Lenihan Launches Science Foundation Ireland-funded Alimentary Glycoscience Resea

Oct 01 2009 Posted: 00:00 IST
(Leagan Gaeilge) Mr Conor Lenihan T.D., Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, today (Thursday, October 1st 2009) officially launched the Alimentary Glycoscience Research Cluster (AGRC) at NUI Galway. AGRC is an NUI Galway-led collaboration of research institutions and industry partners and was established following a grant earlier this year of €5.2million from Government through Science Foundation Ireland (SFI). Launching the Strategic Research Cluster, Minister Lenihan said: "The AGRC is dedicated to conducting invaluable study into key research areas that impact enormously on each of us, directly or indirectly at some point in our lives. Its multi-disciplinary team of 36 researchers, together with industry partners and Government agencies, is the physical manifestation of the Government's 'Smart Economy' aspiration, and over the next five years will work steadfastly towards unearthing ground-breaking discoveries of benefit to wider society. The participation of leading Industry and government agency partners - Agilent Technologies Ireland Ltd, Alimentary Health, Biomining Inc. and Bristol Myers-Squibb, Teagasc and NBRT - illustrates the ambition and pharmaceutical expertise that the cluster possesses from the outset. According to Professor Lokesh Joshi, Lead Principal Investigator of the AGRC: "Glycosciences is a relatively new but important and rapidly emerging area of research, that is both industrially and clinically relevant. The AGRC is a globally unique and remarkable consortium that is exploring the roles played by complex sugars in host-bacterial interactions. This collaborative effort will aid in the discovery of novel diagnostics, therapeutics and nutraceuticals. The knowledge generated and technologies developed in this cluster will be highly applicable to other infectious diseases, as well as cancer, immune system, inflammation and neuroscience research. This is another example of NUI Galway's contribution to the national innovation strategy and the SMART Economy". Speaking at the launch, director general of Science Foundation Ireland, Professor Frank Gannon, said "The Strategic Research Cluster model has proven, in a very short period, that the pooling of resources creates new opportunities which can potentially accelerate commercial outputs and other beneficial consequences. The AGRC has already built up considerable momentum around its specialized discipline." "This is an extremely important initiative for NUI Galway and a very exciting development for Glycoscience research in Ireland. The internationally leading consortium of academic and industry partners, led by Professor Joshi will ensure that Ireland is positioned as a global leader in this emerging research area", said Professor Terry Smith, Vice-President for Research, NUI Galway. AGRC is one of 18 SFI Strategic Research Clusters around the country involving unprecedented engagement between higher education institutions, commercial enterprises and a variety of agencies.
Seolann an tAire Lenihan Grúpa Taighde Glioceolaíochta Bia atá á mhaoiniú ag Fondúireacht Eolaíochta na hÉireann in OÉ Gaillimh
(View in English) Sheol Conor Lenihan T.D., an tAire Eolaíochta, Teicneolaíochta agus Nuálaíochta Grúpa Taighde na Glioceolaíochta Bia (AGRC) in OÉ Gaillimh inniu (Déardaoin, an 1 Deireadh Fómhair 2009). Is comhfhiontar idir institiúidí taighde agus comhpháirtithe tionscail atá san AGRC a bhfuil OÉ Gaillimh ina ceann feadhna air. Cuireadh tús leis an gcomhfhiontar i ndiaidh don ollscoil deontas €5.2 milliún a fháil ón Rialtas trí Fhondúireacht Eolaíochta Éireann (SFI). Ag seoladh an Ghrúpa Taighde Straitéisigh dó, bhí an méid seo a leanas le rá ag an Aire Lenihan: "Cuireann an AGRC roimhe staidéar an-tábhachtach a dhéanamh i bpríomhréimsí taighde a mbíonn an-tionchar acu ar gach duine againn, go díreach nó go hindíreach, tráth éigin dár saol. Is léiriú ina steillbheatha an fhoireann ildisciplíneach seo ina bhfuil 36 taighdeoir, mar aon le comhpháirtithe tionscail agus gníomhaireachtaí Rialtais, ar ardmhian 'Gheilleagair Ghlais' an Rialtais, agus as seo go ceann cúig bliana oibreoidh an grúpa seo gan stad gan staonadh chun teacht ar fhionnachtana úrnua a rachaidh chun tairbhe an phobail i gcoitinne. Léiríonn rannpháirtíocht comhpháirtithe móra an tionscail agus gníomhaireachtaí rialtais – Agilent Technologies Ireland Ltd, Alimentary Health, Biomining Inc. agus Bristol Myers-Squibb, Teagasc agus NBRT – an t-ardmhian agus an saineolas cógaisíochta atá sa ghrúpa ón tús. Bhí an méid seo le rá ag an Ollamh Lokesh Joshi, Príomh-Imscrúdaitheoir Ceannais an AGRC: "Is réimse measartha nua na Glioceolaíochtaí ach is réimse taighde tábhachtach é atá ag fás go tapa, agus atá tábhachtach ó thaobh an tionscail agus an leighis de. Is comheagras den scoth an AGRC nach bhfuil a leithéid eile ar domhan atá ag iniúchadh róil an tsiúcra choimpléascaigh in idirghníomhuithe óstbhaictéaracha. Cabhróidh an chomhiarracht seo le teacht ar nua-dhiagnóisic, ar nua-theiripigh agus ar nua-nútraiceodaigh. Féadfar an t-eolas agus na teicneolaíochtaí a chruthóidh an grúpa seo a úsáid le déileáil le galair ionfhabhtaíocha eile, agus beidh sé úsáideach chomh maith don taighde atá ar bun ar ailse, ar chóras imdhíonachta, ar athlasadh agus ar eolaíocht an néarchórais. Is sampla eile é seo dá bhfuil á dhéanamh ag OÉ Gaillimh le cur leis an straitéis nuálaíochta náisiúnta agus leis an gGeilleagar Glic". Ag labhairt dó ag an seoladh, dúirt ardstiúrthóir Fhondúireacht Eolaíochta Éireann, an tOllamh Frank Gannon an méid seo a leanas: "Tá sé cruthaithe ag múnla an Ghrúpa Taighde Straitéisigh, taobh istigh d'achar an-ghearr, go gcruthaíonn an roinnt acmhainní seo deiseanna nua a d fhéadfadh torthaí tráchtála a dheifriú agus a mbeidh torthaí tairbheacha eile orthu. Tá an AGRC ag obair go tréan cheana féin ina shaindisciplín". "Is tionscnamh thar a bheith tábhachach é seo do OÉ Gaillimh agus is forbairt iontach é maidir leis an taighde Glioceolaíochta in Éirinn. Cinnteoidh an comheagras seo de rannpháirtithe acadúla agus tionscail atá ar thús cadhnaíochta go domhanda, agus a bhfuil an tOllamh Joshi ina bhun go mbeidh Éire ina ceannaire domhanda sa réimse taighde úrnua seo", a dúirt an tOllamh Terry Smith, Leas-Uachtarán um Thaighde, OÉ Gaillimh. Tá an AGRC ar cheann de 18 nGrúpa Taighde Straitéiseach ar fud na tíre ina bhfuil comhoibriú nach bhfacthas a leithéid riamh go dtí seo idir institiúidí ardoideachais, fiontair thráchtála agus gníomhaireachtaí éagsúla.
-críoch-

Previous

Featured Stories