Zoology News

Barnacles could help solve the mystery of Malaysian Airlines Flight 370

Barnacles

24th August 2023

Barnacles could help solve the mystery of Malaysian Airlines Flight 370

Dr Anne-Marie Power and her team from Dept Zoology at the University if Galway have a new paper out today in AGU Advances (open access https://doi.org/10.1029/2023AV000915) - Barnacles could help solve the mystery of Malaysian Airlines Flight 370, as explained in National Geographic https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/barnacles-missing-malaysian-airlines-flight-drift-path

The potential of snake venoms in the fight against antibiotic resistant bacteria

Naja samarensis - Philippines credit - Mark Mosley

23rd August 2023

The potential of snake venoms in the fight against antibiotic resistant bacteria 

A new study led by Dr Aoife Boyd from the Pathogenic Mechanisms Group has discovered snake venoms that completely inhibit biofilm production in the common pathogenic bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. The international collaboration included the Venom Systems lab in Zoology and the Mass Spectrometry Lab at the University of Liège in Belgium. The venom used in the study was extracted from two species of highly venomous snakes, the Samar spitting cobra Naja samarensis from the Philippines, and the African Puff adder Bitis arietans which are normally responsible for tens of thousands of human deaths each year from snakebite. However, these snakes have the potential to actually save the lives of millions, because within their lethal venom cocktails are toxins that have anti-biofilm activity against methicillin-susceptible and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA and MRSA) demonstrating valuable potential for anti-virulence therapy to fight antibiotic resistant microbes. 

The study is available at: 

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2215017X23000309#:~:text=Snake%20venoms%20inhibit%20biofilm%20production,eradication%20of%20biofilm%2Dproducing%20bacteria. 

Heritage Week Tours

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In this photo Brendan Mc Glinchey of Galway Civic Trust

and tour guides Jodie O'Regan (left) and Dayle Leonard (right)

from the University of Galway.

15th August 2023

Heritage Week Tour at Zoology and Marine Biology Museum

40 people attended the tour to hear Dayle and Jodie speak about the museum’s collection and live animal demonstrations.

The museum is a popular venue for Heritage Week tours, organized by Galway Civic Trust, and is considered a highlight of the event.

New Scientist Live 2023

08th August 2023

New Scientist Live 2023 is an exciting event that will take place from Sat 7 - Sun 8 Oct, with a Schools’ Day on Mon 9 Oct. The event will be held at ExCeL London and Online. 

https://live.newscientist.com/nsl-london-2023-talks-programme/deep-ocean

One of the highlights of the event will be a talk by marine scientist Louise Allcock, a Zoologist at the University of Galway.

In her talk, Louise Allcock will take us on a personal journey through the deep ocean, from spectacular deep-sea coral ecosystems to the squids and octopuses of the bathypelagic. She will explore the evolutionary drivers that have contributed to the enormous faunal diversity and show how this biodiversity has unexpected benefits for humanity. This includes the evolution of enzymes with potential uses in research and even criminology, as well as chemical compounds with the potential to combat disease.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn more about the fascinating world of marine science and the important work being done by researchers like Louise Allcock

Irish deep sea corals

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9th June 2022

For World Ocean’s Day, PhD student Declan Morrissey wrote about Ireland’s deep-sea corals

Read more here https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2022/0607/1303377-ireland-deep-sea-corals-world-ocean-day/

 Image copyright Marine Institute, taken by University of Galway during an expedition funded by the Marine Institute

Teagasc Sheep Open Day 2022

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18th June 2022

The Teagasc Sheep Open Day took place on Saturday the 18^th of June in Athenry where sheep farmers had the opportunity to learn about ongoing research.  NUI Galway Project collaborators Dr Orla Keane and Amanda McEvoy from Teagasc who are collaborators with Prof Dalton's Parasitology Lab presented the current liver fluke vaccine and diagnostic development trials and were on-hand to give advice on all things related to sustainable control of parasites.

Additional bits on the Open Day can be found at https://www.teagasc.ie/publications/2022/sheep-open-day-booklet-2022.php . This includes the booklet given to people in attendance that includes a piece written for the fluke project.

Deep sea coral with novel drug potential

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15th July 2022

Researchers from the Ryan Institute, led by Professor Louise Allcock and Dr Carolina De Marco Verissimo, have discovered a coral in the Atlantic Ocean with a novel drug potential. 

More from the Irish Examiner, Irish Independent, Afloat.ie, Marine Times, and Irish Central.

Could cauliflower coral combat covid?: Professor Louise Allcock (Ryan Institute) spoke to RTÉ Radio 1’s Mooney Goes Wild about her recent discovery of a coral in the Atlantic Ocean which contains a chemical compound that acts against the virus responsible for Covid-19. 

Under the sea: What it’s like working as a marine scientist

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21^st January 2022

Prof Louise Allcock shares her experience exploring deep-sea habitats and discusses her research into squid DNA.  Read the written by Jenny Darmody from Silicon Republic  here.

