Deirdre Fitzgerald Hughes

Deirdre Fitzgerald Hughes is an Associate Professor in Clinical Microbiology at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and Beaumont Hospital. Her research focuses on combating antibiotic-resistant pathogens, particularly the ESKAPE pathogens and Clostridium difficile. She explores molecular epidemiology, transmission dynamics, and novel antimicrobial therapies, including antimicrobial peptides and photodynamic agents. Her work integrates microbiology, polymer science, and clinical applications to address healthcare-associated infections and diabetic foot infections.

• Education:
  • BSc in Biotechnology, Dublin City University (1993)
  • PhD in Biochemistry, Trinity College Dublin (1998)
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Healthcare Professions Education, RCSI (2015)

Her research interests span antibiotic resistance mechanisms, biofilm formation, and the development of antimicrobial hydrogels and photodynamic therapies. She has led projects investigating host immune responses to S. aureus bloodstream infections and the role of horizontal gene transfer in antibiotic resistance evolution. Recent studies include evaluating novel star-shaped antimicrobial polypeptides and iridium-based antibacterial complexes.

Grants & Collaborations: She has secured funding from Science Foundation Ireland, the Health Research Board, and others for projects on carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriales (CPE), singlet fission-based antimicrobial materials, and diabetic foot infection therapies. She collaborates with institutions in Brazil and the UK on antibiotic resistance research.

Teaching & Mentorship: She teaches microbiology in RCSI’s medical and pharmacy programs and supervises PhD students on topics like MRSA nasal colonization, ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae, and antimicrobial peptide prodrugs.