Role: Principal Investigator 

Qualifications: PhD in Polymer Engineering, BSc (Hon) in Pharmaceutical Sciences 

Areas of Interest: Biopolymers, Macroalgae, Sustainability, Packaging, Medical Devices, Veterinary Supplementation, Drug Delivery, Polymer Processing 

Dr Declan Colbert is a principal investigator within the PRISM Research Institute. During Dr Colbert’s PhD research, he developed a long-term delivery system for ruminants, “PolyBo”, which was successfully awarded an Enterprise Ireland Commercialisation Grant worth €200,000 and was awarded Best Research Emerging from 3rd Level at the 2023 National Ploughing Championships Innovation Arena. As a postdoctoral researcher, Dr Colbert has continued to perform R&D for industry partners, recently developing a new seaweed-based thermoplastic synthesised in a solvent-free thermomechanical process. This body of research has, additionally, been the subject of an Enterprise Ireland Innovation Partnership application to the amount of ~€250,000 and led to Dr Colbert being named Irelands Top Bioeconomy Young Talent for 2024 at the All-Island Bioeconomy Summit as well as finishing as Silver Award Winner at the 2024 All Ireland Sustainability Awards. Additional industry focused research led by Dr Colbert has generated in excess of €100,000 for TUS. Currently, Dr Colbert has supervised 2 PhDs and 5 MScs to graduation and is currently supervisor of 5 PhDs and 1 MSc students.  

With extensive experience of research in the field of polymer engineering with emphasis on hot melt extrusion (HME), Dr Colberts research interests include biopolymers derived from seaweed, valorisation of waste biomass, veterinary supplementation, drug delivery and the sustainability of polymers. Further information relating to Dr Colbert’s publications may be found on Google Scholar or via ORCID.