Professor Chris Elliott
Director of Institute, Chair of Food Safety & Microbiology
Postal Address:
Institute of Agri-Food & Land Use
Queen's University Belfast
David Keir Building
Stranmillis Road
Belfast BT9 5AG
Room: N. I. Technology Centre, 02.010
Telephone: +44 (0)28 9097 6549
Fax: +44 (0)28 9097 6513
Email: chris.elliott@qub.ac.uk
Research Profile
Since 1986 Chris has been active in research related to veterinary drug residue analysis and specialised in using immunochemical based screening technologies. The research has widened to include a wider range of toxic chemicals in foods and agricultural commodities such as mycotoxins, phycotoxins and plant toxins. The technologies platforms researched have also increased to include many forms of biosensor and lateral flow techniques. He has published more than 180 papers in the field of detection and control of chemical contaminants in agri-food commodities and co-ordinated one of the world's largest research project in this area (www.BioCop.org). Chris now co-ordinates another major EU research project QSAFFE (www.qsaffe.eu/) which is dealing with contaminant issues along the animal feed supply chain.
The ability to provide safer food for consumers by the use of state-of-the-art monitoring tools is a major research driver. The power of these tools has helped to increase food safety while reducing the need to use out of date animal based bioassays.
More recently the concept of effect based bioanalysis has emerged as an important research theme. The ability to measure by transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics the effect a chemical or biological contaminant has in farm animals can provide faster more reliable means of early detection of contaminations.
Professor Elliott is also the Director of the ASSET Technology Centre. This centre of excellence was set up in 2009 with a £1.75M investment from The Department of Learning in Northern Ireland. http://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/ASSET/. ASSET has established multiple collaborations with technology providers across the world. The ability of these platforms to provide better, faster and lower cost means of early detection of contaminations across the entire food chain is one of the the driving forces of the centre. Another key research topic is that linked to the ability to detect food fraud using these emerging technologies. Many collaborations with agri-food companies have been established across the centre.
Chris is also co-ordinator of two Island of Ireland research networks (biotoxins and chemicals). The objective of the networks is to link researchers, regulators and industry to discuss the important topics pertaining to major food safety issues. Further details can be found at: http://safefood.ning.com/.
Professor Elliott is also one of the co-founding members of the International Drug Residue School (SARAF) based in Nante in France (http://www.saraf-educ.org/). From humble beginnings this initiative has flourished to become a recognised training centre for scientists all over the world.
Honours and Awards
- Winner of a Winston Churchill Fellowship 1993
- Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry
- Fellow of the Institute of Biology
Research Funding
Professor Elliott has obtained in excess of £8M research funding from a diverse range of funding bodies. Examples are the European Commission (FP4, FP5, FP6, FP7), DEFRA, DARD, safefood, InvestNI, NOAA, CAST and many industrial sponsors.
Recent Research Publications (2006 - 2011)
Devlin, R., Campbell, K., Kawatsu K, Elliott, C. (2011). Studies in the Use of Magnetic Microspheres for Immunoaffinity Extraction of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning Toxins from Shellfish. Toxins, 3: 1-16.
Elliott, C., Rutledge, D. (2010). BioCop - Monitoring chemical contaminants in foods. TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 29: 1237-1238.
Pinel, G., Weigel, S., Antignac, J.P., Mooney, M.H., Elliott, C., Nielen, M.W.F., Le Bizec, B. (2010). Targeted and untargeted profiling of biological fluids to screen for anabolic practices in cattle. TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 29: 1269-1280.
Huet, A.C., Fodey, T., Haughey, S.A., Weigel, S., Elliott, C., Delahaut, P. (2010). Advances in biosensor-based analysis for antimicrobial residues in foods. TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 29: 1281-1294.
Situ, Chen, Buijs, Jos, Mooney, M.H., Elliott, C.T. (2010). Advances in surface plasmon resonance biosensor technology towards high-throughput, food-safety analysis. TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 29: 1305-1315.
