NUIG Professor to receive major award

By Katie Finnegan
Published in SIN Newspaper - January 2012

Professor Frank Barry

ONE OF Ireland’s leading scientists working in the field of stem cell therapy is to receive a major award in recognition of his work at NUI Galway.

Professor Frank Barry, Director of the National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Science at NUI Galway, is to receive the Marshall R. Urist Award for Excellence in Tissue Regeneration Research. It is the first time the award will go a scientist working outside of the US. 

The award was created in 1996 and is sponsored by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. This esteemed award honours people that have established themselves as a cutting-edge researchers in tissue regeneration research. It was was named after Dr Marshall R. Urist (1914-2001) who carried out pioneering studies on bone induction and the identification of bone morphogenetic protein which transformed orthopaedic medicine. 

Harry A. McKellop, Chair of the Awards and Recognition Committee of the Orthopaedic Research Society, said: “The Urist Award honours investigators who have made significant contributions to research in tissue regeneration. It is presented to Professor Barry in recognition of his outstanding achievements in the field of cell mediated therapies in bone and joint repair, and the impact of his research on improving the understanding of tissue regeneration and joint metabolism.”

Orbson Building, home to REMIDI in NUIG

Professor Frank Barry, originally from Cobh in Co.Cork, moved to the US in 1990 to work with Osiris Therapeutics in Baltimore. This company is currently one of the leading companies engaged in the development of stem cell therapies.  He returned to Ireland in 2004 and is currently Scientific Director of the Regenerative Medicine Institute (REMEDI) based in the Orbsen Building at NUI Galway. 

In 2009, he took over as Director of NCBES and manages 70 academic investigators and 300 researchers who develop groundbreaking diagnostic and therapeutic solutions in the areas of Biomedical Engineering, Cancer, Neuroscience, and Regenerative Medicine.

Dr Ernesto Canalis, former recipient

Speaking after the announcement of the award, Professor Barry stated; “It is an extraordinary honour for me personally to receive this award and I am very grateful to the Orthopaedic Research Society for recognising the research I have been involved in over the last number of years. I am fully aware that research of this nature involves teams of scientists and I have been very fortunate to work with many talented and innovative researchers in the US and especially now at NUI Galway.”

Professor Barry will be presented with a commemorative plaque and an honorarium of $5000 during the 2012 Annual Meeting of the ORS in San Francisco, on 6 February.

Professor Barry will join the company of previous distinguished recipients, including Drs. Ernesto Canalis, A. Hari Redi, Arnold Caplan, Richard Coutts, Thomas Einhorn, Steven Goldstein, Rocky Tuan, Farshid Guilak, Chris Evans, Vicky Rosen and Jay Lieberman.