Skip to main content

Biography

Dr. Patricia Mulcahy is a graduate of the University of Galway where she completed her undergraduate studies in Biochemistry and PhD in Biocatalysts.  She has over thirty years experience as a strategic leader, researcher and lecturer in higher education.  This includes ten years at CEO / President level; twelve years at Senior Executive / Vice-President level; two years as Head of Department; six years as a member of Faculty; and principal investigator research activities in both the Technological and University sectors. She has had the privilege of contributing to the work of many regional, national and international bodies throughout her career and most recently played a lead role in the establishment of SETU in May 2022.

Smullen, E. (2017) Coordinated development of leading biomass pre-treatment technologies for the generation of bio-products from Irish crops, PhD, Quality and Qualifications Ireland.

Kearney, B.  (2011) Valine dehydrogenase from Rhodococcus erythropolis ITCBP: Cloning, over-expression, purification, characterisation, and comparative structural analysis.  Ph.D. Thesis, HETAC (Higher Education and Training Awards Council), Ireland.

Wheatley, S. (2011) Bioethanol from sugar beet pulp: Enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation using E.coli FBR5 M.Sc. Thesis, HETAC (Higher Education and Training Awards Council), Ireland.

Nolan, B. (2006) Bioaffinity chromatography of ATP-dependent biocatalysts: Studies with hexokinase and pyruvate kinase. M.Sc. Thesis, HETAC (Higher Education and Training Awards Council), Ireland.

Forde, J. (2003) Comparative bioaffinity chromatographic studies with glutamate, phenylalanine, alanine, and leucine dehydrogenases. Ph.D. Thesis, HETAC (Higher Education and Training Awards Council), Ireland.

Oakey, L.  (2003) Development of immobilised cofactor derivatives for bioaffinity purification and study of putative amino acid dehydrogenase activities detected in waste microbial biomass. Ph.D. Thesis, HETAC (Higher Education and Training Awards Council), Ireland.

Foyle, T.  (2003) Production of ethanol from wastepaper for use as a fuel or fuel additive. Ph.D. Thesis, HETAC (Higher Education and Training Awards Council), Ireland.

Rafferty, R. (2003) The effect of spacer arm length and composition on the biospecific kinetic locking-on of microbial alcohol and phenylalanine dehydrogenases to immobilised N6-linked cofactor derivatives.  M.Sc. Thesis, HETAC (Higher Education and Training Awards Council), Ireland.

McMahon, M. (2001) Bioaffinity purification of NAD(P)+-dependent dehydrogenases using kinetic locking-on and auxiliary tactics.  Ph.D. Thesis, HETAC (Higher Education and Training Awards Council), Ireland.

Tynan, J. (2001) Synthesis of immobilised cofactor derivatives with improved properties for biospecific affinity purification of NAD+-dependent dehydrogenases using the kinetic locking-on strategy. M.Sc. Thesis, HETAC (Higher Education and Training Awards Council), Ireland.

Jennings, L. (1999) Production of fermentation ethanol from lignocellulosic materials for use as a fuel additive.  Ph.D. Thesis, National Council for Educational Awards, Ireland.

O’Flaherty, M. (1997) Affinity chromatographic purification of NAD(P)+-dependent dehydrogenases. Ph.D. Thesis, National Council for Educational Awards, Ireland.

Cunningham, D. (1997) Production of cellulases for use in the production of fermentation ethanol from cellulosic biomass. M.Sc. Thesis, National Council for Educational Awards, Ireland.

Kiernan, J. (1997) Production of biodiesel from waste oil. M. Eng. Thesis, National Council for Educational Awards, Ireland.

Stowe, N. (1996) Dipeptidyl peptidases from bovine brain. Ph.D. Thesis, National Council for Educational Awards, Ireland.

Smullen, E., Dowling, D., Finnan, J. and Mulcahy, P. (2015) A comparative analysis of pre-treatment chemicals for the bioconversion of Willow, Miscanthus and Hemp. Aspects of Applied Biology, Biomass and Energy Crops V, 131, 169-173.

Smullen, E., Finnan, J., Dowling, D. and Mulcahy, P. (2015) Pre-treatment chemicals for the bioconversion of Willow, Miscanthus and Hemp.  Association of Applied Biologists, Biomass and Energy Conference, Brussels, Belgium, 20thth – 22nd October 2015.

