Research for Ireland’s Future

Science Foundation Ireland;

Supporting Excellence with Impact

Ruth Freeman PhD

Director,

Programmes, Enterprise &

International Affairs

What is the purpose of SFI Funding?

• An instrument of Government polices

• With particular focus on economic/enterprise development (funded from the Industrial development budget)

• Achieve excellence in Science as a foundation for Enterprise, enabling

– Innovation

– Upgraded human resources

– Higher education institute (HEI) capability

– Enterprise/Academic collaboration

What is the profile of the annual SFI budget?

Other: €450m

SFI: €150m

Grants to HEIs

€150m

Public R&D: €600m

€9m Pay/

Non-Pay

Centres/

ClustersIndividual

Teams

& Other

SFI Annual Budget

SFI Spend Profile

SFI Budget 2000-2012

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Mill

ion

s Eu

ro

Enabling Infrastructure

Human Studiesplatform

Germ-free facilitiesClean room facilityHelium Ion Microscope

..almost €1bn invested through a single scheme (PRTLI)

Research for Ireland’s Future

Agenda 2020

Excellence with Impact

Agenda 2020 –

Scientific and Engineering Research…

Powers an innovative and enterprising economy

Creates high-value jobs

Attracts, develops and nurtures businesses, scientists and talented people

Is connected and respected internationally

• Invest in research excellence in areas identified by NRPE

• Invest in SFI’s translational research capability

• Develop a set of centres that are recognised internationally

• Increase the number of SFI-trained researchers hired by industry

To be the best science funding agency in the world at creating impact from excellent research and demonstrating clear value for money invested

• Build strategic partnerships

• Diversify the funding sources for Ireland’s scientific base

To be the exemplar in building partnerships that fund excellent science and drive it out to market

To have the strongest public support for its scientific mission

To represent the ideal modern public service organisation, staffed in a lean and flexible manned, with efficient and effective management

Four Goals in Agenda 2020

What has SFI achieved?

Built a credible base of world class research teams : SFI supports approximately 3,000 researchers in Ireland led by over 300 lead scientists

Has helped drive Irish universities up the world rankings: Ireland has ascended the international ranking of scientific research capability – from 36th in 2003 to 20th in 2010 : Ireland has scored a world ranking of 8th in materials science, and 3rd in Immunology

Has contributed to the internationalisation of Irish research – SFI researchers are engaged over 1,900 international partnerships in over 60 countries

SFI researchers secure over €60 million from international sources annually

Created a high level of Intellectual Property: SFI researcher’s pre-commercial outputs: an average per year: 6 spinouts, 83 patents filed, 14 patents awarded, 145 invention disclosures, 25 licenced technologies (650 awards)

Has assisted IDA/EI in anchoring & transforming the industrial base - SFI researchers have links to the companies that generated approx. 60% of recent IDA-supported job announcements.

SFI supports over 35 conferences annually, involving over 2,500 international delegates, which generate an economic return to Ireland of €3.5million

Source: Thomson Reuters InCites March 2010

200119911981

Publication Output: QualityThere has been a

commensurate increase in the

level of pre-commercial

outputs including

patents, licences and spin-out

companies

8th in Materials

3rd in Immunology

11th in Computer Science

WORLDOECD

GERMANY AND UK

POLAND, GREECE

SFI researchers are involved in over

900 collaborations with almost 600

companies.

These collaborations are with both

small and large, indigenous and

external companies

Research Prioritisation - Industry-led committee to

prioritise academic research14 Priority Areas

• A Future Networks & Communications

• B Data Analytics Management, Security & Privacy

• C Digital Platforms, Content & Applications

• D Connected Health & Independent Living

• E Medical Devices

• F Diagnostics

• G Therapeutics - synthesis formulation, processing and

drug delivery

• H Food for Health

• I Sustainable Food Production and Processing

• J Marine Renewable Energy

• K Smart Grids & Smart Cities

• L Manufacturing Competitiveness

• M Processing Technologies and Novel Materials

• N Innovation in Services and Business Processes

6 Underpinning/Platform Science and

Technology Areas

Basic Biomedical Science

Nanotechnology

Advanced Materials

Microelectronics

Photonics

Software Engineering

SFI Confidential

Priority Area G: Therapeutics: Synthesis, Formulation, Processing and

Drug Delivery

Priority Area L: Manufacturing Competitiveness

Priority Area M: Processing Technologies and Novel Materials

Key Investments in these areas SSPC (Solid State Pharmaceutical Research Cluster) IDDN (Irish Drug Delivery Network) AGRC (Alimentary Glycoscience Research Cluster) REMEDI (Regenerative Medicine Cluster)

Martin Clynes (National Institute for Cellular Biotechnology, DCU, CHO cells) Richard O 'Kennedy (DCU, Genetic methods of antibody production) Oliver Dolly (DCU, Recombinant Botulinum Neurotoxins as Therapeutics) Pat Guiry, Declan Gilheany, Stephen Connon (Synthetic Chemists)

Infrastructure Continuous Processing Platform Technology (SSPC in UCD) National GMP facility (REMEDI) Facilities in DCU (Martin Clynes, Oliver Dolly, Ian Marison) Bioreactor for Biocatalysis Production (UCD School of Chemical Engineering)

SFI Partnership Programme

SFI is open to partnership opportunities with industry

Flexible approach depending on needs

May be at a national level or in partnership with individual Higher Education Institution

the foundation of the smart economy

Email: ruth.freeman@sfi.ie

Tel : +353 1 607 3142

www.sfi.ie

alerts@sfi.ie