Adipocyte Induced Pancreatic β-Cell Dysfunction – A Novel Link in Obesity Dependent Type 2 Diabetes

Bio Prototype Assisted Scoliosis Surgery

Design, Synthesis and Evaluation of Azole-Based Antimicrobial Candidates

Develop novel types of therapeutic agent, based on dual enzymatic activity

Development of a Biosensor for Glucose Detection

Development of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) exercise prescription for improved health outcomes

Development of Metal-based Antimicrobial Topical agents

Development of recently identified antigens as vaccine products

Effects of intermittent exercise intensities and environmental conditions on gastro-intestinal health and immune function

Grid Computing

High Pressure Synthesis of Molecular Clip Receptors

Host-pathogen interactions

Hybrid Polymer Nanomaterials & application in chemical sensors

Investigating the immunogenic properties of the emerging cystic fibrosis (CF) pathogen Pandoraea

Macrocyclic Chemistry - synthesis of a novel catalytic switch

Metal-based Antimicrobial Surface Coatings

New Azole Macocyclic Compounds: From Design to Large Scale Production

New Rotameric Molecular Clip Receptors

Ontological  Information Enrichment

Open Social CRM: Architectures and Methodologies

Personality from Text Analysis in Recommender Systems

Research in Bioinorganic Chemistry

Secure GPU Analytics for Large Datasets

SEPTICOR – Immuno-Electronic Blood Interrogator for the Point-of-Care Diagnosis of Septicemia

The Design and Synthesis of new Organocatalysts with Wide Applicability

The Development of New Peptide based Antibiotics

The Preparation of Highly Specific, Stable, Peptide-based Antibiotics

Theory of Nilpotent Algebras

Limavady Gear Company Ltd. was established in Northern Ireland in 1979 as a fully-equipped facility specialising in the manufacture of replacement gears for the marine, industrial and heavy plant sectors. A recent relocation and the expansion of its product range has allowed Limavady Gear Company Ltd. to become a onestop manufacturing facility specialising in the complete manufacture of gears and gearing systems.

During the manufacturing process, the surfaces of the gear components are heated and cooled to extreme temperatures to induce desired qualities such as strength, hardness and toughness. The method for heat treatment used by Limavady Gear Company Ltd. is pack-carburising, where carbon is added to the surface of the gear components to induce resistance to fatigue and wear of surface hardness. This method can be unpredictable, giving different results for identical components undergoing the same process. This presents a major manufacturing challenge, with a relatively high proportion of finished gear products failing to meet quality standards.

Limavady Gear Company Ltd. wished to reduce the incidence of distortion of gear components in their manufacturing process. Through InterTrade Ireland’s “Fusion” Programme, they received funding to carry out a project in collaboration with the Institute of Technology Tallaght, Dublin (ITT Dublin). The aim of the project was to improve the control of the carburising process and thereby increase the predictability of the heat treatment process at the company. James Dwan, a senior lecturer in mechanical engineering at ITT Dublin, designed and led the project on behalf of the institute. He also managed the relationship between the institute and company. A graduate engineer with experience in CNC Machining was assigned to the company to carry out the research. Working between the company and the engineering laboratories at ITT Dublin, the graduate undertook the technical research required of the project. Faults in the original carburising process at Limavady Gear Company Ltd. were identified and resolved, resulting in an improved heat treatment process, a safer working environment and immediate cost savings for the company. The project succeeded as a result of knowledge transfer between ITT Dublin, the graduate engineer and Limavady Gear Company Ltd. The graduate has since become an employee of the company.

“The expertise and advice provided by Jim Dwan throughout this project has resulted in improved and more accurate control of the heat treatment process at LGC. The use of the laboratories at ITT Dublin for analysis has aided in the investigation of other gear materials.”Ian Kinstrie, Limavady Gear Company Ltd.

“Limavady Gear Company was a proactive company to work with, their mission was to grow and develop as a successful industrial gear and related services company. The management put in place opportunities for the graduate engineer to learn and grow as an expert in gear manufacturing including its heat treatment.”Jim Dwan, Institute of Technology Tallaght, Dublin

External Services OfficerJack McDonnellITT DublinTallaght, Dublin 24, IrelandT: +353 (0)1 404 2864E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Lecturer of Mechanical EngineeringJames DwanITT DublinTallaght, Dublin 24, IrelandT: +353 (0)1 404 2847E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Medical research at IT Tallaght is concentrated in the Centre of Applied Science for Health (C.A.S.H.).  The Centre incorporates a number of complementary research groups/centres including Centre for Research in Electroanalytical Techniques (CREATE); Microsensors for Clinical Research and Analysis (MiCRA); Centre of Microbial Host Interactions (CMHI), Centre for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (CPRD), Biomedical Research Group; Bioengineering Technology Centre and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Institute (NMRics) at IT Tallaght.  These groups bring expertise from several disciplines including electrochemistry; material science; pharmacology; microbiology and mechanical engineering.  The focus of research at CASH is:

