Events

Parkinson's Disease Research Cluster, UCC Futures: Future Ageing and Brain Science and APC Microbiome Ireland, in association with Parkinson's Ireland invite you to

Brain Connections: Advances in Research and Support

Join clinicians and researchers to explore the latest on Parkinson's Disease, Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease - share your views, raise awareness, and learn how these conditions are being better understood and managed.

Date: 14th June 2025

Time: 13:00 - 16:00

Location:  Western Gateway Building, Western Road, Cork. 

To register: https://bit.ly/UCC_brain 

Working Together to Reimagine Microbiome Solutions

Are you interested in how the microbiome/microbiomes can play a role in our future?

At APC Microbiome Ireland, a world leading Research Ireland Centre at University College Cork, we are developing innovative approaches that harness the power of the microbiome - a diverse community of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, viruses – and its crucial role in health, food, and sustainability.

We invite you to join our discussion and share your views. No prior knowledge necessary!

Date: Wednesday 18th June
Time: 2-4pm
Where: Online via Teams (link will be circulated closer to the time)

Register: Email Caoimhe Byrne cbyrne@ucc.ie

The future of microbiome research is incredibly promising! Contribute your ideas and help shape our research direction.

Together, we can work towards a healthier planet and population.

Join us in the lead up to World Microbiome Day to learn more about your microbiome. 

This webinar from APC Microbiome Ireland - a world leading Research Ireland Centre at University College Cork and Teagasc will update you on some of the latest advancements in microbiome science - specifically the brain gut axis.

MC: 

Prof Paul Ross, Director at APC Microbiome Ireland, Co-Director at UCC Futures: Food Microbiome & Health Speakers:

CRAVING CLARITY: HOW ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS IMPACT THE BRAIN-GUT-AXIS 

Professor Felice Jacka OAM (she/her), Director, Food & Mood Centre, IMPACT, Deakin University & Founder, International Society for Nutritional Psychiatry Research (ISNPR)  

HACKING YOUR GUT MICROBES TO NOURISH THE BRAIN: UNRAVELLING THE DIET-MICROBIOTA-GUT-BRAIN-AXIS

Professor John F. Cryan MRIA, Vice President for Research & Innovation, University College Cork, Professor, Dept. Anatomy & Neuroscience, A Principal Investigator at APC Microbiome Ireland

FREE REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/WMD2406 

Details to follow

A free, family fun event featuring lots of hands-on tabletop activities, a culture corner, science talks, arts & crafts, and of course, our famous inflatable digestive system!

Location: Marina Markets, Blackrock

Time: 11.00AM - 4.00PM

Join APC researchers from University College of Cork at this years Cork Carnival of Science - a FREE two-day festival, supported by Research Ireland and Cork City Council. Cork Cities Fitzgerald Park will be transformed into a sprawling outdoor science lab, where minds of all ages can experiment, explore, and experience the thrill of scientific discovery.

Come talk to APC scientists about our world leading microbiome reserach taking place right here in Cork.

With more than 75,000 visitors attending over the last three years, Cork Carnival of Science has cemented its place as Ireland’s largest outdoor STEM festival. Whether you’re captivated by the wonders of the natural world, fascinated by cutting-edge technology, or eager to try mind-bending experiments, this event is designed to fuel curiosity and fan the flames of innovation.

This year’s festival will feature an even more dynamic programme, spanning physics, chemistry, engineering, biology, and environmental science. From the tiniest molecular reactions to large-scale experiments that make you go "WOW," every corner of Fitzgerald Park will be buzzing with scientific potential!

Highlights of this two day weekend of wonder include:

• APC's giant inflatable walk through gut.
• Electrifying live science shows in the Circus Top and Stretch Tents
• Hands-on experiments and workshops to test, tinker, and create
• Fascinating exhibits showcasing real-world science in action
• Roaming science performers bringing unexpected experiments, gravity defying stunts and bubble magic to the crowd
• Nature-focused activities exploring ecosystems, wildlife, and the environment
• STEM challenges that puzzle, provoke, and inspire

Date: 7th & 8th June 2025

Time: All day

Location:  Cork's Fitzgerald Park

More info:   Spark Discovery at the Cork Carnival of Science 2025! - Cork City Council

‘Can Food Be Both Tasty and Healthy? A Scientific Take on Myrtle Allen’s Food Philosophy’ 

In this lecture, Jens will explore how Myrtle Allen’s food philosophy aligns with emerging research in nutrition and microbiome science.

