November 2010 Pharmaceutical Companies to Invest in NUI Galway Research Team

A research team at NUI Galway is embarking on a research project with the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies. Johnson & Johnson and The National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT) are jointly investing in a Bioanalytical Research Project at the Nanoscale Biophotonics Laboratory (NBL) in NUI Galway. The investment is part of the Government initiative to attract strategically important research and development to Ireland. The NBL is an interdisciplinary research group located in NUI Galway's School of Chemistry and its primary focus involves the development of new photonics and chemometrics based analytical methods for industry and academia. Principle investigator for the research programme, Dr Alan Ryder, in conjunction with a team of two postdoctoral researchers in the NBL, will develop novel mathematical and spectroscopic techniques for the analysis of various very complex biogenic materials. The area of research is called chemometrics and is a major component in the drive to automate and improve the monitoring of bioprocesses such as the production of biopharmaceuticals. It is envisioned the outcome of this research will support greater understanding and control of biopharmaceutical manufacturing processes and aid the industry to satisfy Quality by Design and design space expectations of regulatory agencies. The Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies makes a big difference in the health and well-being of people every day. Johnson & Johnson have more than 250 operating companies in 57 countries employing approximately 114,000 people. Speaking about his vision for the NBL, Director of the NBL, Dr Alan G. Ryder said: "The NBL exists to meld the photonics technologies being developed by the physics community with the extensive needs for more accurate, information rich, and sensitive analytical chemistry required for today's Industrial and Healthcare applications. Our goal is to undertake both basic and applied research at the chemistry-physics-biology interphase and to translate the outputs into new industrial technologies. The NBL will achieve this by working very closely with our industrial partners in the Biopharmaceutical manufacturing sector, with selected academic partners, and with NIBRT." Welcoming the announcement, Vice President for Research at NUI Galway, Professor Terry Smith said, "This is an exciting and a very important development for NUI Galway that leverages the expertise of the Nanoscale Biophotonics Laboratory to understand and control manufacturing processes within the Biopharmaceutical industry. It is a validation of translational, industry focused R&D and industry partnership at NUI Galway." For further information contact: Dr Alan Ryder, School of Chemistry, NUI Galway at 091 492943 or alan.ryder@nuigalway.ie. -Ends-