Science Week 2017

11 Nov 2017

Science for Sustainability is organised by Yeast Research UCC and runs at St Peter’s Cork, from November 11th to 19th as part of Science Week.

The free exhibition, which is open to visitors throughout Science Week, will feature evening discussions and demonstrations to highlight how science could tackle some environmental issues. Two of the speakers from the School of Microbiology are Dr John Morrissey and Dr Niall O’Leary.

Dr John Morrissey looks at using yeast as mini-factories for making useful products in the food and cosmetics industries. Dr Morrissey co-ordinates an EU project called CHASSY, which is developing yeast to make fat-based molecules for the cosmetics industry that would otherwise come from petroleum.

Dr Niall O’Leary also wants to get more from waste. He works on an Environmental Protection Agency project called NEWTRIENTS, which looks to capture nutrients in wastewater from dairy processing and use them to make new products, such as biodegradable plastics or high-protein plant crops for animal feed. “In essence, we are seeking to create a sustainable cycle within one of Ireland’s major agri-food sectors, with economic as well as environmental benefits,” says Dr O’Leary.