Research & Innovation

The science community of Ireland has broken new ground with the announcement of the country’s first stem cell manufacturing facility in National University of Ireland (NUI) Galway.

The Centre for Cell Manufacturing Ireland (CCMI) has been in development for the last 10 years, with help from the Regenerative Medicine Institute (REMEDI), also in NUI Galway, which has been working to develop new therapies through the testing of stem cells to impact many different areas of unmet medical need.

Stem cells are considered ‘blank’ cells with no particular function, known as undifferentiated, which can then be modified by scientists to perform a particular function, such as being created to form red blood cells to carry oxygen.

Through the creation of these new ‘differentiated’ cells, there can be considerable potential for the regeneration of replacement cells, or even whole new body parts.

As the study and testing on stem cells has proven controversial in the past, the centre has now been finally granted accreditation to manufacture and now plans to supply stem cells for use in clinical trials following regulatory approval arising from pre-clinical data generated at REMEDI.