Author: admin

UCD leading €2.1m Horizon 2020 project to tackle climate change impact on food safety

(l-r) Professor Colm O’Donnell, Head of UCD School of Biosystems and Food Engineering, PROTECT lead Professor Enda Cummins, UCD School of Biosystems and Food Engineering, Professor Dolores O’Riordan, UCD Institute of Food & Health Director & Vice-President For Global Engagement, and Dr Wayne Anderson, Director of Food Science & Standards, Food Safety Authority of Ireland

University College Dublin is to lead a new €2.1 million Horizon 2020 programme aimed at training researchers to better evaluate the effects of climate change on food safety.

Professor Enda Cummins, of the UCD School of Biosystems and Food Engineering, is the Principal Investigator of the PROTECT Training Network.

Funded by the EU’s Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions, PROTECT is designed to share best practice and teach early career researchers a range of predictive modelling tools to study the impact of climate change on food safety.

“As the population around the world continues to rise, coupled with the significant uncertainty of the effects of climate change, there is upward pressure already on vulnerable food supplies,” said Professor Cummins.

“Factors such as temperature increase, variation in precipitation, and consequently production practices, will result in increased vulnerability in Europe to established foodborne hazards.

“Potentially resulting in a microbial evolution stress response and new pathogen emergence.”

Speaking at the inaugural meeting of PROJECT, EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Phil Hogan said the project promised “to be very relevant for the future of European food security and the sustainability of the Agri-food sector”.

“The awarding of over €2.1 million euro in H2020 funding is evidence of the potential that we see, in the European Commission, in [PROJECT]… and it is evidence of University College Dublin’s standing as a global leader in research in this field,” he added.

The PROTECT Training Network will provide “sound scientifically based knowledge” for management options and decisions on new and emerging food safety threats due to climate change, Professor Cummins said.

“Tools will focus on the change in chemical levels and microbial populations in relation to the food industry and assess how levels will change under climate change pressures.

“The skills and knowledge gained through the network will be a critically important step towards better management of future food supplies,” he added.

The PROTECT network brings together multidisciplinary expertise from 11 European Countries, which includes seven academic and six industrial partners.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations is also a member of the consortium.

This specialised agency is tasked with leading international efforts to combat food insecurity.

By: David Kearns, Digital Journalist / Media Officer, UCD University Relations

University College Dublin partners to create Ireland’s first National Preclinical Imaging Centre

University College Dublin has partnered to create Ireland’s first National Preclinical Imaging Centre (NPIC), which will provide enhanced research data aimed at improving patient outcomes nationwide.

The NPIC is being established and co-funded by UCD, RCSI, and CÚRAM, the SFI Research Centre for Medical Devices, based at NUI Galway following funding of €3.4 million from Science Foundation Ireland’s (SFI) Research Infrastructure Programme.

The Centre’s imaging infrastructure will support the development of new therapeutics and diagnostics in human disease areas including cancer, neurology, dementia, psychiatry, cardiology, medical devices, diabetes, tissue engineering, nanomedicine and inflammatory disease.

Professor Orla Feely, UCD Vice-President for Research, Innovation and Impact said:”UCD is delighted to be part of this significant development in national research infrastructure.

“As the host university to Precision Oncology Ireland and home to a number of medical and biomedical centres of research, including the UCD Conway Institute, we aim to stay at the forefront of pre-clinical research and personalised medicine, driving discoveries in diagnostics and treatments and innovation for better patient outcomes.”

UCD will receive just over €2m of the awarded funding, and has committed to complementing this with additional co-funding of €645k to support equipment purchase, refurbishment and technical support.

NPIC will provide a national pre-clinical imaging resource open to all academic, industry and not-for-profit researchers, and will have locations in Dublin and Galway.

“This infrastructural funding provided by SFI, which is complemented by financial support from each of our partner institutions, along with in-kind contributions from industry, will provide an unparalleled national resource for advancing in vivo imaging,” said Professor William Gallagher, Associate Director of NPIC, Director of UCD Conway Institute and Deputy Director, Precision Oncology Ireland.

“Our research in the area of precision oncology will benefit considerably from being able to image non-invasively tumour growth and spread, leading to improved understanding of disease and associated therapeutic options.”

The NPIC establishes a national pre-clinical magnetic resonance (MR) facility, a national high-field preclinical MR / chemical imaging platform and incorporates a high-resolution micro-computed tomography (CT) and Optical Imaging laboratory.

By: David Kearns, Digital Journalist / Media Officer, UCD University Relations (with materials from Micéal Whelan, UCD Research and Innovation)

Medicinal Chemistry & Chemical Biology

Course Information

Full Time – Undergraduate Studies

BSc (Hons) (NFQ Level 8)

CAO Code: DN200
CAO Points Range 2019: 521
Length of Course: 4 Years
Average Intake: 400

Leaving Certificate:

  • O2/H6 in Mathematics
  • O2/H6 in a laboratory science (Applied Mathematics, Computer Science or Geography may be used instead of a laboratory science subject) and
  • O6/H7 in English, Irish and two other recognised subjects
Click below for equivalent entry requirements information for:

Why is this course for me?

