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Alumni

 NBL  Graduates.

For postdoc alumni click here.

Dr. Sarah Power, PhD. Physics, 1999-2002:

Sarah's Ph.D. thesis title was " Fluorescence Lifetime based sensing for pH monitoring".  Her project involved studying the effect of pH on the fluorescence behaviour of fluorophores and the development of sensing membranes. After her PhD, Sarah completed her medical degree and is now a practicing medical doctor in Dublin.  Aspects of this work was presented at the BIOS 2001 meeting in San Jose (Jan. 2001), and at the OptoIreland meeting in Galway (Sept. 2002). 

For more details of this work (pH sensing page).

E‌mma Murray-Hayden, MSc. Geology , 2000-04:

Emma (B.Sc. Geology) worked on the development of quantitative models for predicting petroleum composition using fluorescence lifetime measurements.

The picture shows Emma working on LabRam Infinity. 

Dissertation, awarded 2004, title: "The analysis of Crude Oils using Ultra-fast Fluorescence Lifetimes."

Dr. Milosz Przyjalgowski, Ph.D. Physics, 2000-05:

Milosz worked on developing a method for the non-destructive analysis of petroleum fluids in microscopic fluid inclusions. Milosz  graduated in early 2006.  He now works in Cork as an R&D Engineer at Centre for Advanced Photonics & Process Analysis (CAPPA).  Thesis title:  "Time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopic analysis of petroleum oils and hydrocarbon bearing fluid inclusions (HCFI)."

Thesis papers:

Other papers:

  • Confined optical modes in small photonic molecules with semiconductor nanocrystals.  Yu.P. Rakovich, M. Gerlach, A.L. Bradley, J.F. Donegan, T.M. Connolly, J.J. Boland, M.A. Przyjalgowski, A. Ryder, N.Gaponik, and A.L. Rogach.  Journal of Applied Physics, 96(11), 6761-6765, (2004). DOI: 10.1063/1.1812355
  • Spontaneous emission from semiconductor nanocrystals in coupled spherical microcavities, Yu. P. Rakovich, M. Gerlach, A.L. Bradley, J.F. Donegan, J. Boland, T. Connolly, M. Przyjalgowski, A. Ryder, N. Gaponik, and A.L. Rogach,  Physica Status Solidi (C), 2(2), 858-861, (2005).  DOI: 10.1002/pssc.200460351

Suzanne Cawley, MSc. Physics, 2002-05:

Suzanne researched the development of Quantitative Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (QSERS) methods for the analysis of therapeutic agents and illicit narcotics.
Suzanne submitted her MSc dissertation in Sept. 2005.
Dissertation title: Quantitative surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy using colloid-hydropolymer matrices.

Je‌nnifer Conroy, MSc. Chemistry, 2003-05:

Jennifer (a Physics graduate from DIT) worked on the Hazard-IQ project which is developing automated Raman spectroscopic based methods for the quantitative and qualitative analysis of hazardous materials. She submitted her MSc thesis in Oct. 2005. Dissertation title:  "Hazardous substance analysis using Raman spectroscopy and chemometrics."

Dr. Marie-Louise O'Connell, PhD. Chemistry, 2003-08:

Marie-Louise was investigating the use of Raman spectroscopy for the quantitative and qualitative analysis of illicit narcotics and medicines.  This project used chemometrics and advanced machine learning to develop identification algorithms for illicit narcotics and dangerous medicines. 

The work was done in conjunction with Dr. Michael Madden's group in the IT department. The IT group have developed new machine learning methods to evaluate the data that Marie-Louise collects on both portable and laboratory based Raman systems.

Marie-Louise was a graduate (Physics) of the Dublin Institute of Technology.

Thesis papers: 

Dr. Boguslaw Szczupak, PhD. Physics, 2000-09:

‌ Bog‌uslaw worked on developing spectroscopic methods for the characterization of thin biomedical polymers. He graduated in Nov. 09 and the worked at  CICbiomaGUNE in Spain.  In 2016 he moved back to Poland and is now at Wroclaw University of Science and Technology (Department of Telecommunications and Teleinformatics).  

Thesis papers:

  • Polarity assessment of thermoresponsive poly(NIPAM-co-NtBA) copolymer films using fluorescence methods.  B. Szczupak, A.G. Ryder, D.M. Togashi, Y.A. Rotchev, A.S. Klymchenko, A. Gorelov, and T.J. Glynn,  Journal of Fluorescence, 20(3), 719-731, (2010).
    DOI: 10.1007/s10895-010-0613-5
  • Measuring the micro-polarity and hydrogen-bond donor/acceptor ability of thermoresponsive N-isopropylacrylamide/N-tert-butylacrylamide copolymer films using solvatochromic indicators. B. Szczupak, A.G. Ryder, D.M. Togashi, Y.A. Rotchev, A. Gorelov, and T.J. Glynn, Applied Spectroscopy, 63(4), 442-449, (2009).
  • A fluorescence methodology for assessing the polarity and composition of novel thermoresponsive hydrophilic/hydrophobic copolymer system.  (Invited Paper), A.G. Ryder, B. Szczupak, Y.A. Rotchev, A.S. Klymchenko, A. Gorelov, and T.J. Glynn.  Proc SPIE Int. Soc. Opt. Eng., 5826, 1-11, (2005).  DOI:10.1117/12.605117
  • A compact violet diode laser based fluorescence lifetime microscope. A.G. Ryder, T.J. Glynn, M. Przyjalgowski, and B. Szczupak. Journal of Fluorescence, 12(2), 177-180, (2002).
Other papers:

Churn-Yee Chong, MSc Chemistry, 2006-09:

Churn ‌worked on the development of novel analytical methods for the analysis of Biopharmaceutical processes.  

He is a graduate of the University of Strathclyde (M.Sc. Pharmaceutical analysis, 2006)., the University of Keele (Dip. Clin. Pharm.), and the School of Pharmacy, University of London (B.Sc. Pharm, 1998).

‌Dr. Peter Owens, PhD Chemistry, 2006-10:

Pet‌er studied the photo-physics of fluorescence emission from crude petroleum oils and the development of fluorescence based methods for the analysis of hydrocarbon bearing fluid inclusions (HCFI).  His project was funded by the SFI Research Frontiers Programme. Peter graduated in 2010 and now works in the Department of Anatomy in NUIG and his contact details can be found here.
Peter is a graduate of DIT (B.Sc. chemistry, 1991) and UCD (M.Sc. chemistry, 1994).

D‌r. Richard Murray, PhD Chemistry, 2004-10:

Richard developed a fast gated ICCD system for use in Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy.  This ICCD-FLIM system was used to measure fluorescence lifetimes down to ~300-400ps on a microscopic scale when coupled to an Olympus BX60 microscope using a 405 nm excitation source.

The system was used for imaging Hydrocarbon bearing Fluid Incisions.  He also undertook several photo-physics studies on crude petroleum oils. 
Richard was a Physics graduate from NUI-Galway.

He graduated in Oct. 2011 and then worked at  CICbiomaGUNE in Spain.  He is currently (Jan. 2021) the Research Project Manager at the Basque Centre for Biophysics.

