An exciting EPA co-funded doctorate project has been completed by Jack Eakins at Technological University of the Shannon (TUS ) Athlone Campus, in partnership with Maynooth University.
The project reports on the novel treatment of honey-bee gathered pollen to feed commercial bumble bees that are used to help the pollination industry. Approximately 200 tonnes of honey bee pollen is gathered across Europe for commercial bumblebee colony production. The All-Ireland pollinator plan shows that “more than half of Ireland’s bee species have undergone substantial declines in their numbers since 1980, the distribution of 42 species having declined by more than 50%”.
“This constitutes a world’s first in the testing and development of non-thermal treatment technology at industrial scale for treatment of contaminated pollen harbouring complex bee-pathogens to be fed to commercially-produced bumble bees. Our fragile bees are in decline due to diseases, starvation and loss of habitats. This timely PhD by Jack investigated a novel treatment approach for decontaminating pollen as a critical control point to help the health of commercially-reared bumble bees.
“This study also conducted appropriate bee immunity, bee-gut microbiome, and colony reproductive (stability ) research to support findings. It offers new insights into use of industrial scale treatment approaches from adjacent disciplines for solving significant societal challenges. We are grateful to STERIS Advanced Sterilisation Technologies, located in Tullamore Industrial Park, for the valued collaboration on the use of the electron-beam technology,” Professor Neil Rowan, Principal Investigator, stated.
“This presented a tremendous opportunity for me to investigate the smart use of a reliable sterilization technology from the medical device sector in order to inform and unlock a technical problem in pollination and food security. I’m pleased to convey that the landmark findings have been published in the leading journal Science of the Total Environment.
“It highlights that co-creation of new ideas using robust technologies across multiple actors can support impactful outcomes that also considers future sustainability needs and our environment,” PhD recipient, Jack Eakins, added.
Dr Cormac O’Shea, Head of Department of Bioveterinary and Microbial Sciences at TUS Athlone Campus noted the project to be a “remarkable achievement”.
“This project is a remarkable achievement as it blends potentially disruptive innovation with underpinning excellence in the applied sciences. It offers tremendous future opportunities for the Centre of Sustainable Disinfection and Sterilization at TUS, under the management of Professor Rowan. It is equally pleasing to see that the main findings have been shared in open access format to help all stakeholders, end-users and beneficiaries regionally, with a global orientation.
“I would extend congratulations to Jack Eakins who graduates with his PhD this week, and to his co-supervisors, Professor Neil Rowan, Dr Mark Lynch, and Professor Jim Carolan (Maynooth University ). Also, well done to Professor Rowan as the success of Jack’s study constitutes the completion of his 40th PhD student as a supervisor demonstrating a highly productive three decades of collaborative academic activities,” Dr O’Shea commented.
“These studies reflect the drive to solve real-world difficulties through an integrated multi-actor approach comprising regional stakeholders that delivers value and benefit of our society. We are grateful to EPA for the co-fund of this pivotal project highlighting the core tenets of our new TUS Strategic Plan 2023-2027 which is to unlock new opportunities, products and services through innovation linked to education,” Dr Liam Brown, Vice President Research, Development and Innovation, TUS, concluded.
