Establishing collaborative projects that bring together researchers from universities and industry is a highly productive model, which is being applied with considerable success in many parts of the globe. UCD sees multiple industry partnerships and engagements as vital if the university is to meet its research objectives. In recent years, it has forged a number of such active industry collaborations, which have the potential for significant technology transfer activity in the future. They include:
Servier Centre for Translational MedicineFrench pharma company Servier has invested €7.5m in the establishment of the UCD Servier Centre for Translational Medicine, in partnership with the UCD Conway Institute. The Centre aims to develop new medicines to treat high blood pressure and heart disease.
Technology Research for Independent Living (TRIL) CentreThe TRIL Centre, which conducts multi-disciplinary research into technologies that allow people to live independently as they grow older, was launched in early 2007 with funding of approximately US$30 million over three years from Intel Corporation and IDA Ireland. The Centre is a joint project between researchers at UCD, TCD, NUI Galway and Intel.
UCD-Sigmoid BiotechnologiesIn October 2005, Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) announced an Industry Research Supplement grant to Dr Cormac Taylor of UCD’s Conway Institute. The two-year grant allows research conducted in Dr Taylor’s laboratory in association with Sigmoid Biotechnologies to develop an enhanced drug delivery system.