Smullen, E., Finnan, J., Dowling, D. and Mulcahy, P. (2015) Bioconversion of energy crops and commercial cellulase preparations.  Environment 2015, the 25th Irish Environmental Researchers’ Colloquium, Institute of Technology Sligo, 8th – 10th April 2015.

Smullen, E., Finnan, J., Dowling, D. and Mulcahy, P. (2013) A comparative analysis of pre-treatment techniques for Willow and Hemp.  Environment 2013, the 23rd Irish Environmental Researchers’ Colloquium, Ryan Institute, NUI Galway, 30th Jan.- 1st Feb. 2013.

Smullen, E., Finnan, J., Dowling, D. and Mulcahy, P. (2013) Development of bioconversion techniques for Irish grown Willow, Miscanthus and Hemp.  EU 21st European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, Copenhagen Denmark, 3rd-7th June 2013.

Kearney, B., Jennings, L., and Mulcahy, P. (2012) Valine dehydrogenase catalysis: Further insights into ‘essential’ active site cysteine residues.  Environ 2012, UCD, March 2012.

Kearney, B., Jennings, L., and Mulcahy, P. (2012) Evidence for an active monomeric valine dehydrogenase in Rhodococcus erythropolis ITCBP.  Environ 2012, UCD, March 2012.

Kearney, B., Jennings, L., Dowling, D. and Mulcahy, P. (2012) A comparative analysis of phenylalanine dehydrogenase from Rhodococcus erythropolis ITCBP.  Environ 2012, UCD, March 2012.

Kearney, B., Griffin, T. and Mulcahy, P. (2008) Potential of immobilised cofactor-based enzyme capture strategies for research and diagnostic applications. Chemistry in the New World of Bioengineering and Synthetic Biology, Royal Society of Chemistry, Oxford, UK, Sept 2008.

Kearney, B., Dowling, D. and Mulcahy, P. (2008) Valine dehydrogenase-type activity in R. erythropolis: Cloning, sequencing, and over-expression. Colloquium of the IOTI Research Alliance, February 2008.

Jennings, L., Kearney, B., Dowling, D. and Mulcahy, P. (2007) Valine dehydrogenase-type activity in R. erythropolis: Structural comparison with other amino acid dehydrogenases.  Environ 2007, Institute of Technology Carlow, January 2007.

Kearney, B. Jennings, L., Dowling, D. and Mulcahy, P. (2007) Valine dehydrogenase-type activity in R. erythropolis: Cloning, sequencing, and over-expression. Environ 2007, Institute of Technology Carlow, January 2007.

Nolan, B., Jennings, L., O’Flaherty, M. and Mulcahy, P. (2005) A comparative study of immobilised ATP derivatives with potential as cofactor-based protein capture arrays for protein kinases. (Best poster award).  Ninth Institutes of Technology Science and Computing Research Colloquium, IT Carlow, 26th and 27th May 2005.

Jennings, L., Dowling, D. and Mulcahy, P. (2005) Isolation of the putative valine dehydrogenase genomic DNA sequence from Rhodococcus erythropolis. Ninth Institutes of Technology Science and Computing Research Colloquium, IT Carlow, 26th and 27th May 2005.

Wheatley, S., Mulcahy, P. and Jennings, L. (2005) Production of ethanol from sugar beet pulp. Ninth Institutes of Technology Science and Computing Research Colloquium, IT Carlow, 26th and 27th May 2005.

O’Flaherty, M., Forde, J., Jennings, L., Griffin, T. and Mulcahy, P. (2004) Immobilised cofactor derivatives for KBECS: Design, synthesis, and assessment of thiol-linked NAD+.  BioNet Conference 2004, Institute of Technology Carlow Ireland, 15th and 16th December 2004.

Nolan, B., Jennings, L., Griffin, T. and Mulcahy, P. (2004) Synthesis, purification, and immobilisation of N6-carboxymethyl Cr(III)ATP: An inert ATP analogue for KBECS. BioNet Conference 2004, Institute of Technology Carlow Ireland, 15th and 16th December 2004.

Wheatley, S, Mulcahy, P. and Jennings, L. (2004) Enzymatic hydrolysis of sugar beet pulp for bioethanol production. BioNet Conference 2004, Institute of Technology Carlow Ireland, 15th and 16th December 2004.

