From midwifery to microbiology, my surprising career journey!
Hello, I’m Niamh, a Research Associate at University of Galway. My role for BlueAdapt is to investigate our coastal environments for harmful bacteria, with a special focus on antimicrobial resistant (AMR) bacteria. If bacteria becomes increasingly resistant to antibiotics, these types of medication will lose effectiveness. Antimicrobial resistant infections are predicted to be the leading cause of death by 2050.
I’m also looking at how climate change is impacting these microorganisms to help predict the health risks we might face now, and in the future. I’m based in the Antimicrobial Resistance and Microbial Ecology (ARME) Research Group at University of Galway in Ireland. I joined the group back in 2017, but my background might surprise you!
My academic journey started with a BSc. in Midwifery in 2016. My interest in human health and disease then led me onto an MSc. in Biomedical Science in 2017, where I was introduced to the world of antimicrobial resistance.
During my MSc., I had the opportunity to work on a research project exploring AMR in hospital and municipal wastewaters under the guidance of Prof. Dearbháile Morris and Dr. Louise O’Connor at University of Galway. This is where my career in AMR research began!
Since then I have worked on a variety of research projects investigating antimicrobial resistance, in diverse natural environments such as wastewaters, seawaters, freshwaters, as well as in food and animals. I am really interested in investigating the spread of AMR (bacteria and genes), and from a One Health perspective. This holistic approach recognises the interconnection between environmental health, human health, and animal health and how they influence each other.
I’m really excited to be part of the Blue Adapt team, to contribute my expertise and work on this project where our research ultimately strives to reduce risks to public health.
You can read more about Niamh and the team’s research into AMR here.
How is climate change impacting AMR?
Our main objective is to explore our coastal environments for pathogens of clinical significance, with a particular focus on antimicrobial resistant bacteria, and to also assess how changes in our climate may impact the survival of certain antimicrobial resistant bacteria in these environments. Data we collect will play a crucial role in developing and validating models that help us identify and predict areas where people might be at a higher risk of pathogen exposure.
One part of the research will involve carrying out microcosm experiments. These experiments will involve simulating the natural seawater environment, adding antimicrobial resistant bacteria at specific concentrations, and then exposing our samples to various climatic stressors, such as temperature and UV radiation, to observe the impact of these stressors on organism survival. For these experiments, I will be using antimicrobial resistant bacteria that we’ve collected from seawater samples in the past.
Analysing bacteria found in seawater
To better understand what is present in our seawater environments we will collect and analyse seawater samples from Spiddal, a coastal village in County Galway, located on the West coast of Ireland. The photo at the top of the page is me out collecting samples! One of the beaches there, Trá na mBan, has been facing water quality issues due to agricultural run-off and up until recently, raw wastewater discharges.
While a wastewater treatment plant has recently been constructed and is now operational in this area, surveillance of antimicrobial resistant bacteria and genes in our coastal environments is still of utmost importance, particularly as conventional wastewater treatment processes are not actually designed to effectively eliminate such bacteria and genes.
How can we help to safeguard public health?
To safeguard public health, we must ensure that our coastal waters are safe for use. This entails understanding what exists in our coastal environment and the impact of climate change and environmental pollution on pathogens in these environments. Our research at BlueAdapt aims to reveal the potential risks to public health and find solutions to mitigate them.
About me
My journey from midwifery to microbial ecology has led me to this exciting point in my career. My work with Blue Adapt showcases the significance of understanding our coastal environments down to what pathogens are present and how climate change or pollution may affect these, in protecting our health and environment. I love going for walks on the beach (and the occasional swim!) and bringing my dog Rua along too. She loves swimming in the water so it is also important for me that we make our beaches safe for our pets also! Spending time around our coastal environments, whether it is in the water or by the water, has so many benefits for our health, and that’s one of the reasons I love working to improve our blue spaces.
