August €25M invested in medtech training and development through CÚRAM in the first ten years
Strengthening Ireland's medtech research and innovation ecosystem
€25 million has been directed into training and development to strengthen Ireland's medtech research and innovation ecosystem through CÚRAM, the Research Centre for Medical Devices funded through Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland at the University of Galway, in its first ten years. The investment has derived from the European Union Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Co-Fund training programmes which foster interdisciplinary collaboration and talent development to propel Ireland to the forefront of global innovation.
Seventy-five researchers will join Ireland's research and innovation ecosystem as part of the latest MSCA Co-Fund projects in 2024. The elite fellows will avail of tailor-made advanced training and industry secondments in medical device research and development, enhancing Ireland's expertise in this critical field. The co-funds leverage previous Irish investment in the Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland funded CÚRAM Research Centre for Medical Devices and demonstrate the multidisciplinary strengths of the centre. This cohort of researchers is in addition to more than 1000 researchers who have graduated from postgraduate and postdoctoral training through other CÚRAM programmes.
Professor Abhay Pandit, Scientific Director of CÚRAM, said: “These co-funded programmes, in offering high-quality training that is of great importance to the talent pipeline, are adding significantly to Ireland's research infrastructure. The interdisciplinarity and the partnership approach that have been embedded in the programmes are an excellent example of how CÚRAM works. Through these programmes, which will provide a fantastic experience for 75 researchers across CÚRAM, we are continuing to build on investment made over the last decade to strengthen our long-term impact in the medtech fields."
These awards follow from the original CÚRAM MedTrain co-fund programme awarded €3.7m in 2016, which graduated 33 fellows, 50% of whom remained in academia, 36% took up positions in industry, and 14% moved on to other positions in the field. Research outputs from the fellowships resulted in the publication of 62 journal papers, three spinouts and 11 IDFs.
Eoghan Ó Faoláin, Director of Irish Medtech, commented: "Ireland is one of the top employers of medtech professionals in Europe thanks to our rich talent pool of third-level graduates and dynamic supports for upskilling. CÚRAM's training programmes are a valuable component in our drive to create diverse and best-in-class talent to enable the future success and competitiveness of medtech in Ireland. MedTrain+ and MedDevDoc, by fostering collaboration between the higher education and the medtech industry, will continue to develop the workforce with the skill areas most in demand now and in the future."
Professor Pandit commented: "CÚRAM has had some excellent successes since its establishment with securing EU funding for cutting-edge research projects, and we are particularly proud of achieving the top ranking in this funding round. At CÚRAM, we work closely with academics, industry and clinicians, and this programme will only further enhance those networks across Europe and internationally which are critical for driving medical device research and development."
About MSCA Co-Fund mechanism
The MSCA Co-Fund mechanism is part of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, the European Union's reference programme for doctoral education and postdoctoral training. The programme is named after scientist Marie Curie, who was the first person to twice claim Nobel prizes, discovering radioactivity and advancing x-ray technology.
Actions fund excellent research and innovation and equip researchers at all stages of their career with new knowledge and skills, through mobility across borders and exposure to different sectors and disciplines. The MSCA help build Europe's capacity for research and innovation by investing in the long-term careers of excellent researchers.
Information on current open calls can be found at https://curamdevices.ie/curam/research/eu-projects/medtrain/
About CÚRAM
CÚRAM Research Centre for Medical Devices, funded through Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland, marks a decade of ground-breaking research and innovation. Over the past 10 years, CÚRAM has emerged as a global leader in medical device research, revolutionizing healthcare and fostering collaboration between academia, industry, patients and healthcare professionals. CÚRAM is committed to enhancing the quality of life for individuals afflicted with chronic illnesses. To achieve this, the Centre's scientific program addresses significant issues, technical hurdles, and the existing limitations pertaining to medical device design and functionalization. With committed funding of over €270 million, CÚRAM excels in its capacity to foster collaborative networks that aim to develop solutions for global health challenges. For more visit curamdevices.ie
MedTrain+ and MedDevDoc, under the MSCA Co-Fund scheme, will deliver high-quality tailor-made training for fellows to equip them with the skills and experience required to meet their career goals as well as facilitate their engagement with industry through non-academic secondment partnerships. Fellows will be based at one of ten CÚRAM academic organisations: University of Galway (Galway), University College Cork (UCC), University College Dublin (UCD), the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), Trinity College Dublin (TCD), University of Limerick (UL), Dublin City University (DCU), National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT), Technological University Dublin (TUD)and Technological University of the Shannon (TUS).