PhD Studentship

Post Status: Fixed-term (4 years) – Full-time

Research Group / Department / School: AM Healy Research Group, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin 

Location: Panoz Institute, Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland 

Reports to: Prof. Anne Marie Healy 

Terms & Conditions: Fully funded PhD studentship for up to four years, covering PhD tuition fees and tax-free stipend (€25,000 per annum), subject to satisfactory progress. 

Expected start date: 1st September 2026 

Hours of Work: Full-time 

Closing Date: 12 Noon (GMT), 25th May 2026

Post Summary 

Applications are invited for a fully funded PhD studentship to work on a BIOFABRICATE project, funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) and supervised by Prof. Anne Marie Healy in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Trinity College Dublin (TCD). Co-supervision will be provided by Dr. Ramesh Babu in the School of Chemistry, Trinity College Dublin.

BIOFABRICATE: Integrated Bio-based Innovations for Sustainable Manufacturing, Construction, and Pharmaceutical Applications from Irish Forest Biomass is a multi-institutional programme of research led by the University of Galway, involving TCD, Technological University Dublin (TUD), Atlantic Technological University (ATU), Dublin City University (DCU), Teagasc and a number of industry partners.

BIOFABRICATE aims to develop and validate advanced bio-based materials and technologies from the growing supply of Irish forest biomass, for applications in engineered timber construction, manufacturing, food packaging and pharmaceuticals. 

The PhD student in Prof. Healy’s group will be working on a project titled: “Evaluation of the use of Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC) generated from Irish forestry biomass in pharmaceutical solid dosage forms”. They will work closely with researchers in Dr. Babu’s lab in the School of Chemistry, TCD. This project aims to evaluate the properties of microcrystalline cellulose derived from Irish forest biomass (IFB-MCC) and to assess its suitability as a tablet excipient for direct compression. Studies will be undertaken to compare IFB-MCC to MCC from commercial excipient suppliers with a view to identifying if IFB-MCC can be used as a viable alternative, enabling tablet manufacture of desired quality and performance characteristics.

Qualifications 

• A first-class or upper second-class honours degree (or equivalent) primary degree in pharmacy, pharmaceutical sciences, chemistry, or a closely related discipline. 

• Applicants must meet Trinity College Dublin’s PhD entry requirements: 

https://www.tcd.ie/study/apply/admission-requirements/postgraduate/