This degree is ideal for students who have an interest in chemistry and its applications in biology. Medicinal Chemistry & Chemical Biology are fields populated by chemists who have a good understanding of biology at the molecular level. They’ll be of increasing importance for decades to come to address existing and emerging healthcare problems, e.g. cancer, AIDS, TB and avian flu. Chemical biologists and medicinal chemists will develop the next generation of medicines to solve such problems, and will have an impact across a wide range of areas, including the development of environmentally friendly approaches to process chemistry.

Career & Graduate Study Opportunities

Graduates of the Medicinal Chemistry & Chemical Biology degree will be equipped with the skills to pursue a career in:

  • Pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals
  • Food technology companies
  • Cosmetic technology companies
  • Fine chemical and chemical development
  • Patenting

Graduates can also pursue a PhD in Ireland or abroad in areas such as chemistry, chemical biology, or medicinal chemistry.

What Will I Study

This is a sample pathway for a degree in Medicinal Chemistry & Chemical Biology. Topics include metabolic biochemistry, reactivity of biomolecules, principles of pharmacology, chemical biology of natural products and macromolecules.

First Year

  • Chemistry
  • Mathematics
  • Biology
  • Optional Science modules
  • Elective module

Second Year

  • Medicinal Chemistry & Chemical Biology
  • + 1 Other Science Subject
  • Elective modules

Third Year

  • Medicinal Chemistry & Chemical Biology
  • Elective modules

Fourth Year

  • Medicinal Chemistry & Chemical Biology (includes a research project)

All Science courses are full time, with many student timetables running from 9.00am to 5.00pm or later. Depending on the subject choices, a weekly timetable can include lectures, practicals and tutorials.

Assessment varies with each module but may comprise continuous assessment of practicals, written exams and online learning activities.

For detailed information on subject content click here

Testimonial

“I chose Medicinal Chemistry & Chemical Biology due to my interest in human health, diseases and drug design. I also enjoyed spending time in the practical labs learning skills and techniques and understanding how they are used on a larger scale in drug production. After I graduate, I hope to work in the pharmaceutical industry in the area of validation or quality control. Becoming involved with the UCD Gospel choir was a way to meet other students who share a passion for the Gospel and for singing. I completed a placement with Kerry Group in my second year. This was a highly beneficial opportunity, where I worked alongside their analysts to carry out qualitative and quantitative food analysis. The provided me the chance to explore other career paths available to me through a degree in chemistry.”

Shekemi Denuga Student

Chemistry, Mathematics & Education

Course Information

BSc (Hons) (NFQ Level 8) & MSc (NFQ Level 9)

Full Time – Undergraduate Studies

CAO Code: DN200
CAO Points Range 2019: 521
Length of Course: 5 Years (BSc 4 years & MSc 1 year)
Average Intake: 400

Leaving Certificate:

  • O2/H6 in Mathematics
  • O2/H6 in a laboratory science (Applied Mathematics, Computer Science or Geography may be used instead of a laboratory science subject) and
  • O6/H7 in English, Irish and two other recognised subjects

Special Entry Recommendations: We recommend that all students in Chemistry & Mathematics Education should have a minimum Grade H3 in Leaving Certificate Higher Level Mathematics, or equivalent.

Click below for equivalent entry requirements information for:

Why is this course for me?

If you’re interested in chemistry and mathematics, and think you might like to teach these subjects at post-primary level, then this course may be for you. It’s designed so that from the start, you study chemistry and mathematics, along with education, in an integrated manner. In third year, you’ll gain teaching experience by completing placements (which we find for you) in a post-primary school and as a third-level tutor.

The four-year BSc in Chemistry, Mathematics & Education leads directly to the one-year MSc in Mathematics and Science Education. On completion of both degrees you are fully qualified to teach Chemistry and Mathematics to Higher Level Leaving Certificate Level and Science to Junior Certificate Level.

Key Facts: 

The five-year course is fully accredited
by the Teaching Council of Ireland.

Placements are integrated into this course from first year, with year-long placements at two different post-primary schools during the final two years of the course.

Career & Graduate Study Opportunities

On completion of the BSc, students have guaranteed entry to the MSc in Mathematics & Science Education, provided they have achieved a GPA of 3.08. This is equivalent to a 2.1 Honours.

Placements are integrated into this course from first year. Care is taken to slowly introduce you to placements to enable you to build confidence before teaching a class of pupils.

