Projects per year
Personal profile
Particulars
Dr. Nicola Irwin graduated from Queen’s University Belfast with a Master of Pharmacy degree (First Class Honours) in 2009. Following a pre-registration training year in community pharmacy, she returned to the School of Pharmacy and completed a PhD in the area of infection-resistant medical device development under the supervision of Professor Colin McCoy and Professor Sean Gorman. In 2013, Dr. Irwin was appointed as a Research Fellow on an Invest NI-funded Proof of Concept programme to develop lubricious catheter coatings for intermittent self-catheterisation devices. Traction generated from this project led to her being successfully awarded a personal Fellowship from the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2015. Dr. Irwin was appointed to her current position of Lecturer in Pharmaceutical Materials Science in the School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, in April 2016.
Dr. Irwin is a member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland.
Research Interests
Dr. Irwin’s current research interests are focused on the development of advanced surface technologies to combat the major issues associated with employment of medical devices, namely their ease of use and susceptibility to infection. To inform the development of infection-prevention strategies, a major focus of her research is involved with investigation of the mechanisms controlling bacterial adhesion to surfaces and subsequent biofilm formation.
Her research has been featured in the national press (BBC News and The Telegraph), published in peer-reviewed journals and filed as a patent.
Fingerprint Dive into the research topics where Nicola Irwin is active. These topic labels come from the works of this person. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
- 5 Similar Profiles
Biocompatible Materials
Medicine & Life Sciences
Hydrogels
Chemical Compounds
Proteus mirabilis
Medicine & Life Sciences
Hydrogel
Medicine & Life Sciences
Biofilms
Medicine & Life Sciences
Crystallization
Chemical Compounds
Pharmaceutical Preparations
Medicine & Life Sciences
Bacterial Adhesion
Medicine & Life Sciences
Network
Recent external collaboration on country level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots.
Projects 2016 2018
R1909PMY: A platform for reduction of incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia through modified PVC
McCoy, C., Carson, L., Irwin, N. & Jones, D.
22/05/2018 → …
Project: Research
R1862PMY: Tailored Healthcare Solutions through Academic-Industry Collaborations
08/02/2018 → 31/08/2018
Project: Research
R1863PMY: A One Health Approach to Address Medical Device-Associated Infections
08/02/2018 → 18/08/2018
Project: Research
R1784PMY: Modulation of urinary crystal formation by novel inhibitor compounds
28/06/2017 → 31/05/2018
Project: Research
R1699PMY: Asymmetric acidic anion anti-blocking catheter coating technology
09/12/2016 → 31/07/2017
Project: Research
Selected Research Output 2012 2019
An infection-responsive approach to reduce bacterial adhesion in urinary biomaterials
McCoy, C. P., Irwin, N. J., Brady, C., Jones, D. S., Carson, L., Andrews, G. P. & Gorman, S. P., 2016, In : Molecular Pharmaceutics. 13, 8, p. 2817–2822 6 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
Open Access
File
Bacterial Adhesion
Biocompatible Materials
Infection
Urine
Urinary Catheterization
Synthesis and release kinetics of polymerisable ester drug conjugates towards pH-responsive infection-resistant urinary biomaterials
McCoy, C. P., Irwin, N. J., Brady, C., Jones, D. S., Andrews, G. P. & Gorman, S. P., 15 May 2013, In : Tetrahedron Letters. 54, 20, p. 2511-2514 4 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
Effect of pH on the in vitro susceptibility of planktonic and biofilm-grown Proteus mirabilis to the quinolone antimicrobials
Irwin, N. J., McCoy, C. P. & Carson, L., Aug 2013, In : Journal of applied microbiology. 115, 2, p. 382-9Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
Proteus mirabilis
Quinolones
Biofilms
Urinary Catheters
Nalidixic Acid
Prizes
Academy of Medical Sciences Springboard Award
Nicola Irwin (Recipient), 01 May 2019
Prize: Fellowship awarded competitively
Artwork accepted for cover of Chemistry - A European Journal
Nicola Irwin (Recipient), 28 Nov 2019
Prize: Other distinction
Crystallization
Vice-Chancellor's Early Career Researcher Prize
Nicola Irwin (Recipient), 09 Dec 2019
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities 2009 2020
Lead for CQC Exchange Programme
Nicola Irwin (Organiser), Shu Li (Organiser)13 Jan 2020 → 19 Feb 2020
Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in workshop, seminar, course
China Medical University – Queen’s University Belfast Joint College
Nicola Irwin (Visiting lecturer)25 Nov 2019 → 29 Nov 2019
Activity: Visiting an external institution types › Research and Teaching at External Organisation
Jadara University
Nicola Irwin (Visiting researcher)10 Sep 2019
Activity: Visiting an external institution types › Visiting an external academic institution
Jerash University
Nicola Irwin (Visiting researcher)10 Sep 2019
Activity: Visiting an external institution types › Visiting an external academic institution
Royal Academy of Engineering (External organisation)
Nicola Irwin (Member)20 Aug 2019 → …
Activity: Membership types › Membership of national or international committees and working groups
Press / Media
Breaking the bladder taboo and pressing for progress: Professor Roger Feneley’s legacy
09/08/2018
1 media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment