Research Assistant

Description:

APC Microbiome Ireland (formerly Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, APC) was formed in 2003 with funding from Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and key industry partners. APC represents a seamless collaboration between UCC, Teagasc and MTU. APC is a trans-disciplinary research centre, with clinicians, clinician-scientists and basic scientists from diverse backgrounds working in teams, sharing ideas and resources. Although focused upon the gastrointestinal bacterial community (the microbiota), the scale and scope of the work has become one of the fastest moving areas of biology. The microbiota is not only a target for treatment and prevention of disease, but also a repository for functional food ingredients and even new drugs and is a source of novel biomarkers of disease risk. The scientific organisation of the APC consists of a matrix of ‘spokes’ or themes of intellectual pursuit which are supported by multiple horizontal or shared technology platforms. The APC collaborates with over 20 industry partners and employs over 300 individuals, from the scientific PI’s funded by the partner Institutions, the management team, and a dedicated group of research scientists, research assistants and postgraduate students.

We are currently recruiting a Research Assistant to work under the “PreVegDiet” project, which is funded under the Joint Programming Initiative (JPI), a Healthy Diet for a Healthy Life (HDHL) by Health Research Board (HRB).

About PreVegDiet project:

Obesity is a risk factor for both susceptibility to infections including postoperative infections and other nosocomial infections and the occurrence of a more severe disease course. The main cause of obesity is energetic imbalance which induces metabolic and hormonal changes, thereby increasing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), heart disease, and stroke. T2DM is a non-reversible but preventable condition with overweight and obesity being major risk factors. Nutrition and diets can promote the functioning of the immune system as a preventive measure by reducing both inflammation and oxidative stress that might be caused by various factors. The main objective of the present project is to study the influence of beneficial diets such as the Mediterranean diet (rich in fruits, vegetables, fibre) and bioactive compounds such as polyphenols and seaweeds, on the immune system of prediabetic patients and its potential to counteract infections, by using a clinical, an in vitro and an in vivo approach. Partners under PreVegDiet include the University of Barcelona, Spain and the University of Roehampton, London, and APC/UCC. The selected candidate will examine the influence of a seaweed supplement and components from a Mediterranean diet on epithelial cell responses under an obesogenic environment and Salmonella typhimurium-infection.

UCC is an accredited research organisation and as such can form hosting agreements with third country nationals (and non-EEA nationals) for the purpose of conducting research in the University.