RESEARCH OVERVIEW:
The BDI's Biorecognition research focuses on the production of diverse antibody libraries against clinically relevant biomarkers of cardiac disease. The programme involves the development and optimisation of a fully automated protocol for antibody screening and selection including the full characterisation and immunoassay performance of selected antibodies. In addition, genetic engineering techniques are utilised to further enhance the specificity and sensitivity of the antibodies and fragments. These optimised antibodies are integrated with developments from other BDI programmes to yield the extremely high levels of performance required for Point of Care (POC) devices.

Key programme elements:

• Lead antibody generation and selection
• Antibody engineering
• Specific tailoring and fundamental studies

These programme elements include the provision of large panels of fully engineered and characterised antibody fragments to multiple biomarkers for cardiovascular disease. Molecular engineering techniques are being utilised to enhance and continually evolve selected antibody characteristics for immunoassay applications including the fundamental elements that contribute to the efficiency of ligand generation, stability and post immobilisation activity.

KEY OUTPUTS:
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS:

• O’Kennedy, R., Townsend, S., Donohoe, G.G., Leonard, P., Hearty, S. and Byrne, B. (In press) Speedy, small, sensitive and specific - reality or myth for future analytical methods. Analytical Letters: Special Edition. [Invited review]

• Hearty, S., Leonard, P. and O'Kennedy, R. (2010) Barcodes check out prostate cancer. Nature Nanotechnology, 5, 9-10. (January)

• McDonnell, B., Hearty, S., Leonard, P. and O'Kennedy, R. (2009) Cardiac biomarkers and the case for point-of-care testing. Clinical Biochemistry, 42 (7-8), 549-561. (May)

• Lynam, C., Gilmartin, N., Minett, A.I., O’Kennedy R. & Wallace, G.G. (2009) Carbon nanotube-based transducers for immunoassays. Carbon, 47, 2337–2343. (August)

• Conroy, P.J., Hearty, S., Leonard, P. & O'Kennedy, R. (2009) Antibody production, design and use for biosensor-based applications. Seminars in Cell and Developmental Biology, 20(1)10-26. [Invited review, selected as front cover article] (February)

• Leonard, P., Säfsten, P., Hearty, S., McDonnell, B., Finlay, W.J.J. & O’Kennedy, R. (2007) High throughput ranking of recombinant avian scFv antibody fragments from crude lysates using the Biacore A100. J. Immunol. Methods, 323 (2), 172-179. (June)

• Healy, D.A., Hayes, C.J., Leonard, P., McKenna, L. & O'Kennedy, R. (2007) Biosensor developments: application to prostate-specific antigen detection. Trends in Biotechnology, 25 (3), 125-131. (March)

• Townsend, S., Finlay, W.J.J., Hearty, S. & O’Kennedy, R. (2006) Optimizing recombinant antibody function in SPR immunosensing: The influence of antibody structural format and chip surface chemistry on assay sensitivity. Biosens. Bioelectron., 22(2):268-74. (August)

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY:

• Intellectual Property information is available here.

 

 

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:
Prof. Richard O'Kennedy B.Sc. (Hons), Ph.D., C.Biol., F.I.Biol., F.I.Biol.I.
Vice-President for Learning Innovation DCU, Principal Investigator BDI

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Richard O’Kennedy was awarded a B.Sc. (Hons.) and the Bayley Butler Cup followed by a Ph.D, in Biochemistry (University College Dublin), Diplomas in Computing and Computer Simulation (Trinity College) and a Diploma in Food Science (Kevin St., College of Technology, now DIT). He was a founder member of the School of Biological Sciences in the National Institute for Higher Education, Dublin (now DCU) in 1980, a Senior Lecturer (1987) and Professor (1993). In 1988-89 he was a Visiting Scientist in the MD Anderson Cancer Centre at the University of Texas.

He has received numerous awards including an Albert Senior Fellowship (2000), the Biochemistry Medal of the Royal Irish Academy (RIA) (2001), Fellowships of the Institutes of Biology of Ireland (2001) and UK (2003), Irish Times/RDS Science lecturer (2002), the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching in Science at DCU (2002) and the President’s Award for Excellence in Research in Science and Engineering (2005). He was a member of the Science Committee of the Royal Dublin Society, Secretary of the Biochemistry Committee of the RIA and their representative on the European Academies Science Advisory Council on Biotechnology (2003), President, London International Youth Science Forum (2004-present), member of the Industrial Research Commercialisation Committee, Enterprise Ireland (2006-present), member Irish National Council for Bioethics (2006-present), member of the Council of the Institute of Biology (2009) and the Life Sciences Committee, RIA (2009).

He is Professor of Biological Sciences and Director of the Applied Biochemistry Research Group, internationally recognised for their expertise in immunoassays, antibody generation, education and training and sensor assay development. Currently he is Vice-President for Learning Innovation in DCU, a Principal Investigator, Leader in Education and Outreach, member of the Management Committee and Executive of the Biomedical Diagnostics Institute. He is also leader of the SFI-funded UREKA Diamond Site which is part of BDI.

He has published extensively (170 peer-reviewed papers, 14 reviews, 12 book chapters, 1 book,), reviews for many journals and international scientific bodies, has several patents and has worked closely with many Irish and international companies.