Past Research Projects

Biotechnological conversion processes involving gases (derived from residues) are often limited by challenges such as (i) poor mass transfer characteristics (rate-limiting) particularly due to low solubility of relevant gases (ii) safety issues with certain gases (iii) presence of impurities in the gas streams (iv) a limited understanding of the design and scale-up of gas-based systems. This project aims to overcome these obstacles with new bioreactor designs involving membranes and to undertake scale-up and techno-economic analysis of these novel process.

B Akkoyunlu, S Daly, E Casey (2021) Membrane bioreactors for the production of value-added products: Recent developments, challenges and perspectives – Bioresource Technology

The main goal of this project is to develop new membranes which are based on 2D nanomaterials for nanofiltration (NF) and the upgrading of gasification products. The technical objectives include:

– Preparation and testing of membranes based on oxidised BN (BNOx).
– Preparation and testing of BNOx – LDH (layered double hydroxide) based hybrid membranes.
– Preparation and testing of BN-Fe3O4 based hybrid membranes.

N. García Doménech, F. Purcell-Milton, Casasín García ML, M Ward, MB Cabré, A Rafferty, K McKelvey, P Dunne, Y.K. Gun’ko, High-Performance Boron Nitride-Based Membranes for Water Purification, Nanomaterials, 10.3390/nano12030473.

N. García Doménech, F. Purcell-Milton and Y. K. Gun’ko, Recent Progress and Future Prospects in Development of Advanced Materials for Nanofiltration, Materials Today Communication, 10.1016/j.mtcomm.2019.100888

Xue Bai, Finn Purcell-Milton, Yurii K. Gun’ko Near-infrared-emitting CIZSe/CIZS/ZnS colloidal heteronanonail structures Nanoscale, 10.1039/D0NR02777D.

Kuznetsova, V. A. ; Mates-Torres, E.; Prochukhan, N.; Marcastel, M.; Purcell-Milton, F.; O’Brien, J.; Visheratina, A. K.; Martinez-Carmona, M.; Gromova, Y.; Garcia-Melchor, M.; Gun’ko, Y. K Effect of Chiral Ligand Concentration and Binding Mode on Chiroptical Activity of CdSe/CdS Quantum Dots, ACS Nano, 10.1021/acsnano.9b07513

Finn Purcell-Milton, Antton Curutchet and Yurii Gun’ko Electrophoretic Deposition of Quantum Dots and Characterisation of Composites Materials, 10.3390/ma12244089

Overall goal of this project is to develop functionalised electrospun membranes for applications on selective separation of fermentation and bioprocess feed/product streams. Electrospinning is a key process adopted in this project to fabricate scalable and mechanically robust nanofibrous membranes. There are four main objectives devised as given below on the basis of this project framework:

– Development of electrospun nanofibrous membranes
– Production of functionalised electrospun membranes
– Characterisation of functionalised nanofibrous membrane
– Performance evaluation of developed electrospun membranes for selective separation

Saranya Rameshkumar, P. Shaiju, Kevin E. O’Connor, Ramesh Babu P, Bio-based and biodegradable polymers-State-of-the-art, challenges and emerging trends, Current opinion in green and sustainable chemistry, Vol. 21, February 2020, 75-81. DOI 10.1016/j.cogsc.2019.12.005.

Saranya Rameshkumar, Rory Henderson and Ramesh Babu Padamati, Improved Surface Functional and Photocatalytic Properties of Hybrid ZnO-MoS2-Deposited Membrane for Photocatalysis-Assisted Dye Filtration, MDPI Special Edition, Membranes 2020, 10(5), 106. DOI 10.3390/membranes10050106.

– Development of novel polymer membranes via phase inversion on a purpose-built casting rig.
– Preparation of novel hybrid materials such as chitosan-PMMA composites etc.
– Functionalisation of polymer membranes with silanes and potentially chiral moieties such as biomolecules. This is to allow phase separation by chemical affinity as well as size.
– Optimisation of pore structure and size for specific biomolecule filtration.
– Improvement of tensile strength and rigidity under filtration conditions.

