Dr David Dowling
BA(Mod) PhD
Head of Faculty of Science
Faculty of Science Office, Carlow Campus
e: dowlingd@setu.ie t: 059 9175507
ORCID ID: 0000-0001-6952-5495
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- Research Interests
- Publications
- Research Supervision
- Engagement and Collaboration
Research Interests
Dr David Dowling is the Head of Faculty of Science at SETU Carlow and is research active in the area of Environmental microbiology/biotechnology.
I was employed as a research scientist at the Max Planck Institute in Cologne, Germany, the University of Geneva Switzerland and the Federal Institute of Biotechnology, Germany, before moving to University College Cork in 1990 as a senior research scientist. I joined SETU Carlow in 1996 as a lecturer in biotechnology. My research has been funded by EU, National and Industrial sources and in the last 10 years I have raised almost 2 million euro in research funding at SETU Carlow. I was a member of the EU Cost programme management committee (Cost FA849 and FA1103) on Phytotechnolgies and I have experience of co-coordinating EU projects. My research interests are in plant-microbe interactions and their applications for bioremediation of pollutants and sustainable agriculture. My current focus is on endophytic bacteria and their function as part of the plant and soil microbiota. In addition, I have an interest in the application of digital technologies relating to undergraduate science laboratory practical teaching/assessment. (see TEAM)
Publications
I have 25 years of experience in the area of biodegradation as well as plant-microbe interactions with over 70 publications in refereed international scientific publications and over 160 conference papers, three patents and I have edited a number of books in the area of environmental biotechnology.
Recent Publications are listed below. For a full list of publications see here
Recent Peer Reviewed Journal Articles
Lally R. D., Galbally P., Moreira A. S., Spink J., Ryan D., Germaine K. J., Dowling D. N. (2017). Application of Endophytic Pseudomonas fluorescens and a Bacterial Consortium to Brassica napus Can Increase Plant Height and Biomass under Greenhouse and Field Conditions. Frontiers in Plant Science :8 , 2193 https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpls.2017.02193 DOI=10.3389/fpls.2017.02193.
Rathore,R., Dowling, DN., Forristal ,PD., Spink, J., Cotter,PD., Bulgarelli,D., Germaine, KJ. (2017) Crop Establishment Practices are a Driver of the Plant Microbiota in Winter Oilseed Rape (Brassica napus). Frontiers in Microbiology doi:103389/fmicb.2017.01489.
Smullen, E., Finan, JM., Dowling,DN., Mulcahy,P. (2017) Bioconversion of Switchgrass: Identification of a Leading Pretreatment Option Based on Yield, Cost and Environmental Impact . Renewable Energy 111:638-645.
Moreira, AS. Germaine, KJ, Lloyd, A, Lally, RD, Galbally, PT, Ryan, D, Dowling, DN (2016) Draft Genome Sequence of Three Endophyte Strains of Pseudomonas fluorescens Isolated from Miscanthus giganteus Genome Announcements 4(5):965-981 · DOI: 10.1128/genomeA.00965-16
Liu,X, Kiwanuka,S, Cleary, K, Ryan, D, Dowling,DN, Germaine KJ (2016) Use of Ecopiling to remediate PAH-Contaminated Storm-water Lagoon Sediment. . J Bioremed.Biodeg. 7:4 DOI: 10.4172/2155-6199.1000355
Otieno,N., Lally,RD, Kiwanuka,S., Lloyd,A., Ryan,D., Germaine,KJ., and Dowling, DN, (2015) Plant growth promotion induced by phosphate solubilizing endophytic Pseudomonas isolates. Frontiers in Microbiology doi; 10.33 89/fmicb.20 15.00745
Germaine, KJ, Byrne, J., Liu, X., Keohane, J., Culhane, J, Lally RD., Kiwanuka, S., Ryan, D., and Dowling, DN (2015) Ecopiling: a combined phytoremediation and passive biopiling system for remediating hydrocarbon impacted soils at field scale. Frontiers in Plant Science doi: 10.33 89/fpls.2014.00756.
Book Chapters
Chabbra, S. and Dowling, DN (2017) Endophyte-promoted Nutrient Acquisition : Phosphorous and Iron. In: Doty, SL, ed. Functional Importance of the Plant Microbiome; Implications for Agriculture, Forestry and Bioenergy pp21-42. Springer. DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-65897-1
Research Supervision
Current Research Students
John Byrne |
Constructed wetlands treating high impact wastewaters; a modelling approach to design and function |
Co-supervisor |
Ridhdhi Rathore |
Investigation of the microbiota of Brassica napus in response to different tillage practice |
Co-supervisor |
Sandra Bohan |
Developing biomarkers for detecting stress in farmed fish. |
Mentor /Co-Supervisor |
Past Research Students
Emma Smullen |
Coordinated development of leading biomass pretreatment technologies for the generation of bioethanol from Irish crops |
PhD -2017 |
|
Richard Lally |
Investigating the application, plant growth promotion and genetic potential of three endophytic Pseudomonas fluorescens isolates for use in sustainable agriculture |
PhD -2016 |
|
John Culhane |
Investigation of plant growth promotion endophytic isolates as microbial inoculants for application in the bioremediation of oil contaminated soil |
PhD -2016 |
|
Nicholas Otieno |
Development of plant growth promotion endophytic isolates as microbial inoculants for practical application in |
PhD -2015 |
|
Sagar Chhabra |
bioenergy plant specie-Soil metagenome analysis and bacterial ecology of a low-input tillage agroecosystem |
PhD-2012 |
|
Clare Menton |
Microbiology of Bioenergy crops;pathogen fate and bioremediation enhancement |
PhD-2011 |
|
Edwina Brennan |
Purification and genetic analysis of a specific glutathione transferase (BphK LB400) involved in the detoxification of PCBs |
PhD-2010 |
|
Elaine Keogh |
The isolation and characterisation of bacterial endophytes and their potential applications for improving phytoremediation |
PhD-2009 |
|
Xuemei Liu |
Development and application of biosensor technologies for the biodegradation of environmental pollutants |
PhD-2008 |
|
Kieran Germaine |
Construction of endophytic xenobiotic degrader bacteria for improving the phytoremediation of organic pollutants |
PhD-2007 |
|
Guio Garcia- Cabellos |
Investigating the microbiology of constructed wetlands |
PhD-2007 |
|
Jill Hogan |
The monitoring of a prokaryotic bioremediation system in PCB contaminated soil and their in situ quantification |
PhD-2006 |
|
Robert Ryan |
The generation and molecular analysis of multiresistant microbial strains and associated operons for the bioremediation of toxic metals |
PhD-2005 |
|
Niamh Gilmartin |
Biodegradation of PCBs: Characterisation of aRhodococcus strain |
PhD-2004 |
|
Orla Sherlock |
A molecular based detection system for PCB degrading Pseudomonas and isolation of variants of the bphC gene |
PhD-2003 |
|
Clare Whelan |
Construction and analysis of GM bacteria with re-regulated expression of bph genes |
PhD-2002 |
|
Finola Flannery |
Characterisation of soil bacteria with biocontrol potential |
MSc-2001 |
|
Engagement and Collaboration
I am a co-founder of MicroGen Biotech. Ltd, and an active member of EnviroCore a strategic research unit dedicated to the application of environmental biotechnology research at SETU Carlow. In addition I have been involved in supporting regional enterprises through the innovation voucher scheme. I have an extensive network of international collaborators both Academic and Industrial.