APC Postdoctoral Association

UPCOMING ! Coffee with (not a) PI – Thurs, Nov 20, 11am in BSI 1.13 ☕
Join us for a chat with Dr. Lorraine Draper, Operations Manager at @apcmicrobiomeirel.bsky.social, as she shares her journey from the lab bench to research management.
Naturally, coffee, tea & pastries included ! 😄🍵🥐✨

Join us on 28 Oct for a talk by Dr. Charlene Van Buiten on “Sourdough-Omics” and how fermentation can help reduce food waste and improve health. 🧪
@apcmicrobiomeirel.bsky.social

Just wrapped up the APC Postdoc Symposium 🎉 A day of science, skills & coffee-powered networking ☕🦠 Huge thanks to the organising committee, the real chefs behind this recipe for success 👩‍🍳👏 New ideas, new collabs & maybe one too many “final_FINAL.pptx” files!

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Great company, good laughs, and a really nice evening catching up together. Cheers to a lovely Cheers with the Peers! 🥂
@apcmicrobiomeirel.bsky.social

Warning: laughter, clinking glasses, and epic chats ahead - Cheers with Peers is back!

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A big thank you to everyone who participated in our quiz! Great turnout, great energy - our quiz event was a hit!
Congrats to all the winners!
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A little friendly competition never hurts - join our Quiz Night!

A little friendly competition never hurts - join our Quiz Night!
@apcmicrobiomeirel.bsky.social

A little friendly competition never hurts - join our Quiz Night!

A little friendly competition never hurts - join our Quiz Night!
@apcmicrobiomeirel.bsky.social

Cheers to an amazing Cheers with the Peers! 🥂 Great turnout! So good to catch up, laugh, and enjoy a great evening together.
@apcmicrobiomeirel.bsky.social

📬 Just reposting so no one misses it!

Dr. Morgane Eileen Le Dréan earned her BSc from Rennes 1 University (France) and Aston University (UK) and a Master’s in Cellular and Integrated Neurosciences from Strasbourg University (France). Awarded a competitive doctoral fellowship in 2020, she conducted PhD research at Nantes University (INSERM TENS U1235 lab – directed by Michel Neunlist - France), focusing on the gut-brain axis in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).After completing her PhD in 2023, Dr. Le Dréan received the prestigious MSCA INSPIRE Fellowship to continue her work at UCC and APC Microbiome Ireland (Cork – Ireland), investigating microbiota-ENS interactions in ASD and exploring microbiome-based therapies for autism-related gastrointestinal disorders.

Léa Roussin is a postdoctoral researcher in the Sysneuro team under the supervision of Dr.Colin McNamara, as part of the Brain-Gut-Microbiota Axis Lab at APC Microbiome. She was awarded an MSCA INSPIRE fellowship to lead a project aiming to anatomically and functionally characterize gut innervated neuronal circuits involved in memory. She did her PhD in France at the Micalis Institute (INRAe, Paris Saclay University), working on the impact of microbiota from children with autism on behaviour and autism-related immune, gut and brain parameters in germ-free mice. Overall, her research interests are the interactions between gut, microbiota, and brain, and the mechanisms underlying those interactions. In her free time, she enjoys baking, swimming, and seaside walks around Cork. And of course, she will (almost) never say no to a pint after work!

🤝Meet our new committee members!
Morgane Le Dréan – Communication rep

Léa Roussin – Social event manager

Check out their bios in the ALT text.
@people

Dr. Cristina Rosell Cardona is a postdoctoral researcher in the Microbiota-Brain-Gut Axis group at APC Microbiome Ireland, working under the supervision of Professors Sarah Kittel-Schneider and Gerard Clarke. She was recently awarded the prestigious INSPIRE APC-Marie Curie Fellowship to explore the effects of microbial metabolites on depression using human-induced pluripotent stem cells. Previous research at University College Cork (UCC) was focused on investigating the impact of microbial metabolites on stress, with a particular focus on the gut-brain barriers and synaptic plasticity. She obtained her PhD at the University of Barcelona, where she investigated the preventive effects of protein supplementation on neuroinflammation and Alzheimer’s disease markers in mice. Her research interests center on the interplay between diet, gut microbiota, microbial metabolites, and their roles in gut and brain health, with a particular focus on neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders.

Dr. Munawar is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellow working with the Tangney Lab at APC Microbiome Ireland and Cancer Research@UCC. His current research focuses on using bacteria as protein bio-factories for immunotherapy. He completed his PhD at the University of Reading (UK), where he investigated the impact of iron deficiency anaemia and supplementation on gut microbiota and metabolism using a piglet model. Outside the lab, Munawar is passionate about philanthropy and community support, finding joy in small ways of helping others and contributing positively to the world around him. He also enjoys reading, exploring new places, and spending peaceful moments in green meadows (especially when the Irish sun makes a rare appearance!).

