The BTC (Bioengineering Technology Centre) setup in 2008, has developed particular expertise in orthopaedics and is currently involved in a number of spine related projects with the active involvement of medical consultants in the Mater Hospital, Dublin and Crumlin Children’s hospital along with an orthopaedic company K2M.

Academic PIs: Dr Fiona McEvoy, Mr Stephen Tiernan, Mr Tony Tansey & Dr Colin Bright

In parallel, the centre specialises in head injury due to contact sports, this research is in collaboration with St James Hospital, Trinity College Dublin and David Camarillo Stanford University.

Spinal Research

The Centre has a state of the art 8 axis MTS Bionix material test machine purpose built designed for testing spines & hips dynamically across a full range of motion, such as flexion extension, lateral bending and torsion.

The spinal areas of research are on the analysis of techniques used to repair spinal fractures, spondylosis and scoliosis. The BTC are also investigating the effects of the cement position used in Vertebroplasty and Kyphoplasty in vertebrae using artificial bone (Sawbones) to eliminate the huge variation in the trabecular bone of patients with osteoporosis.

Measurement and Simulation of Head Impact in Sports

When athletes experience head collisions the brain is subjected to violent linear and rotational accelerations. These accelerations result in large forces being transmitted to the brain. This project measures these accelerations using instrumented mouth-guards. These head impacts are then simulated using finite element techniques. The results from these simulations are then compared to MRI scans and blood tests of the athletes.

The aim of the Centre for Exercise and Metabolic Science (CEMS) is to provide an infrastructure for scientific interactions among faculty and community. The research centre strives to lead in the study and support of integrative research in the field of exercise and nutrition to advance our understanding of the biological mechanisms that lead to ill health or increase athletic performance.

CEMS is an interdisciplinary centre established to support the advancement of our understanding of the application of exercise, biomechanics and nutrition to various health and sporting populations. While these may seem to be divergent themes, they share the same fundamental science. The Centre provides an opportunity to explore common scientific themes and collaborate. CEMS also works to facilitate the tran

Academic PIs: Kieran Collins; Joe Warne; Richard Kelly; Eoin Durkan

Collaborating partners include Dr Adam Owen – Claude Bernard University, Lyon; Dr Bruno Mendes – Sport Lisboa e Benfica; Dr Catherine Blake – University College Dublin; and the professional bodies - Irish Hockey; Munster Rugby; Ulster Rugby.

We explore the interactions between pathogenic bacteria and human cells in order obtain a better understanding of how they contribute to disease, and in order to develop better antimicrobial therapies.

Academic PIs:, Dr. Emma Caraher; Dr. Gordon Cooke & Dr. Máire Callaghan

We collaborate with: 

• The Conway Institute,
• University College Dublin,
• Trinity College Dublin,
• Queens University Belfast and
• University of Washington, Seattle.

The world of work is changing. Artificial intelligence, automation, and robotics will make this shift as significant as the mechanisation in prior generations of agriculture and manufacturing. While some jobs will be lost, and many others created, almost all will change. Preparing for the future of work is one of the defining societal problems of our time—yet it is one that most organisations are not ready to address. The transition to the automation revolution has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Organisations are emerging from the crisis into a world of workplace physical distancing and major changes in customer behaviours and preferences. Recovery is forcing organisations to reimagine their operations for the next normal. The future of work will require two types of changes across the existing workforce: upskilling, in which personnel gain new skills to help in their current roles, and reskilling, in which personnel need the capabilities to take on different or entirely new roles.

The Future Skills Research Centre will help employers, policy makers, service providers, educators, and future job-seekers to better understand future skills priorities, knowledge gaps, and leading practices, and will help build capacity to address these demands.

The Future Skills Research Centre strives to be a leader in emerging debates about future skills, trends, innovative technological approaches, and the development of an ecosystem that will develop 21st Century skills.

