About

Dr Shiau Pin Tan - Lecturer – Department of Science

I have 10 years of experience in natural product research, starting with extractions of antimicrobial and antioxidants from ferns during my Honours degree in Monash University. After my honours, I worked as a research assistant with my then supervisor and a PhD student on extractions of bioactives from ginger family, exploring the different extraction methods. My PhD, under the supervision of Dr Helen Hughes, was on the antimicrobial compounds from seaweed extracts. I have obtained and completed a commercialisation funding follow on from my PhD project and has 11 peer-reviewed publications all in the field of natural product extraction and identification. There are currently three PhD research in the EIRC follow on from the seaweed research, with the aim of incorporating the bioactives into different applications such as biopesticides or medical devices.

Dr Richie Ryan - Lecturer – Department of Science

Dr Richie Ryan received his B.Sc. in Applied Chemistry with Quality Management from Waterford Institute of Technology in 2006. In 2011 he received a PhD from the same institution for his thesis titled “Development and Characterisation of Microemulsions for the Analysis of Pharmaceutical Analytes by HPLC and CE”.

He has almost 7 years industry research & development experience, including roles as project manager, team lead, laboratory management, consultant, reviewer and system matter expert.

Since 2017 Dr Ryan has been lecturing at Waterford Institute of Technology in Analytical and Pharmaceutical Science at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.

His research interests include microemulsions, polymer chemistry, ocular drug delivery, formulation, process development and novel advances in analytical methodologies.

Dr Joseph O’Mahony - Lecturer – School of Engineering

Joseph O’Mahony completed his B.Sc. degree in Applied Physics at Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) before conducting his doctoral research on computerised methodologies for the on-line detection of immunological binding events, also at CIT. Joseph then worked in Queens University, Belfast as an EU-TMR Research Fellow, studying the electromagnetic interactions in tunnelling. Following this Joseph worked as a senior design engineer for Andor Technology Belfast before joining WIT in 2002 as a lecturer in the School of Engineering. Dr O’Mahony heads up the Nanotechnology Research Group where his research interests include organic electronics, scanning probe microscopy and nanosensing.

Dr Orla O’Donovan - Head – Department of Science

Dr Orla O’Donovan obtained a B.Sc. in Biochemistry from NUI, Galway where she also carried out her Ph.D. research on ‘The activating factor for peptidylglycine monooxygenase in bovine pituitary tissue’. On completion of her Ph.D. Orla worked as a clinical biochemist in the Limerick Regional Hospital where her work mainly focused on endocrinology.

In 1998, Orla was appointed to a lectureship in Biochemistry in the Waterford Institute of Technology. She is active in a variety of research areas such as the development of novel pharmaceutical delivery systems/platforms; the identification of the cytokines, adhesion molecules, microparticles and other inflammatory markers that are influenced by cancer; and the mechanism by which metal sequesterisation by seaweeds occurs at a proteomic and genomic level.

Her research activity in WIT has led to awards of over €5.5 million in research funding from competitive national, industrial, EU and international funding. Her collaborations involve clinical, academic and industrial partners in Ireland and internationally.

Dr Claire Lennon - Lecturer – Department of Science

Dr Claire Lennon graduated from University of Limerick, with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Chemistry in 1998 and completed her PhD studies at University College Dublin in Organic Chemistry in 2002, specialising in the area of stereoselective organic synthesis.  Upon completion of her PhD she joined University of Edinburgh as a post-doctoral researcher in supramolecular chemistry where she remained until December 2003. Dr. Lennon spent two years working as a Development Chemist at Pfizer Ireland Pharmaceuticals and during this time completed a Certificate in Process and Chemical Engineering at University College Cork (Part-Time, 2004-2005). She joined WIT as a lecturer in Organic Chemistry in 2006.

Dr Mike Kinsella - Lecturer – Department of Science

Dr Mike Kinsella is a Lecturer in Chemistry/Organic Chemistry at the Department of Science, WIT and researcher at the Pharmaceutical and Molecular Biotechnology Research Centre (PMBRC) where he is managing two large European funded projects, Wales Ireland Network for Scientific Skills (WINSS) and High Potency Dermatologicals (HIPODERM).