What the world's oldest people can teach us about living longer lives

‌14th September 2021

Siobhán Hamon a PhD student from the Molecular Parasitology Lab in NUI Galway has published an RTÉ Brainstorm article. The article examines lifestyles of centenarians living in Blue Zones on Earth. Read more here.

Fasciolosis Book Second Edition!

7th January 2022

Students, academics and researchers!

It has finally arrived - new 2^nd edition of Fasciolosis ISBN 9789246162 edited by Prof. John P. Dalton of the Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, Department of Zoology at NUI Galway. An excellent mix of old and new research up-dated by established and emerging scientists keeps Fasciola ahead of the field! 

 A must-read thriller!

Prof. Dalton would like to thank all contributors for their excellent contributions to the books, and to his MPL team for their fluke support!

The Molecular Parasitology Lab has gone green!

6th January 2022

The Molecular Parasitology Lab at NUI Galway has gone green! We're making real and impactful changes to decrease the environmental footprint of our research by joining the My Green Lab Certification Program. After a thorough online assessment of our lab practices, equipment, waste, and procurement, we were awarded the highest level 'Green' certificate! We have also joined a network of hundreds of certified green labs all over the world. We encourage others to sign up for this fantastic program: bit.ly/greenlabcert

The role 'green' laboratories can play in the fight against climate change

‌7th September 2021

By encouraging sustainability-friendly research together with the promotion of 'Green lab' certification, research laboratories are the focus of a much needed sustainability culture change. Read more here.

Blue blood, three hearts and nine brains - octopuses 101

28th August 2021

Prof Louise Allcock joined ABC (Australia) Overnights programme and spent the small hours talking to presenter Rod Quinn about all things octopus.  Want to learn more about these fascinating creatures?  Listen in here.

Octopuses on Mooney Goes Wild

‌28th June 2021
Prof Louise Allcock talks to the Mooney Goes Wild team about all things octopuses.  Is it octopi or octopuses? Just how clever are they? Listen to the full episode here: the conversation switches to octopuses around 30 mins in.

World Ocean's Day / Springwatch

‌8th June 2021 - World Ocean's Day

Deep-sea octopus footage taken by NUI Galway zoologists in Irish waters feature on the BBC's Springwatch. You can watch the full episode on Youtube here: the octopuses feature around 40 mins in.

Oceans of Learning

‌‌‌20th May 2021
Prof Louise Allcock talks about the deep sea on the Marine Institute's Oceans of Learning Webinar.

The wonderful world of the octopus

‌16th May 2021
Prof Louise Allcock talks octopuses with the Sunday Independent following the success of My Octopus Teacher at the Oscars.  Alas, this will be behind a paywall for some, but, if you do have access, you can read the full article here.

Are men more likely than women to get infectious diseases?

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12th November 2020  
Amber Dorey explains how biological, physical, lifestyle and cultural factors play a role in determining your susceptibility to infection.  Read more on RTE Brainstorm.

Could parasitic worms help cure a blood infection like sepsis?

 Research shows that parasitic worms may be key to the treatment of sepsis and other diseases.  Read more on RTE Brainstorm.

What happens when the drugs don't work?

‌1st September 2019  

 Michel Dugon, head of the Venom lab in NUI Galway has been talking to RTE's Brainstorm podcast about the potential role venom may have in developing drugs amid the current rise of antibiotic resistance bacterial infections. See the Brainstorm podcast for more.

First aid management protocol for jellyfish stings

2nd September 2019  
Jasmine Headlam of NUI Galway has been talking to Silicon Republic on how here reserch shows that much of the literature on treating jellyfish stings has been wrong the whole time. Jasmine describes how her and colloborators have developed a first aid management protocol for jellyfish stings that is almost the opposite of what is currently advised. See Silicon Republic for more.

Mapping out the shape and pace of animal life cycles

‌ 15 July 2019  
A research team, led by Dr Kevin Healy, has mapped out the life cycles of 121 animals ranging from humans to sponges. The research, published in Nature Ecology and Evolution, showed that animal life cycles are mainly described by the “pace” (how fast an animal goes through its life cycle) and the “shape” (how survival and reporduction is spread across the life cycle) of life. 
Read more in the Irish Examiner and the Nature blog.  

Unexplored depths of the Indian Ocean

‌‌‌12th March 2019
Professor Louise Allcock, Head of Zoology at NUI Galway, has embarked on a ground breaking multidisciplinary scientific research Mission to the Seychelles to investigate the unexplored depths of the Indian Ocean.  Professor Allcock is second-in-command of the science team led by Nekton’s Principle Scientist, Lucy Woodall. More from The Times, the live Sky News blog, Silicon Republic, and Irish Tech News, on this six-week Mission.

Max the lovable student supporter

2nd May 2019
Gorgeous Max the labrador and Kai the German Shepherd were in the news this week.  Belonging to Prof Grace McCormack in Zoology, and Dr Ger Fleming in Microbiology, both dogs have their own library cards and are available weekly in the library to help students relax.  Max is particularly proud of himself this week, having featured on the RTE website here and getting a tweet from none other than Teresa Mannion.

