News Archive
University College Cork Research Award for ImmuPatch Team
University College Cork researchers Drs. Anne Moore and Abina Crean, both of UCC School of Pharmacy, and Dr. Conor O’Mahony of the Tyndall National Institute, have been named as the 2012 UCC Research Team of the Year for their work on microneedle technologies. Presented on Monday 19 November at a ceremony held at the Lewis Glucksman Gallery, the award celebrates those researchers who have made ‘exceptional and very influential research contributions, pushed boundaries, enhanced knowledge and raised the national and international research profile of UCC’.
Supported by research grants from Enterprise Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland and industrial partners, the team combines multidisciplinary skills from microfabrication technologies, immunology and formulation science. Recent highlights included the development of EI-funded ‘ImmuPatch’ technology for drug and vaccine delivery, the signing of memoranda-of-understanding with a number of commercial partners, the hosting of a successful international Microneedles 2012 conference, and a meeting with H.M. Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to Ireland.
Commenting on the award, Dr. O’Mahony noted the award reflected the cumulative support and efforts by many Tyndall and UCC staff over the course of a decade of research into microneedle-based devices, much of which is now beginning to bear fruit in the form of commercial licences and industrial interest. Dr. Moore said that the university team would continue its academic and commercial work in order to position Ireland at the forefront of this emerging and exciting technology. Dr. Crean noted the success of this work could be largely attributed to the team’s translational approach to ImmuPatch research from proof of concept through to application.
Further technical information is available on www.immupatch.com and on www.tyndall.ie.