Lecturer in Microbiology & Allergen Management

Email: orla.cahill@tudublin.ie

Tel: (01) 220 5654

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Background

Dr. Orla Cahill is a lecturer in DIT specialising in Allergen Management and control & Microbiology. She holds PhD. in Molecular Microbiology from Waterford Institute of Technology where she graduated in 2004 Dr. Cahill has acted as principal investigator on many research projects and has supervised, undergraduate, postgraduate and industrially placed projects. Her main research interests include; emerging pathogens in the food & beverage industry, allergen management and control, the use of nanotechnology for the bio-decontamination of food, pharmaceuticals, water & clinical environment and the development of novel immunological biosensors for detection of food, water-borne pathogens and allergens.

Dr. Cahill’s most recent research projects are focussing on the effects of novel food processing methods on the allergenicity of food proteins and another in collaboration with Safefood in the detection of “undeclared allergens” in the food industry. These projects both have involved collaboration with industry partners which have been forged through DIT’s strong links with Industry. Dr. Cahill has also consulted with Industry partners in the development of pathogen-detection sensors and is also a frequent contributor on national radio stations including Todayfm & Newstalk on topical issues.

Education

PhD. in Molecular Microbiology, Waterford Institute of Technology (October 2004)

BSc. In Biology with Quality Management (1.1 First Class Hons) (October 1999)

Professional Experience

Assistant Lecturer, School of Food Science & Environmental Health, DIT, Cathal Brugha St, Dublin 1; (April 2014-Present)

Postdoctoral researcher, National Centre for Plasma & Sensor Technology, DCU, Glasnevin, Dublin 9; (June 2011-April 2014)

Hourly Paid Assistant Lecturer in Biological & Chemical Sciences, School of Food Science & Environmental Health, DIT Cathal Brugha St, Dublin 1; (September 2008-June 2013)

Research Interests

Development and application of novel decontamination systems for applications in the food industry.
Investigation of a laser based Air sampling system for the detection of air-borne microbes in the food industry,
Rapid detection of Allergens in foods.

Allergen Management

The effects of food processing on the allergenicity of food proteins.

Identification of bioactive compounds for applications in the food and pharmaceutical industry.
Molecular identification of novel microbial populations.
Isolation and Molecular analysis of virulence factors associated with Cronobacter sakazakii.

Research Projects

• SAFELIVERY-“Food you can trust”: Detection of COVID-19 on food delivery packaging. (EIT)
• An investigation of the adventitious presence of two legislated food allergens in Pre-packed food products (SafeFood Ireland).
• “AllergyChek”- The investigation and evaluation of food processing methods on the allergenicity of food proteins”. :The investigation and evaluation of food processing methods on the allergenicity of food proteins. Fiosraigh Fellowship Award

Publications

1. Venkataratnam,H.,  Sarangapani,C.  Cahill, O.,  Ryan, CB. Effect of cold plasma treatment on the antigenicity of peanut allergen Ara h 1. Innovative food science & emerging technologies 52, 368-375

2. -P. O’Mahony, C. Walsh, O. Cahill, J. McIntosh, P. Burke, & R. Charles (2018) FSAI Risk Assessment Report: Information required for the risk assessment of undeclared food   allergens in Ireland
3. Cahill, O.; Venkataratnam, H.; Barry-Ryan,C Food allergens in prepacked foods. Safefood Publication. (see appendix 6.3) Online: http://www.safefood.eu/SafeFood/media/SafeFoodLibrary/Documents/Publications/Research%20Reports/Food-Allergens-in-Prepacked-Foods.pdf
4. Cahill O., Claro T, Cafolla AA, Stevens NT, Daniels S, Humphreys H. Decontamination of Hospital Surfaces With Multijet Cold Plasma: A Method to Enhance Infection Prevention and Control?. Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology 38(10):1-6  (see appendix 13.1)
5. Claro T, Cahill O, O'Connor N, Daniels S, Humphreys H.Cold-Air Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Against Clostridium difficile Spores: A Potential Alternative for the Decontamination of Hospital Inanimate Surfaces. Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology 36(06):1-3
6. O’Connor, N., Cahill O., Daniels S, Galvin S, Humphreys, H.H. Cold atmospheric pressure plasma and decontamination. Can it contribute to preventing hospital-acquired infections? Article in Press. Journal of Hospital Infection DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2014.06.015
7. Claro T, Galvin S, Cahill O, Fitzgerald-Hughes D, Daniels S, Humphreys H.H. What is the best method? Recovery of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli from inanimate hospital surfaces. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2014 Jul;35(7):869-71. doi: 10.1086/676858
8. Cahill O., Claro, T., O’Connor N.,  Daniels, S., Humphreys , H.H. Cold air plasma to decontaminate inanimate surfaces of the hospital environment. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2014 Mar;80(6):2004-10. doi: 10.1128/AEM.03480-13.
9. Galvin S, Cahill O, O'Connor N, Cafolla AA, Daniels S, Humphreys H.H. The antimicrobial effects of helium and helium-air plasma on Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium difficile. Lett Appl Microbiol. 2013 Aug;57(2):83-90. doi: 10.1111/lam.12091.
10. Galvin S, Dolan A, Cahill OJ, Daniels S, Humphreys H.H. “Microbial monitoring of the hospital environment: why and how?.“  - J Hosp Infect. 2012 Nov;82(3):143-51. doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2012.06.015.
11. Ferguson D., Cahill OJ., Quilty B. Phenotypic, molecular and antibiotic resistance profiling of nosocomial Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains isolated from two Irish Hospitals. Journal Of Biological & Medical Sciences, Issue 1 Volume  2007.
12. O'Mahony R., Doran J., Coffey L., Cahill OJ., Black GW., and O'Reilly C. “Characterisation of the nitrile hydratase gene clusters of Rhodococcus erythropolis strains AJ270 and AJ300 and Microbacterium sp. AJ115 indicates horizontal gene transfer and reveals an insertion of IS1166”. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek. 2005 Apr;87(3):221-32.