Life Sciences Principal Investigators

Professor Nora O'Brien

Research Interests: Professor Nora O’Brien’s research interests include the application of genotoxicity assays, immunomodulatory assessment and cell culture techniques to evaluate the significance of environmental toxins. Additionally, she has research interests in the exploitation of marine-derived constituents from seaweed, fish and phytoplankton sources with respect to their potential health enhancing effects in foods.

Type of researcher sought: Professor O’Brien is seeking a postdoctoral researcher (new or with 1-2 years experience) with research backgrounds that can contribute to the above areas of research interests.

Webpage: http://publish.ucc.ie/researchprofiles/D018/nob   

Email: nob@ucc.ie 

Phone: +353 (21) 4902884

Professor David Sheehan

Research Interests: Prof David Sheehan is interested in use of protein biomarkers in sentinel organisms in ecotoxicology. Currently, this involves using redox proteomics approaches to detecting oxidative modifications in proteins in response to environmental pollutants such as nanoparticles.

Type of researcher sought:  Prof Sheehan would be interested in a postdoctoral scientist with a strong background either in proteomics or biochemical aspects of ecotoxicology who could fit into an interdisciplinary and multinational research team.

Webpage: http://publish.ucc.ie/researchprofiles/D003/dsheehan

Email:  d.sheehan@ucc.ie

Phone: +353 (21) 4904207

Dr. Marcel Jansen

Research Interests: Enthusiastic individuals keen to work on interface between environmental biology and plant physiology‌

Type of researcher sought: Dr. Jansen’s research centres on elucidating the molecular-physiological mechanisms underlying adaptation and acclimation responses of plants to hostile environments, including UV-B radiation, organic pollutants and nano-materials. UV-B research centres on the mechanism, and ecological role of UV-B induced morphogenic changes, including possible trade-offs in terms of plant fitness. Toxicological work centres on the impacts of nanomaterials on various species of Lemnaceae, and addresses the question of the environmental risk of nanoparticles in the environment.

Webpage: http://publish.ucc.ie/researchprofiles/D026/mjansen

Email: m.jansen@ucc.ie

Phone: +353 (21) 4904558

Professor Fergal O'Gara 

Research Interests: Professor Fergal O’Gara is director of the BIOMERIT Research Centre (BRC), a research centre of excellence within the Microbiology Department. Basic and translational research carried out in Prof. O’Gara’s group in the BRC utilises a Systems Microbiology approach within the thematic area of Environment and Health and is structured around three core programmes, Microbial – Host Interactions, Functional Genomics in Gram negative bacteria and Environmental & Marine Biotechnology.

Type of researcher sought: Prof. O’Gara is seeking a postdoctoral researcher to join an active group of researchers working in the field of Marine Biotechnology. Candidates must hold a PhD degree, preferably in the field of Marine Biotechnology or a related discipline. Candidates must have strong technical skills in Microbiology and research experience in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry is desirable.

Webpage: http://www.ucc.ie/biomerit

Email: f.ogara@ucc.ie

Phone: +353 (21) 4272097

Professor Alan Dobson

Research Interests: Professor Alan Dobson is Director of the Environmental Research Institute (ERI), at University College Cork. Research performed in his group focuses on the Functional Genomics/Metagenomics of bacteria and in the area of Environmental & Marine Biotechnology.

Type of researcher sought: Prof. Dobson is seeking a postdoctoral researcher to join an active group of researchers working in the field of Marine Biotechnology. Candidates must hold a PhD degree, preferably in the field of Marine Biotechnology or a related discipline. Candidates must have strong technical skills in Microbiology and research experience in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry is desirable.The group are studying how microbes survive, grow and interact in their various ecological niches; an approach which is fundamental to their exploitation for biotechnological applications as well as identifying novel bioactive compounds with potential biopharmaceutical applications.

Webpage: http://publish.ucc.ie/researchprofiles/D021/adobson

Email: a.dobson@ucc.ie           

Phone: +353 (21) 4901946

Dr. Sarah Culloty

Research Interests: The main emphasis of my research is in the area of ecological parasitology (micro- and macro-parasites). Much of the research focuses on diseases of commercially significant bivalve shellfish (oysters, clams, mussels, scallops, cockles) and focuses on host:parasite interactions, epidemiology, parasite life cycles, diagnostics and mathematical modelling of host:parasite interactions. However research is also on-going on crustaceans, gastropods and tunicates both in terms of their general biology and parasitology.          

Type of researcher sought: Dr. Culloty is seeking a postdoctoral researcher with previous experience of invertebrate parasitology or a researcher who is keen to pursue research in this area.

Webpage: http://publish.ucc.ie/researchprofiles/D026/sculloty/Research

Email:  s.culloty@ucc.ie             

Phone: +353 (21) 4904646

Dr. John Morrissey

Research Interests: Dr. Morrissey's research covers a number of areas that span fundamental research and the application of research knowledge in biotechnology. He is particularly interested in yeasts and othe fungi.

Type of researcher sought: Dr. Morrissey will consider any researcher with compatible interests but is especially interested in researchers looking to apply molecular and computational skills to link fundamental biology with potential applications in yeast.

Webpage: http://publish.ucc.ie/researchprofiles/D010/jmorrissey

Email:  j.morrissey@ucc.ie             

Phone: +353 (21) 4902392