30th March 2017 Today the newest research centre at Tallaght Hospital was officially named. Upgraded after significant financial support from the Meath Foundation, the aim of the new facility is to expand the culture of scientific discovery at Tallaght Hospital and to enable access for patients to new novel therapies through their participation in clinical trials.
The new Meath Foundation Research Laboratory, located in the Trinity Centre at the Hospital has been externally assessed by international experts and approved for Clinical Trials bench-based work. This development has enabled clinical research activity to increase by 50%. One area that has particularly benefited is cell culture standards which now meet international best practice. This allows for all primary synoviocyte cultures to take place on-site and not in UCD as was previously the case. The new laboratory also contains clinical research and bio-banking facilities, as well as upgraded facilities for performing protecomic analysis and immunoassays.
Michael Scanlan, Chairman of Tallaght Hospital, welcomed the new Research Laboratory saying; “I am delighted to attend the official opening of the Meath Foundation Research Laboratory. This new facility will add hugely to the already significant research capabilities at Tallaght Hospital and enable the Hospital as a whole to progress as a research leader in the Irish medical sector. With the generous support of the Meath Foundation, this facility will help to transform the lives of patients by developing new cures and treatments in a variety of areas. It is a testament to all the staff here at Tallaght Hospital, and our collective commitment to the ethos of “People Caring for People”. I look forward to seeing the results produced here.”
Meath Foundation Chairman, Mairèad Shields, also welcomed the new Laboratory, saying; “As the Chairman of an organisation that is committed to the values of research and developing new insights in the world of medical care, I am very excited that this new facility is such a success. The Meath Foundation is delighted to have its name associated with this development and that we were in a position to fund the refurbishment and staffing of the Laboratory. Tallaght Hospital has a long-standing commitment to research, both among its current and former staff, and also as a teaching hospital in conjunction with Trinity College Dublin. The importance of research here cannot be denied.”
Professor Seamas Donnelly, Chair of Medicine at Trinity College Dublin and Respiratory Consultant at Tallaght Hospital said: “This facility is a testament to Tallaght Hospital’s continued commitment to research and the general good. It will allow for a whole variety of new developments in a number of areas and it is very exciting to see the potential that is on offer. It will enhance the reputation of the hospital and reinforce its position as a research leader and we are indebted to the Meath Foundation for their support.”
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About Tallaght Hospital
Tallaght Hospital is one of Ireland’s largest acute teaching hospitals, providing child-health, mental health and adult healthcare on one site. The Hospital has 495 adult beds and 67 paediatric beds, a staff of 2,600 people and an annual gross budget in excess of €250 million. The Hospital is a provider of local, regional and national specialities. It is a national urology centre, the second largest provider of dialysis services in the country and a regional orthopaedic trauma centre.
Tallaght Hospital is a major teaching hospital of Trinity College Dublin - specialising in the training and professional development of staff in nursing, health and social care, emergency medicine and surgery, amongst many others. The Hospital is part of the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group which serves a population of over 1.2 million across seven counties.
A new satellite centre is to be built at Tallaght Hospital as part of the New Children’s Hospital project and will be a key element of an integrated clinical network for paediatric services nationally.
The Hospital’s Emergency Departments catered for 49,512 Adult Attendances and 33,717 Paediatric Attendances in 2016. A further 252,418 patients were treated through the Hospital’s adult and paediatric outpatient clinics in 2016. The Hospital’s operations are supported by 200 general practitioners in surrounding communities.