Date: Thursday 27th May, 2025

Time: 6.00 - 7.15pm

Venue: Dora Allman Room, 4th Floor, The Hub, UCC, T12YF78

Tickets: HERE

Admission is free but booking is essential! 

Join APC Microbiome Ireland and Crohns and Colitis Ireland for an evening of insight, support and community for people living with IBD.

Date: 22nd May 2025

Time: 18:00 - 21:00

Location:  Hayfield Manor Hotel, Perrott Avenue, College Road, Cork. T12 HT97

More info:  https://bit.ly/IBD-APC

Devisied especially to bring the world of science to the public, the Pint of Science Festival is a great opportunity to learn about the world leading microbiome reserach taking place on your doorstep.

APC Researchers from University College Cork will speak at the following events:

6.30pm Monday 19th May - The Old Oak

Manon Oliero: Dietary Fiber: Beyond Feeding the Gut Bacteria

Sebastian Schmidt: Here be Dragons: charting the vast unknown space of microbial 'dark matter'

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6.30pm Monday 19th May - The Roundy

Amiee Cronin: Sex Matters! The Role of Gut Microbes in Women's Mental Healthoe

Zoë Williams: Teamwork for Your Brain: Harnessing Gut Microbes through Lifestyle Changes

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6.30pm Tuesday 20th May - The Liberty Bar

Elena Kamilari: Natural Biopreservatives, potent weapons against food spoilage

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Tickets are free, places limited, book early to avoid dissapointment!

More info:   Pint of Science Cork | Pint of Science Ireland

Join Prof Jens Walter and Dr Anissa Armet who will be in conversation with Prof Fergus Shanahan to discuss their research and development of the NiMe Diet.

Date: 10th March 2025

Time: 6.00-8.00pm

Location: UCC Centre for Executive Education, Lapps Quay, Cork City T12 VF82

Registration: https://t.co/1CfVjvGdNx

This innovative course explores crucial aspects of gut health, from understanding the microbiome's role in digestion and immunity to examining the fascinating gut-brain connection.

Date: 30th January - 20th March

Time: Thursdays, 7.00-9.00pm

Location: Room G14, Western Gateway Building, UCC

Cost: €250

Register: Gut Health | Short Course | University College Cork

Join APC/UCC researchers who will delve into the fascinating world of the microbiome and explore the role fermented foods can play in your overall gut health. Discover the science behind fermented foods, learn about their health benefits, and get savvy about the marketing tricks to watch out for! The workshop will include practical demonstrations on how to ferment your own food and incorporate them into your daily diet.

Date: 3rd April 2025

Time: 11.00am-12.00pm

Location: Frank O'Connor Library, Old Youghal Road, Mayfield, Cork T23 E651

More info: Lifelong Learning Festival - Cork Learning City

Harnessing AI for Better Health an in-person event to learn about the future of personalised nutrition.

Date: 19th February 2025

Time: 6.15-7.15pm

Location: UCC Centre for Executive Education, 1 Lapp's Quay, Cork, T12 VF82

Register for your free ticket here 

Curious about what happens to the food we eat? Our ‘Food is Funky’ workshop guides students through a series of interactive steps to explore the digestive system and understand the concept of the microbiome.

Location: Cork City Library, Grand Parade

Time: 10.00AM - 1.00PM

Come along to our Fermented Food presentation with Aidan O’ Sullivan to discover the latest research behind fermented foods and includes a demonstration on how to prepare your own kefir, kombucha and sauerkraut at home.  This event is in partnership with Cork City Libraries.

Location: Cork City Library, Grand Parade

Time: 12.00PM – 1.00PM

Join APC Microbiome Ireland researcher Prof Yvonne Nolan, Dr Sarah Nicolas, and Zoe Williams to explore the fascinating connection between the microbes in our gut, brain function and ageing. Light lunch served afterwards.

Location: Knocknaheeny Community Centre

Time: 11.00PM – 1.00PM

APC will host David M. Patrick, MD as a visiting speaker at University College Cork Monday next, June 24th for a 1pm lunchtime lecture on Preventing Childhood Asthma and Allergy. All are welcome to join this lecture online or in-person as part of our World Microbiome Day events.

