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What is AMBER about?
What is AMBER about?
AMBER is Ireland’s national materials research centre, a partnership between world-class scientists and industry. We are focused on translating science
into new discoveries and devices for
the ICT, medical devices and industrial
technology sectors.
We are funded by Science Foundation
Ireland and industry partners.
We bring together internationally leading
researchers from 3 academic institutes;
Trinity College Dublin, Royal College
of Surgeons in Ireland and University
College Cork.
Our research programmes are tackling
significant industrial challenges and
include the development of novel data
processing and memory applications,
thermoelectric devices, food and
pharmaceutical packaging, medical
implant coatings, diagnostics and drug
delivery systems, and regenerative tissue
engineering.
We provide access to world-class
research infrastructure and expertise.
We are creating new knowledge and
intellectual property and transferring
that knowledge to industry through staff
exchange, licensing agreements and
spin-outs.
We are strengthening Ireland’s reputation
for research and act as a national
resource to grow and retain existing
companies in Ireland, expand their R&D
mandate and increase foreign direct
investment.
AMBER provides a gateway to significant
European funding, linking Irish industry
to universities and industry in Europe.
We are impacting all levels of the
education system from primary school
to fourth level, ensuring a pipeline
of graduates who receive training in
world-class R&D infrastructure and are
equipped to work to industry standards.
AMBER is a Partnership
AMBER is a Partnership
We are open to expanding our partnerships and willing to collaborate with a wider range of companies and academic institutes. TRI
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Industry
Nanoscience
AMBER brings together Ireland’s leading
material science researchers working
across the disciplines of Physics,
Chemistry, Bioengineering and Medicine.
The centre is hosted in the CRANN
Institute, Trinity College Dublin.
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We are partnering across
academic institutes.
AMBER’s key collaborating Institutes:
– Trinity College Dublin (CRANN and the
Trinity Centre for Bioengineering)
– Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
– University College Cork
Clinicians
Chemistry
Medicine
We are partnering with industry.
There are currently twenty one
companies working within AMBER,
each co-funding a defined research
project to meet their specific needs.
The industry partners are diverse, both
in terms of sectors and scale, covering
the four primary sectors of ICT, Medical
Devices, Pharmaceuticals and Industrial
Technologies. AMBER works with large
multinationals and indigenous SMEs.
AMBER can identify potential funding
opportunities for new and existing
partner companies through Science
Foundation Ireland, Enterprise Ireland,
the IDA and European funding.
Pharmacy
Immunology
Bioengineering
Physics
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Materials
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Collaborating Partners
ICT
PHARMACEUTICAL
INDUSTRIAL
PARTNERS
MEDICAL DEVICES
AND DELIVERY
SYSTEMS
Partnering with Industry
Partnering with Industry
Intel
AMBER is working with Intel on the
development of novel materials to
pattern, create and contact nanometre
scale devices. The associated learnings
will assist in the development of the
next generation Intel technologies.
AMBER researchers work closely with
Intel Ireland and have 6 researchersin-residence based at Trinity College
Dublin and University College Cork. There is also significant collaboration
with Intel’s ‘Components Research’
centre based in Portland, Oregon.
“The research being done at AMBER is world-class. It is providing the kind of
answers for us in Intel that we need as a company at the leading edge of our industry.” Leonard Hobbs, Research and New Business Director, Intel Ireland.
Sigmoid Pharma
Merck Millipore
Sigmoid Pharma Limited is a specialty
pharma company headquartered
in Dublin whose goal is to develop
new therapies, with a focus on
gastrointestinal and immunological
diseases and disorders. AMBER
researchers work with Sigmoid Pharma
on advanced characterisation of the
SmPill® oral drug delivery technology.
The expertise of AMBER’s technical
staff combined with leading microscopy
infrastructure has resulted in the
development of a range of methods to
thoroughly characterise the SmPill®
technology, particularly the surface and
coating layers.
