UREKA 2011 Students visit Novartis
22.08.2011
Twelve
undergraduate students taking part in the Microbe-Host UREKA programme funded
by Science Foundation Ireland in UCC recently visited Novartis in Ringaskiddy,
Co. Cork.
This
industry site visit was one of a number of activities, seminars and workshops
that students undertake as part of this programme which is organised and run by Dr Cormac Gahan, Dr
Sally Cudmore and Andrea Doolan in the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, a
research partnership between UCC, Teagasc Moorepark Food Research Centre and
Cork Institute of Technology. The 12 students, chosen from 130 initial
applicants, are from universities in Canada, Romania and Malaysia as well as
from Irish third level institutions including NUI Maynooth, CIT and UCC.
In
addition to training seminars and workshops the students each undertake a
challenging 12 week research project in infectious diseases and microbe-host
interactions that introduces them to all aspects of laboratory-based research,
from the inception of the project to the design and implementation of
experiments
During
the site visit Suzanne O’Leary QA specialist at Novartis briefed the group on
the Novartis organisation and product portfolio and gave a background on the
international manufacturing standards required for pharmaceutical operations.
She placed a major emphasis on GMP, health & safety and product
quality. Peter Coughlan and
Michael Donnellan facilitated two tours of the production facilities. The site
visit to a pharmaceutical facility plays an important role in the development
of the students’ careers and the success of the UREKA programme.
The
UREKA (Undergraduate Research Experience and Knowledge Award) summer research
programme is funded by Science Foundation Ireland. The scheme aims to
increase undergraduate students' interest in biological science by providing
them with excellent research experiences, broadening their scientific horizons
and helping them make more informed career decisions. It also aims to encourage
undergraduate students to consider following a course of PhD study, and to help
Ireland’s research community attract high calibre PhD students from abroad.
This is the sixth year of the Microbe-Host Interactions programme at UCC and to
date over 70% of past UREKA students have gone on to pursue studies for
postgraduate degrees (PhD or MSc).
Picture: UREKA 2011 group visiting Novartis
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