Campbell, Katrina, Vilariño, Natalia, Botana, Luis M., Elliott, Christopher. Trends in Analytical Chemistry, Progress in moving away from the mouse bioassay for marine toxin analysis (2010) TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 29: 1316-1325.
Botana, Luis M, Vilarino, Natalia, Alfonso, Amparo, Vale, Carmen, Louzao, Carmen, Elliott, Christopher T., Campbell, Katrina, Botana, Ana M. (2010). The problem of toxicity equivalent factors in developing alternative methods to animal bioassays for marine-toxin detection. TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 29: 1316-1325.
Foddai A, Elliott, C.T., Grant, I.R. (2010). Maximizing Capture Efficiency and Specificity of Magnetic Separation for Mycobacterium avium subsp paratuberculosis Cells. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 76: 7550-7558.
Pinel, G., Rambaud, L., Monteau, F., Elliot, C., Le Bizec, B. (2010). Estranediols profiling in calves' urine after 17 beta-nandrolone laureate ester administration. Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 121: 626-632.
Malone, E.M., Elliott, C.T., Kennedy, D.G., Regan, L. (2010). Screening and Quantitative Confirmatory Method for the Analysis of Glucocorticoids in Bovine Milk Using Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry. Journal of AOAC International, 93: 1656-1665.
Srey, C., Hull, G.L.J., Connolly, L., Elliott, C.T., del Castillo, M.D., Ames, J.M. (2010). Effect of Inhibitor Compounds on N-epsilon-(Carboxymethyl)lysine (CML) and N-epsilon-(Carboxyethyl)lysine (CEL) Formation in Model Foods. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 58: 12036-12041.
Srey, C., Haughey, S.A., Connolly, L., Del Castillo, M.D. (Dolores Del Castillo, Ames, J.M., Elliott, C.T. (2010). Immunochemical and Mass Spectrometric Analysis of N-epsilon-(Carboxymethyl)lysine Content of AGE-BSA Systems Prepared with and without Selected Antiglycation Agents. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 58: 11955-11961.
Foddai, A., Elliott, C.T., Grant, I.R. (2010). Rapid Assessment of the Viability of Mycobacterium avium subsp paratuberculosis Cells after Heat Treatment, Using an Optimized Phage Amplification Assay. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 76: 1777-1782.
Campbell, K., Haughey, S.A., van den Top, H., van Egmond, H., Vilarino, N., Botana, L.M., Elliott, C.T. (2010). Single Laboratory Validation of a Surface Plasmon Resonance Biosensor Screening method for Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning Toxins. Analytical Chemistry, 82: 2977-2988.
Meneely, J.P., Sulyok, M., Baumgartner, S., Krska, R., Elliott, C.T. (2010). A rapid optical immunoassay for the screening of T-2 and HT-2 toxin in cereals and maize-based baby food. Talanta, 81: 630-636.
Lei, H.T., Shen, Y.D., Song, L.J., Yang, J.Y., Chevallier, O.P., Haughey, S.A., Wang, H., Sun, Y.M., Elliott, C.T. (2010). Hapten synthesis and antibody production for the development of a melamine immunoassay. Analytical Chemica Acta, 665: 84-90.
Malone, E.M., Elliott, C.T., Kennedy, D.G., Regan, L. (2010). Rapid confirmatory method for the determination of sixteen synthetic growth promoters and bisphenol A in bovine milk using dispersive solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Journal of Chromatography B-Analytical Technologies in the Biomedical and Life Sciences, 878: 1077-1084.
Dubois. M., Demoulin, L., Charlier, C., Singh, G., Godefroy, S.B., Campbell, K., Elliott, C.T., Delahaut, P. (2010). Development of ELISAs for detecting domoic acid, okadaic acid, and saxitoxin and their applicability for the detection of marine toxins in samples collected in Belgium. Food Additives and Contaminants Part A-Chemistry Analysis Control Exposure & Risk Assessment, 27: 859-868.
