On Thursday afternoon, 31 January 2019, Prof Martin Leahy, STARSTEM Coordinator facilitated an interactive lecture at the National University of Ireland Galway which was arranged as part of a series of inspiring talks for the Master of Sciences in Cellular Manufacturing and Therapy course. Martin’s talk: “STARSTEM: Reaching for the stars to drive stem cell therapy” was well-received and more than 50 staff and students attended the talk. Dami Arosomade, a student in and Class Representative of the MSc in Cellular Manufacturing and Therapy course remarked: “His lecture was very enlightening and provided a deeper insight into the role that physics can play in cellular therapy. I found it especially interesting because I don’t have much of a physics background.”

The lecture series was organized by the MSc Cellular Manufacturing and Therapy course coordinator Dr Cynthia Coleman, NUI Galway. This programme is uniquely positioned at NUI Galway to draw on existing expertise in science education, biomedical research, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)-grade cellular manufacturing and clinical translation of advanced therapeutics to educate future leaders in these emerging technologies. With the support and expertise located within the Centre for Cell Manufacturing Ireland, the Clinical Research Facility, the Translational Research Facility, the Regenerative Medicine Institute and the Galway Blood and Tissue Establishment, students have access to an internationally competitive MSc programme in Cellular Manufacturing and Therapy.