Prof. Nora O'Brien
IPFN Tasks
Professor Nora O’ Brien and her research team is responsible for developing methods for bio-assays and bio-availability of phytochemicals.
Qualifications
BSc (NUI Cork), MS (University of Minnesota), PhD (Cornell University).
Contact Details
+353 (0)2 14 90 28 84
nob@ucc.ie
http://www.ucc.ie/en/nbrg
Expertise
Use of cell culture models to evaluate the modulatory effects of dietary constituents on genotoxicity, cytotoxicity, oxidative stress and apoptosis.
Use of cell culture model systems to investigate the bioavailability of dietary phytochemicals and toxins.
Cytotoxic, genotoxic and cell signalling effects of cholesterol and phytosterol oxidation products.
Analysis of phytosterol and oxyphytosterol content of plant foodstuffs.
Recent Publications
Foley, D.A., O'Callaghan, Y.C., O'Brien, N.M., McCarthy, F.O. and Maguire, A.R. (2010) Synthesis and characterisation of stigmasterol oxidation products. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 58, 1165-1173.
Daly, T., Ryan, E., Aherne, S.A., O'Grady, M.N., Hayes, J.E., Allen, P., Kerry, J.P. and O'Brien, N.M. (2010) Bioactivity of ellagic acid-, lutein- or sesamol-enriched pork and beef patties assessed using an in vitro digestion and Caco-2 cell model system. Food Research International 43, 753-760.
Phelan, M., Aherne S.A., O'Sullivan, D., Fitzgerald, R. and O'Brien N.M. (2010). Growth inhibitory effects of casein hydrolysates on cancer cells. Journal of Dairy Research 77, 176-182.
O'Sullivan, L., Galvin, K., Aherne S.A. and O'Brien, N.M. (2010). Effects of cooking on the profile and micellarisation of 9-cis, 13-cis and all-trans--carotene in green vegetables. Food Research International 43, 1130-1135.
O'Sullivan, L., Jiwan, M., Daly, T., O'Brien, N.M. and Aherne S.A. (2010). Bioaccessiblity, uptake and transport of carotenoids from peppers (Capsicum spp) using the coupled in vitro digestion and human intestinal Caco-2 cell model. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 12, 5374-5379.
Daly, T., Jiwan, MA, O'Brien, N.M. and Aherne, S.A. (2010). Carotenoid content of commonly consumed herbs and assessment of their bioaccessibility using an in vitro digestion model. Plant Foods for Human Nutrition 65, 164-169.
Lišková, K., Kelly, A.L., O'Brian, N.M., & Brodkorb, A. (2010). Effect of alpha-lactalbumin denaturation on its potential anti-cancer properties. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 58, 4421-4427.
Jiwan, M.A., Duane, P., O'Sullivan, L., O'Brien, N.M., Aherne-Bruce, S.A. (2010) Carotenoid bioaccessibility from commercially available organic and non-organic baby food products. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis 23, 346-352.
O'Callaghan, Y.C., Foley, D., O'Connell, N.M., McCarthy, F.O., Maguire, A.R. and O'Brien, N.M. (2010). The cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of the oxidised derivatives of stigmasterol in the U937, human monocytic cell line. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 58, 10793-10798.
O'Callaghan, Y.C. and O'Brien, N.M. (2011). Uptake and transepithelial transport of alpha-tocopherol and retinol from a range of supplemented foodstuffs assessed using the caco-2 cell model. International Journal of Food Science and Technology (in press).
Aherne, S.A, Daly, T., Jiwan, M.A., O'Sullivan, L. and O'Brien, N.M. (2011). Bioavailability of beta-carotene isomers from raw and cooked carrots using an in vitro digestion model coupled with a human intestinal Caco-2 cell model. Food Research International (in press).
O'Sullivan, A.M., O'Callaghan, Y.C., O'Grady, M.N., Queguineur, B., Hanniffy, D., Troy, D.J., Kerry, J.P. and O'Brien, M.N. (2011). In vitro and cellular antioxidant activities of seaweed extracts prepared from five brown seaweeds harvested in spring from the west coast of Ireland. Food Chemistry 126, 1064-1070.
