A MEDICAL software firm in Lisburn is creating 46 jobs as part of a multi-million pound research and development project in the precision medicine market.
Cirdan Imaging has collaborated with Northern Ireland’s Molecular Pathology Laboratory (NIMPL) at Queen's University for the project which will focus on new product solutions for hospital laboratories.
The jobs will be created over the next four years and come with an average salary of £33,500.
Cirdan Imaging chief executive Hugh Cormican said the new jobs would, in turn, help identify "new markets and new customers".
"Hospital laboratories are undergoing a major transformation as they adopt the new workflows and instrumentation required for the emerging precision medicine model of health care," he said.
"Working with QUB, we intend to be at the forefront of this change, supporting laboratories globally to meet this demand.
"Our R&D investment will mean we can develop new products and expand our exports especially into the markets of Oceania and North America."
Alastair Hamilton, chief executive of Invest NI – which is contributing £1.4m in support towards the project and jobs creations – said studies had shown a "solid link" between investment in research and development, profitability and growth.
"This R&D project will enable Cirdan to develop new precision medicine product solutions to meet the future need of both existing and new customers," Mr Hamilton said.
"The new, high salaried jobs will focus on building the company’s customer base in new markets, ensuring Cirdan is in the best possible position to capitalise on new opportunities and grow its business.
"Our support is helping this innovative company to scale up quickly and is part of a strategic focus to support our smaller companies to realise their full potential and become our major employers of the future."
Cirdan Imaging is well known for its medical devices and software used in surgery and cancer diagnosis, particularly laboratory information system, Ultra, and pathology imaging solution Vividpath which has a growing customer base among public and private hospital laboratories.
