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Universidade Nacional da Irlanda em Galway -- Ciência sem Fronteiras
PhD Project Template
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Use one form per project
Please complete & submit to international@nuigalway.ie as soon as possible, and by 27/11/2012
In your email, begin the subject line with [SWB] (be sure to use square brackets) to ensure that
your email is filed correctly. Emails will be automatically filed
PI name & contact details:
Dr Gerard Fleming (P.I.)
Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences, NUIGalway. Ireland
Email: ger.fleming@nuigalway.ie
Tel: +353 91 493562
Dr Cyril Carroll
Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences, NUIGalway. Ireland
Email: cyril.carroll@nuigalway.ie
Tel: +353 91 49227
School:
School of Natural Sciences
Has project been agreed with head
(or nominee) of proposed
registration school?
YES
Research Centre / group
affiliation:
Infectious Disease and Immunity Cluster
Research group / centre
website:
http://ncbes.eurhost.net/infectious-disease.aspx
PI website / link to CV:
http://www.nuigalway.ie/microbiology/dr__gerard_fleming.html
http://www.nuigalway.ie/microbiology/moru.html
http://www.nuigalway.ie/microbiology/dr__cyril_v__carroll.html
http://www.nuigalway.ie/microbiology/eprllab.html
Brief summary of PI research / research group / centre activity (2 or 3 lines max):
If you are already involved in relevant scholarly activities relating to Brazil, please mention them here.
The PI research encompasses the control of biofilm growth in cooling towers, development of
antimicrobial resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, cultivation, enrichment and selection of
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Universidade Nacional da Irlanda em Galway -- Ciência sem Fronteiras
microorganisms using continuous culture and Biodiscovery from the Deep Sea Environment.
Research includes: Control of biofilm formation in cooling towers, Antibiotic and biocide crossresistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Control of biofilms in cooling towers, Development and
testing of novel biocides, Bioactive metabolites from deep Sea environments, Bacterial
community structure and function in the deep sea, Culture of deep sea microorganisms under
extreme hydrostatic pressures.
Title & brief description of PhD project (suitable for publication on web):
Control of biofilm formation in cooling tower using electro-potentiated metal ions.
Brazil has one of the largest densities of cooling tower/ heat exchange systems in the developed
world where they are used for cooling processes as diverse as energy or fuel ethanol production.
Biofilm growth on cooling tower matrices presents a major challenge associated with the efficient
running of cooling towers. It can lead to microbial-mediated scaling and corrosion and act as a
reservoir for the growth of Legionella pneumophila, (the causative agent of Legionnaires disease)
which can be dispersed as bioaerosols in the cooling tower drift. Bio control measures have
focussed on either the physical removal of the biofilm or the inhibition of biofilm growth on
matrices and make-up water. The later may necessitate the use of dangerous and environmentally
unfriendly biocides (such as halogens and chloroamines) whilst other control measures (UV,
ultrasound, peroxides) have met with limited success.
We have an on-going scientific collaboration with an Irish company which focuses on the
development of a biocidal system which generates electrically-charged copper and silver cations.
This has proved effective in inhibiting the growth of planktonic human pathogens in the laboratory
setting. The aim of the investigation undertaken this Ph.D. is to test the efficacy of the system
(including with other metals such as zinc and palladium) for the control of biofilm growth on cooling
tower matrices. Experimentation will be carried out using scaled-down cooling towers and modified
Robbins devices attached to continuous culture systems in the laboratory. Further physiochemical
and molecular based techniques will be used to determine the effect of the generated biocides on
biofilm structure, physiology, microbial composition and protein expression in challenged and
unchallenged biofilms.
The outcome of this undertaking has a real potential for the development of a novel system for
controlling biofilm growth in the industrial setting with a translation of technology to the healthcare
sector.
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Universidade Nacional da Irlanda em Galway -- Ciência sem Fronteiras
Unique selling points of PhD project in NUI Galway:
Nuigalway offers a four-year Structured `PhD programme – with added learning structures to enhance the
scientific researcher.
This project is industrially-driven and recognised as being important for the development of the technology by
Enterprise Ireland.
Within NUIGalway, Dr Fleming’s and Dr. Carroll’s Group are member of the Infectious Disease research
Cluster which facilitates cross fertilisation of techniques and offers a forum for discussuon both within
Microbiology and across other disciplines.
Dr.’s Carroll and Fleming have many years’ experience in working with continuous culture and biofilms and
have developed exciting and novel techniques in this area.
Dr. Carroll has developed expertise in 1- and 2-D protein gel electrophoresis for looking at the regulation of
proteins in biofilms.
Dr. Fleming’s Group leads a dynamic and focus led group with a multidisciplinary approach to research. The
ethos of the group is one of fostering the researcher so she/he can realise her/his full potential as a creative
and productive scientist.
Dr. Fleming has over thirty-year’s experience of working with chemostat culture and has advanced chemostat
culture facilities. He has published widely in the field and has well established links with Industry in the use of
this medium for selection and enrichment purposes.
Name & contact details for project queries, if different from PI named above:
Please indicate the graduates of which disciplines that should apply:
B.Sc in Biological Science; B.Sc in Microbiology; B.Sc in Molecular Biology; B.Sc. in Fermentation
Technology
Ciência sem Fronteiras / Science Without Borders Priority Area:
Please indicate the specific programme priority area under which the proposed PhD project fits- choose only
one (tick box):
Engineering and other technological areas
Pure and Natural Sciences (e.g. mathematics, physics, chemistry)/Physical Sciences (Mathematics,
X
Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Geosciences)
Health and Biomedical Sciences / Clinical, Pré-clinical and Health Sciences
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), Computing
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Universidade Nacional da Irlanda em Galway -- Ciência sem Fronteiras
Aerospace
Pharmaceuticals
Sustainable Agricultural Production
Oil, Gas and Coal
Renewable Energy
Minerals, Minerals Technology
Biotechnology
Nanotechnology and New Materials
Technologies for Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Disasters
Bioprospecting and Biodiversity
Marine Sciences
Creative Industry
New technologies in constructive engineering
Please indicate which of the following applies to this project (referring to Science Without Borders
arrangements):
Suitable only as a Full PhD (Y/N): _ __Y__
Available to candidates seeking a Sandwich PhD arrangement (Y/N): _N_