Department of Sport Science and Nutrition

Welcome to the Research section of the Sport Science and Nutrition Department's Webpage.

Our department is dedicated to advancing the understanding and application of Sport Science, Health and Nutrition through cutting-edge research. Our team of academics work tirelessly to explore a wide range of topics, from Exercise Physiology and Biomechanics to Nutritional Strategies, Food Safety and Security, as well as Public Health. Our research aims to enhance athletic performance, improve health outcomes, and contribute to the broader field of sport and health sciences. We also are conducting research on managing the security and safety of the foods we eat on a daily basis.

Stay tuned as we develop this section to showcase our latest projects, publications, and the impactful contributions our research is making to the world of Sport Science and Human Nutrition

Dr Özlem Sarikaya Bayram

Food Safety and Mycotoxins:

Investigating the molecular pathways involved in mycotoxin production to develop strategies for preventing annual food loss and reversing health impacts with functional foods.

Development of Bioactive Molecules:

Exploring the impact of fungal bioactive molecules on health and nutrition.

Functional Future Foods:

Exploring environmentally friendly, sustainable lab-grown mycoproteins as alternatives to traditional animal proteins with lower carbon emissions.
Creating and optimizing functional foods with enhanced nutritional profiles to meet future dietary needs

More Detail on Özlem's research is available here

Dr Jack Hickey

More Detail on Jack's Research is available here.

Dr Liam Sweeney

Liam’s primary research interests are focused on the broad area of athlete development in sport, with a particular focus on the physical, physiological, and psychosocial factors that influence development, and their interactions. Liam is currently working on a number of research projects with several sports clubs and sporting National Governing Bodies, including the Football Association of Ireland and the Swedish Football Association. Key research areas include:

•            Examining and understanding the factors influencing selection and deselection into and out of formalised talent development environments, including biological maturation and relative age
•            Examining the influence of biological maturity on physical, functional, and physiological performance in male and female youth and its implications for sport performance
•            Developing supportive, appropriate, and inclusive talent development environments that facilitate the development of high potential athletes
•            Understanding the biopsychosocial factors within an athlete’s pathway that both support and hinder long-term development and engagement in sport
•            Developing fundamental movement skills and building physical literacy in youth populations

More Detail on Liam's Research is available here.

Dr Ciara McCormack

Ciara has very recently joined the department and details on her current research will be included shortly.

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Department of Sport Science and Nutrition

Dr Özlem Sarikaya Bayram

Dr Jack Hickey

Dr Liam Sweeney

Dr Ciara McCormack