TEAGASC APPOINTS NEW HEAD OF FOOD RESEARCH AT MOOREPARK
Teagasc has appointed Professor Paul Ross as Head of Food Research at Moorepark, Fermoy.
Professor Ross, who joined Teagasc in 1993 as a senior research officer in the department of dairy quality in Moorepark, will have responsibility for providing overall leadership for the Teagasc food research and innovation programme which is delivered at the two research centres - Moorepark (Fermoy) and Ashtown in Dublin.
The food research programme has a budget of €18 million and is designed to meet the research and innovation needs of the Irish food industry. It covers areas of food safety, foods for health, food ingredients, food cultures, meat research, dairy technology and prepared foods.
As well as leading the Teagasc food programme, Professor Ross has responsibility for the day-to-day management of Moorepark Food Research Centre. He joins the board of Moorepark Technology Limited, a joint venture pilot plant, which offers facilities and services to companies in the food industry to scale up research and new product testing.
Congratulating Paul on his appointment, Teagasc director, Professor Gerry Boyle said: “We are determined to build on the successful Teagasc food programme, established by Professor Liam Donnelly, who retires later this year. Led by Paul, our researchers will work closely with our colleagues in industry and through our national and international research networks, to generate and apply new knowledge to develop the Irish food processing industry.”
Professor Ross graduated from University College Cork with a BSc in Microbiology/Biotechnology and went on to complete his PhD in Microbiology in UCC. Earlier this year he became a Doctor of Science at the National University of Ireland.
In the early nineties, Professor Ross worked at the Wake Forest University Medical Centre in the United States. He joined Teagasc in 1993 as a senior research officer in the Department of Dairy Quality in Moorepark, becoming head of that department in 1997.
In 2003 he was appointed as head of the Moorepark Biotechnology Centre and in the same year became a joint leader in the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, a joint initiative between Teagasc and UCC. Professor Ross’s outstanding research has been recognised over the years.
In 2005 he was ‘Scientist of the year’ at the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre. Two years later, his research and development contribution to the dairy industry was recognised when he received the ‘William C. Haines Dairy Science Award’ by California Dairy Research Foundation.
Last year, he received the ‘Lifescience & Food Commercialisation Award’ from Enterprise Ireland.
A native of Cork City and a past pupil of Colaiste Chriost Ri, Paul (46) is married to Catherine (nee Stanton) who is also employed by Teagasc, holding the position of Principal Research Officer. They have two children - Stephen (14) and Fiona (12).
Paul's work has been published in 214 peer reviewed papers and he currently has thirteen active patents. His interests include food and health research, particularly in the areas of antimicrobials and anti-infectives; gut flora and gut health; bacteriophages; and human, animal and gut pathogens.
As part of the Teagasc change programme, the food research and agricultural research directorates are being combined into a single unit to deliver greater efficiencies and synergies. The position of a new director of research is currently being advertised and an appointment is expected later this year.
Published:
Thursday 16th July 6:10pm