‌Dr. Cheryl Morris, PhD Chemistry, 2007-11:

 Morris worked on developing fluorescence based methods for the characterization of thin polymer films.  She graduated in March 2012.

Her project was funded by the SFI Research Frontiers Programme.
She is a 2007 graduate of NUIG chemistry and worked in our group on bioanalytical applications until 2015. She then worked at MSD-Ireland in Ballydine, before moving to the US to work for MSD in the PAT area.

Thesis Papers:

  • Fluorescence Analysis of Thermoresponsive Polymers.  A.G. Ryder and C. Morris, Reviews in Fluorescence 2015, Annual Volumes, Vol. 8, pp. 97-126, (2015).
    ISBN: 978-3-319-24607-9 ( Hardcover), 978-3-319-24609-3 (ebook) Springer. Invited Review.
  • Study of water adsorption in Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) thin films using fluorescence emission of 3-hydroxyflavone probes.  C. Morris, B. Szczupak, A.S. Klymchenko, and A.G. Ryder.  Macromolecules. 43(22), 9488-9494, (2010). DOI: 10.1021/ma102152j
Other Papers:
  • Low-content quantification in powders using Raman spectroscopy:  a facile chemometric approach to sub 0.1% limits of detection., B. Li,  A. Calvet,  Y. Casamayou-Boucau,  C. Morris, and A.G. Ryder,  Analytical Chemistry, 87(6), 3419-3428, (2015).   DOI: 10.1021/ac504776m

Dr. D‌omhnall O'Shaughnessy, PhD Chemistry, 2007-12:

 Domhnall studied Metal Enhanced Fluorescence (MEF), polymer dynamics using FCS, and  the interaction of proteins with nanoparticles using FCS. He is a 2007 graduate of NUIG chemistry. Domhnall passed his viva on 13/06/2012 and graduated in November 2012.

He is now at an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Shenandoah University.

  • Monitoring Local unfolding of Bovine Serum Albumin during denaturation using steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy.  D.M. Togashi, A.G. Ryder, and D. O'Shaughnessy, Journal of Fluorescence, 20(2), 441-452 (2010). DOI: 10.1007/s10895-009-0566-8

Dr. Amandine Calvet, PhD Chemistry, 2009-12:

Amandine worked on the application of fluorescence EEM spectroscopy and chemometrics for the qua‌ntitative analysis of cell culture media. This project was funded by IRCSET. She graduated in 2013.
She then worked on a variety of industry funded research projects until 2014.
She now works at Boehringer Ingelheim, Biberach, Germany.  

Thesis Papers:
  1. Monitoring Cell Culture Media Degradation using SERS Spectroscopy.  A. Calvet and A.G. Ryder.   Analytica Chimica Acta, 840, 58-67, (2014).  DOI:  10.1016/j.aca.2014.06.021
  2. A rapid fluorescence based method for the quantitative analysis of cell culture media photo-degradation. A. Calvet, B. Li, and A.G. Ryder.  Analytica Chimica Acta, 807, 111-119, (2014). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2013.11.028
  3. Rapid Quantification of Tryptophan and Tyrosine in Chemically Defined Cell Culture Media using Fluorescence Spectroscopy. A. Calvet, B. Li, and A. G. Ryder.  Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, 71, 89-98, (2012). DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2012.08.002
Other Papers:
  1. Low-content quantification in solid-state mixtures using Raman mapping spectroscopy:  an evaluation of chemometric methods.  B. Li,  Y. Casamayou-Boucau,  A. Calvet, and A.G. Ryder.  Analytical Methods, 9, 6293-6301, ( 2017).  DOI: 10.1039/C7AY01778B
  2. Kernel principal component analysis residual diagnosis (KPCARD):  an automated method to remove cosmic ray artefacts in Raman spectra. B. Li, A. Calvet, Y. Casamayou-Boucau,  A.G. Ryder,  Analytica Chimica Acta, 913, 111-120, (2016).  DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2016.01.042.
  3. Low-content quantification in powders using Raman spectroscopy:  a facile chemometric approach to sub 0.1% limits of detection., B. Li,  A. Calvet,  Y. Casamayou-Boucau,  C. Morris, and A.G. Ryder,  Analytical Chemistry, 87(6), 3419-3428, (2015).   DOI: 10.1021/ac504776m
  4. Comprehensive Quantitative Bioprocess Monitoring using Fluorescence spectroscopy and chemometrics.  B. Li, M. Shanahan, A. Calvet, K.J. Leister, and A. G. Ryder.  Analyst, 139(7), 1661-1671, (2014).  DOI:  10.1039/C4AN00007B.
  5. A Fluorescence Anisotropy Method for Protein Concentration Monitoring in Complex Cell Culture Media.  R. C. Groza, A. Calvet, and A. G. Ryder. Analytica Chimica Acta, 821, 54-61, (2014).
    DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2014.03.007
  6. Investigating trypthopan quenching of fluorescein fluorescence under protolytic equilibrium.  D.M. Togashi, B. Szczupak, A.G. Ryder, A. Calvet, and M. O'Loughlin, Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 113(12), 2757-2767, (2009).

Dr. Ray McCarthy, PhD Chemistry, 2008-13:

Ray worked on chemometric based methods of analysis and successfully defended his thesis in August 2013.  He graduated on 27/11/2013.
He was co-supervised with Prof. Donal Leech.

Dr. Michelle Hennigan, PhD Chemistry, 2008-13:

Michelle worked on the comprehensive analysis of polymorphs using spectroscopic techniques. She was a 2008 graduate of NUIG chemistry.  Her project was funded under the Solid State Pharmaceutical Characterization Cluster ( www.ul.ie/sspc) an SFI funded Strategic Research Cluster.  Michelle worked at Merck in the UK for several years before taking up a post at Roche Ireland in Clarecastle.  She now works at Abbvie.

D‌r. Bridget Kissane, PhD Chemistry, 2006-14:

Bridget worked on the development of novel analytical methods for the analysis of Bio-pharmaceutical processes as part of the CBAS project.  Her work involved the use of multi-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, SERS, and chemometrics. 
Bridget was a graduate of LIT (B.Sc. chemistry, 2006).
Bridget also worked as a fulltime research assistant in the NBL for ~18 months on a variety of industrially funded research projects.

She is now working at MSD-Ireland in Ballydine as a PAT scientist.

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Dr. Radu Groza, PhD Chemistry, 2012-16:

Radu joined the lab. at the end of  Sept. 2012 to begin a PhD which will focus on the development of novel chemometric/spectroscopic tools for the characterization of complex biogenic materials used in bio-pharmaceutical manufacturing. Radu is a graduate (B.Sc. & M.Sc.) of the West University of Timişoara, Romania. He successfully defended his PhD at his viva on 02/03/2016 and is now working at MSD in Carlow. 

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Dr. Muhammad Z. Islam, PhD Chemistry, 2011-16:

 Muhammad joined the laboratory in Nov. 2011.  His PhD was on the analysis of polymers using fluorescence spectroscopy. He has a B.Sc. and M.Sc. from The University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Since 2008 he was a Lecturer in the Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Noakhali Science and Technology University.He investigated the photophysics of novel 1,2,3-triazine fluorophores in various polymer systems. He successfully defended his PhD in Nov 2016.