Berendsen, B., Stolker, L., de Jong, J., Nielen, M., Tserendorj, E., Sodnomdarjaa, R., Cannavan, A., Elliott, C. (2010). Evidence of natural occurrence of the banned antibiotic chloramphenicol in herbs and grass. Analytical and BioAnalytical Chemistry, 397: 1955-1963.
Romanazzo, D., Ricci, F., Volpe, G., Elliott, C.T., Vesco, S., Kroeger, K., Moscone, D., Stroka, J., Van Egmond, H., Vehniainen, M., Palleschi, G. (2010). Development of a recombinant Fab-fragment based electrochemical immunosensor for deoxynivalenol detection in food samples. Biosensors & Bioelectronics, 25: 2615-2621.
Zong, H.L., Madden, A., Ward, M., Mooney, M.H., Elliott, C.T., Stitt, A.W. (2010). Homodimerization Is Essential for the Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products (RAGE)-mediated Signal Transduction. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 285: 23135-23144.
Graham, S.F., Kennedy, T., Chevallier, O., Gordon, A., Farmer, L., Elliott, C., Moss, B. (2010). The application of NMR to study changes in polar metabolite concentrations in beef longissimus dorsi stored for different periods post mortem. Metabolomics, 6(3): 395-404.
Meneely, J., Fodey, T., Armstrong, L., Sulyok, M., Krska, R., Elliott, C. (2010). Rapid Surface Plasmon Resonance Immunoassay for the Determination of Deoxynivalenol in Wheat, Wheat Products, and Maize-Based Baby Food. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 58(16): 8936-8941.
Rawn, D.F.K., Niedzwiadek, B., Campbell, K., Higgins, C., Elliott, C.T. (2009). Evaluation of Surface Plasmon Resonance Relative to High Pressure Liquid Chromatography for the Determination of Paralytic Shellfish Toxins. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 57(21): 10022-10031.
Doucette, G.J., Mikulski, C.M., Jones, K., King, K., Greenfield, D.I., Marin, R., Jensen, S., Roman, B., Elliott, C.T., Scholin, C.A. (2009). Remote, subsurface detection of the algal toxin domoic acid onboard the Environmental Sample Processor: Assay development and field trials. Harmful Algae, 8: 880-888.
Antignac, JP, Gaudin-Hirret, I, Naegeli, H, Cariou, R, Elliott, C., Le Bizec, B. (2009). Multi-functional sample preparation procedure for measuring phytoestrogens in milk, cereals, and baby-food by liquid-chromatography tandem mass spectrometry with subsequent determination of their estrogenic activity using transcriptomic assay. Analytical Chemica Acta, 637: 55-63.
Boyd, S., Heskamp, H.H., Bovee, T.F.H., Nielen, M.W.F., Elliott, C.T. (2009). Development, validation and implementation of a receptor based bioassay capable of detecting a broad range of beta-agonist drugs in animal feedingstuffs. Analytical Chemica Acta, 637: 24-32.
Malone, E., Dowling, G., Elliott, C., Kennedy, G., Regan, L. (2009). Confirmatory method for the determination of various acetylgestagens in animal kidney fat using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Food Additives and Contaminants Part A-Chemistry Analysis Control Exposure & Risk Assessment, 26: 672-682.
Stewart, L.D., Hess, P., Connolly, L., Elliott, C.T. (2009). Development and single-laboratory validation of a pseudofunctional biosensor immunoassay for the detection of the okadaic acid group of toxins. Analytical Chemistry, 81: 10208-14.
Foddai, A., Elliott, C.T., Grant, I.R. (2009). Optimization of a Phage Amplification Assay To Permit Accurate Enumeration of Viable Mycobacterium avium subsp paratuberculosis Cells. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 75: 3896-3902.
