Ireland Hosts Global Leaders to Tackle How New Medicines Reach Patients
Wednesday the 15th of April 2026: NIBRT, Dublin, Ireland
Ireland Hosts Global Leaders to Tackle How New Medicines Reach Patients
The National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT) hosted over 200 international leaders in Dublin this week to address one of the biggest challenges in modern medicine on how to turn scientific breakthroughs into treatments that can be reliably produced and delivered to patients.
The two-day conference, Global Advances in Translational Therapeutics & Biomanufacturing, brought together experts from across science, industry and healthcare to examine why many promising discoveries never make it beyond the laboratory, and what is needed to change that. While scientific discovery continues to accelerate, many new therapies, including advanced treatments such as cell and gene therapies, face significant barriers when it comes to large-scale manufacturing, cost, and delivery within health systems. As a result, patients can face long delays in access, and in some cases, treatments never reach the clinic at all. Speakers including Prof. Garret FitzGerald (University of Pennsylvania), Prof. Brian Glennon (APC), Prof. Emmanuel Tzanakakis (Tufts University), Prof. Jimmy Gollihar (Houston Methodist), and Prof. Helen McCarthy (Queen’s University Belfast) shared insights on how these challenges are being addressed globally, from early-stage research through to manufacturing and real-world use.
At the centre of these discussions was Ireland’s leading role in biopharmaceutical manufacturing. The sector is a major contributor to the Irish economy, with the country recognised as one of the world’s leading hubs for the production of medicines. NIBRT plays a key role in supporting this, working at the intersection of research, industry and skills development. Unlike traditional research institutes, NIBRT operates in an environment that mirrors a full-scale biomanufacturing facility, allowing scientists to focus not only on discovery, but on how therapies can be produced, scaled, and delivered in practice.
Speaking at the event, Dr Fiona Killard-Lynch, Chief Scientific Officer and Director of Research and Innovation at NIBRT, said:
“The real challenge in therapeutics is not discovery, it’s what comes next. We are very good at generating promising science, but turning that into something that can be developed, manufactured and delivered at scale is where it becomes difficult. Too often, that part is treated as an afterthought. This conference is about bringing those challenges into focus and exploring practical solutions, so that more of that science reaches patients.”
The conference also highlighted the importance of building the skills and infrastructure needed to support next-generation therapies, with contributions from early-career researchers and emerging scientists based at NIBRT.
ENDS
About NIBRT
The National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT) is a global centre of excellence for training and research in biopharmaceutical manufacturing. www.nibrt.ie
NIBRT is at the forefront of biopharmaceutical innovation, tackling the biggest challenges in next-generation medicine production. Our research spans cell and gene therapies, RNA-based medicines, and advanced protein biologics, driving fundamental discoveries that redefine biopharmaceutical manufacturing. NIBRT is also home to CONCEPT our Core Facility for Early-Stage Biotherapy Development. CONCEPT provides an advanced research environment to accelerate the development of next-generation biotherapies, offering specialised infrastructure and expertise to support early-stage process development, high-throughput screening, and characterisation of novel therapeutics. Through CONCEPT, NIBRT is enabling innovation in cell and gene therapy, protein-based biopharmaceuticals, and emerging biotherapeutic modalities.
For more information, please visit https://concept-nibrt.ie/
Media Contacts:
For interviews or further images please contact:
Dr. Laura Breen
Research Impact & Communications Manager
National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training
laura.breen@nibrt.ie
