Welcome to the official LinkedIn page for Prof. Vincent O'Flaherty's group at the University of Galway! 🌟 We are passionate about microbial ecology and its diverse applications, driving advancements in technology to foster a sustainable world. 💡 From pioneering research in low-temperature anaerobic digestion to innovative biorefinery solutions utilizing industrial waste for VFA and PHA production, our work spans a wide spectrum. 🌱 Additionally, we are committed to mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from slurry and ruminant sources, contributing to a greener future for all. Join us in our journey towards sustainable innovation! 🌍 #MicrobialEcology #SustainableTechnology #Research #Innovation 📚🔬
External link for O'Flaherty Lab
University Road
Galway, County Galway, IE
O'Flaherty Lab reposted this
On the ten-year anniversary of my academic collaboration with the University of Galway, I am proud to share a summary of our jointly directed research activities in the article below. #EnvironmentalMicrobiome #Bioelectrochemistry #EnvironmentalEngineering #SustainableWater #CircularEconomy #SystemsBiology #Bioremediation #GreenTech #ResearchImpact #AcademicLeadership
O'Flaherty Lab reposted this
What does the future of sustainable #bioproducts look like? 🌱👩🏽🔬🥤 For World Bioproduct Day, we've revisited our “In conversation with” series to explore how Rural BioReFarmeries partners are working together to transform grass biomass into valuable products — from high-protein food ingredients and animal feed to sustainable packaging materials, bio-based chemicals and renewable energy. But developing innovative bioproducts is not only about creating alternatives to fossil-based materials, as experts in our project agree. It is about building circular systems where every fraction of biomass is valued, sustainability is measured across the full value chain, and farmers and rural communities are at the centre of the transition. Read the full article to discover our partners’ vision for the next generation of bio-based products 👉 https://lnkd.in/evyDYBWf 🟢 Featuring insights from: James Gaffey (Circular Bioeconomy Research Group (CIRCBIO) at Munster Technological University), Rommie Van Der Weide and Matthew Booth (ACRRES at Wageningen University & Research), Piotr Oleskowicz-Popiel (Poznan University of Technology), Aliabbas Saleh, PhD (Carbery Group), Cathal O' Donovan (Carhue Piggeries), Vincent O'Flaherty (O'Flaherty Lab at University of Galway), Gülşah Yılan (Bioeconomy in Transition research group at Unitelma Sapienza), Prof. Vladislav Popov (Agricultural University-Plovdiv), Cian White (ODOS Tech) and Joep Smits (PaperFoam).
O'Flaherty Lab reposted this
Last week, I attended IWA AD19 - Valencia 2026 and had the opportunity to give an oral presentation on my work with ReBioCycle, on anaerobic digestion of bioplastics PLA and PHB. It was such a pleasure to present alongside talented researchers, as well as several other members of the O'Flaherty Lab ! It was extremely inspiring and illuminating to be caught up on innovation on the forefront of the field. Thank you to all who organized for an incredible opportunity, and some great paella! I look forward to AD20, in Columbia, in 2028!
O'Flaherty Lab reposted this
Last week I had the pleasure of attending the 19th IWA World Conference on Anaerobic Digestion (IWA AD19 - Valencia 2026) along with many colleagues from O'Flaherty Lab and University of Galway. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to present my work on the valorisation of a green biorefinery side stream through mixed culture fermentation and to hear more about ongoing research in the field. Thank you to the organisers for a wonderful conference. Looking forward to the next one in Colombia!
