Autumn 2024
Embedded Files
The Untapped Potential of Marine Microorganisms - Library talk for Bioeconomy Ireland Week
Blanchardstown Library, Dublin 15
Monday 14th October 2024
Principal Investigator, Dr. Shane O'Reilly, participated in Bioeconomy Ireland Week by giving a talk in Blanchardstown Library this October.
The talk explored humanity's reliance on nature for health and wellbeing. He discussed the latest scientific tools for investigating marine microorganisms as source of new natural products. This can contribute to the Blue Bioeconomy. For further explanation on the concept of the Blue Bioeconomy, click the below link or head along to our FAQ section.
Blue Ambition 24 - Exploring Investment and growth opportunities in the blue bioeconomy
The Depot at The Complex, Dublin
Friday, October 11th, 2024
Principal Investigator, Dr. Shane O'Reilly was invited to be part of a panel discussing how to enable marine biodiscovery research and the ways to accelerate this through interdisciplinary collaboration.
19th GERLI Lipidomics meeting
Our team member, Sara Finnerty, was very glad to present at the 19th GERLI congress in Brest, Plouzané, France, on September 23rd 2024. The congress, organised by the Groupe d’Etude et de Recherche sur les Lipides (GERLI), was attended by lipid science researchers from all over the world.
We were delighted to meet others researching the microphytobenthos and share ideas. Other topics included the use of microalgae as food, marine sources of omega-3 fatty acids and the marine chemistry of sea cucumbers- to name just a few!
The congress was very engaging and offered many opportunities to mingle with other researchers. This allows us to discuss challenges we face in our own research and share solutions. Not to mention, the venue, the European Institute for Marine Studies (IUEM), was beautiful. Located just outside of the city of Brest, its proximity to our shared Atlantic ocean made for some scenic lunchtime walks.
Will be adding this to the 2025 conference calendar for sure!
(More) Clew Bay fieldwork
PhD students, Stan and Sara, were back in Co. Mayo sampling sponges and biofilms during the high tides of September's full moon - also called the harvest moon.
Not the last of our scenic trips to the bay.
A 1m2 quadrat of microphytobenthic biofilm sampled from Clew Bay on 19/Sep/2024.
A 1m2 quadrat of microphytobenthic biofilm sampled from Clew Bay on 20/Sep/2024.
Summer 2024
Clew Bay fieldwork
With the return of summer and a (slight!) improvement in weather, the team was happy to get back out in the field for more sampling. This time, we journeyed to Co. Mayo to explore the various aquaculture sites along Clew Bay.
We are especially thankful for the support and guidance of Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) for these fieldtrips, particularly Mary Hannan, the BIM Resource Development Officer for the North West and Killary Harbour.
Pictured (left to right): Yunhai (Stan) Li, Sara Finnerty
Pictured (left to right): Yunhai (Stan) Li (TUD), Mary Hannan (BIM), Shane O'Reilly (TUD).
Extraction and fractionation - preparation for marine sponge extracts
To prepare extracts for chemical and biological screening of sponges from Irish costal area, freeze-dried samples have been extracted and then fractionated by C18 SPE into fractions by decreasing polarity.
We are sincerely thanks to Olivier Thomas's Lab from University of Galway for providing experimental equipment, consumables and especially guidance for this step.
Move to Grangegorman, TU Dublin in early summer
It is very glad that the ProspecTER project has been moved to Grangegorman, TU Dublin in early summer of 2024, hope to bulid more networks here and have boarder prospective in the coming semester.
Spring 2024
Undergraduate projects - Bioactivity testing of biofilm lipid extracts
The ProspecTER team were delighted to take on three undergraduate students as part of their team. The students, Marium Arif, Jamie Clarke and Francesco Zampieri, were completing their Level 8 Medical Biotechnology degree in ATU Sligo. For their final year project, they tested the bioactivity of ProspecTER biofilm lipid extracts. The research they completed was very valuable in progressing our natural product workflow.
Each student focussed on a bioactivity area: Marium on anticancer, Jamie on antioxidant and Francesco on antimicrobial. They first established their methods on seaweed lipid extracts, and progressed on to analyse biofilm extracts obtained via different extraction methods. See below for more details.
Further details on experimental work:
Seaweed species: Fucus serratus, Laminaria digitata, Sargassum muticum. All extracted via Soxhlet extraction (dichloromethane:methanol, 9:1 v/v).
Biofilm samples: ProspecTER samples PROSB001, PROSB006, PROSB007, PROSB010.
Extraction methods: Modified Bligh & Dyer extraction, Energized Dispersive Guided Extraction (EDGE®, CEM), Ultrasonication-assisted extraction (methanol:dichloromethane, 1:1 v/v; 40 °C).
Anticancer potential: Cytotoxicity measured via MTT assay - Marium Arif
Marium cultured MCF7 cells and tested the effects of seaweed and biofilm lipid extracts on their proliferative activity. The widely used MTT assay was used.
Note: MTT is an abbreviation for 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, a salt which is used as a reagent in the assay, to measure how toxic the sample is to cells.
