Profile: Shannon ABC Technology Gateway

The Shannon ABC Gateway, based on the Munster Technological University and TUS: Midlands Midwest campuses, develops new processes and novel products from bio-resources, transferring these solutions to biotech, food and life science industries

What is Shannon ABC Technology Gateway?

Shannon Applied Biotechnology Centre Gateway delivers solutions to scientific and technical challenges faced by industry, by developing new processes and products from bio-resources. Shannon ABC develops state-of-the-art processes, using ingredients and biological products from natural resources. The results of these processes are delivered to companies in the Agriculture, Bioeconomy, Biotechnology, Cosmetics, Environmental, Food & Drink, Health, Marine and Pharmaceutical sectors.

What expertise is available at Shannon ABC?

Shannon ABC’s key area of expertise is in bioresources – from both a practical and policy perspective. The better utilisation of bioresources is fundamental to a successful bioeconomy. There are many different types of companies that are involved in a flourishing bioeconomy, from a range of different sectors. Shannon ABC has an extensive national and international network of companies and partners involved in and associated with the bioeconomy.

Bioresources describe a diversity of under-explored and under-exploited materials derived from waste streams, marine, plant, animal, mammalian, agricultural and microbial sources. Shannon ABC work with a wide range of bioresource sources and apply these to a platform of screening, characterisation, identification and mode of action capabilities. This information is used to identify applications for the bioresource and to determine the potential commercialisation opportunities.

Shannon ABC has developed and continues to expand an extensive biological repository of extracts and organisms derived from wide ranging sources and processes.

Current research expertise areas include:

What facilities and technologies are available?

Shannon ABC’s expertise, state of the art facilities and equipment are available to assist companies to address specific challenges.

1) Facility:

The facilities at Shannon ABC are co-located between the Kerry Campus of MTU and the Hartnett Enterprise Acceleration Centre at TUS: MidWest. This co-location allows our Industry and Research Partners to take advantage of the synergistic skills and wide range of equipment available at these two organisations.

2) Laboratories:

Shannon ABC laboratories are customised and future-proofed for wide ranging biotechnological and analytical capabilities including dedicated research bench space, analytical suites, raw material processing, HEPA filtered microbial suite and tissue culture suite, fermentation suite. Access to laboratories is controlled and restricted to authorised personnel only.

3) Equipment:

Below is a list of some of the equipment available at Shannon ABC:

LC-MS.
Cell culture suite.
Preparative Chromatography.
Calorimeter.
Fluorescence Microscope.
Freeze Dryer.
Microalgal Food Grade Suite.

See here for the full list of equipment at Shannon ABC.

What services are available at Shannon ABC?

The key aim of the Shannon ABC Technology Gateway is to assist in the continued prosperity of industry by offering access to wide ranging expertise and know how; state of the art equipment and facilities; and access to a wide variety of national and international funding programs.

As a Technology Gateway, Shannon ABC delivers close to market solutions for industry and acts as an access point to wider research resources and infrastructure. Industrial biotechnological research is confidentially conducted with companies specialising in the Agricultural, Food, Marine, Medical and Pharmaceutical industries, among others. We recognise that servicing industry requires a flexible approach and Shannon ABC have experience working with industry on a number of levels which are based on a gradient of involvement by Shannon ABC.

Providing laboratory space
Providing access to equipment
Providing operational expertise
Method/Process development
Collaborative research projects (Innovation Vouchers, Innovation Partnerships)
Desk based research
Contract research

What type of companies do Shannon ABC collaborate with?

Collaboration, a key focus of Shannon ABC, happens on both a regional and a national basis. Shannon ABC delivers confidential collaboration with industry, academia, research centres and researchers in Ireland, and abroad through EU funding mechanisms.

Find out more about Shannon ABC here. You can also follow them on Twitter for all the latest news.