Archive for the ‘Life Sciences’ Category

What does it take to be Head of R&D?

Monday, November 9th, 2009
Medical Device Product R&D

Medical Device Product R&D

What does it take to be Head of R&D?  To be head of R&D in a major medical device company, the ideal candidate for this role generally needs to be capable of leading engineers, scientists and technicians usally being cogniscent of efforts taking place at various sites both at home in Ireland and around the globe. They also need to communicate effectively between the sales and marketing front end of the business as well as the R&D Facilities.

Commercially R&D Managers need to review the market competition and to give the R&D function pragmatic, realistic and practical product projects to bring them to the market. Within the medical device sector this will also involve working closely with doctors and key opinion leaders to identify and progress new technologies, to improve existing product designs and to seek new clinical applications for existing technologies.

R& D Managers direct engineering operations and carry out scientific assessments of new technologies, products, concepts and applications and solutions. They work very closely with QA/Regulatory affairs to define the transfer over of these products to manufacturing operations. R&D Managers also heavily influence the tactical and strategic direction of the companies they work for through the sharing of their technical knowledge and the guidance and influence they have on people, programs and technology

Research and Development Managers In Growing Demand

Friday, November 6th, 2009
The Global Demand for Medical Device R&D continues to Grow

The Global Demand for Medical Device R&D continues to Grow

Research and Development Managers are in growing demand in Ireland today. Several major multinational companies are urgently seeking Senior R&D Managers, Directors and Engineers for prestigeous positions  in the highly active Irish Medical Device, pharmaceutical, Biopharmaceutical, Microbiology and Electronics manufacturing industries.

Allied to these positions, there also appears to be an increasing demand for  related positions such as Head of R&D, Director of R&D, R&D Engineers, Regulatory Compliance Managers, Product Development Engineers, Manufacturing Engineers, Validation and Quality professionals which is good news for  professionals seeking R&D jobs, Medical Device Manufacturing jobs , Life Science Jobs, Irish R&D recruitment and in the science professionals recruitment  market as a whole as this is a clear indicator that Ireland is continuing to perform competitively despite the extremely poor general global economic climate.

Killing Leukaemeia

Monday, November 2nd, 2009
3- 5 years from Killing Cancer

3- 5 years from Killing Cancer

Killing Leukaemia has been the objective of  Cancer Research Scientists for decades. Today that objective has come a step closer with the announcement in the international journal, Cancer Research , that TCD in partnership with the University of Sienna have discovered a new drug called PBOX-15 capable of killing cancerous cells in adult patients with poor prognosis.

R&D is still at an early stage however with development of a viable drug between 3- 5 years from being produced according to Professor Mark Lawlor of TCD’S school of medicine. The study itself involved research across the disciplines of molecular, chemistry and biochemistry at TCD together with contributions from Research colleagues in Belfast City Hospital, Siennna and St James Hospital Dublin.

MRI-Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Thursday, October 1st, 2009
MRI Imaging Technology

MRI Imaging Technology

Good morning again and welcome to My science jobs and an introduction to MRI -Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Recently a friend of mine undertook an MRI scan, which for some people can be an intimidating and daunting experience.

My friend’s experience with her Radiologist however was both pleasant and reassuring as she was guided through the process with understanding and confidence. In less than fifteen minutes (the typical duration) the procedure was over, and she was able to take away a CD of  the full scan imaging procedure providing detailed diagnostic information that her doctor’s predecessors could only have dreamt of scarcely thirty years earlier.  Some knowledge on the subject  then may be enlightening to those about to undertake an MRI now or in the future.

What is an MRI? An MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) is a  technique used in radiology to  provide enhanced understanding and visualisation of the internal structure and function of a patients body. It has far greater contrast to CT (Computer Tomography) making it especially useful for imaging Oncological conditions. It does not use  ionising radiation but instead utilises an extremely powerful magnetic field to align the nuclear magnetisation of hydrogen atoms found in water within the Human body.

Radio Frequency waves are then used to systematically alter the alignment of the magnetisation  fields, causing the hydrogen atoms to produce a rotating or resonating magnetic field which is detectable by the scanner. This signal can be controlled in turn by other magnetic fields allowing an image to be built of specific and precise parts of the patient’s body.

The technology is as recent as 1973 when the first image was produced, the first human images being later published in 1977.  Originally termed as NMRI (Nuclear Magenetic Resonance Imaging) it is now termed MRI due to poor public receptiveness to the term Nuclear as  being allied to percieved possible harmful effects of exposure to  Nuclear Ionising Radiation and therefore being a discouragment to patients.

Those interested in pursuing  medical job opportunities for radiological medical professionals  in Ireland may wish to consider Irish recruitment agencies such as Jackie Brown Medical. This particular specialist medical recruitment agency also sources medical jobs for sonographers who work in the field of sonography or ultrasound and have found themselves in great demand from clients seeking both radiologists and sonographers.

Tomorrow we look at ultrasound technology and its applications in the field of medical scientific research