People

Active research background with expertise in advanced atomic force microscopy (AFM), Raman spectroscopy, electromechanics, virology, biomaterials, and materials research/characterisation.

Current research interests are to investigate the nature of the viral infection cycle using Raman spectroscopy. A fundamental understanding of each stage of the viral life cycle will further our current knowledge of viral infection and help develop strategies for therapies. Currently foster collaborations with the National Virus Reference Lab (NVRL) and the Centre for Experimental Pathogen Host Research (CEPHR) in UCD, with projects evaluating the kinetics of infection of respiratory viruses such as RSV, SARS-CoV-2 and Sendai virus.

Other research interests include the characterisation of the nanomechanical properties of biomaterials using AFM. Cells sense and respond to their local mechanical environment (mechanotransduction), and these processes regulate numerous vital biological processes. Therefore the quantitative evaluation of these properties is of crucial importance.