Daniel K. Kehoe, Luis Romeral, Ross Lundy, Michael A. Morris, Michael G. Lyons, Yurii K. Gun’ko, One Dimensional AuAg Nanostructures as Anodic Catalysts in the Ethylene Glycol Oxidation, Nanomaterials, 10.3390/nano10040719

Nadezda Prochukhan, Andrew Selkirk, Ross Lundy, Elsa C. Giraud, Tandra Ghoshal, Clive Downing, and Michael A. Morris “Large-Area Fabrication of Vertical Silicon Nanotube Arrays via Toroidal Micelle Self-Assembly”, Langmuir, Jan 2021 (DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.0c03431)

The main goal of the project is to assess the potential for individual or sequential pre-treatments combinations of high voltage pulse electric fields to induce cell/biosolid lysis leading to an enhanced substrate for bioconversion.

The work has been divided in five different work tasks (WT): WT1. Literature review, method development, and design future experiments; WT2. Screening of substrates in terms of suitability for biogas production.; WT3. Assessment of physically disruptive pre-treatments for the substrates chosen for further study in terms of biogas production; WT4. Short circuiting the anaerobic digestion pathways to produce medium chain fatty acids (a new WT in addition to what was included in the original proposal)WT5. Cost benefit analysis of pre-treatments for production of biogas and other products.

Menon, A; Lyng, JG, Circular bioeconomy solutions: driving anaerobic digestion of waste streams towards production of high value medium chain fatty acids, Reviews in Environmental Science and Biotechnology, 10.1007/s11157-020-09559-5

Objective 1: Synthesis of a library of lactose-derived chiral N,N and N,N,N chiral ligands  to investigate their ability to induce levels of enantioselectivity in metal-catalysed asymmetric transformations.

Deliverables: 

 -Synthesis of gram quantities of lactose-derived N,N ligands with a range of alcohol-protected groups.

 -Synthesis of gram quantities of lactose-derived N,N,N ligands with a range of alcohol-protected groups.

 -Prepare metal complexes of these ligands for structural characterisation (X-ray crystallography).

Objective 2: Applications in asymmetric catalysis – screen a range of metal-catalysed processes to test the enantiodifferentiating ability of these novel ligands.

Deliverables: 

 -Testing metal complexes of lactose-derived N,N ligands in asymmetric catalysis.

 -Testing metal complexes of lactose-derived N,N,N ligands in asymmetric catalysis.

 -Optimisation of successful asymmetric catalytic transformations to include a substrate scope.

 -P. Fischer, M. Morris, H. Müller-Bunz and P. Evans; Synthesis and Structural Elucidation of 1,2-Disubstituted 3- Fluoropiperidines; Eur. J. Org. Chem., DOI 10.1002/ejoc.202000026

 -Tammo Diercks, Francisco J. Medrano, Forrest G. FitzGerald, Donella Beckwith, Martin J. Pedersen, Mark Reihill, Anna- Kristin Ludwig, Antonio Romero, Stefan Oscarson, Mare Cudic and Hans-Joachim Gabius, Galectin‐Glycan Interaction: Guideline for Monitoring by 77 Se NMR Spectroscopy and Solvent (H 2 O/D 2 O) Impact on Binding., Chem. Eur. J. 27 (2021) 316; doi:10.1002/chem.202003143.

 -M. Reihill, L. Guazzelli, H. Remaut and S. Oscarson, Synthesis of Rationally Designed Thiol-Bearing Monosaccharides Towards Inhibition of H. pylori, Molecules 25 (2020) 4281. doi:10.3390/molecules25184281.

 -M. Long, A. Ní Cheallaigh, M. Reihill, S. Oscarson and M. Lahmann, Synthesis of Type 1 Lewis b, Lewis a and H-antigen structures featuring incorporation of L-[U- 13 C 6 ]-fucose labels into the Lewis b hexasaccharide, Org. Biomol. Chem. 18 (2020) 4452-4458; doi:10.1039/D0OB00426J

 -Connon, R.; Roche, B.; Rokade, B. J.; Guiry, P. J. Further Developments and Applications of Oxazoline-Containing Ligands in Asymmetric Catalysis Chem. Rev. 2021, 121, (11), 6373-6521. doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemrev.0c00844  

 -“Catalytic asymmetric transformations of oxa- and azabicyclic alkenes” Kumar, S. V.; Yen, A.;  Lautens, M .;  Guiry, P. J. Chem. Soc. Rev. 2021, 50, 3013-3093.

