SETU Waterford offers a broad range of academic programmes from levels 6 to 10 on the national framework of qualifications across Business, Education, Engineering, Health Sciences, Humanities, Science and Computing.
Courses Landing pageDiscover the routes into studying at SETU Waterford for school leavers, adult learners, further education students, graduates and people who have already started studies elsewhere as well as options for those interested in online courses.
Study at SETU Waterford landing PageDiscover the routes into studying at SETU Waterford for school leavers, adult learners, further education students, graduates and people who have already started studies elsewhere as well as options for those interested in online courses.
Students Landing PageSETU Waterford offers a broad range of academic programmes from levels 6 to 10 on the national framework of qualifications across Business, Education, Engineering, Health Sciences, Humanities, Science and Computing.
Schools Landing PageThe Office for International Relations co-ordinates the admission, administration and support for international students throughout the course of their studies at SETU Waterford.
International Landing PageSETU Waterfordis recognised as the leading research performer in the institute of technology sector with research activities that are internationally benchmarked, strategic, and economically relevant. Find out about the amazing multi disciplinary research under way
Research Landing PageDiscover the routes into studying at SETU Waterford for school leavers, adult learners, further education students, graduates and people who have already started studies elsewhere as well as options for those interested in online courses.
About Landing PageUncover the research discoveries, student and staff achievements, human stories, community spirit, global links and external engagement news at SETU Waterford
News Landing PageFrom virtual events to conferences, talks, public lectures and happenings in on-campus venues SETU Waterford is a hub of activity. Stay up to date with our calendar of upcoming events.
Events Landing PageLecturer
School of Science & Computing - Dept of Science
+353 0 51 306151
Portacabin 2
Main Campus
0000-0002-5275-7166
Helen obtained a B.Sc. (Hons) degree in Applied Physics from Dublin City University in 2003. She then moved to Trinity College Dublin where she completed a PhD in Materials Science in the Chemical Physics of Low-Dimensional Nanostructures Group. Her research involved characterising the interactions between DNA and carbon nanotubes and exploring the factors controlling the dispersion efficiency of DNA. Upon completion of her PhD, Helen worked as a postdoctoral researcher in TCD, continuing her research on biomolecule-wrapped nanotubes.
In 2012, Helen joined the Pharmaceutical and Molecular Biotechnology Research Centre (PMBrc) in WIT to carry out research on solid pharmaceutical materials. Her research interests focus on understanding solid pharmaceutical materials and include formulation, characterisation and stability of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and understanding how the physical properties of particles in dry powder inhalation blends influence inhaler performance.
Helen became a lecturer in the Dept. of Science in 2017.
Helen joined the PMBRC working on an Enterprise Ireland Innovation Partnership Project between WIT and Teva Pharmaceuticals in 2012. Based on the success of the project, a strategic collaboration was established between Teva and WIT in 2014. The aim was to establish and develop inhalations and formulations research in WIT. Since 2013, Helen has leveraged > €650,000 funding for research in this area. To date, Helen has supervised 4 PhD students to completion; 2 as primary supervisor and 2 as co-supervisor and is currently on the supervision team for two PhD students.
Student | Subject Area | Degree Type | Planned year of completion |
Nasser Al-Hajj | High dose Dry powder inhaler formulations | PhD | 2023 |
MD Kamruzzaman | Amorphous Formulations | PhD | 2024 |
Student |
Subject Area |
Degree Type |
Year of Completion |
Sean Roche |
The physical properties of dry powder inhalation blends |
PhD |
2018 |
Cordula Weiss | Formulation and materials characterisation of crystalline beclomethsone dipropionate for inhalation |
PhD |
2018 |
Shrawan Bagel | Theoretical and experimental investigation of solubility and stability of amorphous solid dispersions of BCS Class II drugs |
PhD |
2018 |
Shahab Ud Din |
Processing Induced Phase Transformations in Crystalline Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) |
PhD |
2018 |
MSc in Analytical Science with Quality Management
Development/delivery of the following modules and subjects:
BSc/BSc (Hons) in Applied Pharmaceutical Science / Molecular Biology with Biopharmaceutical Science / Common Entry / Agricultural Science / Applied Computing