Marchesini, G.R., Hooijerink, H., Haasnoot, W., Buijs, J., Campbell, K., Elliott, C.T., Nielen, M.W.F. (2009). Towards Surface Plasmon Resonance biosensing combined with bioaffinity-assisted nano HILIC Liquid Chromatography Time-of-flight Mass Spectrometry identification of Paralytic Shellfish Poison. Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 28: 792-803.
Mooney, M.H., Le Bizec, B., Elliott, C.T. (2009). Combining biomarker screening and mass-spectrometric analysis to detect hormone abuse in cattle. Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 28: 665-675.
Curran, R.M., Fringuelli, E., Graham, D., Elliott, C.T. (2009). Production of serotype C specific and serotype C/D generic monoclonal antibodies using recombinant H-C and H-N fragments from Clostridium botulinum neurotoxin types C-1 and D. Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology, 130: 1-10.
Stewart, L.D., Elliott, C.T., Walker, A.D., Curran, R.M., Connolly, L. (2009). Development of a monoclonal antibody binding okadaic acid and dinophysistoxins-1,-2 in proportion to their toxicity equivalence factors. Toxicon, 54: 491-498.
Nzoughet, J.K., Hamilton, J.T.G., Botting, C.H., Douglas, A., Devine, L., Nelson, J., Elliott, C.T. (2009). Proteomic Identification of Azaspiracid Toxin Biomarkers in Blue Mussels, Mytilus edulis. Molecular & Cellular Proteomics, 8: 1811- 1822.
Ngwoke, K., Elliott, C., Situ, C. (2009). Microbiological screening of African indigenous plants for antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes. Planta Medica, 75: 915.
Malone, E.M., Elliott, C.T., Kennedy, D.G., Regan, L. (2009). Development of a rapid method for the analysis of synthetic growth promoters in bovine muscle using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Analytical Chemica Acta, 637: 112-120.
Cunningham, R.T., Mooney, M.H., Xia, X.L., Crooks, S., Matthews, D., O'Keeffe, M., Li, K., Elliott, C.T. (2009). Feasibility of a Clinical Chemical Analysis Approach To Predict Misuse of Growth Promoting Hormones in Cattle. Analytical Chemistry, 81: 977-983.
Preston, A., Fodey, T., Douglas, A., Elliott, C.T. (2009). Monoclonal antibody development for acrylamide-adducted human haemoglobin; A biomarker of dietary acrylamide exposure. Journal of Immunological Methods, 341: 19-29.
Cacciatore, G., Eisenberg, S.W.F., Situ, C, Mooney, M.H., Delahaut, P., Klarenbeek, S., Huet, A.C., Bergwerff, A.A., Elliott, C.T. (2009). Effect of growth-promoting 17 beta-estradiol, 19-nortestosterone and dexamethasone on circulating levels of nine potential biomarker candidates in veal calves. Analytical Chemica Acta, 637: 351-359.
Connolly, L., Cai, K., Van der Heiden, E., Scippo, M.L., Muller, M., Tarbin, J., Elliott, C. (2009). Detection of glucocorticoid bioactivity in bovine urine samples using a reporter gene assay. Analytical Chemica Acta, 637: 321-327.
Mooney, M.H., Bergwerff, A.A., van Meeuwen, J.A., Luppa, P.B., Elliott, C.T. (2009). Biosensor-based detection of reduced sex hormone-binding globulin binding capacities in response to growth-promoter administrations. Analytical Chemica Acta, 637: 235-240.
Danaher, M., Campbell, K., O'Keeffe, ., Capurro, E., Kennedy, G., Elliott, C.T. (2008). Survey of the anticoccidial feed additive nicarbazin (as dinitrocarbanilide residues) in poultry and eggs. Food Additives and Contaminants, 25: 32-40.
Thompson, C.S., Haughey, S.A., Traynor, I.M., Fodey, T.L., Elliott, C.T., Antignac, J.P., Le Bizec, B., Crooks, S.R.H. (2008). Effective monitoring for ractopamine residues in samples of animal origin by SPR biosensor and mass spectrometry. Analytical Chemica Acta, 608: 217-225.
