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Biotechnology |
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Universities Involved |
University
College Dublin |
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Department(s) |
Department
of Crop Science Horticulture and Forestry |
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Project Title / Description |
Centre for Innovation in Biotechnology (CIB) IFI Mushroom Demonstration Project. Centre for innovation in Biotechnology 19941997 The main objective is, to assist the development of a Biotec infrastructure in Northern Ireland with the assistance of Bio Research Ireland. Project funded: CIB c. £800,000 IFI (mushroom project £382,000 IFI£50,000 mushroom industry R.O.I.) |
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Contacts |
Dr Jeremy
Carmichael |
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Business Involvement |
Garry Graham, Irish Mushroom Growers Association Tel + 353 1 450 0266/455 1043 |
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Development Potential |
Yes. CIB submitted proposal for continued funding to IRTU in Northern Ireland. |
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Universities Involved |
Dublin
City University |
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Department(s) |
School of Biotechnology |
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Project Title / Description |
Biosorption of metal and dyes. The potential collaboration is in the initial and developmental stages. The objective is to further the knowledge of the subject. Open to new collaborators. Collaboration began with exchange visits in 1998. This was followed by attendance and presentation of a poster paper by DCU researchers at the International Environmental Biotechnology Symposium held in QUB in summer 1998. The second strand of the potential collaboration is with Dr Anthony McHale and Dr Geoff McMullin of UU Coleraine who are also involved in the study of biosorption systems. |
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Contacts |
Dr
Stephen Allen |
Dr
Anthony McHale and Dr Geoff McMullin |
Dr John
Tobin |
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Development Potential |
All three potential partners are interested in collaborative work and would welcome development of the project. As above this is a growing and promising research area. Funding is the main obstacle to further cooperation. |
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Universities Involved |
Dublin
City University |
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Department(s) |
School of Biotechnology |
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Project Title / Description |
Trypsincatalysed peptide synthesis The objective of the project was to use the pancreatic digestive enzyme trypsin for synthesis of peptides and to compare the catalytic properties of chemically stabilised trypsin derivatives with those of the native protein. Two refereed papers were produced:
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Contacts |
Prof.
Brian Walker |
Prof.
Martin Clynes |
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Business Involvement |
Biosyn Ltd, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast |
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Development Potential |
All three potential partners are interested in collaborative work and would welcome development of the project. As above this is a growing and promising research area. Funding is the main obstacle to further cooperation. |
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Universities Involved |
University
College Cork |
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Department(s) |
Microbiology
Department |
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Other Universities |
University
of Marburg, Germany |
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Project Title / Description |
Symbiosis and defence in the interaction of plants with microorganism. The objective of the
project is to elucidate the molecular basis of competition, specificity and
signalling in bacteriallegume symbiosis, to study the rhizobia infection
process and triggering of defence reactions. In addition, membrane targeting,
defence reactions and symbiosis specific gene expressions will be studied as The outcome it is
hoped will show the following: To date the following has been done:
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Contacts |
Prof. D
Werner |
Prof.
Fergal O'Gara, UCC |
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Development Potential |
Research area being developed has a strong potential for further development in a multi- disciplinary framework and could fit in with the activities of Framework Five of the European Union. |
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Universities Involved |
University
College Cork |
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Department(s) |
Department of Microbiology |
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Project Title / Description |
Combined biological and chemical remediation systems for the treatment of textile industry and related effluents. The project aimed to design a reactor system for the remediation of organic and metal bearing wastewater from the textile industry. This would involve effective combination of chemical and biological treatments to provide enhanced remediation of effluents containing metals and persistent organics. Future funding would ideally be for research scientists at the PhD level to work in both laboratories on both chemical and microbial based aspects of these systems. |
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Contacts |
Dr Alan
Dobson, UCC |
Dr Geoff
McMullan, UU, Coleraine |
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Development Potential |
Yes. Both laboratories are anxious to build upon the initial existing links through participation in a joint collaborative research project in the area of Environmental Biotechnology, which would be aimed at the exchange of expertise and personnel between the two laboratories, with the overall aim of developing biological and chemical based reactor systems for the remediation of problematic waste streams. |
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Universities Involved |
University
College Cork |
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Department(s) |
Department of Microbiology |
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Project Title / Description |
Physiology and Genetics of Microorganisms involved in Biodegradative processes. In 1993 an initial contact was made and ultimately resulted in a research scientist from Cork, spending a period of time at Queen's in the laboratory of Dr Larkin. This trip was funded through the EOLAS/British Council Scheme (Project no: 9346). This resulted in a joint grant application being made by both research groups in 199798 through North/South funding bodies. The project aims to study the physiology and genetics of a number of different micro organisms and fungi which are capable of degrading a wide variety of environmental pollutants such as phenol, thiocyanate, nickel, styrene and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Future funding would ideally be for research scientists at the PhD level to work in both laboratories on the physiology and genetics of the microbial systems involved in the biodegradation of a number of key environmental pollutants. |
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Contacts |
Dr Alan
Dobson, UCC |
Dr Mike
Larkin, QUB |
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Development Potential |
A research scientist from Cork has previously spent a study period in Dr Larkin's laboratory at Queen's. Both laboratories are anxious to build upon the initial existing links through participation in a joint collaborative research project in the area of Environmental Biotechnology, which would be aimed at the exchange of expertise and personnel between the two laboratories, with the overall aim of the further physiological, biochemical and genetic analysis of the bacterial and fungal strains involved in degradative processes which are currently being studied in each of the two laboratories. |