On an ongoing basis, the CASH Centre collaborates with Dublin City University, NUI Maynooth and the Adelaide & Meath and National Children’s hospital (AMNCH).  CASH has been awarded €21mn in research funding between 2006 and 2010.  It has published over 50 peer-reviewed papers since 2009 and has been granted three patents.  The research is funded through the Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI), Enterprise Ireland and FP7 programmes.  The Centre also undertakes industry-funded research, collaborating with several major Pharma companies such as Wyeth, Pfizer and Henkel.

Dr. Kenneth CarrollManagerCASH CentreInstitute of Technology Tallaght, DublinT: +353 (0)1 404 2090E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 The research in this area focuses on:

Dr. James Dwan (Diamonds & Superabrasives)T: +353 (0)1 404 2847E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Dr. Andrew Donnellan (Vision Systems)T: +353 (0)1 404 2138E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Dr. Mohammad JamshidiT: +353 (0)1 404 2746E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Main Research Focus:

 Technology/ Subject Areas:

Dr. James HayesT: +353 (0)1 404 2084E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Dr. Eithne DempseyT: +353 (0)1 404 2862E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The National Centre for Franco Irish Studies (NCFIS) explores the economic, cultural, literary and artistic links between Ireland and France. Collaborators include Université de Rennes 2; University of Louvain, Mary Immaculate College, Limerick. Outputs include 1 book, 19 book chapters, 10 edited-books, 5 year book series “Studies in Irish Franco Relations”.

Dr Eamon MaherDirectorNational Centre for Franco-Irish StudiesInstitute of Technology Tallaght, DublinT: +353 (0)1 404 2871E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Main Research Focus:

 Technology/ Subject Areas:

Dr. Brian Murray (NMRics)T: +353 (0)1 404 2820E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Dr. Edwin Carey (PAT)T: +353 (0)1 404 2769E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Radio Frequency Technology Centre at ITT Dublin carries out applied research in wireless technology. The research focuses on

Main Subject/Technology Areas: 

Research is carried out in partnership with local companies, supported by Enterprise Ireland innovation voucher and innovation partnership schemes.

Dr. James WrightT: +353 (0)1 404 2502E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Established in 2007, the Social Media Research Group (SMRG) consists of academics and postgraduate students who are conducting research in a wide spectrum of projects under the Social Media umbrella. Projects range from those which extend the theoretical foundations of Social Media to those which demonstrate novel applications of the technologies. The interdisciplinary nature of the team, whose background includes computer scientists, linguists and psychologists, enables the production of novel solutions to complex problems.

Dr. John CardiffT: +353 (0)1 404 2858E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Tridelta is an Irish-based diagnostic company specialising in the development of assays specifically for animals. It focuses particularly on Acute Phase Protein Assays for multiple domestic and commercial animals and is regarded as the leading company in this field, exporting over 99% of its production to veterinarians and researchers worldwide.

Tridelta is a world leader in the development of ELISA assay for the detection of acute phase proteins in animals. While ELISA is a universally accepted technology for the highly sensitive and specifi c detection of antigens in complex sample matrices, it is not readily amenable to automation without significant capital investment. As a result all samples are not tested routinely but only in cases when elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) is suspected.

To address these problems, Tridelta approached the MiCRA centre at ITT Dublin to develop an immunoassay capable of automation using preexisting laboratory equipment such as spectrophotometric clinical chemistry analyzers. The MiCRA centre (www.micra.ie) is an Enterprise Ireland Technology Gateway with an  exclusive focus on the delivery of solutions to Irish Industry. The centre is supported by the recently built state of the art facilities and equipment in the Centre for Applied Sciences for Health (CASH) at  ITT Dublin.

MiCRA’s core expertise is in the area of biosensor devolvement and rapid diagnostic technology development, with a strong track record of company engagement and commercialization in this area. To meet Tridelta’s needs, it was felt that this expertise could be applied to developing a polystyrene enhanced immunoturbidimetric assay that would deliver the performance characteristics of an ELISA assay while concurrently being suitable for high-throughput sample analysis.

Particle enhanced immunoturbidimetric assays are liquid in format consisting of a two reagent system. Reagent 2 (R2) contains covalently bound anti-CRP antibodies in a stabilization matrix. Reagent 1 (R1) when combined with samples and subsequently R2 initiates a reaction that is measured photometrically. It was of critical importance that the assay was optimized to ensure the concentration of CRP in the sample was directly proportional to signal measured. This work was undertaken successfully by the MiCRA centre, which also provided technical transfer support to the company and sourced, installed and validated an appropriate bulk manufacturing system for the assay.

