David O'Neill PhD

Introductory Biology, labs, Year 1

Cell Biology & Biochemistry, labs, Year 1

Good Lab Practice, labs, Year 1

Microbiology 1, labs, Year 2

Food Microbiology, labs, Year 2

Food Microbiology for Culinary Arts, lectures, Year 2

Bioanalytical Methods for the Food Industry, labs, Year 2

Biopharmaceutical Science, labs, Year 2

Environmental Science, labs, Year 2

Protein Chemistry & Enzymology, labs, Year 3

Animal Breeding & Genetics, labs, Year 3

DNA Technology & Bioinformatics, lectures and labs, Year 4

Cell Factories & Mammalian Cell Culturing, lectures and labs, Year 4

Biopharmaceutical Technology, labs, Year 4

Food Traceability & Genomics, labs, Year 4

Food Traceability & Bioanalysis, labs, Year 4

Molecular Biology & Medicine, lectures, Year 4

Literature Review and Research Project (L7, L8 [Biology and Agricultural Science]) 

Currently supervising one PhD student as lead supervisor, and three more as co-supervisor. 

Research interests include molecular ecology, wildlife conservation, noninvasive genetics, eDNA, and water quality, underpinned by techniques in molecular biology, molecular diagnostics, and recombinant DNA technology.

Experience with community outreach / citizen science and public engagement with research.

Peer reviewer for The European Journal of Wildlife Research, Molecular Ecology Resources, Conservation Genetics Resources, Irish Naturalists’ Journal, and the Italian Journal of Zoology.

Current Postgraduate Supervision, PhD Candidates

Lead supervisor:

Tapiwa Nyakauru: An investigation into the genomic and proteomic effects of heavy metal exposure to the hyperaccumulator plants Eichhornia crassipes and Pistia stratiotes. Funded by WIT and IRC.

Co-supervisor:

Thomas Curran: Development of eDNA methods for the surveillance of mosquitoes in Ireland. EPA and WIT PhD CoFund. 

Anthony Murphy: Investigating the prevalence of genetic based resistance to rodenticides in the Irish rodent population. CRRU Ireland and WIT, PhD CoFund.

Elsie Isiye: Development of DNA based methods for the identification of biting midges and mosquitoes on Irish farms. DAFM funded.

Recently Completed Projects

Pre-validation and expansion of COVID-19 rRT-PCR diagnostic testing. Team member, SFI COVID-19 Rapid Response Funding Call, 2020. 

Seeweeds of the Waterford Estuary, Phase 2. Lead applicant, BIM/FLAG, 2019.

Seeweeds of the Waterford Estuary, Phase 1. Lead applicant, BIM/FLAG, 2017. 

Journal Articles:

Curran, T, Browett, S, O'Neill, D, Aidan O'Hanlon, O'Reilly, C, Harrington, A, McDevitt, AD & O'Meara, D 2022, One Bat’s Waste is Another Man’s Treasure: A DNA Metabarcoding Approach for the Assessment of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Using Bat Faeces. Biodiversity & Conservation, Accepted June 2022.

Browett, S.S., Curran, T.G., O’Meara, D.B., Harrington, AP, Guimarães Sales, N, Antwis, RE, O’Neill, D, McDevitt, AD. Primer biases in the molecular assessment of diet in multiple insectivorous mammals. Mamm Biol 101, 293–304 (2021).

Dooley‐Cullinane TM, O’Reilly C, Aslam B,  Weiner DP, O’Neill D, Owens E, O’Meara D, Coffey Lee (2018) The use of clade‐specific PCR assays to identify novel nitrilase genes from environmental isolates. MicrobiologyOpen, 1 – 7.

O'Meara DB, McDevitt AD, O'Neill D, Harrington AP, Turner P, Carr W, Desmond M, Lawton C, Marnell F, Rubalcava S, Sheehy E, Sleeman DP, Tosh DG, Waters C, O'Reilly C (2018) Retracing the history and planning the future of the red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) in Ireland using non-invasive genetics. Mammal Research, 63, 173 -184.

White S, O’Neill D, O’Meara DB, Shores C, Harrington AP, O’Reilly C, Weyman G and Sleeman DP (2013) A non-invasive genetic survey of otters (Lutra lutra) in an urban environment: a pilot study with citizen scientists. IUCN Otter Specialist Group Bulletin. 30/02.

O’Neill D, Turner PD, O’Meara DB, Chadwick E, Coffey L and O’Reilly C (2013).Development of novel real-time TaqMan PCR assays for the species and sex identification of otter (Lutra lutra) and their application to non-invasive genetic monitoring. Molecular Ecology Resources, 13: 877–883.

Coffey L, Owens E, Tambling K, O' Neill D, O' Connor, L, O' Reilly C (2010). Real-time PCR detection of Fe-type nitrile hydratase genes from environmental isolates suggests horizontal gene transfer between multiple genera. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, 98 (4), 455-463.

PhD Thesis

O’Neill D (2013) An investigation into mechanisms of heavy metal tolerance and accumulation by seaweed at the phycospheric and genomic levels. PhD Thesis, Waterford Institute of Technology.

General Science Writing and Communication

The MISE Magazine: Fostering Community Involvement in Mammal Conservation (2015)

O’Meara DB, Turner PD, O’Neill D, Coffey L, Harrington A, O’Reilly C (2012) The genetic toolbox for squirrel surveys. Mammal News – Autumn.