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Dr. Michelle Kyne, PhD Chemistry, 2012-16:

‌

Michelle joined the lab. in Sept. 2012.  Her PhD focused on the study of novel 1,2,3-triazine fluorophores and their behavior in micelles and proteins.
She is a graduate of NUIG Chemistry (class of 2011-12). She successfully defended her PhD in Nov 2016.


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Dr. Przemyslaw Zarski, PhD Chemistry, 2012-18:

Poland, TIRF Przemyslaw joined the laboratory in Sept. 2012.  His PhD research focused on the use of Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence (TIRF) based methods for the analysis of protein-surface interactions.  His thesis work also looked at the development of alignm‌ent tools for TIRF microscopy and the study of interesting fluorescent monolayers.  He submitted his thesis in Sept. 2018 and successfully passed his viva voce examination on 29/11/2018.

He also has an M.Sc.(Chemistry & Technology of Polymers) from the Politechnika Wroclawska, Poland. Przemyslaw is now working at Abbott in Longford.

Thesis papers:

  • Super Stable Fluorescein Isothiocyanate Isomer I Monolayer for Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy.   P. Zarski and A.G. Ryder.*  Langmuir, 34(37), 10913-10923, (2018).  DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.8b02509

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Dr. Yannick Casamayou-Boucau, PhD Chemistry, 2015-19:

‌Yannick 2Yannick was awarded an IRC PhD scholarship to research the application of  multi-dimensional fluorescence anisotropy for studying and quantifying protein aggregation.

Yannick has an Engineering diploma with honors in Chemistry, specialty “Engineering of the environment” National Polytechnic Institute of Chemical Engineering and Technology (ENSIACET), Toulouse, France. He previously worked with the group as a research assistant (media analysis by Raman and fluorescence spectroscopies).  He successfully defended his PhD thesis at the viva on 10/01/2019, and then worked in the NBL as a postdoctoral researcher until 2021.

Thesis Papers:

  • Quantitative analysis of weakly-bound insulin oligomers in solution using polarized multidimensional fluorescence spectroscopy. Y. Casamayou-Boucau and A.G. Ryder.  Analytica Chimica Acta, 1138, 18-29, (2020).  DOI:  10.1016/j.aca.2020.09.007. [Open access]
  • Accurate anisotropy recovery from fluorophore mixtures using Multivariate Curve Resolution (MCR).  Y. Casamayou-Boucau and A.G. Ryder.   Analytica Chimica Acta. 1000, 132-143, (2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2017.11.031.
  • Extended wavelength Anisotropy Resolved Multidimensional Emission Spectroscopy (ARMES) measurements:  better filters, validation standards, and Rayleigh scatter removal methods.  Y. Casamayou-Boucau, and A.G. Ryder.  Methods and Applications in Fluorescence, 5, 037001, (2017).  DOI: 10.1088/2050-6120/aa7763  

 
Other Papers:

  • Low-content quantification in powders using Raman spectroscopy:  a facile chemometric approach to sub 0.1% limits of detection., B. Li,  A. Calvet,  Y. Casamayou-Boucau,  C. Morris, & A.G. Ryder,  Analytical Chemistry, 87(6), 3419-3428, (2015).  DOI: 10.1021/ac504776m
  • Kernel principal component analysis residual diagnosis (KPCARD):  an automated method to remove cosmic ray artefacts in Raman spectra. B. Li, A. Calvet, Y. Casamayou-Boucau,  A.G. Ryder,  Analytica Chimica Acta, 913, 111-120, (2016).  DOI:  10.1016/j.aca.2016.01.042. 
  • Bench- and Pilot-Scale Continuous-Flow Hydrothermal Production of Barium Strontium Titanate Nanopowders.  P.W. Dunne, C.L. Starkey, A.S. Munn, S.V.Y. Tang, O. Luebben, I. Shvets, A.G. Ryder, Y. Casamayou-Boucau, L. Morrison, & E.H. Lester,  Chemical Engineering Journal, 489, 433-441, (2016).  DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2015.12.056
  • Low-content quantification in solid-state mixtures using Raman mapping spectroscopy:  an evaluation of chemometric methods.  B. Li,  Y. Casamayou-Boucau,  A. Calvet, and A.G. Ryder.  Analytical Methods, 9, 6293-6301, (2017).  DOI: 10.1039/C7AY01778B
  •  Investigating Native State Fluorescence Emission of Immunoglobulin G using polarized Excitation Emission Matrix (pEEM) spectroscopy and PARAFAC. M. Steiner-Browne, S. Elcoroaristizabal, Y. Casamayou-Boucau, and A.G. Ryder.  Chemometrics and Intelligent Laboratory Systems, 185, 1-11 (2019). DOI: 10.1016/j.chemolab.2018.12.007.

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Stephen Murphy, M.Sc. Chemistry, 2015-19:

Stephen joined the lab. at the end of  Sept. 2015 to begin a M.Sc. focussed s on the development of novel FT-IR based analytical methods for the analysis of solid-state materials. 
He is a 2015 graduate of NUIG Chemistry.  He now works at Alexion in Athlone.

Dr. Marina Steiner Browne, PhD Chemistry, 2016-20:

Marina undertook research into the application of fluorescence multi-dimensional fluorescence anisotropy for the identification and characterization of IgG type proteins in liquid solutions.  She  has a BSc (Pharmacy, 2011-16) from the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, in Brazil.
One aspect of her project involved developing the analytical framework for the chemometric analysis of fluorescence emission date from IgG type proteins.  This is pa‌rt of the Advanced Analytics for Biological Therapeutic Manufacture (AA-BTM) project funded by SFI.  She successfully defended her PhD thesis at the viva voce examination on 27/09/2020 and took up a postdoctoral position at the University of Limerick in November 2020/

Thesis papers:

Dr. Ana Luiza de Faria e Silva, PhD Chemistry, 2016-20:

Ana, PhD 2016- For her PhD Ana Luiza undertook research into the application of multi-dimensional fluorescence anisotropy for the identification and characterization of Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) and PEGylation reactions.  She submitted her thesis in Sept. 2020 and successfully defended her viva voce  on the 22/10/2020. 
This was part of the Advanced Analytics for Biological Therapeutic Manufacture (AA-BTM) project funded by SFI.

She also has a BSc (Pharmacy, 2010-15) from the Federal University of Minas Gerais, in Brazil.

