January CÚRAM Signs Agreement with South Korean Biomedical Manufacturing Technology Centre

CÚRAM, the Science Foundation Ireland Centre for Research in Medical Devices based at NUI Galway, has formalised an agreement for academic collaboration with representatives from the Biomedical Manufacturing Technology Centre (BMTC) at the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH).

The joint Memorandum of Understanding will see KITECH and CÚRAM establish a programme for academic cooperation to jointly organise conferences and workshops on topics of mutual interest and to exchange faculty and students for limited periods of time for the purpose of education and research.

Commenting on the agreement, Professor Abhay Pandit, Scientific Director of CÚRAM at NUI Galway, said “Both organisations have significant mutual interests that include advanced material research, biomedical technology and the development of efficient manufacturing processes for tissue applications, chronic wound management applications and therapeutics for various diseases. I’m delighted to have progressed this relationship and look forward to the benefits of sharing expertise and training opportunities for our researchers.”

It is expected that the first researchers from KITECH will visit Ireland and CÚRAM in mid-2018. The agreement provides an excellent forum to create and develop synergistic academic projects that will benefit both countries.

According to Dr Woo Jong Lee, head of the Biomedical Manufacturing Technology Centre: “We expect Ireland, as a global leader in the Medtech industry, to be an excellent partner and gateway to the EU market. We at KITECH and BMTC, are delighted to be able to establish this collaborative partnership with CÚRAM, a world leading biomedical research centre, based on the Memorandum of Understanding signed in December 2017. We believe this Agreement will be a cornerstone for establishing collaborative relationships in the future between the biomedical ecosystems of our two countries.”

Professor Pandit added: “Our confidence in the future of the MedTech sector in Ireland is largely based on the talent and skills of our young researchers at CÚRAM, and the training and development of our students to the highest level, in a multi-disciplinary environment is a priority.”

CÚRAM, the SFI Centre for Research in Medical Devices is funded by Science Foundation Ireland and industry partners, and aims to radically improve the quality of life for patients with chronic illness by developing the next generation of smart, implantable medical devices.

Korea Institute of Industrial Technology is a government-funded research institute and drives the nation's industrial advancement by the development and commercialisation of fundamental technologies and technology support for SMEs. The Biomedical Manufacturing Technology Centre, an affiliated research centre of KITECH, has established a Research and Development supporting system for medical device manufacturing, particularly in the intervention and minimally invasive surgery fields.

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