Preston, A., Fodey, T., Elliott, C. (2008). Development of a high-throughput enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the routine detection of the carcinogen acrylamide in food, via rapid derivatisation pre-analysis. Analytical Chemica Acta, 608: 178-185.
Wilson, S., Fodey, T.L., Traynor, I., Elliott, C.T. (2008). Development and validation of an optical SPR biosensor assay for tiamulin in grass and groundwater. Food and Agricultural Immunology, 18: 213- 220.
Fodey, T.L., Delahaut, P., Charlier, C., Elliott, C.T. (2008). Comparison of three adjuvants used to produce polyclonal antibodies to veterinary drugs. Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology, 122 25-34.
Mooney, M.H., Situ, C., Cacciatore, G., Hutchinson, T., Elliott, C., Bergwerff, A.A., (2008). Plasma biomarker profiling in the detection of growth promoter use in calves. Biomarkers, 13: 246-256.
Alfonso, C., Alfonso, A., Otero, P., Rodriguez, P., Vieytes, M.R., Elliott, C., Higgins, C., Botana, L.M. (2008). Purification of five azaspiracids from mussel samples contaminated with DSP toxins and azaspiracids. Journal of Chromatography B-Analytical Technologies in the Biomedical and Life Sciences, 865: 133-140.
Samsonova, J.V., Douglas, A.J., Cooper, K.M., Kennedy, D.G., Elliott, C.T. (2008). The identification of potential alternative Biomarkers of nitrofurazone abuse in animal derived food products. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 46: 1548-1554.
Pinel, G., Rambaud, L., Cacciatore, G., Bergwerff, A., Elliott, C., Nielen, Le Bizec, B. (2008). Elimination kinetic of 17 beta-estradiol 3-benzoate and 17 beta-nandrolone laureate ester metabolites in calves' urine. Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 110: 30-38.
Wong, Y.Y.S., Ngwoke, K.G., Grant, I., Friedman, M., Elliott, C.T., Situ, C. (2008). Feasibility of utilising natural products in animal production for the control of animal diseases and food pathogens. Planta Medica, 74: 1138.
Situ, C., Wylie, A.R.G., Douglas, A., Elliott, C.T. (2008). Reduction of severe bovine serum associated matrix effects on carboxymethylated dextran coated biosensor surfaces. Talanta, 76: 832-836.
Wong, S.Y.Y., Grant, I.R., Friedman, M., Elliott, C.T., Situ, C. (2008). Antibacterial activities of naturally occurring compounds against Mycobacterium avium subsp paratuberculosis. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 74: 5986-5990.
Nzoughet, K.J., Hamilton, J.T.G., Floyd, S.D., Douglas, A., Nelson, J., Devine, L., Elliott, C.T. (2008). Azaspiracid: First evidence of protein binding in shellfish. Toxicon, 51: 1255-1263.
Campbell, K., Stewart, L.D., Doucette, G.J., Fodey, T.L., Haughey, S.A., Vilarino, N., Kawatsu, K., Elliott, C.T. (2007). Assessment of specific binding proteins suitable for the detection of paralytic shellfish poisons using optical biosensor technology. Analytical Chemistry, 79: 5906-5914.
Wesongah, J.O., Murilla, G.A., Guantai, A.N., Elliott, C., Fodey, T., Cannavan, A. (2007). A competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for determination of chloramphenicol. Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 30: 68-73.
Elliott, C. (2007). Biosensor detects toxic drugs in food. Trends in Analytical Chemistry, SN 2007, 25BP
Campbell, K., Fodey, T., Flint, J., Danks, C., Danaher, M., O'Keeffe, M., Kennedy, D.G., Elliott, C. (2007). Development and validation of a lateral flow device for the detection of nicarbazin contamination in poultry feeds. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 55: 2497-2503.