PhD thesis: http://hdl.handle.net/10379/16349
ORCID: 0000-0001-9678-2497

Thesis papers:

  • Analyzing protein conjugation reactions for Antibody-Drug Conjugate (ADC) synthesis using polarized Excitation Emission Matrix (pEEM) spectroscopy.
    A.-L. de Faria e Silva and A.G. Ryder. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 119, 3432–3446, (2022). DOI: 10.1002/bit.28229. [Open Access]
  • Characterization of Lysozyme PEGylation products using polarized Excitation‐Emission Matrix (pEEM) spectroscopy. A.-L. de Faria e Silva, S. Elcoroaristizabal, and A.G. Ryder.  Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 117(10), 2969-2984,  (2020).  DOI: 10.1002/bit.27483 
  • Multi-Attribute Quality Screening of Immunoglobulin G using polarized Excitation Emission Matrix Spectroscopy.  A.-L. de Faria e Silva, S. Elcoroaristizabal, and A.G. Ryder.  Analytica Chimica Acta, 1101, 99-110, (2020).  DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2019.12.020

Other papers:

Dr. Camila van Zanten Coura, PhD Chemistry, 2015-20:

CVZ

Camila joined the lab. at the beginning of  Sept. 2015 to begin a PhD which  focussed on the development of fluorescence based methods for measuring protein nano-particle interactions. 
Most of her experimental work uses advanced single molecule dete‌ction (SMD) methods like Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS).
 
Camila is a graduate (M.Sc.) Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) in Brazil and is funded by CAPES. She successfully defended her PhD thesis on 10/12/2020.

Thesis papers:

  • Effects of viscosity and refractive index on the emission and diffusion properties of Alexa Fluor 405 using fluorescence correlation and lifetime spectroscopies., C. van Zanten, D. Melnikau, and A.G. Ryder.  Journal of Fluorescence, 31(3), 835-845, (2021). DOI: 10.1007/s10895-021-02719-y 

  • Estimating Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) size in solution below the LCST using Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy with non-covalent bound fluorophores.  C. van Zanten and A.G. Ryder. Polymer Testing,  137, 108500, (2024). DOI:  10.1016/j.polymertesting.2024.108500

 Dr. Fiona Gordon, PhD Chemistry, 2017-21:  

Fio‌na iundertook research into understanding how the complex photophysics of multi-fluorophore proteins affects Anisotropy Resolved Multi-Dimensional Emission Spectroscopy (ARMES) measurements. This involves investigating how ARMES can be used to study FRET in proteins and characterize protein-liposome interactions.  Fiona submitted her thesis in September 2021 and passed her viva in December 2021.


This is part of the Advanced Analytics for Biological Therapeutic Manufacture (AA-BTM) project funded by SFI.
She is a Mayo native and a graduate of NUIG with a BSc in Biopharmaceutical Chemistry.
Fiona won the best flash presentation at the recent inaugural ICI Postgraduate Chemistry Research Symposium 2020.  The press release is here.

ORCID: 0000-0003-0916-9796

 Thesis papers:

 Other papers:

  • Advanced spectroscopy and APBS modeling for determination of the role of His190 and Trp103 in mouse thymidylate synthase interaction with selected dUMP analogues.  M. Prokopowicz, A. Jarmuła, Y. Casamayou-Boucau, F. Gordon, A. Ryder, J. Sobich, P. Maj, J. Cieśla, Z. Zieliński, P. Fita, and W. Rode.  International Journal of Molecular Sciences,22(5), 2261, (2021). DOI:  10.3390/ijms22052661.

Dr. Bernard Boateng, PhD Chemistry, 2017-22:

Bernard at the LFH. Bernard undertook research into monitoring complex bioprocesses using Anisotropy Resolved Multi-Dimensional Emission Spectroscopy (ARMES) measurements and chemom‌etric data analysis. Bernard submitted his thesis in April 2022, passed his viva in May 2022, and graduated in November 2022.  He his now working a lecturer in Chemistry at the Munster Technological University in Tralee since September 2021. 

His project was part of the Advanced Analytics for Biological Therapeutic Manufacture (AA-BTM) project funded by SFI. 

Bernard is a Pharmacist by profession and a B.Pharm (Hons) graduate of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
He also has an MSc in Pharmaceutical Analysis from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow.

ORCID:  0000-0002-4804-3187

Thesis papers: 

  1. Development of a rapid Polarized Total Synchronous Fluorescence Spectroscopy (pTSFS) method for protein quantification in a model bioreactor broth.  B.O. Boateng, S. Elcoroaristizabal, and A.G. Ryder, Biotechnology and Bioengineering,  118(5), 1805-1817, (2021).  DOI: 10.1002/bit.27694
  2. Monitoring Small-Scale Bioreactor Studies for Media development using polarised Total Synchronous Fluorescence Spectroscopy (pTSFS) and Synchronous Light Scattering (SyLS).  B.O. Boateng and A.G. Ryder.  Journal of Biotechnology,  395, 205-215, (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2024.10.002 [Open access]   

Sarah Al Zahrani, M.Sc. Chemistry (2021-23):

Sarah was an M.Sc. student (taught MSc) who worked on nanoparticle size analysis using spectroscopic methods.

Shane Grant, Ph.D. Chemistry (2019-24):

Shane at EuChems Shane (a Chemistry graduate from NUIG) joined the lab. at the beginning of  Sept. 2019 to begin a PhD which focused on the development of elemental screening methods for the analysis of cell culture media.  This used Microwave-Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (MP-AES).  He was funded by the Irish Research Council.  Shane passed his PhD viva on 22/03/2024 and now works for Randox.
 The Kyne cousins (Ciara & Michelle) graduating. 
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Past visiting students

Summer 2024: F. Schlosser (Ireland) summer student working on fluorescence analysis of materials.
Summer 2023: S. Delgado (Spain) Erasmus student working as a trainee technician. F. Schlosser (Ireland) summer student working on Raman analysis of materials (PAT4Nano project).
Summer 2022: M. Corraro (Italy) worked on Raman analysis of nanoparticles.  D. Martinez Lino (Spain) was here as a trainee technician helping with lab organisation. 
Summer 2021: Liam Ward (3rd year).  Worked on Raman spectroscopy & particle size experiments.
Spring 2020: Daniel Hermann (Erasmus):  Daniel (from Austria) was working on Antibody Drug Conjugate (ADC) synthesis and analysis but his visit was cut short by COVID19. ORCID: 0000-0003-2605-8203
Summer 2019: Piers Naughton (2nd year).  Worked on aspects of particle sizing and refractive index measurements.
Summer 2018: Shane Finnan (RSC ACTF):  Investigated Resonant Light Scattering.
Shane Grant (industry project): Elemental analysis of cell culture media.
Summer 2017: Chanida Krongchai (Thailand), Jonathan Baaske Erasmus+ trainee laboratory technician.
Summer 2016: Timm Groch (Germany). Erasmus+ trainee laboratory technician.
Natalia Pres (Poland).
Summer 2015: Sara Navarro (Spain), Project:  HPLC analysis of model tablet mixtures.
Dario Calabrese (Germany), Erasmus+ trainee laboratory technician.
Summer 2014: Marina Steiner, SWB Brazilian student. 
Vincent Guibbert (France), internship.
Catherine Conenery (3yr BPC student), placement.
Summer 2013: Carolin Janzen (Germany), placement under the Leonardo da Vinci programme.
Summer 2011: Rebecca Pigot, 3rd year UREKA student, funded under the MolRec programme:
Michelle Kyne, 3rd year UREKA student, funded under the MolRec programme:
Summer 2010: Denis Coffey, M.Sc. student:  Studying thermo-responsive polymers.
Caroline Goldrick, M.Sc. student:  Chemometric analysis of cell culture media using FT-IR spectroscopy.
Ronan Fitzpatrick, 3rd year UREKA student, funded under the MolRec programme:
Jonathon Donaghue, 3rd year UREKA student, funded under the MolRec programme: 
Summer 2009: Loretta Breslin, M.Sc. student:  Studying protein adsorption on surfaces using confocal microscopy.
Neil Murphy, M.Sc. student:  Studying protein adsorption on surfaces using spectroscopy.
Valerie Murphy, 4th year student:  Using fluorescence methods to study amino acids in complex mixtures (CBAS project).
Edel Houton, UREKA student, funded under the MolRec programme.
Nadine McClaeary, 3rd year student: Fluorescence analysis of complex mixtures (CBAS project).
Cesar Maule, visiting PhD student from Oporto:  Fluorescence microscopy and spectroscopy of quantum dots.
Angela Chang, IAESTE trainee from Berkley:  SERS analysis of complex mixtures (CBAS project)
Summer 2008: Amandine Calvet
Summer 2007: Michelle McKinney (2nd year Undergraduate); Noemie Marguerite (French Undergraduate).
Emmanuelle Bays (Swiss, IAESTE trainee.)
Summer 2006: Edward Lynch (UREKA student); Deirdre McMahon (MSc student):
Summer 2005: Maria Nash (UREKA student); David Meehan (UREKA student); Margaret Collins (MSc student);
Gerard Sullivan (MSc student):