Academic PIs:Dr Kieran Collins (lead); Dr Shane Malone; Dr Shane Mangan

Our partners include Dr Fiona Chambers; Dr Gerard Cully; Dr Orla Murphy (all from University College Cork) and Dr. Eoin Byrne - Munster Technological University

Collaborators currently include;

• Microsoft;
• Ludgate; and
• the Department of Rural and Community Development.

In recent years there has been a remarkable expansion of the application of sport science to the Gaelic sports. The Gaelic Sports Research Centre (GSRC) was established to support the GAA community through industry leading research, high quality education and applied enterprise solutions. The GSRC was formed in September 2014 and is a collaborative offering between TU Dublin - Tallaght Campus, University College Dublin and Liverpool John Moores University.

The research on GAA funding has informed Dail and committee debates and sparked numerous inches of media coverage. The research has also led to successfully being awarded funding by Microsoft for a community based initiative called STEM4Sport The GSRC has been involved in the success of All-Ireland and Provincial champions, this platform has facilitated the communication of scientific best practice to applied practitioners and administrators working in the area. Despite its short existence the GSRC has achieved considerable success on a research and community level through our projects with the Gaelic Athletic Association; Camogie Association and Ladies Gaelic Football Association and Microsoft.

Other partner institutions include Cork Institute of Technology, Liverpool University, Newman College, St. Marys University College and Ulster University. The research centre offers intelligent bespoke solutions for counties, clubs, players, coaches and support staff. The GSRC enables the Gaelic sports community directly access expertise of its staff and processes with the ambition of producing research which can benefit the wider GAA community.

The aim of the research centre is to undertake and translate scientific research into practice.

Academic PIs: Dr. Kieran Collins, Dr. Shane Malone, Dr. Catherine Blake (UCD), Dr. Dominic Doran (Liverpool John Moores University); Mark Roe; Dr. Shane Mangan; Denise Martin.

The Material Characterisation and PAT/Analytical services lab and research centre was established in 2010 to provide specialised research know how to the Pharmaceutical Industry to solve process problems and assist in product Development either through applied research projects or analytical service.

This specialist centre offers clients over 10 years of experience in Pharma/Medical Device technologies, Tech Transfer projects, Process Validation and QC Lab Management. The main objectives are to provide expert resources to design and improve manufacturing processes, and to support the implementation of Process Analytical Technology (PAT) into current and future products and processes.

In recent years we have seen an increase in R&D projects within our group in the food technology space. The centre is run by Dr. Ed Carey and John Jones and some current collaborators include Pfizer, Bimeda, Baxter, IMCD and Freeman Technologies

The MDS Group is involved the design of new molecules with specific applications, and their synthesis. In most cases, molecules of biological relevance are targeted, particularly as new human and/or veterinary therapeutics. The main emphasis is on antimicrobial compounds in order to address the global Antimicrobial Resistance crisis. Small molecules, antimicrobial peptides, as well as their metal-based analogues, are the main synthetic targets at present. Research is now also targeting food applications including food preservation and stabilisation.

Academic PIs: Dr Fintan Kelleher (lead); Dr Adrienne Fleming; Dr Mary Deasy;Dr Bernie Creaven; Dr Ed Carey; Dr Brian Murray

Partner institutions include:

• UCC
• RSCI
• UCD
• DCU
• Trinity College Dublin
• NUI Maynooth and
• the Irish Centre for High-End Computing (ICHEC) 

Industrial collaborators involved in our research include

• Glanbia
• Bimeda
• Takeda
• Henkel-Loctite
• Ipsen Manufacturing Ireland Ltd
• Nuritas
• Connexicon

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Centre for Spectroscopy (NMRics) is built around research activities dependant on NMR spectroscopy, including research in inorganic and organic synthesis, and in molecular recognition, supported by Bruker Avance 300 MHz & 500 MHz multi-nuclear NMR spectrometers, the latter also equipped with a solid-state NMR probe, and an associated programme in computational chemistry.

Academic PIs include Dr. Brian A. Murray (lead) Dr. Bernie Creaven, Dr. Adrienne Fleming, Dr. John Moran and we actively work in research with Henkel Loctite and the University of Bristol.