APC Microbiome Institute

APC Microbiome Ireland is a world-leading SFI Research Centre based in University College Cork which was formed in 2003 with funding from Science Foundation Ireland and in conjunction with key industry partners. It represents a seamless collaboration between University College Cork,Teagasc (the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority) and NUI Galway, with additional Investigators based at University College Dublin, National Institute for Bioprocessing Research & Training (NIBRT), Cork Institute of Technology and Trinity College Dublin. APC has established itself as one of the leading global centres in gut microbiota research andis currently working on research projects with more than 30 companies, from multinational food and nutrition corporations down to indigenous SMEs. APC has also produced four spinouts, including SeqBiome, Artugen, 4D pharma (Cork) and Atlantia Food Clinical Trials Ltd in areas ranging from drug discovery and functional foods through to human clinical trials.The APC has made several landmark discoveries and has published over 2,700 research articles in peer reviewed journals, generating many journal covers and associated editorials. Recent research areas being led by APC include the development of new diagnostics or biomarkers of health or risk of disease based on analysis of the microbiota; exploring the mechanisms by which the microbiota may be favourably mobilised or manipulated (e.g. by prebiotic food ingredients and bacteriophage) to promote health and ‘mining’ the microbiota for new drugs (e.g. smart antibiotics) and functional food ingredients.