People

Dr. Peter McLoughlin

Principal Investigator

Peter McLoughlin is currently Acting Head of Department of Chemical and Life Sciences at Waterford Institute of Technology and Principal Investigator in the Pharmaceutical and Molecular Biotechnology Research Centre.

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.

Dr. Niall O'Reilly

Centre Manager

Niall O’Reilly is a scientist with over 6 years R&D experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Prior to joining the PMBRC in 2009, Niall held positions in Élan Drug Delivery (now Élan Drug Technologies) and Genzyme Ireland Ltd. working in areas including formulation and process development; analytical method development and validation; stability; clinical manufacture, scale-up and commercialisation. He has worked on dosage forms such as controlled release multi-particulates and matrix tablets; fast melt tablets; hard and soft-gelatin capsules; powder for suspension and their associated manufacturing technologies. Niall holds a B.Sc. degree in Industrial Chemistry from the University of Limerick and was awarded a Ph.D. from the same institution for his research on biotransformations in organic solvents.

Phone: +353 (0) 51 306167

Email: noreilly@wit.ie

Dr. Lee Coffey

Postdoctoral Researcher

Lee graduated from Waterford Institute of Technology with a B.Sc. (Hons) in Applied Biology with Quality Management in 2002, with experience gained in industry in both microbiological and pharmaceutical laboratories. Lee completed a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology at WIT in 2007 before commencing work as a postdoctoral researcher in the PMBRC.

Lee's research interests include environmental microbiology and molecular biology techniques for DNA analysis, particularly in the study of bacterial genetics, gene evolution and distribution, horizontal gene transfer, microbial nitrile metabolism, gene cloning and the use of metabolic genes/enzymes for biotransformations and bioremediation applications.

Email: lcoffey@wit.ie

Dr. Wayne Cummins

Postdoctoral Researcher

Wayne graduated with a B.Sc. in Applied Chemistry with Quality Management from Waterford Institute of Technology in 2002. He went on to complete his Ph.D. at WIT, working in the area of molecular imprinting and analytical chemistry. Aspects of this work have been published in a number of scientific journals. Wayne joined Pfizer in 2006, initially working as a new product specialist in the Little Island API manufacturing facility. In 2007 he took up a position as a Research & Development scientist in the Process Development centre located at the Pfizer Loughbeg API manufacturing site. In 2009 Wayne joined the Pharmaceutical and Molecular Biotechnology Research Centre in WIT as a postdoctoral researcher, where he is currently working on the development and characterisation of polymeric carriers for targeted drug delivery.

Dr. Sheila Donegan

Lecturer, Department of Chemical and Life Sciences

Sheila Donegan completed her Ph.D. in Surface and Interfacial Chemistry in 1991, conducting her research jointly between Clarkson University, USA and UCD. Having completed her Ph.D., Sheila worked for two and a half years in the Polymer Coatings Research Unit, Materials Ireland, FORBAIRT, now Enterprise Ireland. This work involved research for indigenous companies lacking R&D facilities. She worked on EU projects concerned with reducing the amount of VOC’s in paints. In addition, she worked for an Irish company on the production of water dispersible metallic paint resulting in a European patent (EP 93029).

Since 1994 Sheila has been a lecturer in Physical Chemistry at WIT where she is an active researcher in the area of surface and analytical science, publishing extensively in the area of pharmaceutical analysis. Sheila is currently a member of the research advisory board of the Materials and Surface Science Institute (UL), the WIT research council and is a member of the steering committee of the Irish Government's Discover Science and Engineering programme.

Dr. Pat Duggan

Lecturer, Deptartment of Chemical & Life Sciences

Pat Duggan obtained his B.Sc. in Chemistry from University College Cork where he continued his Ph.D. studies in mechanistic organic chemistry and asymmetric synthesis. Following a period as a Process Development Chemist in Squibb-Linson, Pat joined WIT as a lecturer in organic chemistry where he has been active in research areas such as organic synthesis, molecular imprinting, separations science, biotransformations and sensor development. Pat has collaborated with Prof. Mei-Xiang Wang at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing in the area of biotransformations.

