University of Ulster

United Kingdom

Ulster University’s Biomedical Sciences Research Institute which is based in Coleraine and in C-TRIC at the Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry/Londonderry, saw its international reputation as a world-leading research centre soar today, when it again achieved top ranking in the UK-wide Research Excellence Framework (REF2014). Read More

The Biomedical Sciences Research Institute (BMSRI) was formally established on 1st October 2004 and it is one of 6 Research Institutes (RI) within the Faculty of Life and Health Sciences and is based on the Coleraine Campus.

The BMSRI specialises in the study of the biological mechanisms (especially those which relate to gene-nutrient interactions) associated with degenerative diseases – eg., cancer, diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis and visual deterioration. Members of the Institute are conducting pioneering research in these areas, with a determination to investigate the underlying causes, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of human degenerative diseases.

Website: biomed.science.ulster.ac.uk/bmsri/

 

Profile of staff engaged in the Project:

Ibrahim M. Banat

Professor Ibrahim Banat photo-1Professor Banat is a professor of Microbial Biotechnology, has an international reputation in biosurfactant research and >200 paper publications linked to biosurfactants, oil, textile and fermentation and food industries. Prof. Banat has extensive experience regarding microbial fermentation production and characterisation, and all associated up and downstream processes. Recently completed an undertaking a task in BIOSURFING New-to-nature biosurfactants by metabolic engineering: production and application KBBE.2011.3.3-03 and currently undertaking a task in Kill.Spill: Innovative biotechnologies for tackling oil spill disasters (The Ocean of Tomorrow)” KBBE.2012.3.5-01

Roger Marchant

Roger MarchantProfessor R. Marchant is a professor of Microbiology wish experience in mycology, fermentation, molecular biology of rhamnolipids biosurfactants, and all analytical techniques involved in the detection and quantifications of these molecules. He has > 200 publications in all the above topics and has recently been involved project BIOSURFING New-to-nature biosurfactants by metabolic engineering: production and application KBBE.2011.3.3-03.  Currently undertaking a task in Kill.Spill: Innovative biotechnologies for tackling oil spill disasters (The Ocean of Tomorrow)” KBBE.2012.3.5-01

Dr. Lakshmi Tripathi

Dr. Lakshmi Tripathi is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, the University of Lakshmi-picUlster. She received Ph.D. from the Tsinghua University, Beijing, China. During her doctoral research, she worked on the microbial synthesis and characterization of bioplastics. She developed a platform in Pseudomonas putida KT2442 for the production of various polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) block copolymers. She is recipient of the prestigious doctoral scholarship awarded by China Scholarship Council (CSC), the Government of China and the Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Science (CLS) Post-Doctoral Fellowship at the Tsinghua University. She specializes in microbiology and molecular biology research, especially in microbial strain development for enhanced value-added compound production. Presently at the University of Ulster, she is working on the development and optimization of fermentation process for the production of marine derived bio-surfactants.

Dr. Matthew Twigg

Dr. Matthew Twigg is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in The Biomedical Sciences Research Institute at Ulster University. matthew-ulsterDr. Twigg received his Ph.D. from the University of Nottingham where, working in collaboration with Plymouth Marine Laboratory, he investigated the interactions between marine algal species and their indigenous, epiphytic bacterial communities. His doctoral research demonstrated for the first time that bacteria influence the germination of the seaweed Ulva via quorum sensing signalling molecules. After completing his Ph.D. in 2012 he carried out a three-year industrially funded postdoctoral research project at Queen’s University Belfast investigating a novel biomarker for the detection of bacterial driven exacerbation in cystic fibrosis patients and the role bacterial infection plays in the protease/ anti-protease homeostatic balance within these patients.