Galway-based medical device company expands board and R&D capabilities with three appointments.
NUA Surgical has recently made significant additions to both its leadership team and R&D capabilities, appointing a new Non-Executive Director and welcoming two biomedical engineers to its growing team at the company’s Galway headquarters.
Board Strengthening with Industry Veteran
The company recently appointed Barry Comerford, a prominent MedTech entrepreneur and former Irish MedTech Association Chair, as Non-Executive Director to the Board of Directors. This appointment follows the company’s successful Series A investment round in December 2024.
Throughout his career—ranging from start-ups to high-growth environments—Comerford has consistently built teams and networks capable of managing complex systems at strategic, administrative, and technical levels. His efforts culminated in the successful integration of Cambus Medical into the Freudenberg Medical Group. Comerford graduated in the 27th Platoon of the Army Apprentice School and went on to hold various senior management roles across the engineering industry, including plant manager and commercial manager at Galway’s Creganna Medical. He co-founded Cambus Medical in 2006 and, as CEO, successfully guided the company through multiple funding rounds, leading to a joint venture with Freudenberg in 2013, followed by full acquisition in 2022. He also served as Chairman of the Irish MedTech Association in 2023.
Barry McCann, CEO of NUA Surgical, stated: “Mr Comerford is a highly motivated entrepreneur and experienced board member, with extensive knowledge in the Medical Device Industry. He has been an informal advisor to the company for several years, during which we have built a strong working relationship. His deep understanding of our goals makes him an excellent addition at this stage of the company’s growth.”
Speaking about his appointment, Mr Comerford said: “I am honoured to join the Board of NUA Surgical. It is the right team, in the right place, at the right time. I believe the company’s innovations will help improve C-sections for mothers and assist in the safe delivery of countless babies into the world. From our first meeting, I have been continually impressed by the founders’ dedication, determination, and focus in achieving so much with such limited resources.
R&D Team Expansion
Alongside the board appointment, NUA Surgical has strengthened its R&D capabilities with two key engineering hires. The company recently welcomed Brían O Reilly as Senior Research and Development Engineer. Brían is a highly skilled biomedical engineer with experience across academia and industry. He received a first-class honours Biomedical Engineering degree at the University of Galway, where he continued his research and education to complete a PhD in Biomedical Engineering. His industry experience includes MedTech giants Boston Scientific and Medtronic. Brían will work alongside CTO Padraig Maher during this exciting phase of development and testing of the SteriCISION C-Section Retractor.
The team was further strengthened with the addition of Mary Wall as the newest member of the R&D team. Mary, originally from Massachusetts, moved to Ireland in 2020 to pursue a degree in biomedical engineering at the University of Galway. Her interest in the start-up space began with SymPhysis Medical where she completed an 8-month placement on their R&D team and gained invaluable experience in medical device design and development. Following the completion of her master’s degree this year, Mary was drawn to NUA SURGICAL through her passion for women’s health.
“I was attracted to NUA Surgical because of their dedication to addressing the unmet clinical needs in women’s health. As a woman, I can’t help but feel passionate about these needs as I have seen and fell victim to the lack of innovation within the space. I am delighted and privileged to have the opportunity with NUA Surgical to address this lack of innovation, specifically in the field of obstetrics, as we help make C-Sections safer,” said Mary Wall.
CEO Barry McCann commented on the R&D appointments: “We are thrilled to have Brían join the team and I am very confident that his expertise will allow us to make significant strides in R&D in the months ahead. It’s an exciting time of growth for the company and Brían will have an opportunity to put his stamp on maternal health innovation. Mary is an extremely impressive individual and we are excited for her and for the impact she can make within the industry. We believe she has a very bright future ahead of her.”
About NUA Surgical
NUA Surgical is a Galway-based medical device company founded in 2019 by Barry McCann, Marie-Therese Maher and Padraig Maher. Since spinning out of the renowned BioInnovate Ireland programme at the University of Galway, NUA Surgical became an Enterprise Ireland HPSU company and has received global accolades for their maternal health innovation. The company has developed the SteriCISION® C-section Retractor, ergonomically designed to improve access and visualization to the uterus, reduce the risk factors that lead to wound complications and facilitate a safer surgery. The company has raised approximately nine million euro to date.
Barry Comerford joins the NUA Surgical Board alongside company CEO Barry McCann; COO Marie-Therese Maher; Anne Portwich, Partner at EQT; Anula Jayasuriya, Co-Founder of Kidron Capital; and Dr Elizabeth Garner, Harvard-trained Obstetrician and Chair of the Board. Gabrielle Guttman of the Texas Medical Center Venture Fund and Prashanthi Ramesh of EQT remain as Board Observers.
Reference: News
