DCU playing a leading role in upcoming World Biomaterials Conference

The world’s leading researchers, industry experts and clinicians in the field of biomaterials will come together virtually for this year’s World Biomaterials Conference jointly hosted by DCU, Queen Mary University of London and King’s College, London. 

The event, which has attracted over 4,000 delegates from across the globe is the largest gathering of expertise in the field of biomaterials, an industry which employs over 45,000 people in Ireland. 

In fact, Ireland is a significant world player in this sector producing 80% of global stents, 75% of global orthopaedic knee production and 25% injectable devices for diabetes. Nine of the world’s top 10 medical technology companies have a base here and the biomaterials and medical technology sector in Ireland is recognised as one of the five global emerging hubs. 

The upcoming event has been organised by Prof Nicholas Dunne, Dublin City University in collaboration with Prof Liz Tanner, Queen Mary University of London and Prof Lucy Di Silvio, King’s College, London  and will take place from December 11th to 15th. 

The conference has been in the planning stages since 2012 from initial application to the present day. It was originally scheduled as an in-person conference but owing to Covid-19, the conference organisers quickly pivoted to a virtual event. 

DCU is particularly pleased to play a strategic role in this global scientific conference as the university is renowned for driving the education agenda of the biomaterials and medical technology sector and has also developed an international reputation for research innovation and entrepreneurial excellence in this area. 

Speaking in advance Prof. Nicholas Dunne, DCU Professor of Biomaterials Engineering, Executive Director of Biodesign Europe and the Centre for Medical Engineering Research, SFI Investigator at i-Form and AMBER, and Co-Chair of WBC2020 said, 

“The discipline of biomaterials converges at the interface of materials science, engineering, and medicine, and research in the area has transformed medicine, particularly in the areas of pharmaceutics and medical device technology. 

With an interdisciplinary focus crossing academic research, medicine, life sciences and industry, DCU’s hosting of the Olympics of Biomaterials is a testament to Ireland’s international reputation for biomaterial and medical device research as demonstrated by the interdisciplinary research at DCU, Biodesign Europe, MEDEng, i-Form and AMBER, which are partnering with industry to translate world-class scientific research discoveries and innovations for patient and societal benefit.”

For more information about the conference, visit https://wbc2020.org/