Microscopic image of MCF7 cells treated with Laminaria digitata lipid extract from Soxhlet extraction (extract concentration 150 µg/mL)
96-well plate of MCF7 cells with MTT reagent and DMSO solvent
Microscopic image of MCF7 cells treated with biofilm lipid extract from EDGE method (extract concentration 1000 µg/mL)
Formazan crystals viewed under microscope
Antioxidant and activity measured via FRAP assay and anti-inflammatory activity measured via nitric oxide inhibition - Jamie Clarke
Jamie tested the antioxidant activity of seaweed and biofilm lipid extracts via the Ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) assay. He also cultured MCF7 cells for anti-inflammatory activity testing (nitric oxide inhibition assay).
Microscopic image of MCF7 cells cultured in DMEM media for anti-inflammatory activity testing
96-well plate oof MCF7 cells for anti-inflammatory assay; cells were stimulated by LPS (LPS-stimulated cell supernatant shown here, along with standards (A1-6)).
Note: LPS = lipopolysaccharide
Antibacterial activity measured via agar disk diffusion assay - Francesco Zampieri
Francesco performed an agar disk diffusion assay to test for activity of seaweed and biofilm lipid extracts against the bacterium, E-coli.
Photo of agar disk diffusion assay preparation in laminar flow cabinet.
Autumn 2023
On Sunday November 12th, our team was presenting at the Sligo Science Fair in ATU Sligo. This event runs annually as a part of the Sligo Science Festival, supported by Science Foundation Ireland.
Here, we showcased the diversity of sponges to the local community. We were delighted to meet families from the area and to see such interest in our project. It was an enjoyable and educational event.
Pictured (left to right): Sara Finnerty, Yunhai (Stan) Li
In Autumn 2023, the ProspecTER team conducted a sampling campaign in various locations on Ireland's coastline.
Samples of microphytobenthic biofilms were collected from intertidal mudflats in Sligo and Dublin.
Sponge samples were collected from the coasts of Donegal and Sligo.
Our Sligo biofilm sampling expeditions took us to various locations along Ballysadare Bay, Drumcliff Bay and Sligo Harbour.
Pictured (left to right): Dr. Shane O'Reilly, Yunhai (Stan) Li
Pictured (left to right): Sara Finnerty, Yunhai (Stan) Li
Meanwhile, the team was also visiting St. John's Point, Co. Donegal and Mullaghmore Harbour, Co. Sligo, on sponge sampling trips. We collaborated with Sligo and Trafford SubAqua Clubs, as well as other SCUBA divers including Tony O'Callaghan, the National Coordinator for Seasearch Ireland.
Samples of marine sponges were collected from shallow waters.
Sponges are known producers of bioactive secondary metabolites, which may be useful as novel drug compounds. In the coming months, our team will be testing the biological activity of these samples, to uncover their potential for treating different human diseases.
Marine sponge sampling
St. John's Point, Co. Donegal, September 2023
Finally, our sampling campaign for this season finished on a high with a trip to Bull Island, Co. Dublin in November.
We were lucky to have an expert tour guide, Dr. Anthony Grey, guiding us around the island.
Anthony is a postdoctoral researcher, working with Dr. Brian Kelleher in Dublin City University (see link below for info. on their PREDICT research group).
Summer 2023
In June 2023, our team collected our first sample - a microphytobenthic biofilm. This was collected from the intertidal area of a beach in Co. Sligo, Ireland. The team has since began analysis of the sample. Firstly, lipid extraction was performed using a variety of methods. The next step is to conduct chromatographic separation of the sample, coupled with mass spectrometry, to identify the biofilm's components.
Sample site exploration
Sligo coast, 16th August 2023
Pictured (left to right): Yunhai (Stan) Li, Dr. Shane O'Reilly
Sligo coast, 16th August 2023
Pictured (left to right): Yunhai (Stan) Li, Dr. Shane O'Reilly
Further lipid extractions of same microphytobenthic biofilm, this time using the automated CEM EDGE Automated Extraction System
ATU Sligo, July 2023
Extraction performed by project lead Dr. Shane O'Reilly and PhD students Sara Finnerty and Yunhai (Stan) Li (pictured)
ATU Sligo, July 2023
Extraction performed by project lead Dr. Shane O'Reilly and PhD students Sara Finnerty and Yunhai (Stan) Li (pictured)
Lipid extraction of microphytobenthic biofilm, using a modified Bligh & Dyer method ATU Sligo, June 28th 2023Extraction performed by project lead Dr. Shane O'Reilly and PhD students Yunhai (Stan) Li and Sara Finnerty
First ProspecTER field work trip
Sampling a microphytobenthic biofilm from Sligo's coastline, June 1st 2023Pictured (left to right): Yunhai (Stan) Li, Sara Finnerty, Dr. Sean Jordan, Dr. Shane O'Reilly
Sampling a microphytobenthic biofilm from Sligo's coastline, June 1st 2023Pictured (left to right): Yunhai (Stan) Li, Sara Finnerty, Dr. Sean Jordan, Dr. Shane O'Reilly
Irish Mass Spectrometry Society Annual Conference
University College Dublin, May 10th 2023Pictured (left to right): Sara Finnerty, Yunhai (Stan) Li, Dr. Shane O'Reilly
University College Dublin, May 10th 2023Pictured (left to right): Sara Finnerty, Yunhai (Stan) Li, Dr. Shane O'Reilly
SciFest, ATU Sligo
May 9th 2023
May 9th 2023
Pictured:Sara Finnerty (top image)Yunhai (Stan) Li (bottom image)
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