I graduated from UCC with a B.Sc. in Biochemistry and Microbiology, and a Ph.D. in Microbiology. Following postdoctoral research and an Assistant Professorship at Wake Forest University, NC, I moved to Teagasc’s Moorepark Food Research Centre to lead the Food Biotechnology programme. I was appointed the Head of Food Research at Teagasc (which included Moorepark and Ashtown Food Research Centres). In 2014, I moved to UCC to become the Head of College of Science Engineering & Food Science at UCC and in 2016 also took up the position of Deputy Head of APC Microbiome Ireland. In 2019, I then became the Director of APC Microbiome Ireland. I am also a Principal Investigator in the APC’s Microbes to Molecules Research Theme.

Research Interests
Food and Health Research particularly:
Antimicrobials and anti-infectives (applied and fundamental aspects)Gut flora and gut health (how food programmes – human health – including probiotics)Bacteriophage (phage therapy and phage hardening)Human, animal and gut pathogens