2004 IRISH SCIENTIST YEAR BOOK

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Dublin City University
Brian MacCraith
A healthy future for sensors!

The National Centre for Sensor Research is a world renowned, multidisciplinary research facility focused on the science and applications of chemical sensors and biosensors. The Centre has been very successful in recent Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) funding programmes, achieving two major research awards as well as hosting three prestigious SFI ETS Walton Visiting Fellowships.


Biomedical Diagnostics Group

The NCSR is hosting a major programme in Biomedical Diagnostics, which has received �5.6 million from SFI. The funding led to the establishment of the Biomedical Diagnostics Group (BDG), which involves collaboration between NCSR researchers, Professors Brian MacCraith and Robert Forster, and Professor Dolores Cahill of the Centre for Human Proteomics at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.

The programme will lead to the development of accurate and reliable diagnostic devices that can detect indicators of serious diseases such as colon cancer, breast cancer, and metabolic syndrome. These devices will detect life-threatening events long before a critical stage is reached. They will also allow chronic diseases to be controlled, potentially reducing the necessity for painful treatment and saving costs.

This research is the first phase of a major initiative at the NCSR to develop a long-term comprehensive program in Biomedical Diagnostics in collaboration with industrial partners.


Smart Diagnostic Devices will be used in the home to give people early warning of life-threatening diseases


Adaptive Information Cluster

Members of the NCSR research team have also been involved in the establishment of the Adaptive Information Cluster (AIC) that has been awarded �5.6 million by SFI. NCSR researcher Prof. Dermot Diamond is collaborating with Prof. Alan Smeaton, DCU and Prof. Mark Keane, Prof. Barry Smyth and G.M.P. O'Hare from UCD in this research programme. A key output from this research will be miniaturised sensor systems with in-built wireless communications that can provide useful data from the natural and physical environment, e.g. smart homes and environmental monitoring.


SFI E.T.S. Walton Visiting Fellows

In 2003�2004, three world-class scientists have been selected to receive E.T.S. Walton Visiting Fellows to carry out research in the NCSR:

  • Prof. Gordon Wallace, Director, Intelligent Polymer Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Australia, will work on Intelligent Biomaterials.

  • Prof. Anthony Ricco, Stanford University & NASA Ames Research, will develop ground breaking 'Lab-on-a-chip' systems.

  • Prof. Pavel Nesterenko, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Moscow State University, will work on advanced materials for separating biomolecules for pharmaceutical and biomedical applications.

These fellows have outstanding track records in their respective fields and have strengthened the NCSR's connections within the International Research Community.

Contact: Prof. Brian MacCraith;
Tel: +353-1-700-5299 (Direct); Tel: +353-1-700-8821 (NCSR); Fax: +353-1-700-8021;
E-mail: [email protected] ; NCSR website: www.ncsr.ie