University academics and researchers to partner on all seven new national research network ‘Rinn’ centres

University of Galway is to lead the new €64.5 million Rinn Medical Devices Centre, part of the enhanced national research network established by Research Ireland.

The announcement is part of an overall Government investment of €460 million in seven new Rinn centres, aimed at strengthening Ireland's coordinated national research system.

University of Galway will partner on all seven Rinn research centres - one of only two institutions to do so.

The announcement was made today by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless T.D.

Professor David Burn, President of University of Galway, said: “Government investment of this scale, in this new initiative recognises the vital role of research and innovation in addressing pressing societal and economic priorities for Ireland and globally. Our leadership of Rinn Medical Devices, and partnering across all seven research centres, demonstrates the depth of research excellence in University of Galway, and reflects the scale of our success in the fields of medical devices and new healthcare therapies over the last decade as well as our excellence in energy, AI and quantum science.   “The Rinn Centres align closely with three of our research pillars - Innovation for Health; Sustainable & Resilient Environments: Earth & Ocean; and Transformative Data & AI; providing an exciting foundation for greater partnership across institutions, industry, community and the public sector.”University of Galway will lead Rinn Medical Devices research centre, focused on developing medical device innovations that address the chronic conditions most associated with ageing. The centre Director is Professor Abhay Pandit.

The University will be a major partner in four new Rinn centres:

• Rinn Artificial Intelligence - a national hub to advance research and innovation in data science and AI. The Galway lead is Professor Edward Curry, Data Science Institute and School of Computer Science.
• Rinn Advanced Therapies, which will advance the development and manufacturing of personalised cellular immune therapeutics. The Galway Deputy Director is Professor Aideen Ryan, School of Medicine.
• Rinn Energy, which will drive energy system decarbonisation through a world leading research programme. The Galway leads are Professor Rory Monaghan (Deputy Director), School of Engineering and Professor Frances Fahy, Ryan Institute, College of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies.
• Rinn Quantum, which aims to establish Ireland as a global leader in quantum science. The Galway Deputy Director is Professor J-C Desplat, Irish Centre for High-end Computing (ICHEC).

 University of Galway academics and researchers will also partner in Rinn Pharma and Biopharma, and Rinn Semiconductors.

Aengus Parsons, Interim Vice-President for Research and Innovation, University of Galway, said: “Out of 17 research performing organisations, the University of Galway is one of only two to partner across all seven Rinn centres. This uniquely positions us to support interdisciplinary collaboration and maximise the impact of this national investment.”

The Rinn Medical Devices centre, led by Professor Abhay Pandit, will focus on advancing innovative solutions to support healthy ageing and address major health challenges through cutting-edge research and collaboration. Supported by an investment of €64.5 million, the centre will build on over a decade of pioneering research and clinical breakthroughs from the CÚRAM Research Ireland Centre for Medical Devices, which was established in 2015, and will further consolidate Galway’s position as a leading global medtech hub.

 Professor Abhay Pandit, Director of Rinn Medical Devices, University of Galway, said: “Anchored within a dynamic ecosystem of researchers, clinicians, industry partners and innovators, Rinn Medical Devices will accelerate the translation of research into real-world health solutions and drive innovation in medtech from Galway to patients worldwide. At every step, patient voices, experiences, and priorities shape what we do and how we do it, ensuring that the devices we develop are not just scientifically sound, but genuinely meaningful to the people they're designed to help.”

 The seven national Rinn Centres commence operations in July 2026 and will run for eight years. The centres have support from more than 200 industry partners, comprising over 100 multinational corporations and almost 100 SMEs. The Government initiative will directly enable multidisciplinary collaboration across 17 research-performing organisations and support 577 researchers and 800 PhDs.

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