Jennings, L., Dowling, D.N. and Mulcahy, P. (2004) The valine dehydrogenase of Rhodococcus erythropolis ITCBP. BioNet Conference 2004, Institute of Technology Carlow Ireland, 15th and 16th December 2004.

Jennings, L., Mambrini, N., Nolan, B., Sherlock, O., Dowling, D. and Mulcahy, P. (2004) Screening of Rhodococcus erythropolis for amino acid dehydrogenase activities. Society for General Microbiology, 155th Ordinary Meeting, Trinity College Dublin Ireland, 6th-9th Sept 2004.

Nolan, B., Jennings, L. and Mulcahy, P. (2004) Kinetic-based enzyme capture strategies for cofactor-dependent enzymes: Potential for research and diagnostics. Eighth Institutes of Technology Science and Computing Research Colloquium, Waterford IT, 26th-28th May 2004.

Wheatley, S., Mulcahy, P. and Jennings, L. (2004) Bioethanol from biomass for use as a fuel. Eighth Institutes of Technology Science and Computing Research Colloquium, Waterford, IT 26th-28th May 2004.

Mulcahy, P., Griffin, T., Nolan, B. and Jennings, L. (2003) Cofactor-based enzyme capture strategies: Potential for research and diagnostic applications. Inaugural BioNet Conference 2003, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology Ireland, 16th and 17th December 2003.

Jennings, L., Foyle, T. and Mulcahy, P. (2003) Analysis of lignocellulosic acid hydrolysates for sugars, sugar alcohols and furfurals pre- and post-fermentation with Pachysolen tannophilus ATCC 32691: Approaches and considerations. Inaugural BioNet Conference 2003, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology Ireland, 16th and 17th December 2003

Oakey, L., Forde, J., Jennings, L. and Mulcahy. P. (2003) Detection and quantitation of microbial phenylalanine, alanine, and leucine dehydrogenase activities in the presence of interfering ‘nothing’ dehydrogenase activity. Biocatalysis and Biodegradation. Society for General Microbiology, Irish Branch Meeting, University College Dublin Ireland, 4th and 5th September 2003.

Foyle, T., Jennings, L. and Mulcahy. P. (2003) Fermentative properties of Pachysolen tannophilus ATCC 32691 (NRRL Y-2460) in acid hydrolysates prepared from wheat straw and newspaper. Biocatalysis and Biodegradation. Society for General Microbiology, Irish Branch Meeting, University College Dublin Ireland, 4th and 5th September 2003.

Forde, J., Oakey, L. and Mulcahy. P. (2002) Screening of microbial cells for amino acid dehydrogenase activities: A role for kinetic-based bioaffinity chromatographic systems. Proceedings of the International Conference on Biocatalysis 2002: Fundamentals and Applications. Russian Federation, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, 22-27 June, pp. 84-85.

Rafferty, R., Jennings, L., Mambrini, N., Dowling, D. and Mulcahy, P. (2002) Valine and phenylalanine dehydrogenase activities in Rhodococcus erythropolis ITCBP: Induction and bioaffinity purification. Proceedings of the International Conference on Biocatalysis 2002: Fundamentals and Applications. Russian Federation, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, 22-27 June, pp. 129.

Jennings, L., O’Flaherty, M., Griffin, T. and Mulcahy. P. (2002) A kinetic-based bioaffinity chromatographic approach for ATP-dependent biocatalysts: Studies with yeast hexokinase. Proceedings of the International Conference on Biocatalysis 2002: Fundamentals and Applications. Russian Federation, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, 22-27 June, pp. 100-101.

Oakey, L., Forde, J. and Mulcahy, P.  (2002) Immobilised cofactors synthesised by carbodiimide-promoted attachment to carboxy-terminating spacer arms- Potential for biospecific locking-on of NAD(P)+-dehydrogenases. Proceedings of the International Conference on Biocatalysis 2002: Fundamentals and Applications. Russian Federation, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, 22-27 June, pp. 122.

Forde, J. and Mulcahy, P. (1999) Biochemistry and biotechnology of amino acid dehydrogenases (winner of the gold medal for the best paper presentation). Proceedings of the 4th Science Research Colloquium of the Institutes of Technology, Letterkenny Institute of Technology, May 1999.

Oakey, L. and Mulcahy, P. (1999) Waste microbial biomass as a source of valuable oxidoreductases.  Proceedings of the 4th Science Research Colloquium of the Institutes of Technology, Letterkenny Institute of Technology, May 1999.

