Professor Niall P. Hyland is a Professor in the Department of Physiology at University College Cork (UCC) and a Funded Investigator at APC Microbiome Ireland. His research expertise spans pharmacology and physiology, with a primary focus on neurogastroenterology and gut–brain–microbiome interactions.

Prof Hyland obtained a BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Science from the University of Ulster in 2000 and completed a PhD in Pharmacology at King’s College London in 2004. Following international research training, including postdoctoral work at the University of Calgary supported by a Research Initiative Award from the Canadian Association of Gastroenterology, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and AstraZeneca, he returned to Ireland in 2007 to join APC Microbiome Ireland. He was appointed Lecturer at UCC in 2008, promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2018, and to Professor in 2025.

His research investigates the role of the gut microbiota in gastrointestinal physiology and disease, including Disorders of Gut–Brain Interaction, colorectal cancer, and rare diseases such as Fabry disease. His laboratory employs advanced physiological and neurobiological approaches to study microbiome–host interactions, probiotics and postbiotics, and drug–microbiome interactions.

Prof Hyland has published extensively in leading peer-reviewed journals, with over 11,000 citations and an H-index of 33 (Google Scholar). He is recognised as one of the top ten most cited researchers globally in the field of gastrointestinal physiology. He has secured over €3 million in competitive research funding and has co-edited two editions of The Gut–Brain Axis: Dietary, Probiotic, and Prebiotic Interventions on the Microbiota (Academic Press).

He has held senior leadership roles within the British Pharmacological Society, including Vice President of Meetings, and currently serves as a Trustee for Research Dissemination (until 2027). He is a Senior Editor of Pharmacology Research & Perspectives and serves on editorial and steering committees for international pharmacology and gastroenterology organisations. In 2022, he was awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the British Pharmacological Society in recognition of his contributions to the field.

Prof Hyland’s research employs a multidisciplinary approach to investigate gut–brain–microbiome interactions in health and disease. His laboratory integrates advanced ex vivo techniques, including Ussing chambers and organ bath preparations, with in vitro epithelial models (e.g. Caco-2 monolayers) and in vivo models of stress-related gastrointestinal dysfunction and colon cancer.

A key area of his work focuses on microbial-targeted interventions, including probiotics and postbiotics, to define their physiological and pharmacological effects on gastrointestinal function. His research also aims to identify microbiome signatures associated with colorectal cancer and to characterise drug–microbiome interactions that influence therapeutic efficacy.

In collaboration with the University of Cambridge, Prof Hyland is developing implantable bioelectronic technologies for real-time monitoring of enteric neural activity. Collectively, his work seeks to advance understanding of the therapeutic potential of the gut microbiota in gastrointestinal disorders and disorders of gut–brain interaction.

Teaching Interests and Current Teaching Commitments

As Director of the BSc (Hons) Physiology and Professor at University College Cork (UCC), Prof Hyland provides interdisciplinary teaching across the College of Medicine and Health and the College of Science, Engineering and Food Science (SEFS). His teaching spans undergraduate, postgraduate, and professional education, with a focus on physiology, pharmacology, the gut–brain axis, and microbiome science. His roles include module coordination, lecturing, supervision, and curriculum development, with a strong emphasis on innovative and collaborative teaching approaches.

Current Module Coordination and Teaching

PL2034 – Physiology for Dental Students
Coordinator and Lecturer | 10 credits | 50 hours
Coordination and delivery of lectures, tutorials, and assessments, providing dental students with a comprehensive foundation in physiology.

PL4015 – Microbiome & Physiology
Coordinator and Lecturer | 5 credits | 30 hours
Designer and coordinator of UCC’s first microbiome-focused module, integrating lectures, journal clubs, and student-led presentations to explore microbiome–host interactions.

PL3025 – Literature Review, Experimental Design and Data Analysis
Supervisor | 5 credits | 20 hours
Supervision of undergraduate students undertaking structured literature reviews and training in experimental design and data analysis.

PL4020 – Research Project
Coordinator and Supervisor | 20 credits | 35 hours
Leadership of the final-year capstone research module, supervising independent research projects and assessing written and oral outputs.

