For further information contact
Dr Ciaran O'Beirne
Head, Knowledge Transfer Services
Linking with Business and Industry
UCD has an international reputation for being at the forefront of innovative research and creative discovery. Bridging the gap between academic research and industry, building relationships and increasing the levels of collaboration with Irish and international industry, are key elements of UCD’s strategy.
The University has a strong track record of working with industry and seeks strong and strategic engagement with business, social and cultural enterprises; adding value, expanding networks and exploring new opportunities to deliver impact through partnership.
The innovation ecosystem includes large-scale industry collaborative programmes such as; Research Ireland Centres and Enterprise Ireland-funded and industry-led technology centres.
Companies, ranging from early-stage high-tech start-ups to more established innovation-led companies, also locate on campus to collaborate more closely with UCD and to be located in close proximity to UCD’s world-class research base.
R&D Collaboration
By collaborating with ambition, and delivering world-class research and innovation grounded in rigour and integrity, UCD is a dynamic research environment where people thrive, bold ideas are realised, and impact is delivered for the benefit of society, economy and environment.
NovaUCD can assist companies who want to collaborate and benefit from UCD’s research expertise by partnering with the university on small or large research projects.
For example, UCD is working with several companies, on a range of R&D projects focused on 'disruptive' technologies, which are being supported by the Government through the Disruptive Technology Innovation Fund.
Companies include; Novus Diagnostics; Poolbeg Pharma; Treemetrics; TechWorks Marine; Deciphex; Dawn Farm Foods; Creme Software; Origin Enterprises Public; Tympany Medical; Amryt Pharma; IBM Research Ireland; IdentiGEN, and Nova Leah.
Poolbeg Pharma and UCD
In 2022 Poolbeg Pharma, a clinical stage infectious disease pharmaceutical company, signed an exclusive licence agreement with UCD, through NovaUCD, for a late preclinical stage vaccine candidate for Melioidosis.
Melioidosis, with no current approved vaccine available, is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei, commonly found in the soil and surface groundwater of many tropical and subtropical regions, with diverse clinical presentations including pneumonia and severe sepsis with multiple organ abscesses.
Incidence of the disease is widespread in South-East Asia, Northern Australia and India, with climate change having a substantial impact on the spread of the disease to new areas such as Brazil. There are an estimated 165,000 cases of melioidosis each year and is associated with a fatality rate of up to 45%.
The vaccine candidate, which is being developed by Poolbeg as POLB 003, was invented following many years of research by Associate Professor Siobhán McClean, UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, and was a recipient of a Wellcome Trust Award to aid its development.
Associate Professor McClean completed some of the original research to identify the antigens associated with the Melioidosis vaccine candidate at TU Dublin.
Pictured are Associate Professor Siobhán McClean and Dr Jeremy Skillington, CEO, Poolbeg Pharma.