Research Student Project
Supervisor name & contact details:
Livia Viganor & Orla Howe
School of Biological Sciences
liviaviganor@gmail.com; orla.howe@dit.ie
Research Centre Name and Website (if
applicable)
Centre for Biomimetics and therapeutics
Please indicate if the intention is to transfer
from the Masters programme to the PhD
programme (if applicable)
n/a
Please indicate if the project is suitable for a
self-funded student
The project is fully funded
Funding Agency
DIT Fiosraigh
Scholarship Details
The scholarship is for four years and details are
as follows
€16,000 per annum for the student stipend
€2,000 per annum for project expenses
Registration fees covered for 4 years
Environment, energy & Health
Subject Area
Title of the Project
http://www.dit.ie/ipbrc/
Effects of novel metal based complexes on
elastase of Pseudomonas aerginosa
Project Description (max 300 words)
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative multidrug resistant bacterium and an important
opportunistic human pathogen that causes severe infections in immunosuppressed patients. The
infection route for P. aeruginosa is typically through airways, burns, wounds, urinary tract, ear
canal and via ocular exposure. This pathogen produces several virulence factors such as elastase
which is an important metalloprotease responsible for cleaving elastin, collagen, fibronectin,
immunoglobulins and several complement components responsible for increasing tissue damage,
immune system evasion and the infectious process established in the infected host
The development of new therapies to treat P .aeruginosa infections is of significant clinical and
commercial importance worldwide. This project aims to develop new interdisciplinary research at
between DIT and Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil, to develop and test novel
bioactive metal based complexes that inhibit elastase activity. Novel bioactive compounds
developed in DIT include silver (Ag) dicarboxylates and manganese (Mn) complexes bound to 1,
10 phenanthroline ligand for greater solubility and stability properties for biological test systems.
This includes elastase gene cloning and expression along with site directed mutagenesis of
elastase to produce a comparative mutant form. In vivo analysis using the Galleria mellonella test
model in house will also be incorporated
Please indicate the student requirements for this project
Min. 2.1 BSc in Biological sciences
IETLs English competency
Deadline to submit applications (only for
funded projects)
Friday 5pm 29th January 2016