During the last two years of the course, students are assigned year-long placements at two different post-primary schools. These placements are designed so that students not only obtain teaching experience, but also gain a whole-of-school experience through participating in parent-teacher meetings, timetabling etc. The complete five-year course is fully accredited by the Teaching Council of Ireland.

What Will I Study

This is a sample pathway for Chemistry & Mathematics Education.

First Year

  • Chemistry
  • Mathematics
  • Education
  • Biology & Physics
  • Elective module

Second Year

  • Chemistry
  • Mathematics
  • Education
  • Elective modules

Third Year

  • Chemistry
  • Mathematics
  • Education
  • School Placement – one placement in a post-primary school, and one placement as a third-level tutor.

Fourth Year

  • Education
  • School Placement
  • Mathematics

Fifth Year

  • Education
  • School Placement
  • Research project

For detailed information on subject content click here

Testimonial

“Science and Mathematics were always my favourite subjects in school and I knew I would study something Science related in third level education. Having always wanted to be a teacher, I realised that the Science, Maths and Education pathway was for me. I am quite lucky as I get to study my two favourite subjects, Chemistry and Mathematics, in depth. I am currently undertaking a placement in Third Year. It is an eight week observation/teaching placement that runs alongside my lectures and labs. It is extremely beneficial as I can see the theories and educational practices I have been learning over the last two years put into practice. It is an opportunity to prepare myself for the year-long placement in my final year.”

Conor Eivers Student

Chemistry with Environmental & Sustainable Chemistry

Course Information

BSc (Hons) (NFQ Level 8)

Full Time – Undergraduate Studies

CAO Code: DN200
CAO Points Range 2019: 521
Length of Course: 4 Years
Average Intake: 400

Leaving Certificate:

  • O2/H6 in Mathematics
  • O2/H6 in a laboratory science (Applied Mathematics, Computer Science or Geography may be used instead of a laboratory science subject) and
  • O6/H7 in English, Irish and two other recognised subjects
Click below for equivalent entry requirements information for:

Why is this course for me?

Two major problems are facing industrialised society. How do we maintain our standards of living without, firstly, using non-renewable resources as sources of energy and as raw materials for manufacturing industries and, secondly, compromising our local and global environment?

Chemistry with Environmental & Sustainable Chemistry will be central to solving these problems. This discipline, which draws from all branches of chemistry, will enable us to produce the materials and energy we use through ways that minimise the impact on the environment. Furthermore, it will be crucial in developing a variety of resources (solar power, biofuel synthesis, fuel cells, etc.) for use in renewable energy generation. The degree is suitable for students who have an interest in the use of chemistry in tackling these urgent problems.

Career & Graduate Study Opportunities

Apart from the disciplines that are available to graduates with a BSc in Chemistry, graduates in Chemistry with Environmental & Sustainable Chemistry will be particularly suited to employment in the environmental and emerging energy industries, including:

  • Commercial environmental analysis
  • Alternative energy industry
  • Environmental Protection Agency
  • ESB
  • Bord Gáis

Graduates can also pursue a range of MSc or PhD opportunities in Ireland or abroad.

What Will I Study

This is a sample pathway for a degree in Chemistry with Environmental & Sustainable Chemistry.

First Year

  • Chemistry
  • Mathematics
  • Biology
  • Optional Science modules
  • Elective module

Second Year

  • Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry
    (with Geology modules discussing climate change)
  • + 1 other Science subject
  • Elective modules

Third Year

  • Physical, Inorganic and Organic Chemistry with optional modules in Geology and Ecology

 

 

Fourth Year

  • Environmental & Sustainable Chemistry (includes a research project in an aspect of Environmental & Sustainable Chemistry)
  • Options will include Green Technologies/Chemistry in Energy Generation.
  • Optional Industry Internship module.

All Science courses are full time, with many student timetables running from 9.00am to 5.00pm or later. Depending on the subject choices, a weekly timetable can include lectures, practicals and tutorials.

Assessment varies with each module but may comprise continuous assessment of practicals, written exams and online learning activities.

For detailed information on subject content click here

International Study Opportunities

Students may apply to spend time studying at the following universities:

  • University of Lund, Sweden
  • University of Virginia, USA
  • McGill University, Canada

Testimonial

“I believe a knowledge in Chemistry with Environmental & Sustainable Chemistry is very applicable in industry as legislation is being introduced that holds industries accountable for the waste they produce. This degree investigates how Chemistry can be used to tackle issues such
as global warming, acid rain, water pollution and ozone layer depletion. During my final year, I had the opportunity to carry out research with Dr Tony Keene’s research group. This allowed me to hone the techniques I learned in the lab throughout my first three years, as well as giving me a flavour of what postgraduate research involves. Following graduation, I plan to continue my study of Environmental Chemistry and eventually, I would like to work within an industrial laboratory to implement the principles of green chemistry.”

Eimear Madden Student

Please disable your adblock and script blockers to view this page