TU Dublin Undergraduate Researcher to Showcase Vape Research at European Parliament
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TU Dublin undergraduate researcher Erin Byrne has been selected to represent the university at the inaugural Posters in the European Parliament event in Brussels on 10 November 2026. Erin is a recent graduate of the Bachelor of Science (Hons) in DNA & Forensic Analysis programme delivered on the University's Tallaght Campus.
Erin’s research project, “Analysis of Vape Liquids for Quality Control Assessment”, is one of 63 undergraduate research projects selected from 17 European countries for the event, including nine projects from across the island of Ireland.
Taking place in the European Parliament’s Paul-Henri Spaak Building, the event will bring undergraduate researchers together with Members of the European Parliament and policy professionals to discuss the societal relevance of their findings and explore how research can contribute to public policy.
Supervised by Dr Sinéad Currivan-Macdonald of TU Dublin’s School of Chemical and Biopharmaceutical Science, Erin’s research examined commercially available disposable vaping products in Ireland, asking whether the contents matched the information provided on product packaging.
Using analytical chemistry techniques, Erin identified substances in the liquids tested that were not declared on the packaging. Her findings raise important questions around consumer protection, accurate ingredient labelling and the need for consistent testing and oversight of vaping products.
The project is an example of how TU Dublin’s research and innovation activity focuses on addressing real-life challenges, connecting research directly with issues that matter to society. From health and environmental protection to cultural inclusion, TU Dublin researchers and students work across disciplines to develop knowledge that can contribute to meaningful change locally and globally.
For Erin, this meant taking the skills and knowledge developed through her undergraduate studies and applying them to a contemporary issue with clear implications for consumers and public health. Her research demonstrates how opportunities to engage in research can enable students to approach complex problems, work across areas of knowledge and develop practical analytical and critical-thinking skills.
The analytical methods developed through Erin’s project could support more consistent approaches to testing vaping products in the future. In Brussels, she will have the opportunity to take the research beyond the laboratory, discussing her findings with MEPs and policy professionals and exploring how scientific evidence can inform consumer protection and public health policy.
The Posters in the European Parliament event forms part of the Erasmus+ Posters in Brussels project, coordinated by Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg in partnership with the University of Luxembourg, University of Vienna, LCC International University in Lithuania and Atlantic Technological University, with the SURE (Science Undergraduate Research Experience) Network supporting participation from the island of Ireland.
Erin will be TU Dublin’s sole representative at the event. Her selection recognises her achievement as an undergraduate researcher and highlights the opportunities available to TU Dublin students to engage with research that connects academic learning to complex, real-world challenges.