🤝Meet our new committee members!
Cristina Rosell Cardona – Treasurer (former Chair)
@crosellcardona.bsky.social
Munawar Abbas – Social media rep

Check out their bios in the ALT text.
@people

@valentineturpin.bsky.social

Valentine Turpin is a postdoctoral researcher in the Aburto Lab under the supervision of Dr. María R. Aburto, part of the Microbiome Gut Brain group. She was recently awarded an INSPIRE MSCA fellowship to investigate the relationship between the development of the neurovascular network and the microbiome in the context of autism spectrum disorder. Her PhD focused on how n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids could benefit to the behavioural, molecular, and cellular symptoms in autism spectrum disorder. Outside of the lab, she practices yoga, enjoys reading and long walks with friends (when it’s not raining!).

Elisabeth is a postdoctoral researcher in Prof. Douwe van Sinderen’s group at the APC Microbiome. She gained a BSc in Pharmacology from the University of Edinburgh followed by an MRes and PhD from the University of Cambridge. Elisabeth’s PhD thesis explored glucose absorption in the gut and the subsequent release of incretin hormones. Her interests include nutrition and host-microbe interactions, and her current research explores this in the context of the human commensal gut bacteria, Bifidobacterium. She is happy to be back in her native Cork and enjoys sea swimming.

📢 We are delighted to introduce our new committee!

Valentine Turpin – Chair (formerly Social Media Rep)

Elisabeth O'Flaherty – Vice Chair (formerly Secretary)

Check out their bios in the ALT text.

📣 #CheersWithPeers is on! Join us at Tom Barry's, Thurs July 3rd from 6:15PM 🍻 Catch up with APC Microbiome Ireland colleagues over drinks & good vibes. All welcome – especially #EarlyCareerResearchers!

📣 #CheersWithPeers is on! Join us at Tom Barry's, Thurs July 3rd from 6:15PM 🍻 Catch up with APC Microbiome Ireland colleagues over drinks & good vibes. All welcome -especially #EarlyCareerResearchers!
@apcmicrobiomeirel.bsky.social

📢Join the APC forum Tuesday, 1st July 2025 (Online) to hear from Professor Jonathan R. Swann 💊 🧬 A 30-minute Q&A session will follow, dedicated to #earlycareer scientists (2-2:30pm)🥼

📢Join the APC forum Tuesday, 1st July 2025 (Online) to hear from Professor Jonathan R. Swann 💊 🧬 A 30-minute Q&A session will follow, dedicated to #earlycareer scientists (2-2:30pm)🥼
@apcmicrobiomeirel.bsky.social

This is tomorrow, don't miss it! 👀

📢Join the APC forum online next week to listen to Shauni Fitzgerald on her journey towards and now in Atlantia Clinical Trials 💊 🦠 Light lunch and coffee provided from 12:30!

@apcmicrobiomeirel.bsky.social #earlycareer

🚀 #Pint25 Cork: 9 Incredible Topics, 5 Fantastic Venues! 🌟

Join us 19-21 May for Pint of Science Cork! Experience fascinating talks on topics like microbes, baby brain development, & sustainable futures from 19:00 to 21:00 each evening!

Don't miss out on this mind-blowing science celebration! 🧪🍻

Apologies, we didn't catch your message on time. Usually these talks are internal to APC Microbiome Ireland but if requested in advance, we always ask the speakers if they are ok with externals following their talk and we would share the link with you privately.

This Wednesday come join us online for an insightful scientific discussion 🙌

📢Join the APC forum online next week to listen to Prof. Gregor Reid for his career reflections and future directions as a microbiome scientist 🦠 🥼
@apcmicrobiomeirel.bsky.social

📣 SOCIAL EVENT 📣 After the success of our 1st edition, join us next week for the return of #cheerswithpeers 🍻 It's a nice opportunity to chat with coworkers within @apcmicrobiomeirel.bsky.social who you run into everyday! All are welcome and of course our #earlycareerresearchers !

This is tomorrow, don't miss it! 🥳

📣 Join us next Thursday for a #CoffeeWithNotAPI with
Dr. Gerry Moloney to have a chat over pastries and coffee 🥐☕️ @apcmicrobiomeirel.bsky.social #earlycareer

We were delighted to have you! Thanks again for such a wonderful talk 😊

This is today, this is not an April Fools 🐟 please take the time to pass by to express yourself on our association, all career stages are welcome!
@apcmicrobiomeirel.bsky.social

📣 We want to hear your voice! We're organizing an open meeting🫂🤗 You're thinking of joining our committee? You have event ideas to gather APC members? You have some feedback on our recent events? Join us for this open conversation on the future of the association 💪

Don't forget this talk today 🥳

This is tomorrow! 😃