Bernal Industry Day ‘Collaboration, Leadership and Support’   Keep up to date with the latest research in materials science, technology and R&D funding available to industry by speaking to the experts themselves at the Bernal Industry Day. Speakers include; • World leading Materials Scientists • Representatives from Europe’s Research and Development Funders, Science Foundation Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, Horizon 2020 • Keynote speech by Marcus Horan, Munster Rugby, I...

Immunotherapy in Oncology and Addressing the Challenges with Combination Strategies ABSTRACT Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapies, such as the ones targeting cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) or programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1), have displayed durable clinical responses in various cancers and are now approved by the FDA for a growing list of cancer types. Although these new immunotherapies have had a notable effect on cancer treatment, they only benefit a limited...

Sustainable Carbon Materials and their Composites ABSTRACT Multifunctional nanostructured materials are finding application in a range of sectors such as energy production and storage, catalysis, sensing and biomedicine. Advanced carbon materials possess unique properties such as: high electrical conductivity, high chemical and thermal stability, low toxicity, and ease of chemical functionalisation. However, the vast majority of their synthetic routes involve petroleum based materials. This is...

The audience will be introduced to the general area of optical spectroscopy, then specifically Raman, its theoretical underpinning and positioning in respect to other forms of optical spectroscopy, highlighting Raman’s advantages that have led to its ever-expanding utilisation in a multitude of fields. Associated Data Science techniques will also be touched upon. This will be followed by an introduction to Advanced Nano Technologies small volume-drop Raman Flipper Spectrometer, outlining the b...

Selective Brain Region Vulnerability in Parkinson’s Disease is Governed by α-Synuclein Conformations Neuronal aggregates of alpha-synuclein (αSyn) (Lewy bodies and neurites) are a pathological hallmark of Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). It has recently been discovered that αSyn, a neuronal protein of unclear physiological function, normally exists in cells and brain tissue principally as α-helically folded multimers that resist pathological aggregation. It ...

Solution Chemistry Nanolithography of Optical Nanostructures ABSTRACT Solution chemistry nanolithography (inkjet printing) is a dynamically developing technology characterized by relative simplicity (in comparison with photolithography, plasma etching and some others), easy scalability and a great variety of applications (from bioprinting to inorganic metamaterials). Over the past three years, there has undoubtedly been considerable progress in the development of optical and photonic devices. ...

An Efficient Analysis Method for Advanced Lightweight Structures With the increase in demand for efficient medium sized commercial aircraft, there is a requirement for faster through-put production processes for composite structures. Fibre-reinforced thermoplastic based composite systems offer excellent specific mechanical properties, particularly fracture toughness, as well as opportunities for faster through-put processing methods. In this presentation, issues related to processing large carb...

Modelling the Impact of Molecular Interfaces Beyond the Atomistic Scale ABSTRACT In this talk, three examples of molecular interfaces, which have an impact beyond the atomistic scale in relevant engineering applications, and how to model them numerically will be discussed. First, the focus will be on the role of water in molecular and nano materials. Molecular dynamics simulations are used to compute the self-diffusion coefficient of water within nanopores, around nanoparticles, carbon na...

Interstitial Fluid Flow and Tumor Invasion ABSTRACT Glioblastoma is one of the deadliest brain cancers, with no curative treatments available and an average survival time of <15 months after diagnosis. This is due in part to the infiltrative nature of the disease and complex interactions of the tumor with the surrounding microenvironment. Invasion in the brain follows distinctive routes that correlate with interstitial and bulk flow pathways. In brain cancer, there is increased interstitial...

Solid-state Hydrogen Deuterium Exchange (ssHDX-MS) in the Development of Lyophilized Protein Formulations ABSTRACT Many protein drugs are marketed as lyophilized solid powders. To develop the product, candidate formulations are evaluated in stability studies that can take years to complete. While physicochemical analyses (e.g. FTIR, Tg) provide information about the properties of the solid, they are usually poorly correlated with storage stability. There is a need for a stability-indicating a...