Niall Barron

Professor Niall Barron is a Professor of Biochemical Engineering at the School of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, University College Dublin (UCD), and a Principal Investigator at the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT). He holds a BA (Mod) in Microbiology from Trinity College Dublin and a PhD in Applied Microbiology/Biochemistry from the University of Ulster (1997). His postdoctoral research at Baylor College of Medicine focused on nuclear steroid receptor function via genome engineering. He has held academic and research roles at Dublin City University (DCU), including Director of the National Institute for Cellular Biotechnology (NICB) from 2015–2017. His research focuses on genetic engineering strategies to improve recombinant protein production in CHO cells, AAV/LV vector manufacturing, and epigenetic regulation of bioprocess performance. He leads projects funded by industry and EU grants, including initiatives to enhance gene therapy vector production and mRNA methylation control.

Education:

• BA (Mod) in Microbiology, Trinity College Dublin
• PhD in Applied Microbiology/Biochemistry, University of Ulster (1997)

Research Interests:

• Targeted genome editing in CHO cells for improved biopharmaceutical production
• Optimization of AAV and LV vector systems for gene therapy
• miRNA and epitranscriptomic regulation of cellular processes
• Single-cell analysis to understand clonal variability and production instability

Grants & Collaborations:

• Lead on grants from GSK, Enterprise Ireland, and Horizon 2020 (e.g., STACCATO, GeneClick)
• Focus on advancing bioprocess technologies and cell line engineering

Teaching:

• Coordinates modules in biopharmaceutical manufacturing, biotechnology principles, and gene therapy processes
• Program Director for the MEngSc in Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing (Part-Time)

Labs & Teams:

• Leads a multidisciplinary team at UCD and NIBRT focusing on biopharmaceutical engineering and cell line optimization