My research interests lie in carbon cycling in soils, sediments and water. We study carbon in different natural forms and investigate how it cycles between phases (in air, soil and water). I have been lucky enough to be involved when we were having fun and followed our curiosity, not necessarily sticking to deadlines and box ticking.

Nowadays, it is hard not to be motivated with the climate change cloud hanging over us. That said, the natural world around us is an environmental scientist’s playground and we are privileged to be able to study it.

I’m a lecturer because I caught the research bug. Having worked in many other jobs, I  encountered the world of research at the age of 28 and then did all I could to be involved in research for the rest of my professional career.

Uncovering the universe’s mysteries
From an environmental science point of view, we know very, very little. We don’t understand the contents of soil and water and how they work together. Analytical instruments do not come close yet to understanding the chemistry and biology of soil.

The universe is still a mystery and we do not understand and cannot characterise the 99% of materials and energy that we know of. Therefore, there is a good argument that an environmental scientist should be humble. Everything after that is a bonus!

Dr Brian Kelleher is Programme chair, BSc in Environmental Science and Technology, in the School of Chemical Sciences at Dublin City University. 

Dr. José Antonio Galán Pérez (1992) is a postdoctoral researcher at TU Dublin (Ireland). He obtained his degree in Chemistry from the University of Seville (2017) and a Master’s degree in Advances in Agricultural Biology and Aquaculture from the University of Granada (2018). He carried out his Master’s thesis at IACT (CSIC) and completed an internship at the Department of Plant Biology and Ecology (University of Seville). In 2019, he was awarded an FPI contract to undertake his doctoral thesis at IRNAS (CSIC) under the supervision of Dr. Beatriz Gámiz and Dr. Rafael Celis, focusing on degradation and mobility processes of bioactive compounds in agricultural soils. In 2021, he completed a research stay at CEBAS-CSIC under the supervision of Dr. Carlos García Izquierdo, specialising in advanced soil analytical techniques. He defended his doctoral thesis in 2023 with cum laude distinction and subsequently completed a postdoctoral orientation period (POP) at IRNAS. That same year, he joined the Bio-CERG group (Department of Food Science, TU Dublin), led by Prof. Jesús María Frías, and in 2025 he joined the group of Dr. Shane O’Reilly (Department of Chemical and Biopharmaceutical Sciences, TU Dublin). In January 2026, he carried out a research stay at the Center for Marine Environmental Sciences (MARUM), under the supervision of Dr. Florence Schubotz, focusing on state-of-the-art untargeted lipidomics techniques applied to the study of soils and marine sediments.

His scientific activity is structured around five main research lines:

1) Characterisation of soil processes, properties, and components governing the dynamics of allelochemicals and other bioactive compounds as environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional pesticides; 

2) Strategies to improve their field efficacy and stability through amendments and innovative formulations, minimising losses due to volatilisation and biodegradation; 

3) Effects of different agronomic practices on the physicochemical and biological properties of soils, particularly those controlling adsorption, degradation, and mobility processes; 

4) Investigation of soil–silicon-based biostimulant–crop interactions, with emphasis on bioavailability and agricultural sustainability; 

5) Application of advanced techniques (chromatography, mass spectrometry, untargeted lipidomics) to the study of soil metabolites as indicators of soil health and for the bioprospecting of new bioactive compounds.

Between 2020 and 2022, he participated in NEOS (RED2018-102624-T), collaborating with research groups from CEBAS-CSIC and EEZ-CSIC. He has carried out outreach and knowledge transfer activities within the framework of the USDA-AFRI FLORECE project, in workshops of the doctoral programme “Natural Resources and Environment” (best presentation award in two editions), and in seminars at IRNAS and TU Dublin (2023–2024). In 2024, he joined the Executive Committee of the Sustainability and Health Research Hub (TU Dublin), and in 2025 he became a member of the Green Chemistry and Biotechnology Research Centre. He is an active member of the Environmental Sciences Association of Ireland (ESAI), a BiOrbic staff member (SFI Bioeconomy Research Centre), and participates in the Co-Centre for Sustainable Food Systems. He collaborates closely with agricultural companies such as McCormack Farm, Fiorbhia Farm, Green Belt Ltd., ARTi Biochar, and the Grounded in Soil network. 

I am a Ph.D. student at Technological University Dublin, Ireland. My research interests are the biosynthetic and bioprospecting potential of terpenoids in marine microorganisms and invertebrates in Irish waters. Microbial metagenomics approaches will be introduced to enhance the possibility of exploring novel natural products for commercial use. 

Ranging from 2010 to 2014, I have completed my Bachelor of science in Shanghai Ocean University and studied biological technology (Marine biopharmaceutical). During my Master of Science, I was dedicated to the chemical and biological diversity of secondary metabolites from Polar marine Fungi, at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, the Second Military Medical University from September 2014 to September 2017.  

Outside of study and public engagement, I enjoy traveling, playing tennis and other competitive sports such as Formula 1, snooker etc. 

I am currently a research Master’s student working at the Technological University of Dublin in Ireland. Thanks to Dr. Shane, I joined the ProspecTER team in May 2025. I conduct biotechnological experiments, notably metagenomic analyses on marine biofilms.

I am originally from Brittany, and my academic background is primarily focused on biotechnology. In June 2023, I completed an International Master’s Degree in Marine Biotechnology at the European University Institute of the Sea (IUEM), University of Brest. Through university partnerships, I had the opportunity to undertake a six-month internship in Japan, where I worked and studied marine biotechnology on a project closely related to ProspecTER, focusing on marine microbial diversity. I also hold a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Biotechnology from the South Brittany University of Lorient, as well as a University Diploma of Technology (DUT) in Biology, Biotechnology, and Food Science from Saint-Brieuc.

I am very grateful to be part of this team. Over the past few months, I have learned a lot and participated in various events that have broadened my technical skills, scientific knowledge, and professional experience. I am motivated to continue contributing to this project and remain fully committed to achieving meaningful and impactful outcomes.

I am also passionate about travelling, discovering new places and ideas, and meeting new people. This project offers many opportunities to engage with diverse domains and cultures, which I greatly value.

In 2023, I joined the ProspecTER team as a postgraduate research student in Atlantic Technological University Sligo, under the supervision of Dr Shane O’Reilly. 

I am originally from Galway. I studied Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences with Trinity College Dublin. I thoroughly enjoy chemistry and have a particular interest in natural sources of products, including medicines. Education is very important to me and I was very happy to return to an educational environment in ATU Sligo. 

Joining the ProspecTER project was an exciting new opportunity for me. It gave me the opportunity to develop my skills in natural product chemistry. I was glad of the chance to move into this area, building on the experience from my pharmacy degree. There are many exciting new developments in the area of natural products. Marine research, in particular, allows us to gain an understanding of this dynamic environment, which is so important to all of our lives. 

With this research, I learned more about the marine world, and how we can look to it as a source of value and understanding. In this way, I hope to bring about positive change as I move forward in my career.