MSc Nutrition & Behaviour (Bournemouth University)
Guest Lecturer | 4 hours
Delivery of specialist lectures on the gut–brain axis and the interaction between nutrition and behaviour.

Pedagogical Leadership and Innovation

Prof Hyland has played a key role in embedding Problem-Based Learning within the Graduate Entry to Medicine (GEM) programme and led the programme through its first Irish Medical Council accreditation. As Chair of the School of Medicine Athena Swan Working Group, he promotes inclusive teaching practices and a supportive learning environment.

He co-led the international MINDinGUT Student Mobility Project, which involved over 65 participants from four continents and focused on interdisciplinary education and research in gut–brain axis biology.

Previous Teaching Experience

University College Cork – Department of Pharmacology (2008–2018)

• GM1003 – Fundamentals of Medicine III (GEM): Module Coordinator

• PT3201 – Dental Pharmacology: Module Coordinator (one academic year)

• PT3445 – Systems Pharmacology: Lecturer

• Coordinator and facilitator of small-group, case-based learning for GEM students

University of Calgary (2004–2007)

• MDSC 637.01 – Gastrointestinal Physiology: Lecturer

• MDSC 619.02 – Systems Neuroscience II: Lecturer

Postgraduate Supervision and Examination

Prof Hyland has supervised multiple MSc and PhD candidates in physiology, neurogastroenterology, and gut–brain interactions. He has served as an external PhD examiner at institutions including Massey University, the University of Melbourne, Queen Mary University of London, the University of Padova, and the University of Antwerp.

Continuing Professional Development and Curriculum Development

Prof Hyland developed the accredited CME course “The Gut Microbiome and Diet in Neurogastroenterology: A Guide for the Clinician” and is faculty on the upcoming CME course “Navigating Solutions for DGBI and GI Motility Disorders” at the Federation of Neurogastroenterology and Motility meeting.

He contributed to the British Pharmacological Society’s Core Undergraduate Pharmacology Curriculum Project, supporting national and international curriculum development and quality assurance.

Additional Academic Roles

As Chair of the Graduate Studies Committee, Prof Hyland oversees postgraduate training and progression, including PhD and MSc programmes, and organises the annual Physiology Research Day. He also mentors undergraduate students through the SEFS first-year mentoring scheme.

Carla Viñola Renart
University College Cork
PhD (expected 2028)
Gastrointestinal oxytocin in health and disease

Siobhán Carroll (2012)
University College Cork
MSc
Physiological studies of gastrointestinal mast cells: Relevance to irritable bowel syndrome

Kevin Lomasney (2014)
University College Cork
PhD
The impact of host–microbe interactions on murine colonic secretomotor function

Jonathan Keane (2019)
University College Cork
PhD
The microbiota and colon cancer risk: Cause or consequence?

Sarah O’Donovan (2019)
University College Cork
PhD
The microbiome–gut–brain axis in preclinical alpha-synuclein models of Parkinson’s disease

Jacinta Walsh (2020)
University College Cork
PhD
Gut microbiome–xenobiotic interactions: Focus on drug metabolism

Cecilia Delprete (2023)
University of Bologna
PhD
Pathogenetic mechanisms of gastrointestinal symptoms in a mouse model of Fabry disease: Insights into the microbiota–gut–brain axis

Prof Hyland has secured sustained competitive research funding from a wide range of national, European, and international sources, including Science Foundation Ireland, the Health Research Board, the Irish Research Council, Enterprise Ireland, the Higher Education Authority, Horizon 2020 (via MSCA COFUND), charitable foundations, and industry partners. Collectively, his research funding portfolio is valued at in excess of €3.5 million (approximate total).

His funded research addresses fundamental and translational questions in gastrointestinal physiology, neurogastroenterology, and microbiome–host interactions. Projects have focused on disorders of gut–brain interaction, colorectal cancer, rare diseases, psychobiotics, drug–microbiome interactions, gut hormone signalling, intestinal barrier function, and nutrient and xenobiotic transport.

Across these awards, Prof Hyland has acted as principal investigator, co-investigator, industry fellowship mentor, MSCA COFUND supervisor, and PhD co-supervisor. This funding has supported postgraduate and postdoctoral training, international mobility, industry collaboration, and the development of advanced experimental platforms in gastrointestinal and microbiome research.