After finishing his PhD on leukaemia research in 1991 in Northern Ireland, Colin completed early research at St George’s Hospital Medical School (London) Department of Haematology working on Chronic Anaemia’s & Stem Cell Disorders. In 1999, he founded and became Director of the Stem Cell Therapy Laboratory specialising in Stem Cell Research and regenerative medicine. In 2005 he was appointed the UK’s first Professor of Regenerative Medicine (Newcastle University), leading clinical research in adult stem cells through to patients. He strongly believes in international cooperation and collaboration working internationally and with industry.
In January 2009 he became President of the Cell Therapy Research Institute, Lyon, France, an Adult Stem Cell association and CTI-Biotech, a biotechnology company. Prof. McGuckin’s group were first in the world to characterise and produce embryonic-like stem cells from a non-embryonic source – Umbilical Cord Blood. They are also first to make an artificial liver and nervous, pancreatic and a range of other tissues from Umbilical Cord, Cord Blood, and Adipose related stem cells. Prof. McGuckin is on the editorial board of international journals, international reviewer [Eg. European Commission], and an advisor to several medical and science organisations. He has been invited to speak internationally, including European Parliament, Bundestag German Parliament, Austrian Parliament, French Senate, the Vatican, Rome, and the US Senate on Capitol Hill.
His group are currently pioneering some new treatments for children with Cerebral Palsy and Cleft Palate birth disorders and is part of the new 43M Euro IMODI cancer project in France.