Dr Kinsella received a BSc (Hons) Degree in Applied Chemistry with Quality Management (first class honours) in 2003 and a PhD in Organic and Analytical chemistry from WIT in 2011, respectively. The subject of his IRCSET-funded PhD thesis was the Synthesis of Artificial Receptor Motifs for Anion Binding and Organocatalysis and during this time he gained experience working at collaborator labs at University College Dublin. Dr Kinsella conducted his postdoctoral research in the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, UCC from October 2010 to June 2013 on the novel application of state-of-the art low and high resolution LC-MS technology for identification and analysis of biofluids from biological sources with a particular focus on metabolomics, proteomics and quantitation of vitamin D metabolites in human serum. In June 2013, he returned to WIT to manage two large EU funded research projects (WINSS Interreg 4A project and HIPODERM Fp7 Marie Curie IAPP project) in addition to course development and validation, lecturing and working on a number of industrial research projects. In September 2014, he became an academic staff member in the Department of Science, WIT working as a lecturer in chemistry/organic chemistry while simultaneously being involved in project management and working on various projects for industry partners such as Bausch & Lomb, Waters, Xeolas and Arran Chemicals.

Dr Kinsella is currently project manager of the HIPODERM EU Fp7 project, a collaborative research project investigation the delivery of drugs into the through the human skin barrier for treatment of conditions such as skin cancer. He is also co-PI on an Enterprise Ireland Innovation Partnership project investigating novel extraction techniques for isolation of high value components from processing streams and is currently supervising one postdoctoral researcher. Dr Kinsella has secured over €280,000 in research funding to date and has published peer review journal articles in the area of organic metal-free catalysts and applications of LC-MS in biological and clinical applications.

Dr Kinsella is currently undertaking a Masters in Teaching and Learning in Further and Higher Education at WIT and has completed modules in Academic Enquiry, Educational Theory, Practical Pedagogy 1, Curriculum & Assessment and Research Supervisory Skills.

Dr Helen Hughes - Lecturer – Department of Science

Dr. Hughes is Lecturer in Inorganic Chemistry & Quality Management in the Department of Science at WIT.

Helen has been teaching at WIT since 1994 in the areas of Inorganic Chemistry, Good Laboratory Practice and Quality Management, including Lean Manufacturing, and has extensive experience in practical laboratory training in synthetic, analytical, inorganic and good laboratory techniques.

Dr. Hughes has organised undergraduate seminars and information events, and has been course leader and work placement coordinator for the B.Sc. (H) in Pharmaceutical Science, Year 3 programme for the last number of years.

Professional/Research Experience

Supervised 15 PhD and 2 MSc students to completion

Currently supervising 5 PhD students

Leveraged over €10 million in competitive research funding in the past 10 years

Published 30 peer reviewed articles and research outputs appear in over 60 conference proceedings

2009 WIT Annual Award for Excellence in Postgraduate Research Supervision

Founding member of the  PMBRC, an EI-funded ARE centre in 2008 and the Eco-Innovation Research Centre (EIRC) at WIT, (PRTLI funded 2010)

Acted as an expert reviewer for high impact journals and funding agencies including IRCSET

Extensive industrial collaboration with both national and international organisations

Involved in Forfás Future Skills and research prioritisation Requirements of Biopharma-Pharmachem Sector exercise

Member of the National panel to review all IRCSET applications for 2012

Member of the WIT Strategy Working Group 2017 – 2018

• +353 0 51834047
• hhughes@wit.ie

Dr Helen Fox - Lecturer – Department of Science

Helen became an assistant lecturer in Pharmaceutical Science in the Dept. of Science in 2017. Prior to this she worked as a Research Fellow working in the Pharmaceutical and Molecular Biotechnology Research Centre (PMBrc) in WIT. Her research interests focus on understanding solid pharmaceutical materials and include formulation, characterisation and stability of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and understanding how the physical properties of particles in dry powder inhalation blends influence inhaler performance.

Helen obtained a B.Sc. (Hons) degree in Applied Physics from Dublin City University in 2003. She then moved to Trinity College Dublin where she completed a PhD in Materials Science in the Chemical Physics of Low-Dimensional Nanostructures Group. Her research involved characterising the interactions between DNA and carbon nanotubes and exploring the factors controlling the dispersion efficiency of DNA. Upon completion of her PhD, Helen worked as a postdoctoral researcher, continuing her research on biomolecule-wrapped nanotubes. In 2012, Helen joined the PMBrc to carry out research on solid pharmaceutical materials.

