New Microbiome Institute Created in Ireland

31 Aug 2015 --- APC, the national centre for excellence in food and medicine research, has announced the creation of 50 additional hi-tech jobs in Cork, Ireland. The new jobs have arisen largely from the capacity of APC to attract new industrial partnerships. Commenting on this achievement, Minister for Agriculture, Food, the Marine and Defence, Mr Simon Coveney TD, said “these 50 jobs come on top of the 90 existing positions in the APC.”

Minister Coveney was speaking at the formal launch of the APC Microbiome Institute at University College Cork. He continued “Government policy is directed at funding research and development to create high-tech job opportunities, and APC is to be commended for the fact that it is now providing direct employment for 140 researchers.”

Professor Fergus Shanahan, Director of the APC Microbiome Institute stated that “We now partner with 8 global corporations with a broad footprint in Ireland accounting for in excess of 7,000 jobs. In addition, APC has established partnerships with 9 international companies with no prior relationship with Ireland. The current vision for enterprise policy in Ireland is that research partnerships would encourage multinational companies to locate in Ireland. The APC, founded in 2003, and today designated a national institute, is delighted to be at the vanguard in delivering on this national ambition.” He continued “APC is bringing tangible benefits to society by contributing to our understanding of the importance of microbes in human health and developing our researchers’ talents.”

Speaking at the formal launch of the APC Microbiome Institute in UCC on Friday August 28th 2015, UCC President, Dr Michael Murphy stated “The APC has not only delivered on its ambition, but has surpassed all expectations. To underpin its future growth and sustainability, UCC is now committing to the establishment of the APC as a national institute at the University.”

To mark the occasion of the launch, Dr Martin Blaser, an infectious disease specialist and author of the worldwide best-selling book “Missing Microbes” will deliver the inaugural APC Distinguished Lecture. Drawing from his contributions to the understanding of many infectious diseases, he will explain the beneficial role played by bacteria in human life. A symposium “Missing Microbes and Modern Maladies” will showcase the research of the APC Microbiome Institute including the role of diet at the extremes of life, the influence of stress on microbes in the gut and the development of future foods and smart antibiotics.