The use of CO2 as a raw material in molecular science has been the subject of many investigations. The aim of the project is to explore feasibility of partially replacing the non-sustainable feedstock with renewable and widely available ones to contribute to transition to a circular economy. This project will investigate valorisation of CO2 as feedstock using synthetic transformation chemistry as well as biological approaches.

The project team will work closely with separation specialists in the Selective Separation Research Platform (researchers from Prof Eoin Casey’s and Prof Yurii Gunko’s group) and well as biotechnology experts in Prof Kevin O’Connor’s group in the Selective Separation Research Platform. Life cycle analysis will be built in from the start by the project team working closely with Prof Nick Holden’s group in the Sustainability Research Platform.

In addition to researchers directly focused on project 2.5, the new CO2 focus area brings together researchers engaged in other centre projects who have CO2 focus.  Namely, the work of Project 2.1 PhD Kate McKeever and CDT PhD students Manuel Bruch (from September 2020), Jia-Lynn Tham (from October 2020) will come under the umbrella of CO2 focus area.

None yet

The aim of the project is to investigate the use of CO2 and syngas (H2/CO) produced from biomass in metal-catalysed, direct and enantioselective carboxylation and carbonylation of styrenes for the production of high value fine chemicals of interest to the pharmaceutical industry. The production of pure CO2 and syngas will require (i) optimisation of pyrolysis, gasification, chemical looping combustion, separation and purification (link to Platform 1 – PP-1 and PP-2) (ii) test a range of ligands to determine both regioselectivity and enantioselectivity; (iii) extend alkene substrates to naturally occurring examples; (iv) apply methodology to compounds of pharmaceutical interest.

-Rokade BV, Guiry PJ. Synthesis of α-Aryl Oxindoles by Friedel-Crafts Alkylation of Arenes. J. Org. Chem. 2020, 85, 6172-6180;  DOI 10.1021/acs.joc.0c00370

-“Synthetic and mechanistic studies in enantioselective allylic substitutions catalysed by palladium complexes of a modular class of axially chiral quinazoline-containing ligands”, Carroll, A. M., McCarthy, M., Lacey, P. M., Saunders, C. P., Connolly, D. J., Farrell, A., Rokade, B. J., Goddard, R., Fristrup, P., Norrby, P.-O., Guiry, P. J. Tetrahedron. 2020, doi.org/10.1016/j.tet.2019.130780.

-Connon, R.; Roche, B.; Rokade, B. J.; Guiry, P. J. Further Developments and Applications of Oxazoline-Containing Ligands in Asymmetric Catalysis Chem. Rev. 2021, 121, (11), 6373-6521. doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemrev.0c00844

-“Catalytic asymmetric transformations of oxa- and azabicyclic alkenes” Kumar, S. V.;  Yen, A.;  Lautens, M.; Guiry, P. J. Chem. Soc. Rev. 2021 , 50, 3013-3093.

The main objective of the projects are i) Development of bio-based polymer blends and charcaterisation; ii) Production of polymer nanocomposites based on bio-based polymers; iii) Scaling up of optimised bio-based bio-based polymer composites and extrusion of prototype films and iv) evaluation of compostability of bio-based composites.

Parameswaran Shaiju ,Benamor-Bois Dorian ,Ramsankar Senthamaraikannan and Ramesh Babu Padamati (2020) Biodegradation of Poly (Butylene Succinate) (PBS)/Stearate Modified Magnesium-Aluminium Layered Double Hydroxide Composites under Marine Conditions Prepared via Melt, Compounding; Molecules, 10.3390/molecules25235766.

Invention Disclosure: Fluorescent labelling of biodegradable and recycled plastics to enhance the plastic circularity’ Ref: RB01-990-01. Patent application is in progress.

The overall goal of this project is to establish a versatile Synthetic/Systems Biology and Omics resource within the Conversion platform that can be applied to research questions relevant to the bioeconomy. The programme is centred on solving two significant global bioconversion challenges: creating synthetic pathways in microorganisms to make complex products (polymers) as well as the use of gaseous substrates to make chemicals. The focus was renewed in 2021 to include projects targeting CO ₂ utilization.