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Universities Involved |
University
College Cork |
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Department(s) |
Department
of Microbiology |
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Project Title / Description |
Studies on Enhanced Biological Phosphate Removal from waste water treatment streams. The project involves the use of novel microbial based approaches to the removal of phosphorous from wastewater streams. The basis of the project is the use of "Enhanced Biological Phosphate Removal" (EBPR) systems utilising microorganisms/including yeasts which accumulate phosphates. The researchers at Queen's University are concentrating on the microbial physiology of the system and in the identification of the predominant species involved, while researchers in UCC are working on the genetics of the phosphate uptake systems in phosphate accumulating Acinetobacter strains. Work to date has resulted in the exchange of strains and protocols. It is hoped to expand the collaboration through the submission of a grant application to appropriate funding agencies in the near future. Funding required would be for research scientists at the PhD level to work in both laboratories on the physiology and genetics of the microbial systems involved in EBPR. |
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Contacts |
Dr Alan
Dobson, UCC |
Dr John P
Quinn, QUB |
Dr John W
McGrath, QUB |
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Development Potential |
Both laboratories are anxious to strengthen the existing links through participation in a joint collaborative research project which would be aimed at the exchange of expertise and personnel between the two laboratories, with the overall aim of the further physiological, biochemical and genetic analysis of the bacterial and yeast systems currently being studied in each of the two laboratories. |
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Universities Involved |
University
College Cork |
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Department(s) |
Department of Plant Science |
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Project Title / Description |
Genetic analysis of hatching activity towards potato cyst nematodes in potato. The collaborative research has involved the UCC group analysing the inheritance of PCN hatching activity and hatching factor (HF) content in root leachate of interspecific potato hybrids developed, as part of novel PCN control strategies by the QUB group. The collaboration started
in 1996 and is ongoing; contact between the two groups started when the UCC
group coordinated an EU grant proposal to the FAIR programme, which included
the QUB group. The hybrids were developed to develop a) PCN resistant potato
varieties and b) a novel PCN trap crop; in both cases, high hatching activity
would be desirable. In a) HFs for the two PCN species were shown to be
species specific and the two classes of HF were inherited independently.
Novel HFs (absent in both parents) were produced in some hybrids. Overall,
HFs inherited from cultivated potatoes were more active than those from wild
potatoes. Related work is due to start on b). The QUB group has also provided
the UCC group with large amounts of PCN material for other aspects of PCN research.
To date, the collaboration has been funded by grants to the individual
research groups: Belfast (DANI/DARDNI) and Cork (BioResearch Ireland). |
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Contacts |
Dr Peter
Jones, UCC |
Dr Colin
Fleming |
Dr Susan
Turner |
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Development Potential |
For both
groups, the objectives of their PCN research is to develop novel
environmentally protective control measures against this pest. The complementary
nature of the facilities and expertise of the two research groups means that
collaboration increases the effectiveness of the research of each group. In
the breeding work of the QUB group, analysis of HF content in UCC could
accelerate development of high hatch resistant varieties or trap crops. In
turn, the QUB group has developed PCNinfested sites for field trials; access
to these would be |
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Universities Involved |
Dublin
City University |
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Department(s) |
School of Biotechnology |
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Project Title / Description |
The role of peptidases in the regulation of neurotransmission signalling in the parasitic helminthes (worms) Fasciola hepatica and Schistosoma mansoni. Schistosoma (blood flukes) and Fasciola (liver flukes) species of parasites have been studied extensively in the laboratories at QUB and DCU. While schistosomes are the most important worm disease with 200 million people infected, liver fluke disease in humans was recently recognised by the WHO as an important emerging pathogen of humans with at least 2.4 million people infected. Treatment against these parasites relies on chemotherapy. However, as a consequence of increasing drug resistance there is an urgent need to identify key parasitespecific biochemical pathways at which novel chemotherapies can be designed and targeted. In this context, the mechanism of neuromuscular coordination in parasites is important since this system is crucial to the survival of parasites and most frontline antiparasite chemotherapies presently used in some way interfere with parasite neuromuscular function. The aim of this project is to study the role of a novel aminopeptidase activity in the regulation of neuropeptide signal termination at the neuromuscular junction of these human parasites. Both groups were familiar with each others' research and had expressed a desire to collaborate. The collaboration could be extended to other interested in infectious diseases, drug design and vaccine. It is hoped a) elucidate the mechanism by which this enzyme degrades neuropeptides and regulates neurotransmission in these worm parasite; b) show how the enzyme is synthesized and stored in the parasites' neurons; c) isolate the gene and express this in a eukaryotic system so that its biochemical and physiochemical properties can be studied and; d) synthesise inhibitors to demonstrate their ability to cause neuromuscular paralysis in the parasites. |
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Contacts |
Dr Aaron
Maule |
Prof. David
Halton |
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Development Potential |
Yes.
Since both groups have a longstanding record in the field of Molecular
Parasitology |
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Universities Involved |
Queen’s University Belfast Dublin
City University |
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Department(s) |
Department of
Veterinary Sciences |
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Project Title / Description |
(a) Multi-residue screening for
antibiotic compounds in food by receptor and divergent antibody-based
biosensor technology (b) Screening of pesticides in foods There has been ongoing collaboration/
discussions with Dr. Elliot on Food Analysis. Two proposals have been
submitted to the EU 5th Framework. Exchange visits have been made.
Protocols/materials have been exchanged. Funding has come from individual
laboratory resources. The expertise/facilities of both groups are very
complementary. |
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Contacts |
Prof. Richard O’Kennedy, DCU Tel + 353 1 700 5319 Fax + 353 1 700 5412 richard.okennedy@dcu.ie |
Dr Chris Elliot, QUB Tel 04890 525625 Fax 04890 761757 chris.elliot@dardmi.gov.uk |
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