News & Events

Medtronic, the global leader in healthcare technology, and University of Galway, an internationally recognised leader in biomedical research and innovation, are proud to announce that their Signature Innovation Partnership has been named Best Collaboration at the prestigious MedTech Rising Awards 2024, hosted by the Irish Medtech Association.  This award celebrates the power of collaboration in driving impactful healthcare solutions. University of Galway spin-outs were also recognised with LUMA Vision winning Medtech Company of the Year and Galenband receiving the Digital Health Innovation of the Year award. The Medtronic Signature Innovation Partnership was launched in 2023, as an ambitious expansion to a long and trusted partnership between the University and the global healthcare technology company. Professor Peter McHugh, Interim President of University of Galway, said: “The MedTech Rising Awards celebrate the finest in the industry, and this recognition is a testament to the transformative impact of partnerships like ours. We have always had a rewarding relationship with Medtronic and the ambition in our strategic partnership takes this to a new level as we pursue greater excellence in teaching and learning, and research and innovation, all of which will ultimately benefit medtech, healthcare and people in the Galway region, Ireland and around the world.” Sean Salmon, Executive Sponsor of the Signature Innovation Partnership and Executive Vice President at Medtronic, added: “We’re honoured to receive this award. At Medtronic, we know that solving the world’s greatest healthcare challenges requires bold ideas and strong partnerships. The collaboration with the University of Galway enables us to achieve more than we could alone, combining the best of academic talent with industry expertise to further develop the world class medtech hub in the west of Ireland; broaden our STEM initiatives and partner on research that truly make a difference in patients’ lives.”   The 5 year €5 million Medtronic Signature Innovation Partnership with University of Galway has created unique opportunities for students, fostering a robust talent pipeline for the medtech sector.   Irish MedTech Association’s recognition for this collaboration demonstrates Ireland’s leadership in medtech, showcasing how strategic partnerships can position the country as a hub for transformative healthcare solutions.   Ends

The HSE West North West – University of Galway Cancer Network is delighted to announce that it has been accredited by the Organisation of European Cancer Institutes (OECI). OECI is an organisation of European cancer centres founded in 1979 to provide patients equal access to high quality cancer care through cooperation and knowledge exchange.  HSE West North West – University of Galway Cancer Network is only the 20th such network to achieve cancer centre accreditation across Europe. The highly sought after accreditation follows several years of rigorous review and engagement with the European team including a peer review visit which took place last May. This saw a panel of European experts visit a number of hospitals across our region to assess all elements of the cancer programme. The OECI team evaluated 345 standards across our Regional Cancer Programme. This process has helped to strengthen our clinical pathway, improve patient’s outcomes through enhanced processes and will ultimately help to increase the numbers of patients participating in clinical trials. The European body has now confirmed that the HSE West North West –University of Galway Cancer Network met the quality standards for cancer care and research and has been designated as an OECI Cancer Centre. The OECI Accreditation and Designation programme is considered internationally as the gold standard for cancer care. It focuses on enabling a complete quality system for cancer diagnosis, care, education and research. In gaining this prestigious accreditation the HSE West North West – University of Galway Cancer Network has committed to ongoing quality improvement in cancer care through research, innovation, partnership and patient empowerment. Professor Michael Kerin, Director of the HSE West North West – University of Galway Cancer Network welcomed the announcement adding: “This acknowledgement is a testament to the hard work of our incredible staff. This took an enormous amount of work across our hospitals and a huge amount of support from the voluntary organisations working in our region.  “We were evaluated on 345 standards and we will now focus on the 33 point quality improvement plan which will deliver a fit for purpose cancer centre for the West and North West region. This was a commitment of the National Development Plan and we now need to ensure we have the resources, national support and infrastructure to deliver a fully accredited cancer network.  The fact that we have been given cancer centre status is hugely valuable and our ability to recruit, retain and develop our staff and deliver really good care has been enhanced by this process,” he added. Tony Canavan, Regional Executive Officer, HSE West and North West said: "I want to extend my congratulations and thanks to everyone involved in getting us to this point. This has been a lengthy process but what we have seen over the course of the journey is a level of self-examination of our own services that shines a light on good practice and highlights areas where we need further work. “This is a major programme across Europe and we are the 20th cancer centre to be accredited in this programme.  This acknowledges our ongoing commitment to improving outcomes and delivering better care to our population in a research and education driven environment,” he added. The network is a clinical academic partnership between HSE West North West and the University of Galway and is aligned with the strategic priorities of the National Cancer Strategy (2017-2026) Prof Martin O’Donnell, Dean of the College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences University of Galway added: “Our collaborative ambition is to create a centre of excellence delivering the highest international standards in cancer treatment, research and education and the OECI accreditation process is critical to achieving this goal. Congratulations to Prof Kerin and HSE West North West for their dedication to developing patient-centred cancer care.” The HSE West North West cancer programme provides a wide range of cancer services to a population of 830,000 people across the region. In line with the national model of care (a hub and spoke model), complex care is located at University Hospital Galway with satellite centres delivering care closer to home in Letterkenny University Hospital, Sligo University Hospital, Mayo University Hospital and Portiuncula University Hospital. Ends

Findings will aid space exploration and earth health   A groundbreaking study by researchers from University of Galway, in collaboration with Arizona State University, has revealed vital molecular insights into muscle atrophy - one of space travel’s most critical health risks.   The findings not only have implications for long-term space missions but can also help with a better understanding of muscle-wasting conditions on Earth.   As space travel becomes more common, the unique environment of microgravity presents challenges to the body, particularly affecting muscles, bones, and the immune system. In microgravity, muscles weaken over time, leading to a condition known as muscle atrophy, which is a significant concern for astronauts, especially on longer missions.   The study, published in Nature Microgravity, investigated the molecular changes in muscle atrophy using data from NASA’s GeneLab, an open-access platform for biological spaceflight data.   The research team was led by Professor Lokesh Joshi and Dr Anup Mammen Oommen of the University of Galway and Professor Phil Stafford of Arizona State University.   The team focused on specific genes linked to muscle loss, that helped refine their analysis and find molecular patterns connected to muscle weakening. By grouping genes with similar activity and analysing their functions, the team uncovered key biological pathways linked to muscle breakdown in space.   One of the key findings was the impact of microgravity on glycosylation—a process vital for protein stability. The study found that alterations in glycosylation under microgravity suggest possible strategies to prevent muscle loss in astronauts by targeting these pathways.   Professor Lokesh Joshi, Stokes Professor of Glycosciences of University of Galway, said: “While these findings address a critical issue for space explorers, the implications extend to terrestrial health. Muscle atrophy also affects aging populations, post-menopausal women and patients with chronic illnesses, such as cancer or heart disease. Understanding how muscle loss occurs in space could lead to better treatments for these conditions on Earth.   “This study underscores the value of interdisciplinary collaboration and the importance of platforms like NASA’s GeneLab, which enable global researchers to build on each other's work.   “As humanity ventures further into space, ensuring astronaut health remains one of the greatest challenges. These findings represent a significant leap forward in space medicine, with far-reaching benefits for people on Earth as well."   The research methods applied allowed the team to map out the critical pathways involved in muscle deterioration during extended space missions. It also highlighted the role of glycosylation, a type of post-translational modification where sugars are added to molecules like proteins, which helps stabilise them and influence their functions in the body.   This discovery paves the way for potential interventions aimed at mitigating muscle loss in astronauts through the regulation of glycosylation pathways and provides insights for people on Earth who experience muscle atrophy.   The full study in Nature Microgravity is available at https://www.nature.com/articles/s41526-024-00434-z   Ends