DIT PhD Project
Supervisor name & contact details:
Name: Dr. Nissreen Abu-Ghannam
Email : Nissreen.abughannam@dit.ie
Supervisors Profile:
Research Centre:
Environmental Health Sciences Institute
The Environmental Health Sciences Institute
(EHSI) is a dedicated national translational
research platform, uniquely based on
collaboration between Dublin Institute of
Technology (DIT), the Health Service Executive
(HSE) and Dublin City Council (DCC), building
national and regional capacity and capability.
EHSI is an all-island initiative, involving
strategic partnerships with the University of
Ulster (UU), Dublin City University (DCU),
the Institute of Public Health (IPH) and other
stakeholders. Building upon existing education
and research expertise, in addition to
collaborations and strategic partnerships with
multi-sector stakeholders, researchers at EHSI
develop evidence-based interventions
addressing environmental health problems.
Research Centre website:
www.dit.ie/ehsi
Supervisors Publication List:
http://arrow.dit.ie/do/search/?q=Nissreen%20
Abu-Ghannam&fq=virtual_ancestor_key%3A1
Title of the Project : Biotechnology applications in the extraction and purification of
innovative ingredients from agro-industrial by-products
Project Summary: Several plant food processors produce high levels of by-products
(waste) globally. Disposal of this waste incurs considerable costs to processors and
represents a significant environmental hazard. However, there is a growing awareness
that this material could represent a valuable resource, if correctly treated, with a high
commercial value for potential applications in the pharmaceutical and food sectors. A
range of agro-industrial by-products residues will be investigated in this project such as
brewers spent grain and potato waste streams to extract and recover nutraceutical
ingredients such as glycoalkaloids and glucans. Other relevant agro-waste streams will
also be considered. The proposed project will seek to develop optimal bio-processing
techniques to maximize ingredient recovery with an emphasis on industry friendly and
low energy sustainable methodologies.
Ciência sem Fronteiras / Science Without Borders Priority Area:
Biotechnology