Dr David Molony, MPHC ,Tim Delany, Genomics Medicine Ireland, and Dr Tony Heffernan, MPHC, Genomics Medicine Irelandpictured at the announcement of a new research programme with the Mallow Primary Healthcare Centre, which will greatly boost precision medicine research and discovery in Ireland. Photo by Gerard McCarthy.
Irish life sciences company, Genomics Medicine Ireland Ltd. (GMI), has announced a new research programme with the country’s first and largest dedicated primary care centre, the Mallow Primary Healthcare Centre (MPHC), which serves over 120,000 people per year between its GP practices, HSE services and enhanced medical services.
The collaboration with MPHC is the first entry by a genomics research company into the primary care sector in Ireland and is targeted at rapidly increasing study partici-pation among volunteer patients living with one of the following conditions: Multiple Sclerosis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn’s or Ulcerative Colitis), and Ankylosing Spondylitis (or Non-Radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis). Parti-cipation from volunteers requires approximately 30 minutes of their time and involves only a one-time visit to the GP.
This research is aimed at accelerating scientific discovery to enable drug development and treatment for patients living with life-limiting conditions such as these. GMI also aims to add additional disease areas, such as diabetes and asthma, in future.
Dr. David Molony, GP, Mallow Primary Health-care Centre, commented, “We’re very excited to partner with Genomics Medicine Ireland and become the first primary care centre in Ireland to participate in genomic research. Since opening in 2010, the Mallow Primary Healthcare Centre has aimed to provide the most progressive and modern medical facility possible. This partnership with GMI is another stage in our continuing goal to provide some of the most advanced medical solutions to patients, not just locally, but nationally. Genomics is really revolutionising healthcare worldwide and has enormous potential in improving the lives of patients with difficult-to-treat conditions and we’re delighted to be at the forefront of this.”
Dr. Anne Jones, CEO of Genomics Medicine Ireland, said, “Bringing genomic research to the primary care setting is an important part of making studies accessible to patients who want to contribute to our discovery research for improved treatments for these conditions in the future. We are delighted that our first collaboration in this area is with Mallow Primary Healthcare Centre given the centre’s alignment with research and innovation.”
GMI’s primary care programme is open for participation by any General Practitioner in the country. The research is nurse-led and requires limited GP oversight once up and running. More information for GPs is available via email at: collaborate@genomics-med.ie or by contacting Tim Delany, Programme Manager, at 01 565 6700.