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.
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Network
Projects
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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
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R2481PMY: Development of antimicrobial materials made of natural compounds prepared using 3D printing
23/04/2018 → …
Project: Research
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R2493PMY: 3D printable antimicrobial materials for the development of safer medical devices
11/06/2018 → 10/08/2018
Project: Research
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R2473PMY: Sustainable materials for prevention of catheter complications
13/04/2018 → 17/08/2018
Project: Research
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R1862PMY: Tailored Healthcare Solutions through Academic-Industry Collaborations
08/02/2018 → 31/08/2018
Project: Research
Research Output
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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 › peer-review
Open AccessFile17 Citations (Scopus)291 Downloads (Pure) -
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 › peer-review
4 Citations (Scopus) -
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 › peer-review
15 Citations (Scopus) -
Infection-responsive drug delivery from urinary biomaterials controlled by a novel kinetic and thermodynamic approach
Irwin, N. J., McCoy, C. P., Jones, D. S. & Gorman, S. P., Mar 2013, In : Pharmaceutical Research. 30, 3, p. 857-865 9 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
18 Citations (Scopus) -
Hot-melt extrusion of photodynamic antimicrobial polymers for prevention of microbial contamination
Wylie, M. P., Irwin, N. J., Howard, D., Heydon, K. & McCoy, C. P., 01 Jan 2021, In : Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology. 214, 10 p., 112098.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Datasets
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Datasets for "A Multifunctional, Low Friction, Antimicrobial Approach for Biomaterial Surface Enhancement"
Irwin, N. (Creator), Bryant, M. (Contributor), McCoy, C. (Contributor), Trotter, J. (Contributor) & Turner, J. (Contributor), Queen's University Belfast, 01 Nov 2019
DOI: 10.17034/d5148116-3dcf-4998-b75d-0ef99dd650f2
Dataset
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Datasets for "Dual stimuli-responsive hydrogel for improved colon-targeted delivery of poorly water-soluble drugs"
Wylie, M. (Creator), Irwin, N. (Contributor), Bayan, M. (Contributor) & McCoy, C. (Contributor), Queen's University Belfast, 23 Jun 2020
DOI: 10.17034/4e0b0cb7-f102-40e3-b7fa-d3a4974d9b6c
Dataset
Prizes
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Academy of Medical Sciences Springboard Award
Irwin, Nicola (Recipient), 01 May 2019
Prize: Fellowship awarded competitively
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Artwork accepted for cover of Chemistry - A European Journal
Irwin, Nicola (Recipient), 28 Nov 2019
Prize: Other distinction
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Best Paper Award of Pharmaceutics Special Issue on 3D Printing of Pharmaceuticals and Drug Delivery Devices
Dominguez Robles, Juan (Recipient), Niamh K. Martin (Recipient), Mun Leon Fong (Recipient), Stewart, Sarah (Recipient), Irwin, Nicola (Recipient), Isabel Rial (Recipient), Donnelly, Ryan (Recipient) & Larrañeta, Eneko (Recipient), 2020
Prize: Other distinction
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Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
Irwin, Nicola (Recipient), 30 Jun 2017
Prize: Other distinction
Activities
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Queen's University Belfast (Organisational unit)
Nicola Irwin (Member)
22 Apr 2020 → …Activity: Membership types › Membership of peer review panel or committee
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Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces (Journal)
Nicola Irwin (Peer reviewer)
15 Jan 2020 → …Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Publication peer-review
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Weak organic acids for the prevention of catheter-associated urinary tract infections
Nicola Irwin (Invited speaker)
09 Nov 2020 → 11 Nov 2020Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited or keynote talk at national or international conference
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Invited Speaker at 'An introduction to Industry Engagement for Researchers'
Nicola Irwin (Invited speaker)
07 Apr 2020Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk
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Science at Queen's 2020
Nicola Irwin (Speaker)
22 Mar 2020Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in Festival/Exhibition
Press / Media
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A World of Opportunity - Interviewed about my role as an academic in the Northern Ireland Healthcare Review Magazine
02/12/2019
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Other
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Self-lubricating condom designed to reduce infections
16/10/2018
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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Breaking the bladder taboo and pressing for progress: Professor Roger Feneley’s legacy
09/08/2018
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment