School of Pharmacy-Led Programme Secures £0.5M to Combat Lough Neagh Algae Using Bacteriophages
Queen's University Belfast has secured approximately £500,000 from DAERA to develop an innovative bacteriophage-based solution to tackle harmful cyanobacterial blooms affecting Lough Neagh.
The funding, awarded through Phase 2 of the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs' Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI), will support Queen's pioneering "AquaPhage" project - one of only four solutions selected from an initial field of five concepts to progress to the next stage of development.
The multidisciplinary research team combines expertise from across Queen's University Belfast, with project lead Dr Timofey Skvortsov from the School of Pharmacy working alongside colleagues Peter Eze, Julianne Megaw, Connor G. G. Bamford, and Katrina Campbell, also from the School of Pharmacy. The team is further strengthened by collaborators Chris Creevey and Neil Reid from the School of Biological Sciences.
The innovative approach utilises bacteriophages - naturally occurring viruses that specifically target bacteria - to provide sustainable management of cyanobacterial blooms. This cutting-edge biological solution represents a potentially environmentally-friendly alternative to traditional chemical treatments for controlling the harmful algal blooms that have severely impacted Lough Neagh, the UK's largest freshwater lake.
The £2 million Phase 2 funding, distributed among four successful suppliers, requires teams to demonstrate effective treatment of Harmful Algal Bloom scums, show measurable reduction of excessive bloom growth, prove their solutions can operate at scale, and ensure interventions do not cause further environmental degradation.
Minister of Agriculture, Environment, and Rural Affairs Andrew Muir emphasised the collaborative nature required to address Lough Neagh's environmental challenges, stating:
"The environmental challenges facing Lough Neagh cannot be resolved by any single organisation or sector. A collaborative, science-led, and sustained approach is required - one that unites communities, government, industry, and environmental experts."
The project builds upon successful proof-of-concept work undertaken during Phase 1, which began in September 2024. Queen's will now have until March 2027 to further develop and pilot their bacteriophage-based technology, working to validate the approach at scale and demonstrate its commercial viability.
Professor Gavin Andrews, Head of the School of Pharmacy at Queen's, said:
"This significant funding award recognises the exceptional expertise within our School and the innovative approach our researchers are taking to address one of Northern Ireland's most pressing environmental challenges. The AquaPhage project exemplifies our commitment to developing sustainable, science-based solutions that can make a real difference to our local environment and communities. We're particularly proud that our School is leading this groundbreaking research alongside our colleagues in Biological Sciences."
The bacteriophage approach represents a novel biological intervention that could offer advantages over existing methods by specifically targeting problematic cyanobacteria whilst minimising impact on other aquatic organisms and the broader ecosystem.
Following the completion of Phase 2, DAERA may choose to procure one or more of the developed solutions through a separate public procurement process, potentially leading to implementation of the most successful technologies in Lough Neagh and other affected waterbodies across Northern Ireland.
More information is available via the DAERA website.
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