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Facilities

Some of the main infrastructure includes a state of the art, ProSpect, which is a unique facility enabling detailed investigation of the chemical species present in pharmaceutical processes., and a Biological Processing Testbed, BioPOINT. The high-throughput screening core, called AUTOPILOT, is an automated analysis and cellular phenotyping platform.

Process Flow Spectroscopy Suite (ProSpect)

SSPC at University College Cork, was awarded €1M in research equipment and facilities through SFI for ProSpect, a unique facility enabling detailed investigation of the chemical species present in pharmaceutical processes.

ProSpect is a state-of-the-art advanced analysis facility, allowing real-time direct observation of pharmaceutical process reactions as they occur–the first of its kind within the EU. The facility will consist of a suite of integrated analytical instrumentation including MRI technology, which will provide unprecedented mechanistic insight into pharmaceutical reactions, thus leading to safer drugs at reduced cost for both the manufacturer and the patient.

ProSpect provides academic researchers and the pharmaceutical industry with a platform for enhancing their understanding of chemical transformations and pharmaceutical processes – where improvements can lead to yield enhancements, shorter reaction times and reduced costs for the manufacturer.

Biologicals Process Infrastructure Test-Bed (BioPoint)

Funding for a Biologicals Process Infrastructure Testbed (BioPOINT) was secured in 2017. This research infrastructure has bridged the current technology gap between industrial scale manufacturing and academic research and development for novel biological applications. BioPoint further engages industry with academics in collaborative research in biopharmaceutical bioprocess problem solving and innovation to drive bioprocess R&D directly enhancing Irish BioPharma activities beyond current state-of-the-art.

Professor Robert Langer officially opened the Bernal Bio Laboratories, which includes BioPoint, the €2.1m infrastructure for biopharmaceutical process infrastructure gained through SFI Infrastructure Awards at the Bernal Institute, University of Limerick.

AUTOPILOT, Automated High-Throughout Analysis of Cellular Phenotyping

The high-throughput screening core, called AUTOPILOT, is an automated analysis and cellular phenotyping platform. It is a breakthrough robotic facility which provides seamless end-to-end workflows in therapeutic and diagnostic research through automated liquid handling, nano volume acoustic transfer, flow cytometry and cell sorting, and high-content imaging with AI machine learning. These automated workflows can deliver comprehensive cell characterisation and profiles of phenotypic states in 2D and 3D systems.

Led by Prof. Andrew Kellett (School of Chemical Sciences), DCU was awarded €2.41M for the AUTOPILOT system from SFI’s Infrastructure call. The proposal was developed as part of a team effort in collaboration with Dr Alex Eustace (Biotechnology, DCU), Dr Denis Collins (NICB, DCU), and Dr Creina Slator (Chemistry, DCU).