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Summer 2004: Timothe Boutellier.
Timothe visited here from INP Grenoble ENSPG on a 2 month summer placement. 
He worked on aspects of portable fluorescence instrumentation. 
Summer 2004:   Frantz Stabo-Eeg.
Frantz, was a visiting IAESTE student who was based in our lab for 2 months in the summer.  He had just finished his Physics degree at Trondheim University.
During his time in Galway, Frantz helped out with bringing online various hardware components that we will use for biological studies. 
He also studied the fluorescence lifetime behaviour of crude oils using 2 different excitation wavelengths (375 & 440 nm).
Summer 2004: Peter Dunne & Ed. Cawley.
Peter and Ed (pictured left) are working in the lab for the summer under the auspices of the UREKA programme.
Peter worked on luminescent SnO2thin films while Ed was developing synthetic routes for nanorods. Peter completed a PhD in Inorganic Chemistry and is now lecturing in TCD.
 

Tomas Doyle (M.Sc. Biomedical Eng. Sci.) - Summer 2004.  
Thomas worked in the laboratory for 4 months as part of the research element of the M.Sc. course.  Tomas project involved developing fibre probes for a phase-modulation fluorescence lifetime system.  Specific aspects included optimising the laser fibre coupling and the development of fibre set-ups for clinical and sensing applications. 

Cartha Donovan ( M.Sc. Biomedical Eng. Sci.) - Summer 2004.  
Cartha iworked in the laboratory for 4 months as part of the research element of the M.Sc. course.  Cartha developed a fluorescence based protocol for measuring the elution of materials from biomedical polymers. He is also worked on a thin film measurement methodology for use with polymer thin films.
Joanne Gashumba (Monash University) - Summer 2004

Joanne, was a visiting IAESTE student who is based in our lab for 3 months this summer.  She is an undergraduate student at Monash University in Australia studying Biomedical Engineering. 
Her summer project involved the development of fluorescence lifetime based sensors for pH and oil sensing.
 Martin O'Halloran (L), Martin Hynes (R), & Fergal Dunne - Summer 2004:
All three had recently finished their B.E. degrees in electronic engineering and worked in the group for 3 months.  They assisted in the development of FOFLI instrumentation and software.

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Postdoctoral Alumni:

This is a list of all the postdoctoral researchers who have passed through the NBL since 2003.  This excludes PhD graduates of the lab who stayed on after graduating.

18). Dr. Sarah Henry (2017-24):

Sarah joined the group in June 2017 and worked initially on industrially funded analytics projects.   She helped develop robust analytical methods for the analysis of various complex materials used in bio-pharma sector.  She then worked on the PAT4Nano project helping develop Raman based methods for the analysis of nanosuspensions.

ORCID: 0000-0002-0319-1020

17). Dr. Saioa Elcoroaristizabal (2016-20):

Saioa worked on the AA-BTM project investigating how to best analyse ARMES data using chemometric methods. 
Her research involves the use of Excitation-Emission-Matrix and Anisotropy Resolved Multi-dimensional Emission Spectroscopy (ARMES) measurements to probe macro-molecule structure and purity.

She has a PhD (“ Measurement of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in ambient air by fluorescence spectroscopic techniques”) from the University of the Basque Country.  Google Scholar Profile.

Galway Papers:

  1. Development of a rapid Polarized Total Synchronous Fluorescence Spectroscopy (pTSFS) method for protein quantification in a model bioreactor broth.  B.O. Boateng, S. Elcoroaristizabal, and A.G. Ryder, Biotechnology and Bioengineering,  118(5), 1805-1817, (2021).  DOI: 10.1002/bit.27694
  2. Modelling Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) using Anisotropy Resolved Multi-Dimensional Emission Spectroscopy (ARMES).  F. Gordon, S. Elcoroaristizabal, and A.G. Ryder.  Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - General Subjects, 1865(2), 129770, (2021):  DOI:  10.1016/j.bbagen.2020.129770 [Open Access]
  3. Characterization of Lysozyme PEGylation products using polarized Excitation‐Emission Matrix (pEEM) spectroscopy. A.-L. de Faria e Silva, S. Elcoroaristizabal, and A.G. Ryder.  Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 117(10), 2969-2984,  (2020).  DOI: 10.1002/bit.27483
  4. Multi-Attribute Quality Screening of Immunoglobulin G using polarized Excitation Emission Matrix Spectroscopy.  A.-L. de Faria e Silva, S. Elcoroaristizabal, and A.G. Ryder.  Analytica Chimica Acta, 1101, 99-110, (2020).  DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2019.12.020        The paper can be downloaded free of charge from here until 24/03/2020.
  5. Using Polarized Total Synchronous Fluorescence Spectroscopy (pTSFS) with PARAFAC analysis for Characterizing Intrinsic Protein Emission. M. Steiner-Browne, S. Elcoroaristizabal, and A.G. Ryder.  Chemometrics and Intelligent Laboratory Systems, 194, 103871, (2019). DOI:  10.1016/j.chemolab.2019.103871 
  6. Investigating Native State Fluorescence Emission of Immunoglobulin G using polarized Excitation Emission Matrix (pEEM) spectroscopy and PARAFAC. M. Steiner-Browne, S. Elcoroaristizabal, Y. Casamayou-Boucau, and A.G. Ryder.  Chemometrics and Intelligent Laboratory Systems, 185, 1-11 (2019). DOI: 10.1016/j.chemolab.2018.12.007.  
  7. An Excitation Emission Fluorescence Lifetime Spectrometer (EEFLS) system using a frequency doubled supercontinuum laser source.  D. Melnikau, S. Elcoroaristizabal, and A.G. Ryder.  Methods and Applications in Fluorescence, 6(4), 045007, (2018). DOI:  10.1088/2050-6120/aad9ae.