Tiso T, Narancic T, Wei R, Pollet E, Beagan N, Schröder K, Honak A, Jiang M, Kenny ST, Wierckx N, Perrin R, Avérous L, Zimmermann W, O’Connor K, Blank LM. Towards bio-upcycling of polyethylene terephthalate. Metab Eng. 2021 Jul;66:167-178. doi: 10.1016/j.ymben.2021.03.011. Epub 2021 Apr 16. PMID: 33865980.

Lynch C, Jordan L and O’Connell DJ. Redesigning Spent Media from Cell Culture Bioprocess to Feed New Bacterial Fermentations, chapter 5 in Cell Culture Engineering and Technology, Springer – https://link.springer.com/book/9783030798703

Liu S, Narancic T, Davis C, O’Connor KE. CRISPR-Cas9 Editing of the Synthesis of Biodegradable Polyesters Polyhydroxyalkanaotes (PHA) in Pseudomonas putida KT2440. Methods Mol Biol. 2022;2397:341-358. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1826-4_17. PMID: 34813072.

Narancic T, Salvador M, Hughes GM, Beagan N, Abdulmutalib U, Kenny ST, Wu H, Saccomanno M, Um J, O’Connor KE, Jiménez JI. Genome analysis of the metabolically versatile Pseudomonas umsongensis GO16: the genetic basis for PET monomer upcycling into polyhydroxyalkanoates. Microb Biotechnol. 2021 Nov;14(6):2463-2480. doi: 10.1111/1751-7915.13712. Epub 2021 Jan 6. PMID: 33404203; PMCID: PMC8601165.

Narancic T, O’Connor KE. Plastic waste as a global challenge: are biodegradable plastics the answer to the plastic waste problem? Microbiology (Reading). 2019 Feb;165(2):129-137. doi: 10.1099/mic.0.000749. Epub 2018 Nov 30. PMID: 30497540.

Ruiz C, Kenny ST, Narancic T, Babu R, Connor KO. Conversion of waste cooking oil into medium chain polyhydroxyalkanoates in a high cell density fermentation. J Biotechnol. 2019 Dec 20;306:9-15. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2019.08.020. Epub 2019 Aug 30. PMID: 31476332.

T Narancic, F Cerrone, N Beagan, KE O’Connor (2020) Recent Advances in Bioplastics: Application and Biodegradation. Polymers 10.3390/polym12040920

G McGauran, S Linse and DJ O’Connell (2020) Single Step Purification of Glycogen Synthase Kinase Isoforms from Small Scale Transient Expression in HEK293 Cells with a Calcium-Dependent Fragment Complementation System. Methods in Molecular Biology 10.1007/978-1-0716-0191-4_22

Saranya Ramesh Kumar, P. Shaiju, Kevin E. O’Connor, Ramesh Babu P (2020) Bio-based and biodegradable polymers – State-of-the-art, challenges and emerging trends. Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry, 21:75-81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogsc.2019.12.005.

R Wei, T Tiso, J Bertling, K O’Connor, LM Blank, UT Bornscheuer (2020). Possibilities and limitations of biotechnological plastic degradation and recycling. Nature Catalysis 3:867-871. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41929-020-00521-w

Rich M. H., K.E. O’ Connor, and Narancic T. 2020. Non-canonical (unusual) amino acids as a toolbox for antimicrobial and anticancer peptide synthesis. Amino Acids, peptides and proteins. Book chapter. Volume 44. Editors Maxim Ryadnov and Ferenc Hudecz. Royal Society of Chemistry. ISBN 978-1-78801-689-6.

Tanja Narancic, Nick Weirckx, Si Liu, and Kevin E O’Connor. 2020. Converting Petrochemical Plastic to Biodegradable Plastic. The Handbook of Polyhydroxyalkanoates. Page 315-330. ISBN 9780429296611

McGauran G, Dorris E, Borza R, Morgan N, Shields DC, Matallanas D, Wilson AG, O’Connell DJ. Resolving the Interactome of the Human Macrophage Immunometabolism Regulator (MACIR) with Enhanced Membrane Protein Preparation and Affinity Proteomics. Proteomics. 2020 Oct;20(19-20):e2000062. doi: 10.1002/pmic.202000062. Epub 2020 Sep 9. PMID: 32864787.