Dr Stephen Dowling - Technical Officer – Department of Science

Stephen Dowling obtained his B.Sc. in Applied Chemistry with Quality Management in 2006 and a Ph.D. in Inorganic Biochemistry from WIT. He has since worked with the PMBRC on industry based research contracts with clients including Adesco Nutricines, Bausch & Lombe, Monaghan Bio, Pinewood Healthcare and Waters Technologies.

In his capacity as a Technical Officer, he is responsible for the Dept. of Science Instrument Portfolio in an operational and maintenance capacity for students and staff. He has also provided applciation support when required additionally.

He has experience with operation and troubleshooting of NMR, FTIR, UV/Vis, DSC, TGA, GC-MS, HPLC (including SEC), Flame AAS and GFAAS, ICP-OES, Contact Angle Measurement and Microwave-Assisted Digestion. Research interests include information technology development with instrumentation/sensors and the interaction of transition metal species with biomolecules.

Dr Wayne Cummins - Lecturer – Department of Science

Dr Wayne Cummins received his B.Sc. in Applied Chemistry with Quality Management for Waterford Institute of Technology in 2002. In 2006 he received a PhD from Waterford Institute of Technology for his thesis titled “Synthesis and Characterisation of Molecularly Imprinted Polymer for N-Heterocyclic Templates”. Subsequently he joined Pfizer Global Research & Development in Co. Cork, Ireland where he spent 2.5 years as a research & development chemist. In 2009 Dr Cummins joined the Pharmaceutical & Molecular Biotechnology Research Centre as a Enterprise Ireland funded postdoctoral researcher where he focused on developing mucoadhesive polymeric drug delivery platforms. Since 2011 Dr. Cummins has been lecturing at Waterford Institute of Technology in Analytical and Organic Chemistry at both graduate and postgraduate level. He has supervised 2 postgraduate students to the level of doctorate and is currently supervising another.

Dr Lee Coffey - Lecturer – Department of Science

Dr Lee Coffey is a Lecturer in Molecular Biology with Biopharmaceutical Science at the Department of Science, WIT and is a Principal Investigator at the PMBRC where he is leading the Molecular Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutical Research Group, with over €1.4 million in research funding secured to date.

He received a BSc (Hons) Degree in Applied Biology with Quality Management (first class honours) and a PhD in Molecular Biotechnology from WIT in 2002 and 2007, respectively. In this time Dr Coffey gained experience in industry in both microbiological and pharmaceutical laboratories.

Dr Coffey conducted his postdoctoral research at the PMBRC from 2007 to 2013, expanding his biotechnology research while also serving as manager of the Molecular Biology research lab, overseeing >€1.5M of research projects and commercial activities.

Dr Coffey is or has acted as; mentor for two research staff, lead supervisor for five and co-supervisor for six postgraduate students. He received the WIT Postgraduate Supervision Excellence Award in 2016. He has presented at numerous national and international conferences and 16 peer-reviewed publications, including Nature Scientific Reports. The research group follows a strong commercialisation focus, with four Invention Disclosures filed to date; detailing biological solutions to biopharmaceutical processes, Patent Co-operation Treaty applications; three filed to date, detailing territories of the above, a Technology License Agreement secured with a global multi-billion $ pharmaceutical company, sharing biotechnology technology products (enzymes/cells) on an ongoing basis on a royalty agreement including an upfront payment. Dr Coffey has established collaborations with various academic and medical institutions and also global biotechnology companies.

Current research interests and projects include rare disease therapy enhancement through directed evolution of gene therapy products, the use of genome editing to enhance protein performance and the development of proprietary biological technology for protein discovery. Dr Coffey is also an Adjunct Senior Research Fellow in the TSSG where he is involved in molecular communications research; the use of DNA for data storage, security and networking.

• +353 0 51845514
• lcoffey@wit.ie

Dr Peter McLoughlin - Principal Investigator / Head of School of Science & Computing

Dr. Peter McLoughlin is currently Head of School (Dean) of Science & Computing at Waterford Institute of Technology and Principal Investigator in the Pharmaceutical and Molecular Biotechnology Research Centre (PMBRC). Peter’s main research interests include the development of polymeric media for novel analytical technology and smart drug delivery. Current research involves the development of materials including molecularly imprinted polymers for PAT, chromatographic applications and controlled drug release. This research involves collaboration with a number of multinational and indigenous pharmaceutical and medical device companies. To-date Peter has supervised 10 Ph.D. students and one Masters student to completion and coordinated research applications resulting in over €10 million in funding to WIT.

• +353 (0)51 302037
• ereade@wit.ie