The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin (TTMI)

Brief Overview

Trinity Translational Medicine Institute (TTMI) (https://www.tcd.ie/ttmi/) is TCD large-scale centre of knowledge excellence supporting patient-orientated research. Its close proximity with St. James’s hospital and Clinical Research facilities makes of TTMI the suitable space where to take on translational biomedical research. TTMI includes over 40 Principal Investigators and 150 scientists, and Translational Cancer is one of its main research themes. TTMI offers high-quality expertise in the cancer field. It hosts in fact various labs that are part of the Trinity St James’s Cancer Institute, which is a member of the Organisation of European Cancer Institutes (the 1st in Ireland).

Research Areas

Cell biology\Immunology\Lung cancer\Molecular biology\Smoking

Research infrastructure/facilities

TTMI offers unique facilities (https://www.tcd.ie/ttmi/facilities/) in translational lung-cancer research, from conventional and advanced (e.g. organoids, lung-on-chip) cellular-based approaches to in vivo animal models and patient-orientated research:

• Flow Cytometry Facility;
• High Content Screening and Analysis;
• TrinSeq – Trinity Genome Sequencing Laboratory (NGS);
• Category 3 Laboratory – Allows work with infectious and dangerous pathogens;
• Biobanking – It facilitates processing, storage and distribution of biospecimens related to clinical and epidemiological research;
• Bio Resources Unit – Animal research facility;
• Laboratory of Biological Characterization of Advanced Materials (LBCAM) – Core nanomedicine-enabling infrastructure. LBCAM is the Irish-branch of the European Nanomedicine Characterization Laboratory (EUNCL).

Research funding/Resources

LBCAM is extremely well funded through a wide range of international funding agencies, including European Union FP7 and H2020 and Science Foundation Ireland funding programmes. TTMI is working closely with St. James’s Hospital and the Wellcome Trust-HRB funded Clinical Research Facility to establish a COVID-19 patient registry and biobank (St. James’s TCD Allied Research (STAR) Collaboration for COVID-19).

Links to non-academic sector

TTMI has a strong programme for industry engagement to support advances in medical research to directly benefit patients, with a wealth of experience developing enterprise collaborations. TTMI is well placed to advise and capitalise on various national and international support initiatives. TTMI liaises closely with organisations such as IPPOSI, the Irish Platform for Patients Organisations, Science and Industry, set up to facilitate the co-operation between patients’ organisations, scientists, clinicians, regulators and industry to stimulate the development of devices, therapies and diagnostics. TTMI is also connected to the Health Innovation Hub Ireland as a leading location for healthcare start-ups and companies.

Experience hosting international researchers, career development & training programmes, outreach activities

TTMI focuses on the key principles of excellence and training. TTMI runs a structured seminar series where scientists and clinicians from different disciplines present their translational work. This forum stimulates interactions across the different thematic areas within the institute and also allows for the development of collaborations between different disciplines. Also, TTMI liaises with the Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, the Trinity College Institute of Neurosciences, and the Centre for

Research on Adaptive Nanostructures and Nanodevices as well as large research and training programmes, such as TILDA, AMBER, the Global Brain Health Initiative and the Wellcome HRB Clinical Research Facility at St. James’s Hospital. TTMI has developed a unique career mentoring programme for its research fellows, where they are mentored on all aspects of career development activities by senior faculty within the institute. TTMI participates in “Science Week” and disease awareness months, to disseminate the translational work within the Institute.