 

16). Dr. Dzmitry Melnikau  (2016-19):

Dzmitry

Dzmitry has a PhD in Optics (2009) from the Belarusian State University (Belarus, Minsk). From 2010 to 2015 he worked at the CIC NanoGune, San Sebastian, Spain.

His research here is on the AA-BTM project developing the advanced fluorescence based methods (single molecule and FLIM based) for validating ARMES measurement modalities.

Galway papers:

  1. Effects of viscosity and refractive index on the emission and diffusion properties of Alexa Fluor 405 using fluorescence correlation and lifetime spectroscopies., C. van Zanten, D. Melnikau, and A.G. Ryder.  Journal of Fluorescence, 31(3), 835-845, (2021). DOI: 10.1007/s10895-021-02719-y 
  2. An Excitation Emission Fluorescence Lifetime Spectrometer (EEFLS) system using a frequency doubled supercontinuum laser source.  D. Melnikau, S. Elcoroaristizabal, and A.G. Ryder.  Methods and Applications in Fluorescence, 6(4), 045007, (2018).  DOI:  10.1088/2050-6120/aad9ae.

 

15). Dr. Ya-Juan Liu (2016-19):

Ya-juan joined the group in November 2016 and worked  on developing chemometric and analytical methods for the analysis of solid-state materials as part of the Synthesis and Solid-State Pharmaceutical Centre.

The research involved Raman spectroscopy and the chemometric analysis of very large data sets for accurate low content analysis of solid materials. 
She has a PhD from Hunan university in China.

14). Dr. Leonardo Galvis (2017-18): 

Worked on an industrially funded analytics project developing  robust analytical methods for the various complex materials used in bio-pharmaceutical manufacturing. 
     

13). Dr. Kevin Buckley (2015-17): 

Kevin was first an IRC postdoctoral fellow and then a Marie Curie who investigated at the applications of Spatially Offset Raman Spectroscopy (SORS) for the analysis of solid-state materials.  This research has applications in a variety of areas within the general PharmaChem sector. Kevin has an M.Sc. (Applied Physics) from UCC (2007) and a PhD from University College London (2011). 
Kevin moved to Stryker in Cork in 2017.  Google Scholar Profile.

Galway papers:

  1. Raman Spectroscopy in Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing:  a critical review.  K. Buckley and A.G. Ryder.  Applied Spectroscopy, 71(6), 1085-1116, (2017).  Focal point article (peer reviewed, open access).  DOI: 10.1177/0003702817703270  

12). Dr. Boyan Li (2006-16): 

He joined the group in June 2006 and helped develop novel chemometric based methods of analysis for complex materials. He first worked on the CBAS project and was employed by Bristol-Myers Squibb as part of this unique collaboration (2006-09). 
Boyan Li graduated in 1999 with his B.S. in Chemistry from Hunan University .  Boyan worked with Prof. Yizeng Liang ( Central South University ) and Yukihiro Ozaki ( Kwansei-Gakuin University ) doing research in chemometrics during his postgraduate study. The research involved chemometric multivariate calibration & curve resolution, classification & pattern recognition, herbal medicines & quality control, and process analytical chemistry of biosamples & polymers by using vibrational spectroscopy.  Due to the original development of multi-component spectral correlative chromatography, he was awarded a Bronze Medal in 54th World Exhibition of Innovation, Research and New Technology, 2005.

His research at the National University of Ireland, Galway concerns the analysis of biopharmaceutical materials using spectroscopic and chemometric techniques. This research has been funded by a variety of industrial partners.

From 2013 to 2016 he worked on developing chemometric and analytical methods for the analysis of solid-state materials as part of the Synthesis and Solid-State Pharmaceutical Centre.  In 2016 he took up a faculty position at Guizhou Medical University in Guiyang, China.

Selected publications (Galway only) :

  1. Low-content quantification in solid-state mixtures using Raman mapping spectroscopy:  an evaluation of chemometric methods.  B. Li,  Y. Casamayou-Boucau,  A. Calvet, and A.G. Ryder.  Analytical Methods, 9, 6293-6301, (2017). DOI: 10.1039/C7AY01778B
  2. Kernel principal component analysis residual diagnosis (KPCARD):  an automated method to remove cosmic ray artefacts in Raman spectra. B. Li, A. Calvet, Y. Casamayou-Boucau,  A.G. Ryder,  Analytica Chimica Acta, 913, 111-120, (2016). DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2016.01.042.
  3. Low-content quantification in powders using Raman spectroscopy:  a facile chemometric approach to sub 0.1% limits of detection., B. Li,  A. Calvet,  Y. Casamayou-Boucau,  C. Morris, and A.G. Ryder,  Analytical Chemistry, 87(6), 3419-3428, (2015).  DOI: 10.1021/ac504776m
  4. Anisotropy Resolved Multidimensional Emission Spectroscopy (ARMES): a new tool for protein analysis.  R.C. Groza, B. Li, and A.G. Ryder.   Analytica Chimica Acta, 886, 133-142, (2015).  DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2015.06.011.
  5. Comprehensive Quantitative Bioprocess Monitoring using Fluorescence spectroscopy and chemometrics.  B. Li, M. Shanahan, A. Calvet, K.J. Leister, and A. G. Ryder.  Analyst, 139(7), 1661-1671, (2014).  DOI:  10.1039/C4AN00007B. 
  6. A rapid fluorescence based method for the quantitative analysis of cell culture media photo-degradation. A. Calvet, B. Li, and A.G. Ryder.  Analytica Chimica Acta, 807, 111-119, (2014). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2013.11.028
  7. Performance Monitoring of a Mammalian Cell Based Bioprocess using Raman spectroscopy.  B. Li, B.H. Ray, K.J. Leister, and A.G. Ryder.  Analytica Chimica Acta, 796, 84-91, (2013).  DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2013.07.058
  8. Rapid Quantification of Tryptophan and Tyrosine in Chemically Defined Cell Culture Media using Fluorescence Spectroscopy. A. Calvet, B. Li, and A. G. Ryder.  Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis,  71, 89-98, (2012). DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2012.08.002
  9. Using Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) and Fluorescence Spectroscopy for Screening Yeast Extracts, A Complex Component of Cell Culture Media. B. Li, N.M.S. Sirimuthu, B. Ray, and A.G. Ryder,   Journal of Raman Spectroscopy, 43(8), 1074-1082, (2012).  DOI:  10.1002/jrs.3141
  10. Fluorescence EEM Spectroscopy for Rapid Identification and Quality Evaluation of Cell Culture Media Components.  B. Li, P.W. Ryan, M. Shanahan, K.J. Leister, and A.G. Ryder. Applied Spectroscopy, 65(11), 1240-1249, (2011).  DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1366/11-06383
  11. Rapid Characterisation and Quality Control of Complex Cell Culture Media Solutions using Raman Spectroscopy and Chemometrics. B. Li, P.W. Ryan, B.H. Ray, K.J. Leister, N.M.S. Sirimuthu, and A.G. Ryder.  Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 107(2), 290-301, (2010).  DOI: 10.1002/bit.22813 .
  12. Prediction of Cell Culture Media performance using Fluorescence Spectroscopy.  P.W. Ryan, B. Li, M. Shanahan, K.J. Leister, and A.G. Ryder, Analytical Chemistry, 82, 1311-1317, ( 2010).  DOI: 10.1021/ac902337c 
  13. A Stainless Steel Multi-Well Plate (SS-MWP) for High Throughput Raman Analysis of Dilute Solutions. A.G. Ryder, J. de Vincentis, B. Li, P.W. Ryan, N.M.S. Sirimuthu, and K.J. Leister.   Journal of Raman Spectroscopy, 41(10), 1266-1275, (2010).  DOI: 10.1002/jrs.2586.

