Assoc ProfessorAmalia Scannell

Dr Scannell is a Microbiologist/Food Technologist focused on improving food safety and sensory performance through multi-disciplinary research. Her main interest is to ascertain the effects that changes in food products, as brought about through novel processing, novel ingredients and new product development ideas have on both the microbial safety of food, using traditional microbiological and next-generation sequencing techniques, and on consumer acceptance, consumer-led product development and sensory profiling. The innovation in her research is to generate big data describing how changes in novel processing parameters affect key product quality indicators, microbial inactivation and sensory characteristics. Together with other researchers in the UCD Institute of Food and Health, and in collaboration with other research institutions e.g. Teagasc, Technical University Dublin, and DCU, she was involved in the optimisation of several novel processes and modelled key parameters in beverages and meat products in particular. The parameters that best inactivate populations of product-specific microbes have also been determined. Dr. Scannell’s vision is to determine how novel processing methods, e.g. plasma technology, Acoustic technology, UV, LED light etc. affect microbes at a cellular/ gene expression level. By building detailed models to determine how changes in key processing parameters affect gene expression, information derived from this project will give clear direction to policymakers on the maximum and minimum processing levels needed to inactivate these microbes effectively. Dr Scannell has consistently applied for grant funding at national and international levels and has successfully attracted awards from the Department of Agriculture. Food and the Marine, Enterprise Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland, as well as some projects funded directly by Food Industry partners. 
Since 2001, I have supervised 2 MSc students through research and 2 in the research component of a taught MSc in Food Science,and one student from Open University. I have supervised/ co- supervised 13 students to completion of their PhD and am currently mentoring two students who have recently begun their research programme. I also contribute to the UCD Online Taught Masters in Food and Nutrition.

EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS:
Educational Institution Degree Year
University College Dublin Post-Graduate Diploma in Higher Education Teaching & Learning 2014
University of Nottingham Post Graduate Certificate in Sensory Science 2006
University College Cork PhD (Food Science & Technology) 2000
University of Ghent Post graduate Certificate (Food Packaging) 1999
University College Cork BSc. (Hons) Microbiology 1994

PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT
Employer Role Years
University College Dublin Lecturer/ Research PI in Food Science/ Food Safety 2001-Present
University College Cork Postdoctoral Research Fellow 1999-2001
University College Cork Food Technology & Product development Tutor 1994-1999
University College Cork Research Assistant 1993
Beamish & Crawford Plc. Quality Assurance Technician 1992
Roche’s stores Sales manager  (part time) 1997-2000