Tynan, J. and Mulcahy, P. (1999) Synthesis of immobilised cofactor derivatives for biospecific affinity purification of NAD+-dependent dehydrogenases. Proceedings of the 4th Science Research Colloquium of the Institutes of Technology, Letterkenny Institute of Technology, May 1999.

Jennings, L., Foyle, T., McCormack, C. and Mulcahy, P. (1998) Ethanol production from lignocellulosics for use as a transportation fuel. Proceedings of the International Postgraduate Research Conference, Dublin Institute Technology.

McMahon, M., O’Flaherty, M. and Mulcahy, P. (1998) Development of biospecific affinity chromatographic systems for the rapid purification of NAD(P)-dependent dehydrogenases: Approaches and considerations. Proceedings of the Third Science Research Colloquium of the Institutes of Technology, Institute of Technology Tallaght, May 1998.

Foyle, T., Jennings, L. and Mulcahy, P. (1998) Production of bioethanol from renewable agricultural sources for use as a fuel or fuel additive. Proceedings of the Third Science Research Colloquium of the Institutes of Technology, Institute of Technology Tallaght, May 1998.

O’Flaherty, M. and Mulcahy, P. (1996) Affinity chromatographic purification of NAD(P)-dependent dehydrogenases on immobilised derivatives of the dinucleotides using the locking-on tactic. Proceedings of the First Science Research Colloquium of the Regional Technical Colleges. 1, 20-32.

Stowe, N. and Mulcahy, P. (1996) Dipeptidyl peptidases from bovine brain (winner of the gold medal for the best paper presentation). Proceedings of the First Science Research Colloquium of the Regional Technical Colleges. 1, 39-55.

Jennings, L. and Mulcahy, P. (1996) Production of fermentation ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass. Proceedings of the First Science Research Colloquium of the Regional Technical Colleges. 1, 57.

Cunningham, D. and Mulcahy, P. (1996) Production of cellulases for use in the production of fermentation ethanol from cellulosic biomass. Proceedings of the First Science Research Colloquium of the Regional Technical Colleges. 1, 56.

Cummins, P., Mulcahy, P. and O’Connor, B. (1991) Identification of a dipeptidyl peptidase type-II in the cytosolic fraction of bovine brain. Biochemical Society Transactions, 20, 56S.

Mulcahy, P. and O’Carra, P. (1990) Isozymes of L-lactate dehydrogenase in the squid Loligo vulgaris. Biochemical Society Transactions, 18,270-271.

O’Carra, P. and Mulcahy, P. (1990) Tissue distribution of mammalian lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes. Biochemical Society Transactions, 18, 272-274.

O’Donnell, M., Mulcahy, P. and O’Carra, P. (1990) Distribution of lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes in Solanum tuberosum. Biochemical Society Transactions, 18, 271-272.

Refereed Publications

Smullen, E., Finnan, J., Dowling, D., and Mulcahy, P. A life cycle assessment of pre-treatment technologies for the bioconversion of lignocellulosic biomass to ethanol. Currently undergoing review for publication in Biomass and Bioenergy.

Smullen, E., Finnan, J., Dowling, D. and Mulcahy, P. (2019) The Environmental Performance of Pre-treatment Technologies for the Bioconversion of Lignocellulosic Biomass to Ethanol.   Renewable Energy, 142, 527-534.

Smullen, E., Dowling, D., Finnan, J. and Mulcahy, P. (2017) Bioconversion of switchgrass: Identification of a leading pre-treatment option based on yield, cost, and environmental impact. Renewable Energy, 11, 638-645.

Foyle, T., Jennings, L. and Mulcahy, P. (2007) Compositional analysis of lignocellulosic materials: Evaluation of methods used for sugar analysis of wastepaper and straw. Bioresource Technology, 98, 3026-3036.

Forde, J., Oakey, L., Jennings, L. and Mulcahy, P. (2005) Fundamental differences in bioaffinity of amino acid dehydrogenases for N6 and S6-linked immobilised cofactors using KBECS. Analytical Biochemistry, 338, 102-112.

Oakey, L. and Mulcahy, P. (2004) Immobilised cofactor derivatives for kinetic-based enzyme capture strategies: Direct coupling of NAD(P)+. Analytical Biochemistry, 335, 316-325.

