C-TRIC’S Barry Johnston
THE Derry based Clinical Translational Research and Innovation Centre (C-TRIC) are looking forward to making further inroads into the US market after a successful week in Massachusetts last month with the cross border North West Trade and Investment mission to Boston.
Barry Johnston is the Commercial Manager of the Altnagelvin hospital based operation who promote and facilitate translational and clinical research by streamlining the process of taking developments from the laboratory to the market place.
He spent the week attending the various showcase and networking events hosted by the joint Council led delegation and meeting with health and life sciences companies in the region to learn more about their operations and discuss future partnerships.
“There were a number of aims for the trip,” Mr Johnston explained. “Primarily to make and strengthen business connections in the region to enhance the profile of C-TRIC as a Contract Research Organisation and Bio-Incubation space.
“Additionally I believed it would be useful to go and see how health and life sciences companies operate in another region.”
The health and life sciences sector are the branches of science that involve the scientific study of living organisms – such as microorganisms, plants, animals and humans.
It is a growing sector in the North West region with organisations in the Donegal and Derry/Strabane Council areas including C-Tric, NI Centre for Stratified Medicine and the Intelligent System Research Centre.
“Massachusetts was of particular interest due to the region’s focus on this industry.” Mr Johnston continued. “It has substantial activity in health and life sciences, with a great mix of larger multi-national companies right through to early stage start-ups.
“There is one company I met with in particular who I believe will lead to projects in C-TRIC, there were a number of other contacts that may prove to be valuable in the medium to longer term.
“Our connections with the area should evolve as we continue discussions with companies based in that region.”
A first ever North West Trade delegation trip to Philadelphia next summer is one of a number of positive outcomes from the trade and investment mission.
The delegation was led by Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Maolíosa McHugh and Leas Cathoirleach of Donegal County Council, Councillor Noel Jordan, included representatives from 15 local companies, Údaras Na Gaeltachta and senior council officers.
Representatives from Ulster University, North West Regional College and Letterkenny IT also made the trip as the region presented a united front to showcase its offering for inward investment and potential export opportunity.
A key element of the trip was providing local companies with an opportunity to tie into the US market.
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