Dr. June Frisby

Postdoctoral Researcher

June Frisby obtained her B.Sc. in Applied Chemistry with Quality Management from WIT and a Ph.D. in sensor research from Dublin City University. June then worked in Ivax Pharmaceuticals (now Teva) before joining WIT in 2006 as a project coordinator and postdoctoral researcher. During this period June has coordinated a Technology Sector Strand III programme as well as an INTERREG project with Cardiff University. June has been instrumental in securing funding from various national and European sources and was involved in the set up of the PMBRC. June’s current research interests include the use of non-invasive drug delivery systems for the treatment of ocular diseases.

Dr. Martina Gooney

Lecturer, School of Health Sciences

Dr. Martina Gooney obtained a B.Sc. in Biomedical Science from University College Cork and completed her Ph.D. at Trinity College, Dublin. Her Ph.D. studies involved the study of the cellular mechanism underlying the role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in synaptic plasticity.
In 2001, Martina was appointed to a lectureship in Anatomy and Physiology in Waterford Institute of Technology. During her time at WIT, she has been involved in a number of research projects and has been actively involved in establishing the Biomedical Research Cluster.
One of her main research interests lies in the identification of biomarkers that are involved in cancer-related fatigue and associated symptoms. In collaboration with academic, clinical and industrial partners, she has obtained over €3 million in research funding from competitive national and international sources.

Dr. Michael Harrison

Lecturer, School of Health Sciences

Michael Harrison obtained an undergraduate degree in Sports Studies from the University of Ulster, an MSc in Sports Science from Loughborough University (UK) and a PhD from the School of Health and Human Performance at Dublin City University. His PhD studies examined the metabolic and vascular inflammatory responses to high fat meals consumed with and without prior exercise. He has been lecturing in Waterford Institute of Technology since 1999 and is course leader of the BA (Hons) in Exercise and Health Studies.

Michael’s research interests relate to vascular health and how it is impacted by exercise. Central to his current research projects are novel biomarkers and mediators of vascular health status including cell-derived microparticles, platelet monocyte aggregrates and endothelial progenitor cells. Research collaborators include Waterford Regional Hospital, the School of Health and Human Performance at Dublin City University and the Inactivity Physiology division of the Pennington Biomedical Research Institute (USA).

Dr. Helen Hughes

Lecturer, Department of Chemical and Life Sciences

Dr. Helen Hughes obtained a B.Sc. in Analytical Science and a Ph.D. on the synthesis and characterisation of Ruthenium (II) bipyridyl complexes from Dublin City University. Following her Ph.D. Helen worked as a trainee quality manager in Waterford Foods, a research scientist in Gerard Laboratories, Dublin, and an analyst in Schering Plough, USA and Bristol Meyers Squibb, Dublin.

In 1994 Helen was appointed to a lectureship in inorganic chemistry and quality management in Waterford Institute of Technology. Her research interests include the use of Molecular Imprinted Polymers for separation science and for ocular drug delivery; the use of seaweed biomass for bioremediation of metals and as a potential source of antibiotic and antimicrobial agents; and the investigation of the properties of organogermanium complexes as potential chemotherapeutic agents (in conjunction with Dr. Fiona Regan at Dublin City University).

Since joining WIT, Helen has obtained approximately €4 million in research funding, has successfully graduated students at both M.Sc. and Ph.D. level and has established collaborative projects with Genzyme Ireland Ltd., MSD and Bausch & Lomb. Helen is a founding member of the PMBRC.

Dr. Claire Lennon

Lecturer, Department of Chemical and Life Sciences

Claire Lennon obtained her B.Sc. in Industrial Chemistry from the University of Limerick before completing a Ph.D. in organic chemistry at University College Dublin. Claire then worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Edinburgh before joining Pfizer in Cork as a Development Chemist. After two years in Pfizer, Claire joined WIT as a lecturer in organic chemistry and pharmaceutical manufacturing. Claire’s research interests are in organic synthesis and biotransformations.