The project produced a fully optimized  microparticle enhanced immunoturbidimetric assay for canine CRP. The assay was successfully validated by five  independent international sites and was demonstrated to be equivalent in analytical performance to the predicate ELISA test. As a result the assay is now commercially available from Tridelta which in turn has enabled the company to target new markets, generating exports and revenue. The success of the project has  further enhanced the company’s reputation as a leader in the acute phase protein diagnostic markets. As of release, Tridelta’s immunoturbidimetric assay is a world first for specifically detecting canine CRP – a major achievement for an Irish Diagnostics company. The research and development undertaken by MiCRA was funded through Enterprise Ireland’s innovation voucher scheme. Also important to the success of the project was the benefit in kind provided by Tridelta in  supplying technicians to complement the research undertaken. Tridelta also invested in the machinery required to manufacture the assay in its Maynooth facility. Indeed Tridelta now retains the core in-house skills to undertake further assay development with the assistance of MiCRA when required.

The major benefit to the company is a new product commercially available for sale and export. With a validated manufacturing facility and an understanding of the reproducible quality manufacture of immunoturbidimetric assays, the transfer of skills and expertise from the Institute to Tridelta will enable the company to develop an in-house product development programme to expand the number of assays in their portfolio. Since the introduction of the CRP assay Tridelta are significantly expanding their facilities and workforce.

“Working with MICRA has allowed Tridelta to develop products to both secure its current markets and allow for the expansion of the products into new markets both in terms of customers and market areas. The new technologies that MICRA transferred to Tridelta has strengthened our marketing positions and helped to create jobs”

Brian Hett CEO, Tridelta

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Dr. James HayesMICRAInstitute of Technology TallaghtTallaght, Dublin 24, Ireland

T: +353-1-404 2000E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

An Lár TV is an online TV channel with a large viewership amongst the Irish at home and the Irish diaspora around the world, as well as many more who have an affinity with Ireland and all things Irish.

Already at the forefront in online television, An Lár TV needs to leverage social media effectively to bring more followers and likes to its social media sites. This is not an end in itself, but a means to an end. More followers and likes will increase engagement, and therefore bring more viewers to the online TV channels. The key goal of the collaboration was to increase viewership of An Lár TV channels through the effective use of social media.

Susanne Carpenter of An Lár TV contacted ITT Dublin and was put in touch with Glenn Mehta, a lecturer in the area of social media communications. Glenn’s research expertise includes how to leverage social media tools to increase engagement with brands as a route to improved customer satisfaction and increased turnover. Glenn is also a researcher in Web 2.0 technologies, and has published an Irish-focused leading text on social media entitled Infinite Ripple – The Social Media Revolution. He is a social media strategy advisor to several Irish and European companies and non-profit organisations. 

A strategy report was compiled to answer the key research questions posed by the company, specifically:

1. How can An Lár TV make people “Be Part of It”, i.e. improve engagement?

2. Niches: What are the niches that An Lár TV needs to be exploring through the use of social media over the next 12 months?

3. Social Media Strategy: How can An Lár TV make best use of social media in its overall strategy to boost audience numbers?

The product of the research was a report and presentation setting out clear findings, recommendations and supporting information. Key tasks as well as targets and milestones were included in the report in order to ensure that An Lár utilised the strategy to its optimum capacity. This included tasks to increase followership/likes across social media, as well as focusing on longterm brand success by increasing engagement.

A particular focus was put on tasks that were not resource intensive in terms of time and cost. An Enterprise Ireland Innovation Voucher funded the entire strategy research, which was conducted in summer 2012. Initial findings were presented to An Lár TV in September 2012. 

Partnerships between active academic researchers who are leaders in their field and businesses who seek out their advice can lead to multiple benefits for both parties. In this case, company requirements to increase social media engagement with their service were delivered and the strategy is continuing to prove beneficial. This leads to more customers for the brand, increasing advertising opportunities and ultimately increasing revenue. Primarily, the partnership puts the business on a sound social media footing and assists in futureproofing its communications strategies.

“Glenn worked with An Lár TV to develop a social media strategy in late 2012. Throughout the process of development, Glenn was hugely supportive and helped us understand the importance of social media to our business. The strategy that Glenn developed was clear and concise, and very user friendly. An Lár TV has  been implementing the strategy for the last 6 months, and we have noted significant improvements in reach and engagement on Twitter and Facebook. We will continue to use the strategy over the coming months to support growth. The team at An Lár TV would recommend Glenn to all organisations that wish to develop a social media presence.”

Susanne Carpenter An Lár TV

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Glenn MehtaDepartment of ManagementInstitute of Technology TallaghtTallaght, Dublin 24, Ireland

T: +353-1-404 2000E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.