Research Ireland programme aims to fast-track research breakthroughs into commercial healthcare solutions
The programme will be in partnership with Atlantic Technological University and RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences

University of Galway leads new €34million ARC Hub for HealthTech

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The announcement of the ARC Hub for HealthTech was made by Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless T.D. and forms part of wider initiatives and funding awards to drive the commercial impact of research.

The ARC Hub for HealthTech is being established in the Northern and Western Region by Research Ireland, with funding of €34.3million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Government of Ireland.

The ARC Hub for HealthTech is being led by University of Galway, in partnership with ATU and RCSI and starts with 23 research-led innovation projects selected for their strong potential to improve patient outcomes.

The Research Ireland ARC Hub for HealthTech will help transform regional innovation and entrepreneurial training in the North West region and beyond. Enhancing the existing academic-enterprise healthcare and technology ecosystems, the ARC Hub will deliver a suite of impactful, on-the-ground supports, benefitting everyone in the process – researchers, engineers, technologists, manufacturers, clinicians, physicians and, critically, patients. The provision and delivery of appropriate and effective healthcare is, by its very nature, time-sensitive. The ARC Hub for HealthTech will play an instrumental role in accelerating the commercialisation of research and getting health solutions to those that need them faster.

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless T.D. speaking at the announcement

Led by Prof. Garry Duffy, Prof of Health Technology Innovation, University of Galway and Prof of Anatomy, RCSI, in collaboration with ATU and RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, the ARC Hub for HealthTech is focused on accelerating translational research in chronic disease management, specifically in thematic areas such as Decision Support and Intervention planning, Smart Implants, Advanced Wearables, Novel Sensors, and Algorithms and Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning models.

Full Press Release
l-r Professor Garry Duffy, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science James Lawless, TD and Celine Fitzgerald, Interim CEO, Research Ireland.

ARC Hub for HealthTech projects include:

  • A pressure monitoring system to prevent fluid overload
  • Smart dressings for advanced wound care
  • Sensorised surgical mesh to monitor infection risk
  • Sensor-enhanced system for advanced fall detection, prevention and health monitoring
  • A new health solution for health & wellbeing of people living with Parkinson’s Disease
  • Artificial intelligence clinical decision support system for hypertension
  • A novel respiratory measurement device for screening for lung disease
  • Pre-Surgical AI assistance for accurate breast cancer tumour sizing in 3D breast scans
  • An implantable drug delivery device to improve drug treatment of high blood pressure
  • Living microwire electrodes for enhanced epilepsy management

The primary objective of the ARC Hub programme is to drive regional development by accelerating novel, cutting-edge research and make it ready for commercial impact while also supporting the development of entrepreneurial scientists and engineers with the skills to realise commercial opportunities from research.

The ARC Hub for HealthTech brings together clinical and commercial expertise, cutting-edge research and regional networks to develop impactful solutions to tackle chronic disease.

Its focus will be on smart implants, advanced wearable medical devices, novel sensors and AI- and machine learning-driven modelling.

The ARC Hub for HealthTech will support interdisciplinary teams, provide regulatory and market insight, accelerate clinical and commercial pathways and build partnerships with industry and healthcare stakeholders. It will act as a national testbed for innovation translation, guiding academic research teams through key steps towards commercialisation.