My Biography

I have more than 15 years of experience in natural product research, starting with extractions of antimicrobial and antioxidants from ferns during my Honours degree in Monash University. After my honours, I worked as a research assistant with my then supervisor and a PhD student on extractions of bioactives from ginger family, exploring the different extraction methods. My PhD, under the supervision of Dr. Helen Hughes, was on the antimicrobial compounds from seaweed extracts. I have obtained and completed a commercialisation funding follow on from my PhD project and has 11 peer-reviewed publications all in the field of natural product extraction and identification. There are currently a number of PhD researches in the EIRC follow on from the seaweed research, with the aim of incorporating the bioactives into different applications such as biopesticides and medical devices.

Research

I am interested in discovering bioactives from natural products. My research is on optimising extraction, separation and purification processes for isolation of potentially novel bioactives from natural resources. My focus is on antimicrobial compounds, with interest on using these compounds in medical or high-value added products, such as in wound dressing applications.

I am currently supervising numerous PhD students in the area of seaweed and green tea bioactives and their application in wound dressing applications.

Teaching

I started my teaching as laboratory demosntrator while I was doing my research in Monash University and continued working part time hours when I was doing my PhD in SETU. While working as a researcher after my PhD, I am also working as assistant lecturer in the Department of Science at SETU, delivering laboratory practical and tutorials in chemistry & Biology. I have more than 15 years experiences in delivering laboratory practical for undergraduate students, including chemistry, microbiology, biology, food science and genetics. I have and am still supervising a number of undergraduate third and final year projects and mentored post-doctoral researchers and supervising a number of postgraduate students with their research in natural products research and their potential in medical applications. 

Professional

After my PhD, I was hired as a Project Manager on a European Regional Development Fund INTERREG-IVA project (WINSS). My role was to monitor, plan and ensure the smooth running of the project, coordinate meetings with partners and industries from Wales and Ireland, develop training courses and report writing. As part of my role in WINSS I have developed a validated Level-9 Postgraduate Certificate in Biopharmaceutical Analysis and Cell Culture module, which is currently running at WIT (subjected to sufficient number). 

I am also actively writing funding proposal to continue my research to impact the society. An Enterprise Ireland Commercial Feasibility Study was granted to establish the patent space and the commercial potential of the seaweed antimicrobial and a Commercialisation Funding was subsequently granted for the identification and toxicological profiling of the purified antimicrobial compounds.  

I am currently a full time lecturer in the Department of Science in SETU, teaching undergraduates of all levels and am supervising a number of PhD students. 

Publications

1. O’Keeffe, E. Hughes, H. McLoughlin, P. Tan, S. P. McCarthy, N. (2019). Antibacterial activity of seaweed extracts against plant pathogenic bacteria. Journal of Bacteriology and Mycology.

2. O’Keeffe, E. Hughes, H. McLoughlin, P. Tan, S. P. McCarthy, N. (2019). Mathods of analysis for the in vitro and in vivo determination of the fungicidal activity of seaweeds: A mini review. Journal of Applied Phycology.