Drummond E, Flynn S, Whelan H, Nongonierma AB, Holton TA, Robinson A, Egan T, Cagney G, Shields DC, Gibney ER, Newsholme P, Gaudel C, Jacquier JC, Noronha N, FitzGerald RJ, Brennan L. Casein Hydrolysate with Glycemic Control Properties: Evidence from Cells, Animal Models, and Humans. J Agric Food Chem. 2018 May 2;66(17):4352-4363. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.7b05550. Epub 2018 Apr 24. PMID: 29638124.

The goal of this project is firstly to demonstrate how the bioeconomy and natural capital approaches are related, and secondly how emerging ecosystem service and natural capital approaches can be applied to inform an environmentally sustainable bioeconomy using pilot case-studies in Ireland.

Andrew M. Neill, Cathal O’Donoghue and Jane C. Stout, A Natural Capital Lens for a Sustainable Bioeconomy: Determining the Unrealised and Unrecognised Services from Nature Sustainability, DOI 10.3390/su12198033

The objectives of this project are, firstly, exploring how to cultivate consumption of bio-based products; and secondly, to explore societal acceptance of bio-based products.

The project seeks to gain a better understanding of consumers’ and wider society’s understanding and interpretation of the bioeconomy, the factors that present consumer and societal acceptance challenges and require effective engagement with consumers and the scientific community in communication with consumers and society regarding bio-based products.

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Holistic evaluation of a bioeconomy idea, be that a feedstock, technology, or system, is required to properly understand the impacts and implications of the transition from conventional, fossil resource depleting economy, to a sustainable bioeconomy. The overall goal of these projects was to advance thinking about how life cycle thinking, which is now widely adopted by policy makers in the European Union, can be used to better understanding the impacts (social, environmental, and economic) of bioeconomy projects. The quantitative method, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) offers many advantages for stakeholders wishing to understand the implications of an innovation, including being holistic (cradle to grave/cradle), multi-impact (e.g., climate, water, energy, soil, atmosphere, ecosystems) and having scientifically agreed impact methods and ISO accounting rules. However, many of the norms and rules adopted in practice were devised before the advent of bioeconomy and circular economy concepts. The projects address useful method adaptations to maximise the value of LCA (e.g., assessment of assumptions, attributional vs consequential approaches, stakeholder perception of system function, land use pressures and the expression of impact in terms of ecoefficiency rather than absolute impact). The approach taken is (i) to assess the methodological implications of rules used for environmental life cycle assessment and the development of a readiness level framework linked to LCA (3.3.1), which is the foundation of all other LCA methods, (ii) to develop specific social methods suitable for bioeconomy projects (3.3.2) and (iii) to develop an assessment framework factoring in land use pressure and absolute impacts (3.3.3), with a particular focus on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). All ideas being developed are being tested using case studies selected from platform and spoke research activity (submerged mushroom production, seaweed extraction, cereal storage, alternative farming practices), and because of the Covid-19 situation, they are also being assessed using case studies in Brazil (organic egg production, local farmer cooperative/hotel bioeconomy network and agroforestry production of organic lime).

Key publications currently under review:

Talwar, N., Holden, N. M. The limitations of bioeconomy LCA studies for understanding the transition to sustainable bioeconomy. Int. J. LCA.

Holden, N. M., Neill, A. M., Stout, J. C., O’Brien, D, Morris, M. A. Biocircularity: a framework to define sustainable, circular bioeconomy. Circ. Econ. Sustain.

Holden, N. M. A Readiness Level Framework for Sustainable Circular Bioeconomy. EFB Bioecon. J

The bioeconomy will involve radical innovation that may disrupt established routines and create resistance and anxieties, which need to be understood. Development of the bioeconomy will be a socio-technical transition where advancements in technology interact and co-evolve with consumer practices, business, markets, policy, cultural meaning, and infrastructure. In project 3.2, qualitative and quantitative social science research methods are being deployed to understand consumer and citizen perspectives of the bioeconomy. Both are required for acceptance of the concept and its products and services. Acceptance by the consumer is fundamental to market development and acceptance by citizens is essential for governance.