Register >> https://bit.ly/4c2IBzw

SPEAKER: David M. Patrick, MD, FRCPC, MHSc

Director of Research and Medical Epidemiology Lead for Antimicrobial Resistance, BCCDC

Professor, UBC School of Population and Public Health

TITLE: Preventing Childhood Asthma and Allergy: The Neglected Impacts of Antibiotic Stewardship and Human Milk Exposure in Infants

CHAIR: Prof Liam O'Mahony, APC

DATE: 1pm on Monday June 24th

LOCATION: University College Cork – Cavanagh Pharmacy Building, Room LG52 

MORE INFO: Dr. David Patrick is an infectious diseases specialist and epidemiologist with a career interest in responding to emerging infectious diseases.  He is Professor in the School of Population and Public Health at UBC and has served as Director of that School and as Research Director at the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control.

He has published over 250 papers and books on topics ranging from HIV to COVID-19.  His main research focuses on containing the threat of antimicrobial resistance and understanding the connection between antibiotic use and atopic disease at the population level.

2024 APC Symposium: Microbiome solutions to grand challenges​

An annual APC highlight, our Symposium is an internal event we hold offsite with a packed programme of speakers discussing the very latest advances in microbiome research. 

Each year we present the Charles Donovan Microbiome Award and invite the winner to present our Distinguished International APC lecture.  

Date: Friday 18th October

Time: 8:00 - 17:00

Venue: Maryborough House Hotel, Cork.

Shared Learning Lunch-time Webinar

Patient and public involvement can be an emotional experience for both the people who get involved and the researchers. Join APC Microbiome Ireland Dr Siobhain O’ Mahony and patient representatives as they discuss and share their experience on managing difficult conversations and emotions. The event will be an opportunity for participants to learn what can work in these situations and what can be improved on.

Date: Tuesday 8th October

Time: 13.00 - 13.30

Venue: Teams

Register: https://t.co/MqFVuVtlG0

Date:  Saturday 26th October

Time: 11:00 - 13:00

Venue: River Lee Hotel, Cork.

Tickets: https://apcmicrobiomeandmenopause.eventbrite.ie

Join us for an enlightening day!

‘Microbiome, Menopause & Wellbeing’ takes place on Saturday 26th October at the River Lee Hotel, Cork, with a stellar lineup of women’s health experts who will cover microbiome, menopause, nutrition and more with an interjection of jazz!

Engaged research is the cornerstone of the upcoming event ‘Microbiome, Menopause & Wellbeing’ meaning that the audience contribution informs the research going forward.

Expect an informative morning event where you will learn about cutting edge science research and other holistic supports relevant to women’s health with a particular emphasis on menopause and microbiome. There will also be music, hospitality and opportunity to connect with the speakers and other audience members.

We look forward to seeing you on the day.

Speakers

Dr. Siobhain O’Mahony, a neurobiologist from APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork will delve into the microbiome’s impact on women’s health.

Dr. Samantha Cushon, a dietician from University College Cork will guide you through menopause nutrition and guide you through the supermarket supplements aisle.

Lucy Kenefick from Obodo Gym and NuMe Collective will share physical health tips and guide the audience through some exercise techniques.

Dr. Jennifer Cuppage, a senior clinical psychologist, will discuss well-being for peri/menopausal women and lead a calming breathwork session.

Engage with our experts and have your voice heard! Light refreshments will be served.

More about the event

‘Microbiome, Menopause & Wellbeing’ is organised by Dr Siobhain O’Mahony who is a trailblazer pioneering novel research in women’s health in collaboration with APC Microbiome Ireland (APC), a world leading Research Ireland Centre at University College Cork (UCC). The event celebrates International Menopause Day (Oct 18th) and Guinness Cork Jazz Festival. Dr O’Mahony is a scientific investigator at APC and a senior lecturer in the Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, UCC.

Join us for a Microbiome Masterclass, jointly hosted by VistaMilk and APC Microbiome Ireland two world-leading Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) research centres, which is set to coincide with World Microbiome Day on Thursday June 27th. This event will feature a series of presentations from leading international researchers in the field of microbiome science, offering an unparalleled opportunity to gain insights into the latest advancements and applications.

Event Details:

Date: Thursday 27^th of June

Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Location: Teagasc Food Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, P61 C996

The masterclass will cover a wide range of topics, including but not limited to:

• The role of the microbiome in human health and disease
• Innovative microbiome research methodologies
• Applications of microbiome science in industry
• Future directions and emerging trends in microbiome research

Key Highlights:

Keynote Speakers: Renowned microbiome experts from around the globe

Poster Presentations: Showcasing cutting-edge research from upcoming scientists

 To confirm your attendance, please RSVP using the following link.

