Nanoscale Biophotonics

Welcome to the Nanoscale Biophotonics Laboratory (NBL).

‌The NBL is a multi-disciplinary research group based in the School of Natural Sciences (Physics section) and directed by Prof. Alan. G. Ryder. 

‌Our research focuses on developing advanced analytical methods which are underpinned by fundamental studies in spectroscopy and chemometrics.   The strategic goal of the NBL is to become one of the foremost globally recognized bioanalytical research laboratories with a particular focus on the development of new and robust tools for use in biopharmaceutical manufacturing.  This will be achieved via the combination of fundamental physical and mathematical science research (chemistry, photonics, & chemometrics) with large-scale industrially informed and sponsored applied research projects. 

We have two primary research areas:  Process Analytical Technologies/Bioanalytical Methods, and Fluorescence Spectroscopy/Advanced Microscopy. The first is more applied and involves multiple industrial interactions while the second area is more fundamental science based.  A core principle of the NBL is the training and education of University of Galway graduates in advanced bioanalytical sciences from the undergraduate to postdoctoral level.

NBL Analytical Science research are a significant research priority within the College of Science and Engineering and the University, and is also in line with the Irish Government’s Action Impact 2030 plan for research. Within the University of Galway research activity currently, our research directly involves two of the five thematic research priorities:  Biomedical Science and Engineering, and Informatics, Physical and Computational Sciences, and can be applied into a third, the Environment Marine and Energy (arguably we grew out of this space originally). 

Our research team is very international with researchers having been recruited from across the globe from countries including: Ireland, Austria, Australia, Bangladesh, Belarus, Brazil, Canada, China, Cork, France, Germany, Ghana, Hungary, Iran, Italy, Malaysia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Spain, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Thailand, and USA (25 so far..)

The NBL also has one of the best equipped spectroscopy labs in Ireland, with a wide range of standard analytical, fluorescence spectroscopy, and advanced microscopy tools available.
Our news section details the history of the group and our achievements. 
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