11). Dr. Valerie Murphy (2014-16):

Valerie worked on an industry funded research project, looking at components used in cell culture manufacture.
Her work encompassed the use of multi-dimensional fluorescence, uv-visible spectroscopy, and gel electrophoresis for the analysis of biogenic materials used in the manufacture of cell culture media.
She is now working for Janssen in Cork.

10). Dr. Denisio Togashi (2004-11):

Deniso worked on developing fluorescence based methods for the quantitative characterization of protein-surface interactions.

Graduated in Chemistry cum laude from National University of Rio de Janeiro (1993), Brazil. DSc.(Organic Chemistry) at National University of Rio de Janeiro (1997), Brazil. 

Previous Post-Doc at Instituto Superior Tecnico, Portugal.  His general research is in the area of Molecular Photochemistry and Photophysics in homogeneous and heterogeneous systems. Specifically, He is interested in the study of optically functional systems based on self-organised assembly via any non-covalent interactions, such as electrostatic and hydrogen bonding.
In his previous work, he has studied some of the principles involved in the non-covalent interactions in order to better understand how to kinetically and thermodynamically control a self-organized system with optical functionality. In his current position, he is investigating the interactions present in protein-fluorophores molecular complex mainly adsorbed on solid surfaces. The structural parameters involved in such interactions will be obtained by studying the fluorescence emission of the proteins at microscopy space domain.

Galway Papers:

  1. Assessing protein-surface interactions with a series of multi-labeled BSA using Fluorescence Lifetime Microscopy and Forster Energy Resonance Transfer.  D.M. Togashi and A.G. Ryder, Biophysical Chemistry, 152, 55-64, (2010). DOI:  10.1016/j.bpc.2010.07.006
  2. Monitoring Local unfolding of Bovine Serum Albumin during denaturation using steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy.  D.M. Togashi, A.G. Ryder, and D. O'Shaughnessy, Journal of Fluorescence, 20(2), 441-452 (2010).  DOI: 10.1007/s10895-009-0566-8
  3. Polarity assessment of thermoresponsive poly(NIPAM-co-NtBA) copolymer films using fluorescence methods.  B. Szczupak, A.G. Ryder, D.M. Togashi, Y.A. Rotchev, A.S. Klymchenko, A. Gorelov, and T.J. Glynn,  Journal of Fluorescence, 20(3), 719-731, (2010).  DOI: 10.1007/s10895-010-0613-5
  4. "Quantifying Adsorbed Protein on Surfaces using Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy." D.M. Togashi, A. G. Ryder, and G. Heiss,  Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces. 72(2), 219-229, (2009).
  5. "Measuring the micro-polarity and hydrogen-bond donor/acceptor ability of thermoresponsive N-isopropylacrylamide/N-tert-butylacrylamide copolymer films using solvatochromic indicators." B. Szczupak, A.G. Ryder, D.M. Togashi, Y.A. Rotchev, A. Gorelov, and T.J. Glynn, Applied Spectroscopy, 63(4), 442-449, (2009). Online at: Ingenta.
  6. "Investigating trypthopan quenching of fluorescein fluorescence under protolytic equilibrium."  D.M. Togashi, B. Szczupak, A.G. Ryder, A. Calvet, and M. O'Loughlin, Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 113(12), 2757-2767, (2009). Online at ACS: http://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/jp808121y .
  7. "Trigger factor from the psychrophilic bacterium P. Frigidicola is a monomeric chaperone."  S. Robin, D.M. Togashi, A.G. Ryder, and J.G. Wall, Journal of Bacteriology, 191(4), 1162-1168, ( 2009).  Online here. DOI:10.1128/JB.01137-08
  8. "A fluorescence analysis of ANS bound to bovine serum albumin: binding properties revisited using energy transfer."  D.M. Togashi and A.G. Ryder.  Journal of Fluorescence, 18(2), 519-526, (2008). Online here.  DOI: 10.1007/s10895-007-0294-x.
  9. "Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging study of a thin protein layer on solid surfaces." D.M. Togashi and A.G. Ryder.   Experimental & Molecular Pathology, 82(2). 135-141, (2007).
    DOI:     10.1016/j.yexmp.2007.01.005
  10. "Mobility and distribution of replication protein A in living cells at single molecule level."  C. Braet, H. Stephan, I. Dobbie, D. Togashi, A.G. Ryder, Z. Foldes-Papp, N. Lowndes, and H.P. Nasheuer.  Experimental & Molecular Pathology, 82(2). 156-162, (2007). DOI: 10.1016/j.yexmp.2006.12.008
  11. "Time-resolved fluorescence studies on bovine serum albumin denaturation process.  D.M. Togashi and A.G. Ryder,  Journal of Fluorescence, 16(2), 153-160, (2006).  DOI:  10.1007/s10895-005-0029-9

9). Dr. Paul Ryan (2008-09):

Paul worked on the CBAS project.

Galway papers:

  1. Fluorescence EEM Spectroscopy for Rapid Identification and Quality Evaluation of Cell Culture Media Components.  B. Li, P.W. Ryan, M. Shanahan, K.J. Leister, and A.G. Ryder. Applied Spectroscopy, 65(11), 1240-1249, (2011). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1366/11-06383
  2. Rapid Characterisation and Quality Control of Complex Cell Culture Media Solutions using Raman Spectroscopy and Chemometrics. B. Li, P.W. Ryan, B.H. Ray, K.J. Leister, N.M.S. Sirimuthu, and A.G. Ryder.  Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 107(2), 290-301, (2010). 
  3. Prediction of Cell Culture Media performance using Fluorescence Spectroscopy.  P.W. Ryan, B. Li, M. Shanahan, K.J. Leister, and A.G. Ryder, Analytical Chemistry, 82, 1311-1317, (2010).  DOI: 10.1021/ac902337c 

8). Dr. Nigel Blamey (2006-08):

Worked on the development of a fluorescence-based method for the analysis of single hydrocarbon-bearing fluid inclusions to enhance petroleum exploration. The primary goal of the research is concerned with developing quantitative fluorescence-based techniques for the non-contact, non-destructive analysis of fluid inclusions. Nigel received a B.Sc. from the University of Natal , a B.Sc.(Hons) from Rhodes University and a M.Sc. in Economic Geology also from Rhodes University. He completed his Ph.D. at New Mexico Tech using fluid inclusions to resolve the ore genesis of the Pipeline Mine, a world-class Carlin-type gold deposit in Nevada.  He is now back at New Mexico Tech as a visiting researcher. http://www.ees.nmt.edu/blamey/