11am-3pm Saturday November 18th - Admission Free- Marina Market, Cork.

Fun ways to explore and learn about Science for all the family.

Speakers include:

Prof Andrew Horne

Dr Cathy Burke

Dr Fergus McCarthy

Dr Siobhain O' Mahony

Register here: bit.ly/3C2KCLT

The online webinar event will take place on June 27th and is specifically designed for anyone who is interested in learning about the fascinating world of the microbiome from top-notch experts and gain valuable insights on the topic.

Participants will have the chance to actively engage with the experts through an interactive Q&A session during the event. 

To ensure you don't miss out, we invite you to subscribe to the event here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_7pjmms60QrGDLjQ_0GwBzg.

By joining us, you'll be able to deepen your understanding of how microbiomes impact our lives across diet, health, food production, and sustainability. 

More details to follow!

With speakers from UCC, MTU, UG, UCD, Universities & Institutes of Helsinki, Turku, Crete, Budapest & Madrid

Topics covered include AI, data integration, long reads, new tools, databases & statistical methods

Register here

Full programme below:

As registered attendee, you are also invited to the final COST Action Conference for ML4Microbiome

(Aim: to optimise, standardise & disseminate ML for human microbiome studies)

The 8^th June in Aula Maxima, UCC

AGENDA

To celebrate Science Week join UCC & Teagasc researchers and discover the science behind fermented foods, what the health benefits are and what marketing ploys to watch out for!

When: Thursday 17^th November, 2022 at 1.00 PM – 2.00 PM

Where: Bandon Library, Market Street, Bandon

No booking necessary!

You probably already know that microbes are all around us and can spread easily. Most microbes are harmless, but some can make us sick. In this workshop, you’ll learn how the body’s immune system works around the clock to protect us from infection. You’ll meet researchers from APC Microbiome Ireland and find out what it’s really like to be a scientist. This workshop may take in your school (distance dependent) or online though Zoom or Microsoft Teams. 

Where: In person or online

When: Monday 14^th November and Tuesday 15^th November, 10.00AM

For more information and to book please visit www.corksciencefestival.ie

APC Microbiome Ireland brings together some of Ireland’s top skincare professionals for an exciting evening event exploring the ground-breaking world of the skin microbiome.

Join us on Science Week to learn about the science behind skincare, how your microbiome influences your skin health and what to look out for in skincare products to target your microbes.

RTE broadcaster and science communicator Kathriona Devereux will lead the discussion featuring voices from skin and microbiome research, dermatology, the beauty industry, and product regulation and development.

• Corinna Tolan – Monica Tolan Beauty & Skincare Clinic
• Dr Julie O’ Sullivan – APC Microbiome Ireland, UCC
• Dr Nonhlanhla Lunjani – APC Microbiome Ireland, UCC
• Claire Tansey – Atlantia Clinical Trials
• Michelle McDonald & Dr Brian O’ Rourke - Sásta Skin Health

Details

Date: Wednesday 16^th November

Time: 7PM – 9PM

Venue: Hayfield Manor Hotel, Perrott Avenue, College Road, Cork

Please see link for further details and to register: https://conference.ucc.ie/skin-deep-the-connection-between-skin-health-the-microbiome/skin-deep-registration

During this hands-on workshop, French-speaking scientists will meet young children in the community for a science workshop in the French language. This workshop is a great opportunity for children to practice their language skills and develop their interest in science.  The workshop is suitable for children aged 6 to 12 years who speak some French at home.

Where: Room G.04 Western Gateway Building , University College Cork, Western Rd, Mardyke, Cork.

When: Friday 18^th November, 5.00PM

To book: Atelier scientifique en Français pour les enfants - City (google.com) or contact florence.herisson@nativescientist.com

To celebrate Science Week join UCC & Teagasc researchers and discover the science behind fermented foods, what the health benefits are and what marketing ploys to watch out for!

When: Friday 18^th November, 2022 at 1.00 PM – 2.00 PM

Where: Fermoy Library, Connolly Street, Fermoy

No booking necessary!

The LFDT Summit takes place from September 7th & 8th 2022

Visit LFDT.tech today to get your ticket today!

(early-bird pricing till July 31st)

Ireland's first all-island, all-ecosystem innovation and commercilisation conference

Contact: summit@lfdt.tech