Merck Millipore is a world leader in the
production of medical and diagnostic
devices with an expansive product
portfolio including lab filtration devices,
antibody screening kits and blood typing
products. The Irish manufacturing facility
is working with AMBER to develop
new membrane technologies for these
devices.
AMBER researchers are embedded
in the manufacturing plant in Cork to
help identify and implement improved
processes. This has enhanced the
research capability locally and enhanced
their reputation with the global research
headquarters.
“AMBER is not just a national “This collaborative research centre of excellence, it is programme with AMBER will an international centre of strengthen our capabilities excellence.”
in creating new material Ivan Coulter, CEO Sigmoid Pharma.
innovations and enhance our manufacturing processes and capabilities in Cork.” Michael O’Donohoe, CCB Process &
Technology Lead, Merck Millipore.
The Numbers So Far
The Numbers So Far
“Amber is a very significant addition to Ireland’s growing research infrastructure. Its excellent research team will create real economic and societal impact partnering with industry.” Minister for Research & Innovation, Sean Sherlock TD.
AMBER
35
23
30
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03
15
21
million (€) investment from
Science Foundation Ireland
million (€) funding from industry
investigators
PhDs and post-docs
leading academic institutes
industry researchers
embedded in the centre
diverse industry partners
Ireland
6th
in the world for
Materials Science research
07
of the world’s top 10
ICT companies are based here
09
of the world’s top 10 medical technology companies are here
Infrastructure
Infrastructure
AMBER offers our industry
partners access to a large
hub of the latest R&D infrastructure across our partner universities including Trinity College Dublin and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. We have skilled technical specialists
with industrial and scientific
backgrounds to support the research
programmes. Our industry partners can
either place their own staff directly on
site to undertake the research or can
assign our specialist staff to complete
the work.
We have world-class equipment
in the areas of advanced materials
and characterisation, bioengineering,
photonics, polymer processing and
microscopy.
Advanced Microscopy Lab
The centre houses high end scanning
and imaging electron and ion beam
microscopes for sample imaging
down to atomic resolution, materials
characterisation and fabrication.
Metrology/ Spectroscopy
A range of techniques are available for the
quantitative crystallographic, chemical or
surface measurement of materials in many
different formats.
Polymer Processing Lab
We have dedicated capability for the
characterisation, design, blending, and
prototyping of polymers, often enhanced
with nano-materials. We can test the
electrical/mechanical properties of these
materials and have capability such as
electro-spinning to aid with scale-up.
Tissue Engineering Research Group, RCSI
Facilities and equipment at the TERG
include tissue culture, scaffold fabrication
and sterilisation, tissue processing and
histological staining, mechanical testing,
and molecular biology analysis. There is
also equipment for drug-delivery material
fabrication and characterisation.
Photonics Lab
We have a variety of near field, far field, and
ultra-fast systems [UV-IR] for studying the
light /matter interaction and researching
topics such as surface plasmon effects and
near field optics.
Trinity Centre For Bioengineering
Expertise here includes the development
of a variety of natural and synthetic
biomaterials, incorporation of therapeutic
agents such as drugs and genes into these
materials, computational modelling of
cells, tissues and biomaterials, neural
signal processing, designing devices for
clinical applications and conducting preclinical testing.
Clean-Room Facilities
The cleanroom is specified to produce
device structures on wafers up to 150 mm
in diameter. The specification is from class
100 in the lithography area to class 10000
in the metrology and deposition areas.
Contact Us
Contact Us
Our vision is for AMBER to be the
‘go-to’ location for excellence in
materials research and development
in Ireland. If you are a company
or a researcher with an interest in
collaborating, please get in touch.
Prof Fergal O’Brien+353 (0) 1 4022149
Deputy [email protected]
Prof Michael Morris+353 (0) 21 4902180
Deputy [email protected]
Brendan Ring+353 (0) 1 8963088
Business Development [email protected]
Mary Colclough+353 (0)1 8963022
[email protected]
O ’ C O N N ELL ST.
AMBER,
R I V E R L IF F EY
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General Enquiries
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