Cooper, K.A., Samsonova, J.V., Plumpton, L., Elliott, C.T., Kennedy, D.G. (2007). Enzyme immunoassay for semicarbazide - The nitrofuran metabolite and food contaminant. Analytical Chemica Acta, 592: 64-71.
Fodey, T., Murilla, G., Cannavan, A., Elliott, C. (2007). Characterisation of antibodies to chloramphenicol, produced in different species by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and biosensor Technologies. Analytical Chemica Acta, 592: 51-57.
Fodey, T.L., Delahaut, P., Elliott, C.T. (2007. Use of antigen mimics to produce specific antibodies to anti-coccidial Drugs. Journal of Immunological Methods, 323, 31-38.
Fonfria, E.S., Vilarino, N., Campbell, K., Elliott, C., Haughey, S.A., Ben-Gigirey, B., Vieites, J.M., Kawatsu, K., Botana, L.M.(2007). Paralytic shellfish poisoning detection by surface Plasmon resonance-based Biosensors in shellfish matrixes. Analytical Chemistry, 79: 6303-6311.
O'Keeffe, M., Capurro, E., Danaher, M., Campbell, K., Elliott, C.T. (2007). Investigation of the causes for the occurrence of residues of the anticoccidial feed additive nicarbazin in commercial poultry. Food Additives and Contaminants, 24, 923-934 PT J.
Connolly, L., Thompson, C.S., Haughey, S.A., Traynor, I.A., Tittlemeier, Elliott, C.T. (2007). The development of a multi-nitroimidazole residue analysis assay by optical biosensor via a proof of concept project to develop and assess a prototype test kit. Analytical Chemica Acta, 598: 155-161.
Llamas, N., Stewart, L., Fodey, T., Higgins, H.C., Velasco, M.L.R., Botana, Elliott, C.T. (2007). Development of a novel immunobiosensor method for the rapid detection of okadaic acid contamination in shellfish extracts. Analytical and Bioanalytical, 389: 581-587.
Friedman, M., Buick, R., Elliott, C.T. (2006). Antimicrobial activities of plant compounds against antibiotic-resistant Micrococcus luteus. International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, 28(2): 156-158.
Cacciatore G., Situ C., Merckx T., Mooney, M., Eisenberg, S., Delahaut, P., Elliott, C., De Pauw, E. & Bergwerff, A. (2006). Biomarkers revealing abuse of steroid hormones. J. Vet Pharm and Therapeutics, 29 Suppl. 1: 143-144.
Elliott, C.T. & Bergwerff, A.A. (2006). Biosensor-based Methods: the instrumental link between biology and physics. J. Vet Pharm and Therapeutics, 29 Suppl. 1: 34-35.
C. Situ, E. Grutters, P. van Wichen and C.T. Elliott (2006). A collaborative trial to evaluate the performance of a multi-antibiotic enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for screening five banned antimicrobial growth promoters in animal feedingstuffs. Analytical Chemica Acta, 561: 1-2, 62-68.
Christof Van Pouck, Frédéric Dumoulin, Shirish Yakkundi, Chen Situ, Chris T. Elliott, Ellen M., Grutters, Ron Verheijen, Robert Schilt, Sune Eriksson and Carlos Van Peteghemm (2006). Banned antibacterial growth promoters in animal feed Collaborative trial on the liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method developed in the feedstuffs-radius project. Analytical Chemica Acta, 557: 1-2, 204-210.
V. Dumont, A.C. Huet, I. Traynor, C. Elliott and P. Delahaut (2006). A surface plasmon resonance biosensor assay for the simultaneous determination of thiamphenicol, florefenicol, florefenicol amine and chloramphenicol residues in shrimps. Analytical Chemica Acta, 567(2): 17 May 2006, 179-183.
Traynor, I., Plumpton, L., Fodey, T.L., Higgins, C., Elliott, C.T. (2006). Immunobiosensor detection of domoic acid as a screening test in bivalve mollusks: Comparison with LC based analysis. JAOAC, 89: 868-872.
