£4 million research centre opens in Coleraine

A £4 million research centre has been opened in Coleraine as part of the government's drive to make Northern Ireland into an innovation-led economy.

The centre of excellence, based at the University of Ulster's Coleraine Campus, will carry out research into diseases such as cancer and diabetes.

The specialist facility, located within the university's Centre for Molecular Biosciences, uses knowledge created by global research into human genes to probe life-threatening diseases such as cancer, diabetes and other conditions.

The centre will also contribute to work on next-generation drug treatments through global partnerships with researchers in other universities and institutes.

Enterprise Minister, Angela Smith, recently opened the Centre for Functional Genomics at the University.

She said: "This impressive centre is an important addition to Northern Ireland's capability in cutting-edge research. It will enable Northern Ireland to benefit from and to contribute to pioneering and exciting DNA research worldwide into new strategies, diagnostics and therapies for dealing with major diseases that annually claim millions of lives.

The Minister said: "This centre will provide opportunities for local biotechnology companies to benefit from its knowledge, innovative research and highly developed skills and expertise. The centre will also thrive in the conditions created by the university and Invest Northern Ireland to encourage new university spinout businesses or existing businesses to exploit intellectual property arising from its work."

Ms Smith added that the Centre would help to strengthen the profile of the University within the global Life Sciences community thus attracting inward investment by companies keen to benefit from the research and from access to the extensive scientific skills base.

Invest Northern Ireland and the Department for Employment and Learning are providing around £2 million for the centre through the EU "Peace II" funded Research and Technology Development (RTD) Centres of Excellence Programme.

(EF/SP)