What’s new at Shannon ABC!
Shannon ABC hosts researchers from Oulu University, Finland
Researchers from the Unit of Measurement Technology (MITY) at the University of Oulu in Finland visited Shannon ABC at MTU Kerry on October 19th and 20th. The visit emanated from the collaboration between the two institutions in the Natural Future of Cosmetics (NACO) project: The visit was also an opportunity for the University of Oulu researchers to meet the Shannon ABC’s team and introduce one of the client companies they are collaborating with.
During the visit, Dr. Geraldine Twamley Stein gave an insightful lecture to the visitors on the Irish flora and species that are commonly used for the cosmetic and healthcare sector. She also highlighted the main differences between the Irish and Finnish climate and environment and how that connects with the type of flora in each location. Dr. Henry Lyons from Nutramara also shared more information about his company and its products. He went on further and spoke about the brown seaweed and its benefits for human health. The group then visited a seaweed harvesting site at Fenit and made a quick stop at St.Brendan’s statue at Fenit Pier as a refresher.
The visit ended with demonstrations of the Shannon Applied Biotechnology Centre’s cosmetic skin probe, Antera 3D camera, and a tour of Shannon ABC’s laboratories at MTU Kerry. The Team from the University of Oulu led by Pekka Kilpeläinen appreciated the visit to Shannon ABC. They also highlighted that the visit was important in cementing the relationship between these two institutions as well as opening opportunities for future research and collaborations.
The NACO project offers cosmetics companies the opportunity to take part in networking events, training programs, and innovation support activities. Events focus on areas such as research and development, funding opportunities, formulation, and regulation. Companies are also offered the opportunity to access facilities and expertise at the University of Oulu and Shannon ABC in MTU Kerry, which includes cell culture and efficacy testing.