Kelleher L, Henchion M, O’Neill E (2019) Policy Coherence and the Transition to a Bioeconomy: The Case of Ireland Sustainability, DOI 10.3390/su11247247

Kelleher L, Henchion M, O’Neill E (2021) Framing the Circular Bioeconomy in Ireland’s Broadsheet Media, 2004 – 2019, Environmental Communication, DOI 10.1080/17524032.2021.1889632

Business Interface: Set up and run events for the business community in Ireland to increase their awareness and engagement with the bioeconomy, including workshops and individual meetings.

Business Interface and Knowledge Hub Projects
Journal Articles: In Review

Marshall, D., O’Dochartaigh, A., Prothero, A., Reynolds, O., and Secchi, E. Processes, Pitfalls and Potentials of the Bioeconomy. MIT Sloan Management Review. One of the highest ranked business journals in the world with a massive global readership (3rd Review).

O’Dochartaigh, A., Reynolds, R., Marshall, D., Prothero, A., Secchi, E. Can sustainability networks achieve sustainability outcomes? integrating the past, reconceptualizing the future. Business and Society (3rd review)

Reynolds, O., Marshall, D., O’Dochartaigh, A., Prothero, A., Reynolds, R., Secchi, E. The use of framing in the innovation process. Journal of Product Innovation Management (1st review)

Journal Articles: Working Papers

O’Dochartaigh, A., Reynolds, O., Marshall, D., Prothero, A., Secchi, E. (2021) “I just can’t see the value your research adds”: Tensions and tension management strategies in sustainability network orchestration.

Reynolds, O., O’Dochartaigh, A., Prothero, A., Marshall, D., Secchi, E. (2021). Framing the role of entrepreneur suppliers in the circular bioeconomy.

Harrahill, K., Macken-Walsh, A., O’Neill, E., Lennon, M. (2022). Power & knowledge dynamics in an EIP-Agri Operational Group for developing the bioeconomy: experiences of Irish dairy farmers.

Harrahill, K., Macken-Walsh, A., O’Neill, E. (2022). Identifying core, peripheral and intermediary actors in the bioeconomy using social network analysis: An Irish case study.

Harrahill, K., Macken-Walsh, A., O’Neill, E. (2022). Can the bioeconomy support a just transition for economically vulnerable agricultural sectors? Perspectives of Irish beef farmers.

Peer-Reviewed International Conference Papers

O’Dochartaigh, A. Reynolds, O., Marshall, D., Prothero, A., Secchi, E. (2021) “‘I just can’t see the value your research adds’: tensions and tension management strategies in sustainability network orchestration”. Presented at the European Group for Organisational Studies Colloquium 2021, July 2021, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU) (online).

Reynolds, O., O’Dochartaigh, A., Prothero, A., Marshall, D., Secchi, E. (2021). Framing the role of entrepreneur suppliers in the circular bioeconomy. IPSERA 2021 Online Conference, 1st April 2021.

O’Dochartaigh, A., Reynolds, O., Marshall, D., Prothero, A., Secchi, E. (2021) “I just can’t see the value your research adds”: Tensions and tension management strategies in sustainability network orchestration. 37th European Group for Organisational Studies Colloquium, Edinburgh, UK, 3rd July 2021.

O’Dochartaigh, A., Reynolds, O., Marshall, D., Prothero, A. and Secchi, E. (2020) Sustainability networks: structure, management and performance across network types. 7th international EurOMA Forum at the University of Nottingham, UK, 10-12th Feb 2020.

Reynolds, O., O’Dochartaigh, A., Marshall, D., Prothero, A. and Secchi, E. (2020) Innovation framing for a sustainable circular bioeconomy network. 7th international EurOMA Forum at the University of Nottingham, UK, 10-12th Feb 2020.

O’Dochartaigh, A., Reynolds, O., Marshall, D., Prothero, A. (2019). Organisational networks for sustainability: Insights and challenges. 35th European Group for Organisational Studies Colloquium, Edinburgh, UK, 3rd July 2019.