RCSI and Trinity College Dublin are pleased to announce that they will jointly host the World Congress of Biomechanics in Dublin in 2018 (WCB2018).

The conference is potentially worth over €5 million to the Irish economy. The Convention Centre Dublin will be the venue for the congress in July 2018, with 3,000 participants expected from all corners of the globe.

The bid will be supported by an All-Ireland Organising Committee which includes biomechanics researchers from all across Ireland- north and south.

Ireland is a world leader in biomechanics research, as well as being at the forefront of the global medical device industry. There is a very strong research community supported by government policy and investment and complemented by an integrated industry base. Eight of the world's largest medical device companies are located in Ireland employing 25,000 people - the highest number of people working in the industry in any country in Europe, per head of population. 

The recent establishment by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) of the AMBER (Advanced Materials and BioEngineering Research) Centre is key to providing world-leading research, growing and retaining existing medical device companies and increasing the level of foreign direct investment in Ireland. AMBER is an academia-industry research consortium which includes world leading biomechanics researchers from RCSI and Trinity.

WCB2018 will be co-hosted by the RCSI which houses the largest medical school in Ireland and is the centre for surgical training in Ireland. Trinity College Dublin is Ireland's leading university across all international rankings. It encompasses all major academic disciplines and it also houses one of Europe's leading biomechanics research centres - the Trinity Centre for Bioengineering.

Prof. Fergal O'Brien RCSI Professor of Bioengineering & Regenerative Medicine, AMBER Deputy Director and Co-Chair WCB2018, said: "We propose to utilise the synergy between engineering and medicine within the AMBER consortium to ensure that WCB2018 is truly interdisciplinary and translational event and will provide a forum for engagement of researchers from both engineering and medicine in addition to the life sciences and industry."

Director General of SFI and Chief Scientific Adviser to the Irish Government, Professor Mark Ferguson, added: "The hosting of the WCB in Ireland is a significant endorsement of Ireland's leadership position in the area of biomechanics research. It will bring important international focus to the recently established AMBER SFI Research Centre. Dublin has a proven track record for hosting large international science gatherings and is an excellent location for the 2018 World Congress. RCSI and Trinity College Dublin are to be congratulated on securing such a prestigious event."

Prof. Daniel J. Kelly, Trinity Associate Professor and Director of the Trinity Centre of Bioengineering, AMBER Investigator and Co-Chair WCB2018, said: "The scientific programme of the congress will feature the best international speakers and a wide programme of subject areas across the spectrum of biomechanics in plenary and parallel formats. We look forward to welcoming all those engaged in the field of biomechanics to Dublin in 2018."

"The World Council of Biomechanics is pleased to award this prestigious event to Ireland. Despite being a small country, Ireland has, for many years now, been one of the leading countries in Europe in terms of biomechanics research and we are very pleased that the meeting will be held in the dynamic city of Dublin and anticipate an exciting and successful congress," said Prof. Schmid-Schönbein, President of the World Council of Biomechanics.