Dr. Panagiotis Manesiotis, MRSC

Postdoctoral Researcher

Panagiotis Manesiotis graduated from the Department of Chemistry of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in 2000 and then joined the group of Prof. Boerje Sellergren at the University of Dortmund, in Germany as a post-graduate student. Upon award of his Ph.D. in 2005, he was appointed as Post-Doctoral researcher at the University of Strathclyde, in Glasgow, in the group of Prof. David C. Sherrington and Prof. Peter A.G. Cormack. Returning to Greece, Panagiotis took a 2-year adjunct Lecturer position at the Department of Materials Science, University of Patras. Panagiotis joined the PMBRC in February 2010 as a postdoctoral researcher. His main research interests include molecular recognition, sensing, imprinted polymers and polymeric stationary phases for advanced separations.

Phone: +353 (0) 51 306167

Email: pmanesiotis@wit.ie

Dr. Orla O’Donovan

Lecturer, Department of Chemical and Life Sciences

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 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. Catherine O’Reilly

Lecturer, Department of Chemical & Life Sciences

Catherine O’Reilly obtained a B.A. (mod) from Trinity College Dublin where she also carried out her Ph.D. studies on unstable mutants in Salmonella typhimurium. Catherine completed postdoctoral positions at the Max Plank institute, Cologne, and Durham University, UK, before being appointed to a lecturership in molecular genetics at the University of Sunderland. There Catherine established a research group in collaboration with ICI Biological Products (now Astra Zeneca) where they used genetic engineering to produce the enzyme cyanide hydratase for the bioremediation of cyanide. Catherine joined WIT in 1995 where she has continued her research in this area and has collaborated Prof. Mei-Xiang Wang at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing. Dr. O’Reilly also has research interests in molecular ecology and has developed a range of novel DNA analysis techniques to monitor mammals.

Dr. Qendresa Osmani

Postdoctoral Researcher

Dr. Qendresa Osmani graduated from WIT in 2005 with a B.Sc. (Honours) degree in Applied Chemistry with Quality Management and obtained her Ph.D. in 2009 also from WIT. Qendresa was awarded an IRCSET (Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology) scholarship to support her doctoral research, which involved an investigation into the recognition properties of synthetic receptors based on molecularly imprinted polymers. Qendresa joined the PMBRC in February 2010 as a postdoctoral researcher and the main focus of her current research is on development of non-invasive, sustained release technologies for ocular drug delivery.

Dr. Eleanor Owens

Lecturer, Department of Chemical and Life Sciences

Dr. Eleanor Owens obtained a B.Sc. in Chemistry at the University of Aberdeen before completing a Ph.D. at City University, London. Her Ph.D. researched involved the photocrosslinking of photosensitive PVA.

On completion of her Ph.D. Eleanor spent 3 years as a Senior Research Officer at the Paint Research Association in the UK investigating the exterior durability of UV curable coatings. She moved into industry for 4 years where she worked as Product Manager for De La Rue Holographic’s Tamper Evident Label division.

Since joining WIT in September 2002, Eleanor continued her research in the area of Photosensitive Polymers and Molecularly Imprinted Polymers with successful grant applications from national, industrial and international sources. Her research interests have also diversified into the characterisation and development of Solid Biofuel.

Dr. John Phelan

Biomedical Research Coordinator

John Phelan completed his Ph.D. and a postdoctoral research position in the department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London in yeast biochemistry and genetics. Prior to that, John obtained an M.Sc. in molecular genetics at Imperial College London. John is currently the research coordinator for the Biomedical Research Cluster in the PMBRC. Established as an initiative to cultivate biomedical research in the south east, the cluster boasts state of the art technology which allows for the analysis of biomarkers in several disease states. John’s research interests include microparticles in disease, breast cancer mechanisms and intracellular protein transport.