Michael McAuliffe

Postdoctoral Researcher

Michael McAuliffe is a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in the Centre for Advanced Photonics and Process Analysis (CAPPA), Cork Institute of Technology and Tyndall National Institute. His research area is multidisciplinary, involving applications of molecular spectroscopy including hyperspectral imaging and multivariate analysis techniques applied to industrial applications.

Having completed his undergraduate degree in Applied Physics and Instrumentation, he went on to complete an MSc and PhD in University College Cork. His PhD thesis, completed in 2013, involved the development of an atmospheric LIDAR system to model gases, aerosols, clouds and turbulent mixing processes.

During his time as a post-doctoral researcher, he investigated the application of near and mid-infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy for real-time monitoring application of pharmaceutical processes. He has been successful in gaining funding awards to support additional industry-focused research and development activities, including several Enterprise Ireland Innovation Partnership Programme and a Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Technology Centre (PMTC) project.

His future work involves the development of molecularly imprinted polymers coupled with SERS and microfluidic devices for the detection of high-potency active pharmaceutical ingredients (HPAPIs), drugs of abuse, water pollutants and key biomarkers present in the blood.