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Galway papers:
  1. Hydrocarbon migration in Jurassic sandstones from the Porcupine Basin, offshore Ireland: evidence from fluid inclusion studies.  Conliffe J., Feely M., Parnell J., Blamey N., and Ryder A.G.,  Petroleum Geoscience, 16(2), 67-76, (2010). DOI: 10.1144/1354-079309-007
  2. Application of fluorescence lifetime measurements on single petroleum-bearing fluid inclusions to demonstrate multicharge history in petroleum reservoirs. Blamey NJF, Conliffe JF, Parnell J, Ryder AG, and Feely M, Geofluids, 9, 330-337, (2009). DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-8123.2009.00265.x
  3. Frequency Domain Fluorescence Lifetime Study of Crude Petroleum Oils.  P. Owens, A.G. Ryder, and N.J.F. Blamey.  Journal of Fluorescence, 18(5), 997-1006 (2008). Online here.  DOI: 10.1007/s10895-008-0330-5
  4. The application of structured-light illumination to hydrocarbon-bearing fluid inclusions.  N.J.F. Blamey, A.G. Ryder, M. Feely, P. Dockery, and P. Owens, Geofluids, 8, 102-112, (2008).  DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-8123.2008.00209.x

7). Dr. N. Sirimuthu (2007-08):

Graduated from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura , Colombo , Sri lanka with a Chemistry honors degree in 2001. He was awarded a Royal society of Chemistry studentship to continue his research towards a PhD on Raman spectroscopy/ Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy with Dr Steven Bell (Director IMM) in Queen's University of Belfast, UK . His research involved development of Raman based methods to Quantitative analysis of pharmaceuticals, biological warfare agents such as Anthrax, and DNA/RNA nucleotides. He also has extensive practical knowledge on development of SERS based methods for ultra low concentrations of analytes. During his postgraduate studies, he also applied chemometric methods to quantify Raman data. He was then offered a research fellow position in the same department for one year (2006-07) where he involved in much of research on modification of metal nanoparticles to be sensitive to different class of chemical compounds.  He worked on the analysis of complex materials using SERS and conventional Raman methods.
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Galway papers:

  1. Using Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) and Fluorescence Spectroscopy for Screening Yeast Extracts, A Complex Component of Cell Culture Media. B. Li, N.M.S. Sirimuthu, B. Ray, and A.G. Ryder,   Journal of Raman Spectroscopy, 43(8), 1074-1082, (2012).
  2. Rapid Characterisation and Quality Control of Complex Cell Culture Media Solutions using Raman Spectroscopy and Chemometrics. B. Li, P.W. Ryan, B.H. Ray, K.J. Leister, N.M.S. Sirimuthu, and A.G. Ryder.  Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 107(2), 290-301, (2010).  DOI: 10.1002/bit.22813

6). Dr. Christian Moschner (2007-08): 


Worked on the CBAS project and his main research involved the FT-IR and NIR analysis of complex materials.  He started his studies of Bioprocess Engineering - Technology of Renewable Resources in Sept. 1999 at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Hanover, Germany, and finished those with a diploma thesis in  2003.  Within his first internship (2001) at the Ege-University Izmir, Turkey , and at the Justus-Liebig-University Gie�en, Germany , he accomplished various analyses of quality parameters of different agricultural products in the laboratory. Following his diploma degree Christian R. Moschner took up a position as a scientific coworker in the workgroup Prof. B. Biskupek-Korell & Prof. E. Wuest at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Hanover, Germany , Department of Bioprocess Engineering in Sept. 2003. In a cooperative project with the Federal Agricultural Research Centre, Brunswick , Germany , Institute of Crop and Grassland Science (workgroup Dr. C. Paul & Dr. G. Ruehl) and the University Hohenheim, State Plant Breeding Institute (workgroup Dr. V. Hahn) he developed several near-infrared calibrations for the estimation of quality parameters of agricultural products and for the preparation of his Ph.D thesis.

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5). Dr. Robert Rajko (2006-07):

Chemometric method development, CBAS. He joined the group in May 2006 from the University of Szeged and worked on the CBAS project.He is now back at the University of Szeged.

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4). Dr. Marc Leger (2004-06):

Chemometrics and Raman spectroscopy, Hazard-IQ. 
Marc is  now back in Canada. Marc worked on the forensics research project of the Nanoscale Biophotonics group.  His research included populating a database of Raman spectra of various solid and liquid compounds, and the development and application of chemometric techniques for the detection, identification and quantification of illicit materials such as narcotics, explosives and dangerous solvents.

Galway papers:

  1. Qualitative Analysis using Raman Spectroscopy and Chemometrics: a comprehensive model system for narcotics analysis. M.-L. O'Connell, A.G. Ryder, M. Leger, & T.Howley. Applied Spectroscopy, 64(10), 1109-1121, ( 2010).  Online at: http://www.opticsinfobase.org/abstract.cfm?URI="as-64-10-1109
  2. Comparison of derivative pre-processing and automated polynomial baseline correction method for classification and quantification of narcotics in solid mixtures.  M.N. Leger and A.G. Ryder, Applied Spectroscopy ,  60(2), 182-193, (2006).  DOI: 10.1366/000370206776023304
  3. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of chlorinated solvents using Raman spectroscopy and machine learning. J. Conroy, A.G. Ryder, M.N. Leger, K. Hennessey, and M.G. Madden.  Proc SPIE – Int. Soc. Opt. Eng., 5826, 131-142, (2005).
  4. Classification of a target analyte in solid mixtures using principal component analysis, support vector machines and Raman spectroscopy, M. O’Connell, A.G. Ryder, M.N. Leger, T. Howley, M.G. Madden.  Proc SPIE – Int. Soc. Opt. Eng., 5826, 340-350, (2005).

3). Dr. Bryan H. Ray (2005-06):

Bryan worked on the spectroscopic analysis of complex biological materials used in biopharmaceutical manufacturing.
Now back in the US working first for Snowy Range Instruments, a Raman instrument manufacturer, and then Metrohm.

Galway papers:

  1. Performance Monitoring of a Mammalian Cell Based Bioprocess using Raman spectroscopy.  B. Li, B.H. Ray, K.J. Leister, and A.G. Ryder.  Analytica Chimica Acta, 796, 84-91, (2013). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2013.07.058
  2. Using Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) and Fluorescence Spectroscopy for Screening Yeast Extracts, A Complex Component of Cell Culture Media. B. Li, N.M.S. Sirimuthu, B. Ray, and A.G. Ryder,   Journal of Raman Spectroscopy, 43(8), 1074-1082, (2012).  DOI:  10.1002/jrs.3141
  3. Rapid Characterisation and Quality Control of Complex Cell Culture Media Solutions using Raman Spectroscopy and Chemometrics. B. Li, P.W. Ryan, B.H. Ray, K.J. Leister, N.M.S. Sirimuthu, and A.G. Ryder.  Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 107(2), 290-301, (2010).  DOI: 10.1002/bit.22813 .

2). Dr. Marisa Phelan (2006): 

Chemometrics and Raman spectroscopy, Hazard-IQ. Now at Henkel in Dublin.  Back to top

1). Dr. Patrick Fournet (2004-06):

Worked on metal enhanced fluorescence. Back to top