Dr. Richard A. Lerner to become Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board of the National Institute for Biotechnology, Research and Training (NIBRT)

Dublin, Thursday June 18th 2009, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Mary Coughlan TD, today met with Dr. Richard A. Lerner, a world-leading scientist and key international influencer of high stature within the Life Sciences Sector, who will take up the role of Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board at the National Institute for Biotechnology, Research and Training (NIBRT), later this year. Dr. Lerner is involved with many leading global corporations in the Life Sciences Sector. In recognition of his scientific achievements Dr. Lerner received a Ulysses Medal and honorary doctorate from University College Dublin during this visit to Ireland.

NIBRT, a world-class institute supported by the Irish Government with the aid of IDA Ireland, has a mandate to support the development of the existing bio- processing industry in Ireland and to attract additional bio-processing companies to the country. The institute is mandated to provide education, training and research solutions for the bio-processing sector in Ireland and is based on an innovative collaboration between University College Dublin, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin City University and the Institute of Technology, Sligo.

An Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mary Coughlan TD said, ‘It is a great honour to meet with Dr. Lerner and to have a scientist of his calibre take on the role as Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board at NIBRT. Dr. Lerner has a diverse scientific career spanning forty years and he will bring an immense wealth of experience to this role.’

‘Bringing the expertise which Dr. Lerner possesses to the forefront of NIBRT is characteristic of the Government’s strategy of innovative collaborations underpinning Ireland’s ‘Smart Economy’ and his involvement with a variety of companies in the Life Sciences sector will be to the benefit of all parties involved.’

Dr. Lerner’s scientific career is particularly significant not only for the broad scope of his achievements in several diverse areas of biomedical research, but for his leadership and vision in concurrently directing the totality of scientific activities at The Scripps Research Institute, one of the world’s largest independent, non-profit biomedical research organizations. His work spans a wide range of seemingly disparate discoveries, from unique insights into protein and peptide structure to the identification of a sleep-inducing lipid. He has been widely recognized by numerous prestigious societies and organizations in the United States and abroad. One of his accomplishments, and that for which he is perhaps most well known, is groundbreaking advances in the field of catalytic antibodies, showing that antibodies can be employed as enzymes (work conducted simultaneously with Scripps Research Professor Peter Schultz, then at the University of California, Berkeley). This work permitted the catalysis of chemical reactions considered impossible to achieve by classical chemical procedures. While it has taken enzymes acting on natural biological systems millions of years of evolution to reach their present level of efficiency, antibodies can be produced overnight, for obtaining an almost limitless variety of products — beyond natural ones — with an efficiency that may exceed that of natural enzymes.

NIBRT

The National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT) is a world-class institute that provides training and research solutions for the bioprocessing industry in state of the art facilities.  NIBRT is located in Dublin, Ireland and is based on an innovative collaboration between University College Dublin, Trinity College Dublin,  Dublin City University and Institute of Technology Sligo.

NIBRT is funded by the IDA Ireland with a mandate to support the development of the existing bioprocessing industry in Ireland and to attract additional bioprocessing companies to Ireland by:

•    Training highly skilled personnel for the bioprocessing industry.
•    Conducting world-class research in key areas of bioprocessing.
•    Providing a critical mass of multipurpose bioprocessing facilities.

In order to create a centre of bioprocessing excellence, NIBRT is developing state of the art facilities. These include a pilot plant to support scale up operations and to enable students to get real time experience in an industrial environment.

NIBRT’s training mission is to develop and deliver world class training solutions that are specifically focused on the needs of bioprocessing.

NIBRT’s training solutions consist of Masters courses that are delivered in partnership with our Consortium members, Customised Programs that are designed in partnership with the client to meet the specific needs of industry and scheduled training courses on key aspects of bio processing that are run throughout the year.
NIBRT’s research strategy is focused on the design, development and optimization of bioprocesses for the safe and economic manufacture of biopharmaceuticals. There are five principal, interrelated research strands to this strategy which provide a holistic solution to the needs of Industry.

For further information on NIBRT log onto www.nibrt.ie;