McMahon, M., Tynan, J. and Mulcahy, P. (2003) Kinetic locking-on and auxiliary tactics for bioaffinity purification of NADP+- dependent dehydrogenases using N6-linked immobilised NADP+-derivatives: Studies with mammalian and microbial glutamate dehydrogenases. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 81, 3, 356-369.

Mulcahy, P., O’Flaherty, M., Jennings, L. and Griffin, T. (2002) Application of kinetic-based biospecific affinity chromatographic systems to ATP-dependent enzymes, Analytical Biochemistry, 309, 2, 279-292.  [Also selected by Elsevier for publication in Proteomics Select – The Virtual Journal of Proteomics, Issue 12, 18th November 2002, Bischoff, R., ed., http:\\www.proteomicsvj.com]

McMahon, M. and Mulcahy, P. (2002) Bioaffinity purification of an NADP+-dependent secondary alcohol dehydrogenase from Thermoanaerobacter brockii using kinetic locking-on and auxiliary tactics: A comparative study of N6, N1, 8’azo and C8-linked immobilised cofactor derivatives. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 77, 517-527.

Mulcahy, P. and O’Flaherty, M. (2001) Prospective: The kinetic locking-on strategy and auxiliary tactics for bioaffinity purification of NAD(P)+-dependent dehydrogenases. Invited review for Analytical Biochemistry, 299, 1-18.

Tynan, J., Forde, J., McMahon, M. and Mulcahy, P. (2000) Synthesis of a highly substituted N6-linked immobilised NAD+ derivative using a rapid solid-phase modular approach: Suitability for use with the kinetic locking-on tactic for bioaffinity purification of NAD+-dependent dehydrogenases. Protein Expression and Purification, 20, 421-434.

Mulcahy, P., O’Flaherty, M., McMahon, M. and Oakey, L. (1999) Effect of accessible immobilised NAD+ concentration on the bioaffinity chromatographic behaviour of NAD+-dependent dehydrogenases using the kinetic locking-on strategy. Protein Expression and Purification, 16, 261-275.

Oakey, L., Martung, A., McMahon, M., O’Flaherty, M. and Mulcahy, P. (1999) A comparison of biospecific affinity chromatographic methodologies for the purification of NAD+-dependent dehydrogenases; Studies with bovine L-lactate dehydrogenase. Process Biochemistry, 35, 349-357.

O’Flaherty, M., McMahon, M., Forde, J. and Mulcahy, P. (1999) The kinetic locking-on strategy for bioaffinity purification; Further studies with bovine liver glutamate dehydrogenase. Protein Expression and Purification, 16, 276-297.

O’Flaherty, M., McMahon, M and Mulcahy, P. (1999) A kinetic locking-on strategy for bioaffinity purification; Further studies with alcohol dehydrogenase. Protein Expression and Purification, 15, 127-145.

O’Flaherty, M., O’Carra, P., McMahon, M and Mulcahy, P. (1999) A ‘stripping’ ligand tactic for use with the kinetic locking-on strategy: Its use in the resolution and purification of NAD+-dependent dehydrogenases. Protein Expression and Purification, 16, 424-431.

Mulcahy, P. and O’Carra, P. (1997) Purification and substrate kinetics of plant lactate dehydrogenase. Phytochemistry, 45, 5, 889-896.

Mulcahy, P., Cullina, A. and O’Carra, P. (1997) Both D- and L-lactate specific dehydrogenases coexist in individual cephalopods. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. [A], 116, 2, 143 - 148.

Mulcahy, P., Griffin, T. and O’Carra, P. (1997) Biospecific affinity purification of octopine dehydrogenase from molluscs. Protein Expression and Purification. 9, 1, 109-114.

O’Carra, P. and Mulcahy, P. (1997) Plant lactate dehydrogenase: Kinetics with NADH and inhibition by ATP. Phytochemistry, 45, 5, 897-902.

O’Carra, P. and Mulcahy, P. (1996) Plant lactate dehydrogenases: Distribution and Function. Phytochemistry, 42, 581-587.

O’Carra, P., Griffin, T., O’Flaherty, M., Kelly, N. and Mulcahy, P. (1996). Further studies on the biospecific affinity chromatographic purification of NAD+-dependent dehydrogenases using the locking-on tactic. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 1297, 235-243.