3. Jiang, Y. Dennehy, C. Lawlor, P. G. Hu, Z. Yang, Q. McCarthy, G. Tan, S. P. Zhan, X. and Gardiner, G. E. (2018). Inactivation of Salmonella during dry co-digestion of food waste and pig manure. Waste Management. 82, 231-240. 
4. Belaqziz, M. Tan, S. P. El-Abbassi, A. Kiai, H. Hafifi, A. O’Donovan, O. McLoughlin, P. (2017). Assessment of the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of different olive processing wastewaters. PLoS ONE. 12. 9. 
5. Tan, S. P. Gately, M. and Stafford, U. (2015) What are you bringing home – helping the healthcare worker protect their family from disease, information and advice. Journal of Microbiology, Immunology and Infection. Vol 48, Issue 2, Supplement 1, Pp S72-S73. 
6. Prieto, M. L. O'Sullivan, L. Tan, S. P. McLoughlin, P. Hughes, H. Gutierrez, M. Lane, J. Hickey, R. Lawlor, P. and Gardiner, G. (2014) In vitro assessment of marine Bacillus for use as livestock probiotics. Marine Drug. Vol. 12, Issue 5, Pp 2422-2445. 
7. Prieto, M. L. O’Sullivan, L. Tan, S. P. McLoughlin, P. Hughes, H. O’Donovan, O. Rea, M. C. Kent, R. Cassidy, J. C. Gardiner G. E. and Lawlor, P. G. (2014) Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of a marine-derived Bacillus strain for use as an in-feed probiotic for newly weaned pigs’, PlusOne. Vol. 9, Issue 2, Pp e88599. 
8. Tan, S. P., O'Sullivan, L., Prieto, M. L., McLoughlin, P., Lawlor, P. G., Hughes, H. and Gardiner, G., (2014) 'Antimicrobial from marine macroalgae: Isolation, characterization and applications in functional foods', In: Bioactive compounds from marine foods: Plant and animal sources, (eds. Hernandez-Ledesma, B. and Herrero, M), Wiley Blackwell. Oxford, UK.
9. Tan, S. P., McLoughlin, P., O'Sullivan, L., Prieto, M. L., Gardiner, G., Lawlor and Hughes, H. (2013) 'Development of a novel antimicrobial seaweed extract-based hydrogel wound dressing', International Journal of Pharmaceutics. Vol. 456, Issue 1, Pp 10-20. 
10. Prieto, M. L., O'Sullivan, L., Tan, S. P., McLoughlin, P., Hughes, H., O'Connor, P. M., Cotter, P. D., Lawlor, P. G. & Gardiner, G. E. (2012) Assessment of the bacteriocinogenic potential of marine bacteria reveals Lichenicidin production by seaweed-derived Bacillus spp. Marine Drugs. Vol. 10, Issue 10, Pp 2280-2299. 
11. Tan, S. P., O’Sullivan, L., Prieto, M. L., Gardiner, G. E., Lawlor, P. G., Leonard, F., Duggan, P., McLoughlin, P., and Hughes, H. (2011) Extraction and bioautographic-guided separation of antibacterial compounds from U. lactuca. Journal of Applied Phycology. Vol. 24, Issue 3, Pp 513-523. Impact Factor: 2.372. 
12. Chan, E. W. C., Lim, Y. Y. and Tan, S. P. (2011) Standardised herbal extract of chlorogenic acid from leaves of Etlingera elatior (Zingiberaceae). Pharmacognosy Research. Vol. 3, Issue 3, Pp 178-184. 
13. Lai, H. Y., Lim, Y. Y. and Tan, S. P. (2009) Antioxidative, tyrosinase inhibiting and antibacterial activities of leaf extracts from medicinal ferns. Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry. Vol. 73, Issue 6, Pp 1362-1366. 
14. Chan, E. W. C. Lim, Y. Y. Ling, S. K. Tan, S. P. Lim, K. K. and Khoo, M. G. H. (2009) Caffeoylquinic acids from leaves of Etlingera species (Zingiberaceae). LWT-Food Science and Technology. Vol. 42, Issue 5, Pp 1026-1030. 
15. Chan, E. W. C. Lim Y. Y. Wong, S. K. Lim, K. K. Tan, S. P. Lianto, F. S. and Yong, M. Y. (2009) Effects of different drying methods on the antioxidant properties of leaves and tea of ginger species. Food Chemistry. Vol. 113, Issue 1, Pp 166-172. 

Current Projects/Postgraduate students

1. Onyedika Chukwuma – Investigating the potential of seaweed extracts for use as a Novel Bioherbicides
2. Melissa Taylor – Utilisation of environmental impact assessment methodology for interchanging natural habitats: A case study of coastal mangroves along the Southern Hilo Coast, Hawai’I Island
3. Brakemi Egbedi - Shell waste? Waste product or untapped resource?
4. Dileep Kumar Reddy Goli – Development of a water-soluble fatty acid formulation for enhanced antimicrobial action
5. Syeda Attiqa Tajammal – Smart release green tea wound dressing for diabetic wounds
6. Fatima Zahra – High Value Application of Shellfish Waste