Dr. Mary Deasy is a senior academic at TU Dublin with over 30 years of experience spanning academic leadership, research strategy, programme development, and industry engagement. Her work bridges scientific expertise with organisational leadership, research culture development, partnership building with community and industry, and now as part of an EU consortium, on the development of skills for early career researchers to prepare them for careers outside of academia. 

Her academic background is in chemistry, where she has contributed to the design and delivery of applied science programmes since the Tallaght campus (IT Tallaght) opened its doors in 1993, across pharmaceutical science and forensic analysis. Her main research interest lies in the design of large molecular structures, namely calixarenes, for application in environmental sensors and remediation and with potential as nano vehicles to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of anticancer agents. She also works on the design of small molecules for potential use in biomedical coatings; sensors; nanomaterials; and as electrocatalysts for use in biomarker detection systems. She has secured funding to supervise master’s and PhD students on this research journey, and published findings in journals supported by collaborations with national and international partners, and worked with industries on analytical research projects using GC-MS and LC-MS.

During her career, she has held several strategic roles, including Head of Research & Innovation for Engagement and Impact; Manager of the Centre of Applied Science for Health; Research Support Manager in IT Tallaght; Project Manager IT Tallaght for the 2009 Institutional Review and the delegated authority to make research degree awards application.

Before joining academia, she worked as a Research & Development Chemist with Syntex in Ireland and their Drug Discovery Laboratories in Palo Alto, CA, USA. She holds a PhD and BSc in Chemistry from University College Cork and is a Chartered Chemist (CChem) and Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (MRSC).

Calixarenes, Sensors, Nanonmaterials, Nanovehicles for Drug Delivery, Polymer Films, Molecularly Imprinted Polymers, GC-MS, Community Engaged Research