Prof John Nolan
Principal Investigator, Howard Chair in Human Nutrition, Fulbright Scholar, European Research Council (ERC) Fellow
Principal Investigator, Howard Chair in Human Nutrition, ERC Fellow
Biography
Professor John Nolan is a Fulbright Scholar and currently holds a Chair for Human Nutrition Research at the School of Health Science, Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland. Prof Nolan is the Founder and Director of the Nutrition Research Centre Ireland (NRCI, www.nrci.ie) and is also the Principal Investigator of the Macular Pigment Research Group (MPRG, a specialised research group within this centre).
His research group studies the role of nutrition for vision and prevention of blindness. In 2011, Prof Nolan won a prestigious European Research Council (ERC) research grant to study the impact of nutritional supplementation on visual function via two major clinical trials (CREST 281096; Central Retinal Enrichment Supplementation Trials). These trials identified how targeted nutrition can improve visual function for the general population, and for patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Current studies at the NRCI are investigating the link between nutrition and brain health and function.
Prof Nolan has published 100 peer-reviewed scientific papers on his area of research (3621 = citations, H index = 38). In 2014, he successfully edited a CRC Press Taylor & Francis Group book publication entitled “Carotenoids and Retinal Disease.” He also has editorial roles at the European Journal of Ophthalmology and the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. Professor Nolan is Chair of the International Brain and Ocular Nutrition Conference (BON Conference), which is held at Downing College, Cambridge University (www.bonconference.org).
Lecturer at the Waterford Institute of Technology, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, and the Institute of Eye Surgery, Whitfield Clinic on the following areas:
Research methods
Quantitative methods
Qualitative methods
Statistics with SPSS
Scientific poster design and presentation
Scientific writing and dissemination methods
Scientific oral presentation tuition
Research skills for clinicians-in-training: 1 day intensive course
Interactive Statistics Workshop: 1 day intensive course
Nutrition and visual performance
Nutrition and age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
Previous teaching experience:
Part-time Lecturer and Laboratory Demonstrator, Waterford Institute of Technology: Coordination of 2nd year Microbiology Labs
Assessment of undergraduate laboratory work at 2nd year level
Supervision of undergraduate project work at diploma and degree level
Supervised chemistry and biology practical’s for Waterford Institute’s “Science for Kids Scheme”
Scientific Skills
Epidemiology research
Heterochromatic flicker photometry
Macular pigment measurement (Maculux, Spectralis)
Raman spectroscopy
Fundus photography
High performance liquid chromatography
Analytical techniques in biochemistry
Microbiology techniques
Statistics
Computer skills
SPSS
Microsoft Office
SigmaPlot
MGI PhotoSuite
ChemWindows
ChemStation
Project Manager
Education
2002: Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Applied Biology with Quality Management [Honours Degree, Merit Grade 1]
2005: Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD): Determinants of macular pigment in healthy subjects
Academic Achievements
Adjunct Professor status awarded by Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, in 2013, in recognition and support of on-going academic collaboration with the TCD-based TILDA study, The Irish LongituDinal Study on Ageing
European Research Council Starter Grant awarded in July 2011
Howard Fellowship for Science, May 2010, awarded by the Howard Foundation, Cambridge University, UK
Royal Academy of Medicine, Section of Ophthalmology: Prize for best paper delivered in 2007. Risk factors for age-related maculopathy: a review of the epidemiologic studies
Irish/American Fulbright Scholarship for Science, 2005-2006. Project title: Spatial profile of macular pigment and its relationship with foveal architecture
Barbara Knox Gold Medal for best paper, Annual Congress of the Irish College of Ophthalmologists, 2003. Paper title: Macular pigment optical density and serum levels of lutein and zeaxanthin in healthy subjects
Best paper runner up at the BioNet Annual Conference, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, 2003. Paper title: Macular pigment optical density, serum and dietary lutein and zeaxanthin, in healthy subjects with and without a family history of age-related maculopathy