Denise Denning
Assistant Lecturer
Email: denise.denning@TUDublin.ie
Tel: (01) 220 6898
Background
-
BSc (Hons) in Applied Physics (1st Class Honours), Dublin City University (2006-2010)
- UREKA scholarship in the Kirby Research Group, Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, USA (2008)
- PhD (Physics) in Nanoscale Function Group, Conway Institute, University College Dublin (2010-2014)
- Postdoctoral Researcher in the Physics of Living Systems group, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands (2015-2018)
- Research Technical Officer in FOCAS Institute, Technological University Dublin (2018-2024)
- Assistant Lecturer in the School of Physics, Clinical and Optometric Sciences, Technological University Dublin (March 2024-present)
Research
Active research background with expertise in advanced atomic force microscopy (AFM), Raman spectroscopy, electromechanics, virology, biomaterials, and materials research/characterisation.
Current research interests are to investigate the nature of the viral infection cycle using Raman spectroscopy. A fundamental understanding of each stage of the viral life cycle will further our current knowledge of viral infection and help develop strategies for therapies. Currently foster collaborations with the National Virus Reference Lab (NVRL) and the Centre for Experimental Pathogen Host Research (CEPHR) in UCD, with projects evaluating the kinetics of infection of respiratory viruses such as RSV, SARS-CoV-2 and Sendai virus.
Other research interests include the characterisation of the nanomechanical properties of biomaterials using AFM. Cells sense and respond to their local mechanical environment (mechanotransduction), and these processes regulate numerous vital biological processes. Therefore the quantitative evaluation of these properties is of crucial importance.