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Business First Issue2 Vol5 CH5:Layout 1 23/10/2009 15:06 Page 31
R&D
Success for the US – Ireland
Research and Development
Partnership
by Fabian Monds Northern Ireland co-chair US-Ireland R&D Partnership Steering Group
S
cientific discovery gives rise There are four of them, in all four the Northern Ireland research
to new technologies which teams work in the Queen’s University of Belfast. Several more
improve human lives; projects involving both Queen’s and University of Ulster
furthermore it is a key driver of researchers are under consideration or in preparation.
economic growth. There is plenty Brief details of the successful projects are:
of evidence that high quality research, in universities and in
industry, leads to commercial innovation, sustainable
Genome-wide association studies of diabetic nephropathy
employment and wealth creation. Successful centres of research
add credibility to a region’s case for inward investment.
Principal Northern Ireland Investigator, Professor Peter
This is the thinking behind the US – Ireland Research and
Maxwell, of the Genetic Epidemiology Research Group at
Development ( R&D ) Partnership, which had its beginnings in
Queen’s, with partners in University College Dublin and
discussions at the 2002 US – Ireland Business Summit.
Massachusetts General Hospital. Total value £4 million, Northern
Ireland component £1million.
The Partnership is an alliance between the United States, the
Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland with the mission to
Development of a Greenhouse Gas Ocean-Atmosphere Flux
increase the level of collaboration among researchers across the
three jurisdictions, fostering the spirit of co-operation and
Sensor
leading to improvements in healthcare, disease prevention and
Principal Northern Ireland Investigator, Dr. Neil Mitchell of the
technology.
Northern Ireland Semiconductor Research Centre at Queen’s,
Preparatory work identified priority research areas for the first
with partners in NUI Galway and Woods Hole Oceanographic
phase of the work programme; these are : diabetes, cystic
Institution. Total value £1.2 million, Northern Ireland component
fibrosis, nanotechnology and sensor technology. The Partnership
£ .35 million.
was formally launched in 2006 at the US Ambassador’s residence
in Dublin and a Steering Group of senior representatives from
Future Oxides and Channel Materials (Nanotechnology )
the three jurisdictions was established to guide, monitor and
Principal Northern Ireland Investigator, Dr. David McNeill of the
evaluate the work. The secretariat on the island of Ireland is
Northern Ireland Semiconductor Research Centre at Queen’s,
provided by InterTrade Ireland, which liaises with the relevant
with partners in UC Cork and University of Texas (Dallas ). Total
Government departments and agencies North and South and in
value £ .83 million, Northern Ireland component £ .3 million.
the USA.
While the Partnership’s mission is clear, the participation of
Biosafety for Environmental Contaminants ( Sensor )
multiple departments and agencies and the involvement of
Principal Northern Ireland Investigator, professor Chris Elliott,
scores of research groups across the three jurisdictions offer
director of the Institute of Agri-Food and Land Use at Queen’s,
particularly demanding challenges in terms of communication
with partners in Dublin City University and the University of
and effective process management – to put it mildly. Fortunately
Maine. Total value £ .68 million, Northern Ireland component
there has been excellent co-operation and liaison across the
£.22 million.
Border and across the Atlantic.
In Northern Ireland the R&D Office of the DHSSPS, DEL and
The research teams’ success was celebrated at a reception
InvestNI have taken the lead, working closely with Dr. Bernie
given by the US Ambassador to Ireland Dan Rooney at his
McGahon of the InterTrade Ireland secretariat. As a result the
residence in Phoenix Park on October 15. Minister for
Steering Group has been able to agree effective operating
Employment and Learning Sir Reg Empey and Irish minister for
principles, interagency processes and communication protocols.
Labour Affairs Dara Calleary attended. In welcoming the good
Three important principles apply to the work of the Partnership:
news, Minister Empey said ‘By collaborating in this way, we are
significant participation by researchers from all three jurisdictions
pooling our respective research expertise and leveraging
in each project, competitive peer review for project approval,
additional investment to support projects that will benefit each
and funding by each jurisdiction for its own researchers’ work.
of our jurisdictions and make a significant contribution to the
The ‘gold standards’ for internationally recognised research in
well being of all our people’.
health and technologies are set by the US National Institutes of
The recently published Independent Review of Economic
Health ( NIH ) and by the US National Science Foundation ( NSF )
Policy in Northern Ireland, chaired by professor Richard Barnett,
and all Partnership candidate projects are subjected to these
calls for a greater emphasis on support for innovation and
agencies’ rigorous peer review processes. NIH and NSF, together
research and for the development of new research capabilities as
with the US Department of Health and Human Services are
an incentive to attract potential investors. These ambitions are
represented on the Steering Group. My NI colleagues on the
well understood and shared by the research community and
Steering Group are Professor Peter Gregson and Dr. Hugh
also, it needs to be said, by those with innovation and research
Cormican and the Republic of Ireland members are Dr. Killian
support responsibilities in our Government departments and
Halpin ( Co - Chair ), Professor Frank Gannon and Professor
agencies. This is evidenced by the scale and profile of research
Ferdinand von Prondzynski. Approval for the Northern Ireland
funding provided to universities and businesses over the years
and Republic of Ireland elements of the projects is required from
and now additionally to the Northern Ireland components of the
the appropriate Northern Ireland agency and from Science
US – Ireland Partnership projects.
Foundation Ireland ( SFI ). Workshops for interested researchers
The Partnership is achieving its objectives. It is supporting
from all three jurisdictions have been held in Belfast, Newry,
research of the highest standard in the three jurisdictions. With
Dublin and Washington DC to help develop proposals.
its cross border and transatlantic structure, it is enhancing the
Over the past two years, a great deal of hard work has gone
international profile and credibility of our researchers and
into the development and definition of candidate projects and
enabling them to add value to the work of their project
subsequently into their assessment. The overall success rate for
colleagues in the Republic of Ireland and in the USA. A good start
proposals ( from anywhere ) brought to NIH or NSF is low and so
has been made and the prospects for more project success and
there is good reason to be proud of the researchers who have
the delivery of economic benefit are indeed promising.
now won approval for the first tranche of US – Ireland R&D
Partnership projects selected for funding.
For further information: www.usirelandresearch.com
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