O'Flaherty Lab reposted this
I had a great day yesterday at the BioOrbic Research Day in UCD, where I had the opportunity to present a poster on my PhD research. It was fantastic to meet researchers from across the BioOrbic network, learn about the wide range of work being carried out, and have some really interesting conversations throughout the day. Events like this are a great reminder of the value of sharing ideas and connecting with others working in different areas of research. A big thank you to BioOrbic for funding my research and making opportunities like this possible. I’d also like to thank the VOF Lab for their continued support, guidance, and encouragement throughout my PhD journey. Looking forward to the next one! BiOrbic Research Ireland Centre for Bioeconomy O'Flaherty Lab
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The MAGS team recently gathered at Teagasc Grange for our annual project meeting, where we reviewed progress across all work packages, discussed the next stages of the project, and visited the ongoing MAGS grazing trial. Funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the MAGS project is developing holistic strategies to mitigate enteric methane emissions in grazing livestock systems. Our research combines microbiome-assisted breeding with novel slow-release feed additives to support more sustainable livestock production. It was a fantastic opportunity to bring together colleagues from across our partner institutions, share updates, strengthen collaborations, and plan the exciting work ahead. A sincere thank you to all our project partners: Teagasc Grange: David Kenny, Paul Crosson, Emily Roskam, Leanna Kelly, and Sinéad Maloney ICBF: David Kelly, Stephen Conroy, Ross Evans, and Kim Carnegie Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute: Omar C., Tianhai Professor Yan, and Dr. Bayo Arowolo University of Galway: Sinead Waters, Vincent O'Flaherty, Alejandra Carolina V., Alison Hall, and Anna Maria Lutri A special thanks to our colleagues at Teagasc Grange for hosting the meeting. We're looking forward to sharing updates and key findings from the MAGS project over the coming months! #MAGS #MethaneMitigation #SustainableAgriculture #LivestockResearch #Microbiome #AnimalScience #DAFM #Teagasc #UniversityOfGalway #ICBF #AFBI #ResearchCollaboration
Full crew at IWA AD19 - Valencia 2026! Great to be here together with our colleagues Julien Vincent and Vincenzo Pelagalli from University of Galway at this biannual congress. This year, our group is proud to contribute 7 talks and 1 poster, showcasing a wide range of ongoing research in anaerobic biotechnology and resource recovery. 🔬 Here’s a snapshot of our work: Alejandra Carolina V. A promising alternative for permeate valorisation using two-stage AD and autochthonous microorganisms Gabriel Tejero (supervised by Anna Trego) Metabolic landscape of anaerobic granules across distinct size fractions: size matters Lydia Francis Evaluating the anaerobic digestion of PLA and PHB for volatile fatty acid production from bioplastic waste Luna Frank Green biorefinery side streams as a source of value-added products Pooja Bajarh Native microbial communities and inoculum dynamics as key drivers of VFA selectivity in green biorefinery pressed cake processing Vincent O'Flaherty (GlasPort Bio) GasAbate treatment reduces emissions while retaining biogas and fertiliser potential of pig and cattle manure Yuchen Liu Low-temperature anaerobic digestion of LCFA-containing wastewater boosted by granular activated carbon Impacts Of Direct Digestate Recirculation And Microae ration On Full-scale Biogas Plant (Bia Energy) 👏 Proud of the team’s efforts and excited for the discussions, collaborations, and ideas emerging from #AD19!
