Publications:

41 Research Articles

4 Review Articles

3 Book Chapters

h-Index: 27 (Web of Science), 31 (Google Scholar)

Senior Technical Officer in the School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Ireland. Providing technical expertise and support to academics and researchers in the School to support teaching, learning and research activities.

My research is focused on Environmental and Industrial Microbiology particularly in marine biodiscovery. Harnessing the vast genetic diversity of the underexplored ocean microbiome to discover novel therapeutic small molecules and enzymes with potential industrial applications. I am a microbial ecology enthusiast.

To date I have contributed significantly to the understanding of the microbial ecology of marine sponges, particularly sponges sampled from extremely deep sampling locations. Additionally, I have contributed to the bioprospecting of marine sponges to identify and describe a novel antimicrobial agent (https://doi.org/10.3390/md23090362) with potential commercial industrial applications, and also in the discovery and description of novel plastic-degrading enzymes (DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14479;  https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2022.888343) and an enzyme with potential applications in the food industry sector (https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2022.1000634). Other research which I contributed to provided valuable knowledge to the alcoholic beverage industry to help it to transition towards a circular economy through the use of their own waste-streams to generate and use biogas as a green energy source on their production site. For all of the above, I was instrumental in generating hypotheses, project planning and management and in dissemination management. In 2014, I was a site co-ordinator for the inaugural Ocean Sampling Day (https://www.microb3.eu/osd.html) which generated what was at the time the largest dataset describing marine microbiological diversity (https://doi.org/10.1186/s13742-015-0066-5).

Role in the Development of Individuals & Collaborations

In my roles as a PhD candidate, Postdoctoral Researcher and Research Fellow I have mentored 47 undergraduate and postgraduate students in their research projects. Among this cohort I mentored 8 PhD candidates, teaching each of them all of their experimental methods, and guiding them in writing publications and theses. Three of the students were MSc. research projects where I fulfilled the same roles. The undergraduate students were for final year projects with 10-week lab placements where I designed projects and mentored the students in completing their projects and in writing dissertations. I have mentored 7 visiting researchers at various career stages for periods ranging from 1-12 months where I taught them experimental techniques which I and only a few other laboratories worldwide were proficient in (large-insert fosmid metagenomic clone library production and screening).

In 2015 I delivered a workshop on next generation sequencing data processing and analysis at the 9^th European Conference on Marine Natural Products. I was a key contributor to the achievement of Milestones and Deliverables in the international research consortia of the PharmaSea, MINERVA and MARBLES projects.

Since 2023 I have been a member of the UCC School of Microbiology Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committee contributing to the Action Plan for the renewal of a Athena Swan Bronze Award.

I was the Founder (2023) and Chair (2023-2026) of the School of Microbiology Research Staff Forum (microSCRUM), a peer-to-peer network who organize professional (seminar series) and social events with the founding aim of helping the School to achieve its stated mission.

As a member of the School of Microbiology Health & Safety committee (2016 -present) I have co-authored the School’s Safety Statement and relevant sections of the Staff Induction Handbook. Additionally I contribute to the development and implementation of H & S policy in the School and I also aid labs and individuals to understand and adhere to policies and procedures.

Through the various projects that I have worked on I have developed deep professional relationships with academic researchers in microbiology, biochemistry, chemistry and in energy engineering nationally and across Europe (Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, Greece, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Poland, Switzerland, United Kingdom) and also in South Africa, Chile, China and in the USA. Additionally I have developed meaningful connections to researchers in industry in cosmeceuticals (CyberColloids) , alcoholic beverage production (Irish Distillers [Pernod Ricard]) and in aquaculture (MOWI Ireland).

Role in supporting Broader Society & The Economy

At the first and second International Symposia on Sponge Microbiology I participated in round-table steering committee discussions on (a) the future directions of sponge microbiology research and (b) the development of the Sponge Microbiome Project. My research as part of the Marei-IDL project was influential in the decision of Pernod Ricard to announce an investment of €25 million in the Midleton Irish Distiller’s production facility which, as part of a development programme, will result in them building and commissioning a biogas production facility on that site. There they will use their alcoholic beverage waste streams to produce biogas for use on-site thereby increasing green energy usage and promoting a circular bioeconomy. As part of the MARBLES project I have developed a good working relationship with the Aquaculture sector (MOWI Ireland) where we discuss the microbiological problems that they encounter and they inform me of the desirable characteristics of the potential solutions that we can discover. As Chair of microSCRUM, as mentioned above, I managed social media accounts on X, BlueSky and Instagram where I disseminate research outputs of the School to the wider public.

Role in Supporting the Research Community

Editor

Since 2023 I have been a member of the Marine Drugs Editorial Board for the section 'Marine Biotechnology Related to Drug Discovery or Production'. I have been guest editor for the Marine Drugs Special Issues ‘Exploiting Marine ‘Omics’ Technologies for the Biodiscovery of Marine Natural Products’ and  ‘Enzymes Derived from Marine Sources’.

Peer-review

I have performed peer-review for 18 scientific journals (Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity [IF: 1.70], Bioresource Technology [IF: 9.0], FEMS Microbiology Letters [IF: 2.2], Frontiers in Aquatic Microbiology [IF: 4.5], Frontiers in Marine Science [IF: 2.8], International Journal of Molecular Sciences [IF: 4.9], International Society for Microbial Ecology Communications [IF: 4.5], Journal of Applied Microbiology [IF: 4.0], Journal of Marine Science and Engineering [IF: 2.5], Marine Biotechnology [IF: 2.6], Marine Drugs [IF: 4.9], Marine Pollution Bulletin [IF: 5.3], Microbiology Research [IF: 3.9], Microbiology Spectrum [IF: 3.7], Microorganisms [IF: 4.1], PLOS One [IF: 2.9], Scientific Reports [IF: 3.8], The FEBS Journal [IF: 4.4]). 

External Examiner

I have acted as External Examiner for two MSc theses from the University of Western Cape, South Africa.

Other Acivities

As mentioned above, as a Committee Member of the School EDI Committee I have promoted diversity, equality and inclusion amongst school staff and students. In 2023 I implemented a programme in the laboratory of waste reduction and energy usage reduction which resulted in the award of a Bronze LEAF (Lab Efficiency Assessment Framework) Award from the University.

Teaching

Undergraduate

Introduction to Biotechnology (BT1001; BT2001)

Principles of Microbiology (MB2006; MB2906)

Food & Industrial Microbiology II (MB3014; MB3114; MB3914)

Postgraduate

Microbial Strain Engineering (MB6015)

Ecology of Microbial Communities (MB6402)