated that “the APC has grown into a multi-dimensional research, educational and commercially-relevant enterprise in Ireland and its members are committed to Ireland’s march toward a productive knowledge economy. The rigour of the review process which tested the value of the APC not only for its science, but also for its potential strategic importance for the Irish economy, is testimony to the hard work, vision, and dedication of the Centre’s researchers and management team.”
According to Gerry Boyle, Director of Teagasc “the APC has been an exemplary initiative which has demonstrated the real value of true transdisciplinary research across different institutions. The centre has made tremendous strides in demonstrating the important relationships between food, gut flora and human health which together represent a key areas of opportunity to our Agri-Food Sector. The centre is also a key strand of the seamless research relationship which has been built up between UCC and Teagasc’s Moorepark Food Research in the last decade and clearly demonstrates the benefit of building up critical mass in targeted areas of research of relevance to our economy such as Functional Foods.”
Attending the launch, Dr Barry Kiely, CEO of Alimentary Health Ltd (AH), an Irish Biotechnology company, said “the APC has provided the platform to further develop AH’s research capability, well beyond what AH can achieve on its own. The research environment and facilities provided by APC have proven a fertile environment for AH scientists to develop their own research programmes whilst also working with APC scientists in new, cutting edge areas of research."
“In a lengthy worldwide search of gastrointestinal industrial and academic institutions conducted by GSK in an attempt to identify the most appropriate body for partnership, the APC emerged as the clear leader, based on scientific expertise, complementary technology, track record of successful industrial collaboration, access to clinical populations, productivity and availability of critical mass” said Dr Kevin Lee, Head of Immuno Inflammation Virtual, Vice-President, GSK.
The launch of Phase 2 of the APC took place in the Glucksman Gallery, University College Cork.
ENDS
About the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre
The Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, (APC; http://apc.ucc.ie) was established through a SFI Centres of Science, Engineering and Technology’ (CSETs) award and support from industry partners. The APC, a partnership between University College Cork and Teagasc, the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority, focuses on research in gastrointestinal health. Industry partners AH and GSK.
Pharmabiotic is a neologism devised by the APC to represent any material (including molecules and microbes) originating from the gut ecosystem that can be exploited for a health benefit, and includes probiotics, prebiotics, metabolites, and potential new anti-microbials and anti-inflammatories.
Photographed at the launch of Phase 2
of the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre were: Professor Fergus Shanahan, Director, Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, Dr Michael Murphy, President, UCC, Mr Conor Lenihan TD, Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation and Professor Paul Ross, Head of Food Research at Teagasc.
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