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Supervision


*Simon Thomas;  PhD student, investigating phosphonate cycling in the marine environmnent, supported by NERC (in collaboration with the Plymouth Marine Laboratory).  To be completed 2010.

*Juan Villarreal-Chiu;  PhD student, investigating the biochemistry and genetics of carbon-phosphorus bond cleavage in bacteria, supported by the Ministry of Education, Mexico.  To be completed 2010.

*Mary Lai;  p/t PhD student, investigating polyphosphate metabolism by environmental bacteria.  To be completed 2012.

*Natalie Cooley;  PhD student; investigating pathways of phosphonate metabolism in environmental bacteria, supported by ESF.  To be completed 2009.

*Oonagh McAreavy;  PhD. student, investigating phosphorus cycling in environmental microorganisms, supported by ESF.  To be completed 2008.

Diane MacCombe;  PhD. student, investigating methods of minimising sludge production during wastewater treatment, supported by CEH-Oxford, the QUESTOR Centre, ESF, Extract Solutions Ltd, the Northern Ireland Water Service, Wastewater Controls Ltd and QUESTOR Technologies Ltd.  PhD awarded 2008.  Title: Sludge minimisation: investigation of a novel approach.

Stephen Cooper;  PhD. student, investigating a novel method of phosphate removal from wastewaters based upon exposure of environmental microorganisms to a mild acid stress, supported the QUESTOR Centre, DENI, Extract Solutions Ltd, the Northern Ireland Water Service, Wastewater Controls Ltd and QUESTOR Technologies Ltd.  PhD awarded 2006.  Title: Acid-stimulated biological phosphate removal from municipal and industrial effluents.

Breige McNicholl;  MSc. Part-time student, investigating methods of measuring activated sludge biomass activity.  Awarded MSc 2006.  Title: The development, evaluation and application of colorimetric methods for the determination of the metabolic activity of activated sludge microorganisms.

Alan Mullan;  PhD. student, investigating biological phosphate removal from wastewaters, supported by the QUESTOR Centre, Severn Trent Water Ltd., Yorkshire Water Ltd., and the Northern Ireland Water Service.  Awarded PhD. 2003. Title: Low pH induced polyphosphate accumulation by environmental microorganisms and its application in biological phosphate removal.

Derek Quinn;  PhD. student, investigating the genetic basis of carbon-phosphorus bond cleavage by bacteria, supported by a CAST award from Dept. Environment (NI).  Awarded PhD. 2002.  Title: Phosphonoacetaldehyde hydrolase: the gene and the enzyme.

Cecilia McCartan;  PhD. student, developing a rapid, inexpensive, and easy-to-use method for the assessment of microbial metabolic activity and toxicity testing in activated sludge plants using tetrazolium salts, supported by the QUESTOR Centre.  Awarded PhD. 2001. Title: The assessment of toxicity in environmental microbial populations.

Stephen Cleary;  MSc. student, investigating acid stimulated phosphate removal.  Completed 2001.  Title: Acid stimulated phosphate removal.

Nigel Ternan;  PhD. student, investigating the enzymology of carbon-phosphorus bond cleavage in microorganisms, supported by ESF.  Awarded PhD. 1997.  Title: Carbon-phosphorus bond cleavage by environmental bacteria.

Janice King;  PhD. student, investigating organosulphonate metabolism in bacteria, supported by Dept. Education (NI).  Awarded PhD. 1996.  Title: Carbon-sulphur bond cleavage by environmental bacteria.

John McGrath;  PhD. student, investigating carbon-phosphorus bond metabolism in environmental bacteria, supported by QUESTOR Centre and Dept. Education (NI).  Awarded PhD. 1995. Title: Biodegradation of organophosphonates.

Geoffrey McMullan;  PhD. student, investigating organophosphonate metabolism in bacteria, supported by Dept. Education (NI).  Awarded PhD. 1992.  Title: The biodegradation of organophosphonates by environmental bacteria.

Elaine Dick;  PhD. student, investigating glyphosate metabolism by soil and aquatic bacteria, supported by a CAST award with Zeneca Agrochemicals.  Awarded PhD. 1991.  Title: Microbial degradation of the herbicide glyphosate.

Catherine O'Mullan;  PhD. student, investigating gene expression in the green alga Chlorella, supported by Dept. Education (NI).  Awarded PhD. 1989.  Title: Regulation of isocitrate lyase expression in Chlorella.

*Current students