The SEAM Gateway is leading a Disruptive Technology Innovation-funded project called E-BAMBI, which will research the 3D printing of biomedical implants.
The SEAM Gateway led a consortium comprising two SMEs – Schivo Medical and Graph Engineering – multinational company, Stryker Ireland, and its sister Technology Gateway, CREST, to receive over € 1.9 million in funding for its project E-Bambi (Enhanced Biocompatibility of Additively Manufactured Biomedical implants for Improved clinical outcomes) from the Disruptive Technology Innovation Fund (DTIF) administered by Project Ireland 2040.
SEAM, based in Waterford Institute of Technology, is an industry focused applied research centre, providing materials engineering solutions to companies from wide-ranging sectors such as medical devices, pharmaceuticals, microelectronics, precision engineering and energy. SEAM supports research activities for industries throughout Ireland.
An Taoiseach, Leo Varadker TD, and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphries, announced the details of the 27 projects funded under the DTIF on 10th December 2018. There were over 300 applications submitted for this call, making the process highly competitive.
This work has major implications for the medical device industry and ultimately for improving patient care with the proposed implants coated for drug elution, reducing the risk of infection for patients receiving the implants.
The Minister of State for Training, Skills, Innovation, Research and Development, John Halligan TD, said:
“With the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund, the Irish Government is supporting exactly the kind of fund that Ireland needs right now as we embrace the opportunities and challenges that disruptive technologies innovation bring to our workplaces and homes. These projects represent exciting collaborations happening between Ireland’s cutting-edge research base and our vibrant, dynamic enterprise and start-up community, reflecting the excellent skills we have here. I am delighted to support projects that will help to position Ireland as a Global Innovation Leader and lead the way in driving disruptive technologies innovation.”
Dr Ramesh Raghavendra, Director of SEAM and lead partner of the DTIF E-BAMBI project said:
“We are thrilled to be funded under the highly competitive DTIF call – the E-BAMBI consortium has the capacity to disruptively innovate the medical device market. Our project has wide-reaching impact for patient care and critically, for the commercialisation of the technology we will create for global impact. Furthermore, this E-BAMBI project would meet the growing need for engineering and scientific competence for building an additive ecosystem in Ireland.”