Delivered lectures, tutorials, practicals and mentoring for the following modules:
BA (mod) in Physics / Physics and Chemistry of Advanced Materials
Delivered tutorials and laboratory classes on:
(Publishing as Helen Cathcart)
Nasser Alhajj, Niall J O'Reilly, Helen Cathcart, "Developing Ciprofloxacin Dry Powder for Inhalation: A Story of Challenges and Rational Design in the Treatment of Cystic Fibrosis Lung Infection" International Journal of Pharmaceutics, Volume 613, 2022
Nasser Alhajj, Niall J O'Reilly, Helen Cathcart, "Leucine as an excipient in spray dried powder for inhalation" Drug Discovery Today, Volume 26, 2021
Nasser Alhajj, Niall J O'Reilly, Helen Cathcart, "Designing enhanced spray dried particles for inhalation: A review of the impact of excipients and processing parameters on particle properties" Powder Technology, Volume 384, 2021
Shahab Ud Din, Helen Hughes, Niall J O’Reilly, Helen Cathcart, Thomas O’Ceallaigh, Elias Ndzie, Peter McLoughlin, "Investigation into the Stability, Crystallization Kinetics, and Heating Rate Dependent Crystallization of Amorphous Posaconazole", Crystal Growth & Design, Vol 20, Iss 8, 2020
C Weiss, P Mcloughlin, P Manesiotis, W Redington, H Cathcart, "Preparation and Characterization of Beclomethasone Dipropionate Solvates", Crystal Growth & Design, 2018
S Baghel, H Cathcart, NJ O’Reilly, "Investigation into the Solid-State Properties and Dissolution Profile of Spray-Dried Ternary Amorphous Solid Dispersions: A Rational Step toward the Design and Development of a Multicomponent Amorphous System", Molecular pharmaceutics, 2018
S Baghel, H Cathcart, NJ O’Reilly, "Understanding the generation and maintenance of supersaturation during the dissolution of amorphous solid dispersions using modulated DSC and 1H NMR", International journal of pharmaceutics 536 (1), 414-425, 2018
S Baghel, H Cathcart, NJ O’Reilly, “Theoretical and experimental investigation of drug-polymer interaction and miscibility and its impact on drug supersaturation in aqueous medium”, European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics 107, 16-31, 2016.
S Baghel, H Cathcart, et. al., “An investigation into the crystallization tendency/kinetics of amorphous active pharmaceutical ingredients: A case study with dipyridamole and cinnarizine”, European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics 104, 59-71, 2016.
S Baghel, H Cathcart, NJ O'Reilly, “Polymeric Amorphous Solid Dispersions: A Review of Amorphization, Crystallization, Stabilization, Solid-State Characterization, and Aqueous Solubilization of Biopharmaceutical Classification System Class II Drugs”, Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 105 (9), 2527–2544, 2016.
C Weiss, P McLoughlin, H Cathcart, “Characterisation of dry powder inhaler formulations using atomic force microscopy”, International Journal of Pharmaceutics 494 (1), 2015.
JM Hughes, H Cathcart, JN Coleman, “Dispersion and Exfoliation of Nanotubes with Synthetic Oligonucleotides: Variation of Dispersion Efficiency and Oligo-Nanotube Interaction with Base Type”, The Journal of Physical Chemistry C 114 (27), 11741-11747, 2010,
H Cathcart, JN Coleman, Chemical Physics Letters, “Quantitative comparison of ultracentrifuged and diluted single walled nanotube dispersions; differences in dispersion quality” 474 (1-3), 2009.
H Cathcart, V Nicolosi et. al., “Ordered DNA wrapping switches on luminescence in single-walled nanotube dispersions”, Journal of the American Chemical Society, 130(38), 12734-12744, 2008
H Cathcart, S Quinn, V Nicolosi et. al., “Spontaneous debundling of single-walled carbon nanotubes in DNA-based dispersions”, The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 111(1), 2007,
SD Bergin, V Nicolosi, H Cathcart, et. al., “Large populations of individual nanotubes in surfactant-based dispersions without the need for ultracentrifugation”, The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 112(4), 972-977, 2008
V Nicolosi, H Cathcart et. al., “Spontaneous exfoliation of single-walled carbon nanotubes dispersed using a designed amphiphilic peptide” Biomacromolecules, 9(2), 598-602, 2008
Total Citations: 1266
H-index: 12
Citations calculated by Google Scholar on 09/02/22
Helen oversees the running of The Philip Kelly Teva Excellence Scholarship. This is an undergraduate scholarship funded by Teva Pharmaceuticals, Waterford to support an excellent WIT student studying in the School of Science and Computing or the School of Engineering.
The scholarship consists of a €3,000 bursary payment per year in 2nd, 3rd & 4th year, the opportunity of a work experience placement at Teva Ireland and support for a 4th year research project. This includes input from a Teva employee acts as a mentor to the student and support them in the project’s completion.
Emma Kearney (BSc (Hons) Pharmaceutical Science), the first awardee of the scholarship