This division undertakes research in Oral and Applied Microbiology and Dental Materials Science, provides teaching in basic and clinical sciences and dental materials science and has responsibility for development of clinical and environmental infection prevention and control strategies.
Diagnostics and environmental monitoring:
Microbiology Unit staff provide a clinical diagnostic service for oral fungal and staphylococcal infections. This service identifies the causative agents of fungal or staphylococcal infections of the oral cavity and where appropriate susceptibility levels to antimicrobial agents are determined to facilitate effective drug treatment. Microbiology Unit staff are also responsible for maintaining good microbiological quality of the hospital’s water distribution networks, for managing implementation of Legionella bacteria controls and for environmental monitoring.
Infection prevention and control:
Microbiology Unit staff provide expert advice and practical assistance in the development and implementation of hospital infection prevention and control policies in-line with best practice and national and international guidelines and legislation. Microbiology Unit staff have contributed to the development of National guidelines for the control of Legionellosis in Ireland and for the Prevention and Control of Infection from Water Systems in Healthcare Facilities with the Health Protection Surveillance Centre and in the development of the Code of Practice for the decontamination of reusable invasive medical devices with the Health Services Executive.
Teaching and learning:
Microbiology Unit staff play a major role in curriculum development and in teaching basic and clinical sciences to:
- Undergraduate dental students
- Student dental nurses and student hygienists
- Postgraduate dentists undertaking taught doctorate degrees
- Supervising postgraduate students undertaking M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees by research
- Supervising postgraduate student D. Dent. Ch. research projects
Research:
Microbiology Unit staff undertake basic, applied and translational research in several research fields comprising the School and Hospital’s Microbiology and Microbiomes research theme. Click here to see our Research.
Teaching and learning:
The Materials Science unit provides teaching of dental materials science to:
- Dental, hygiene and therapy, dental technology and dental nursing students
- Supervising postgraduate students undertaking M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees by
- Supervising postgraduate student D. Dent. Ch. research projects
Research:
The Dental Materials Science Research Unit undertakes research into a variety of dental materials routinely employed in clinical practice and contributes to the School and Hospital’s Regenerative Dentistry and Biomaterials research theme. Click here to see our Research.
Microbiology Unit
Academic Staff:
David Coleman, Professor of Oral and Applied Microbiology
Derek Sullivan, Professor in Microbiology
Gary Moran, Associate Professor in Microbiology
Mary O’Donnell, Assistant Professor in Microbiology
Brenda McManus, Experimental Officer in Microbiology
Postdoctoral Fellows:
Peter Kinnevey, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Microbiology
Emily Deasy, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Microbiology
Leenah Alaalm, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Microbiology
James O’Connor, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Microbiology
Materials Science Unit
Academic Staff:
Garry Fleming, Associate Professor in Dental Materials Science