Meet MAX the lovable labrador who supports students ⁦@nuigalway⁩ during exam time ⁦@rtenews⁩ #labrador #pettherapy @petthera ⁦@annemariamce⁩ pic.twitter.com/2U6U3J8Wai

— TERESA MANNION (@TeresaMannion) May 1, 2019

Marine Mystery

19th May 2019
Dr Kathryn Schoenrock, a postdoctoral research in Zoology, is puzzled by the appearance of non-native seaweed on the Co Mayo coast and is calling for volunteer divers and snorklers to check entire island for Cuvie. More from The Irish Times.

Wider impacts of microplastic

‌‌30th April 2019
A new study by Zoology PhD student Alina Wieczorek shows that microscopic pieces of plastic consumed by plankton in the world’s oceans could be affecting the marine organisms’ ability to capture carbon dioxide.  Going viral, you can read about this study in The Times, The Irish Times, Silicon Republic, The Irish Independent, The Irish Examiner and Afloat among others.  You may also have heard Alina on national and local radio.

Where are Ireland's squirrels and pine martens?

‌9th April 2019
Dr Colin Lawton spoke to RTE's Derek Mooney about a survey seeking to determine the latest distribution of red and grey squirrels and the pine marten in Ireland. The group are inviting members of the public to participate in a Citizen Science survey, and record their sightings of the three mammal species during 2019. Submit your sightings to Biodiversity Ireland and follow on Twitter @squirrelsurvey.  Further details and the podcast from Mooney goes wild are here.

A Sense of Time

‌‌‌8th April 2019
Do different animals experience time the same way we do? NUI Galway zoologist, Dr Kevin Healy, discusses his research and tries to get into the mind of a fly as part of the BBC4 podcast “A Sense of Time” which explores how different animals may experience time.

Deep Ocean Live

‌‌19th March 2019
Professor Louise Allcock was live from the Indian Ocean with Sky News correspondent Thomas Moore on Deep Ocean Live

Secrets of snake venom

‌‌8th January 2019
Recent research published by NUI Galway zoologist, Dr Kevin Healy, reports on why the venom of some snakes is so much deadlier than others. By comparing the potency of venom in over 100 snakes, the research shows that snake venom evolves to be at its deadliest when used on species more frequently found within a snake’s diet. Read more in The Irish Times

New Book on Octopus, Squid & Cuttlefish

16th November 2018
Professor Louise Allcock, current head of Zoology at NUI Galway, this week extolled the virtues of Octopus, Squid and Cuttlefish, the subject of her new book.  She spoke to RTE1s Mooney Goes Wild, and gave a taster of the book contents in this week's RTE Brainstorm.  The Brainstorm piece also contains a link to the Mooney Goes Wild podcast, and can be found here.

Biology of Creepy Crawlies

Science Week 2018
John Dunbar, a PhD student in Zoology, and his colleagues from Eco-EXPLORERS, an outreach initiative  visited schools this week as part of Science Week to teach students on the biology of insects and reptiles.  See more on Eco-explorer activity on their facebook page.

Dr Michel Dugon's Ted talk goes viral

10th October 2018
The Galway TEDx talk of Dr Michel Dugon has been upgraded to the main TED site.  Dr Dugon's talk about the use of venom to generate the next generation of therapeutics can be seen here:

Sea sponges found off Mayo coast sampled for new drug treatments

 3rd September 2018
The Irish Times reports on research by NUI Galway zoologist, Prof Louise Allcock, who has been out on the national research vessel RV Celtic Explorer collecting sponges for a project seeking to find new drugs from marine organisms.‌  Read more in the Irish Times...

What's for lunch? The Irish spider who ate the lizard

 26th July 2018
Research by NUI Galway zoologist, Dr. Michel Dugon, reports on first recorded incidence of an alien spider feasting on a native reptile in Ireland. The Noble False Widow spider has been observed feeding on Ireland’s only native terrestrial reptile.‌  Read more on RTE News...

Video: Newly discovered rare deepwater coral identified off Irish coast

 ‌23rd July 2018
Gardens of rare and newly discovered deepwater coral and an entire reef of sponges have been identified off the Irish west coast by a team of Irish and British scientists. A type of “black coral” identified on the mission may be an entirely new species, according to Marine Institute lead expedition scientist David O’Sullivan and Prof Louise Allcock of NUI Galway.‌  Read more in The Irish Times...

Irish jellyfish experts issue advice on how to treat Lion's Mane sting after five hospitalised

‌‌9th July 2018
Jasmine Headlam, PhD and Fullbright Researcher from the Ryan Institute at NUI Galway and a team of jellyfish research experts have issued advice on how best to treat a jelly fish sting, in light of the recent increase in lion’s mane jellyfish sightings and stings experienced by swimmers across parts of Ireland..‌  Read more in The Irish Independent...