Dublin Molecular Medicine Centre

Dublin Molecular Medicine Centre (DMMC) was set up in 2002, as a registed charity, to create critical mass in molecular medicine research in Dublin, Ireland. Funding was provided by the Higher Education Authority^[1].

The objective of this initiative is to create an internationally recognised centre of research excellence by 2010. DMMC is owned jointly by the city's three premier biomedical research institutions : University College Dublin (UCD), the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and Trinity College, Dublin (TCD). Strategic links are likely to be fostered with University College Cork and National University of Ireland, Galway to create a nationwide platform as the European Union launches the Seventh Framework Programme.

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Resources

The academic resources supporting the teaching hospitals include:

• UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular & Biomedical Research^[2] which is organised into 3 interactive multi-disciplinary centres : synthesis and chemical biology; integrative biology and molecular medicine.

• RCSI Research Institute^[3]whose portfolio included cellular neuroscience, molecular research, advanced drug delivery, proteomics and pharmacy.

• TCD Institute of Molecular Medicine^[4] focuses on cancer (prostate, haematological, esophageal, cervical, thoraic), infection and immunity (tuberculosis); genomic research into inflammatory disease, molecular histopathology, cell signalling, neuropsychiatric genetics and nutrigenomics.

New Clinical Research Centre

DMMC has successfully secured funding from the Wellcome Trust for a major clinical research centre to be led by Professor Dermot P. Kelleher for Dublin comprising two elements:

• A new centre will be built at St. James's Hospital, Dublin^[5].

• A network of new clinical research facilities linking the proposed new centre to existing centres at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin^[6], St. Vincent’s University Hospital Dublin and Mater Misericordiae University Hospital

Other Accomplishments

• New laboratory facilities in each of the Dublin colleges

• Genome Research Units at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital and St. Vincent’s University Hospital Dublin

• Establishment of trans-institutional research consortium in prostate cancer.

• National Biocollection Resource for study of psychosis.

• Comprehensive and flexible cross-institution education and training programmes in molecular medicine

• New technology cores in transcriptomics, proteomics, cell imaging and bioinformatics. A transgenic facility to create disease models using transgene single-cell microinjection and knockout technologies is in place.

Key Personnel

• Michael Kamarck PhD, Chair of the DMMC Board; Senior VP Wyeth Biopharma
• Pierre Meulien PhD, Chief Executive DMMC
• Dermot P. Kelleher, Head of Medical School, Trinity College, Dublin
• William G Powderly MD, Head of School of Medicine and Medical Science, UCD
• Brian Harvey PhD, Director of RCSI Institute

Externals links

• DMMC 2005 Annual Report
• UCD Conway Institute of Biomedical Research
• RCSI Research Institute
• TCD Institute of Molecular Medicine
• St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin
• Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin
• St James Hospital, Dublin
• Beaumont Hospital, Dublin
• Higher Education Authority of Ireland

References