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#EUBCE2026 here we come! 🍀🧑🔬🧪 Five researchers from the Rural BioReFarmeries project are travelling to The Hague next week for the 34th edition of EUBCE - European Biomass Conference & Exhibition, where they will be presenting the latest results derived from their research on green biorefineries — from bench-scale to demonstration. Congratulations to our partners for having their abstracts selected for this year’s programme! 🟢 ‘Bench-Scale Green Biorefinery Processing, Analysis and Comparison of Sustainable Grassland-Based Feedstocks into Proteins and Bio-Based Intermediate Products’ by James Gaffey (Circular Bioeconomy Research Group (CIRCBIO) at Munster Technological University) → https://lnkd.in/eN3gjg4v 🟢 ‘Green Biorefinery Side Stream Holds Potential for Value Added Products’ by Luna Frank (O'Flaherty Lab at University of Galway) → https://lnkd.in/etTpgvQh 🟢 ‘Emulating a Decentralized Green Biorefinery: Liquid Fraction Storage and Biomass Type Effects on Leaf Protein Recovery’ by Mathias Frydensberg Sørensen (CBIO - Circular Bioeconomy Cluster Aarhus University) → https://lnkd.in/ecSAkmsZ 🟢 ‘Designing Efficient Supply Chains for Grass Protein Biomass: A Configurational Approach’ by Erfan KhosravaniMoghadam (Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Aarhus University) → https://lnkd.in/exurTHZv 🟢 ‘Harvest and Processing Effects on Grassland Biomass in a Demonstration-Scale Biorefinery’ by Thalles Andrade (Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University) → https://lnkd.in/ekByHwKc ------------------ 🌱 About the #EUBCE: An international event that brings together representatives from academia, research institutions and industry to spotlight the role of biomass in achieving environmental and economic sustainability — from resources, research and innovation, to deployment and policies. Organised by the European Commission in collaboration with ETA-Florence Renewable Energies, and supported by Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU). 📣 Main focus: Biomass use as feedstock for bioenergy and fuels + government policy towards biomass as renewable resource. 📍 Location: World Forum The Hague (NL) 📅 Dates: 19-22 May 2026 🔗 More info: https://www.eubce.com/
🏆🌱 Proud moments for our research community! 🌱🏆 We are delighted to see technologies developed in our lab being successfully translated into real-world applications through strong industry collaborations. Congratulations to GlasPort Bio and Ashleigh Farms for winning the Best Bio Achievement of the Year award! 👏 It is incredibly rewarding to see research move beyond the lab and create tangible impact in sustainable agriculture and emissions reduction. We would also like to congratulate our lab alumnus and long-term collaborator Stephen Nolan, whose leadership at Bia Energy helped secure the Best Biomethane Development of the Year award. 🎉 Over the past 12 months, our researcher Yuchen Liu has been working closely with Bia Energy through the Research Ireland Industry Fellowship, strengthening the connection between academia and industry. It is inspiring to see how collaborative research can directly support innovation and accelerate the development of Ireland’s bioeconomy and renewable energy sector. A fantastic achievement for everyone involved! 🚀
Congratulations to all winners of the Bank of Ireland All-Island Bioeconomy Awards. These awards recognise the hard work, dedication and achievements of individuals and organisations across Ireland’s bioeconomy sector. This year’s awards are kindly sponsored by Bank of Ireland, and we were delighted to receive 25 applications from a diverse range of organisations and individuals. The Winners: Bio Achievement of the Year - Ashleigh Farms & GlasportBio Top Bioeconomy Young Talent - Dr Emer O’Neill Best Biomethane Development - Bia Energy Biobased Product of the Year - AmuGreen and MyGug “The Bioeconomy Summit has become an important platform for showcasing the technologies, ideas and collaborations that will help shape the next few chapters of Ireland’s bioeconomy. From climate-positive innovation to circular business models, the summit brings together emerging initiatives that are not only environmentally sustainable but also represent clear commercial opportunities as they evolve. Bank of Ireland is proud to support a forum that promotes innovation and to fund businesses striving towards a more sustainable future.” said Colette Shirley, Bank of Ireland. #irishbioeconomy
O'Flaherty Lab reposted this
👥 Meet the people behind ReBioCycle with a 3-minute interview! Today, we are happy to introduce you Lydia Francis, PhD student at University of Galway 🎓 📹 Watch the interview here: https://lnkd.in/dEZF7i7A Stay tuned for more info on our partners and their roles within ReBioCycle! More info on the project, upcoming events and more: https://rebiocycle.eu/ 📅 #innovationaction #recycling #upcycling #biodegradable #bioplastics ReBioCycle is supported by the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU) and its members. Funded by the European Union 🇪🇺 . Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CBE JU. Neither the European Union nor the CBE JU can be held responsible for them.