Interview with Bernal Chair of Pharmaceutical Powder Engineering, Co-Director SSPC, SFI Research Centre for Pharmaceuticals, Professor Gavin Walker Q: What is the top scientific discovery from the Process Engineering cluster?
Q: What are your ambitions for the Process Engineering cluster for 2021?
A patent application (Application Number:
In 2021 the Process Engineering cluster aims to
EP19218890.2, Smart Flow Aids for Cohesive Powder
submit ERC applications in Starting (Dr Saeed
Handling) by Dr Akeem Olaleye, Professor Gavin M.
Shirazian), Consolidating (Dr Ahmad Albadarin) and
Walker, and Professor Harry van den Akker of the
Advanced (Professor Gavin Walker) Awards. The
Bernal Institute, was filed on December 20, 2019. The
cluster will also focus on developing the research
I was the first Bernal Professor, appointed in July
filed patent relates to novel flow-aided pipe bend for
programmes of SSPC, CONFIRM, PMTC and DPTC
2012. Previously I was head of chemical engineering,
conveying cohesive powders to produce an optimized
specifically on “Targeted” projects with industrial
in a Russel group university in the UK. I moved to
bend design in industrial pipework systems. The
partners. The cluster will aim to establish PhD
Bernal as it offered a great opportunity for me to
patent arises from research by the investigators in the
co-supervision studentships between established
focus more on research, particularly industrially
Enterprise Ireland funded Dairy Processing Technology
and junior academic members of the group. The
relevant research in national research centres SSPC,
Centre (DPTC) and Dr Olaleye’s 2019 SFI TIDA award
MSCA Co-Fund “PROCESS” has received its second
PMTC, DPTC and CONFIRM, which are hosted in UL.
on “Smart Flow Aids”. The technology builds on the
cohort of fellows in Q1 2020 and Call 3 has been
novel coupling of computational fluid mechanics (CFD)
launched in Q1 2021 for the remaining fellowships.
and discrete element methods (DEM) mathematical
The programme will also be hosting a summer school
models to create a “digital twin” of the nature of
for the existing fellows with other MSCA Co-Fund
powder flow in a pipework geometry. The technique
programmes in Lero and CONFIRM at UL. The cluster
was used to redesign a solids handling system in a
will focus on increasing the quality and quantity of
Q: You are a recognised world leading scientist, you have achieved exceptional scientific outputs in process innovation and advanced manufacturing along with funding awards in excess of €26 million, why did you choose to join the Bernal Institute?
Q: What has the Process Engineering cluster achieved to date?
DPTC member company and was a major commercial
publications in high impact process engineering
SSPC “SFI’s Research Centre for Pharmaceuticals”
output for DPTC. The technique is now being
journals specifically focussing on top decile journals.
successfully funded and started SSPC Phase 2 in
employed in a new project with Nestle, Corporate R&D
The ultimate goal of the cluster in 2021 is to
June 2019, €61M (2019-2025). EI Pharmaceutical
in Switzerland, which is fully funded by industry and
consolidate the membership, particularly ensuring
Manufacturing Technology Centre successfully
forms a core technology for CONFIRM, the SFI Centre
that support is given to junior cluster members
funded and started Phase 2 in July 2019, €6M
for Smart Manufacturing.
through a new SSPC-Bernal PhD scholarship scheme
(2019-2024). EI Dairy Processing Technology Centre
with the UL Foundation.
successfully funded for Phase 2 in Q4 2019, research programme to commence Q2 2020, €23M (2020-
Q: What scientific goal or unsolved challenge do you as an individual want to achieve?
2025). PROCESS: “Engineering Solutions for the Process Industry” is a MCSA Co-fund programme, supported by the European Commission and matching funds from national agencies: SFI and Enterprise
For several years, my research group has worked
DPTC, PMTC, SSPC and CONFIRM. PROCESS has
on mechanochemistry, which involves reactions
recruited 9 experienced international researchers
in the solid state, with little or no solvents. The
for 2-year fellowships hosted at the Bernal Institute.
research challenge is the creation of predictive
Several new academics joined the process cluster
chemical engineering mathematical models for this
since 2019, Dr Luis Padrela, Dr Vasanth Kannuchamy,
mechanochemical synthesis. The overall ambition
Dr Matthias Vandichel, Dr Orest Shardt, Dr Ahmad Albadarin and Dr Saeed Shirazian, which has contributed to the young, dynamic culture with the majority of the membership comprising of LBB, Lecturers and self-funding post-doctoral researchers.
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Professor Gavin Walker
Ireland, through research and technology centres
“The Process Engineering cluster will aim to establish PhD co-supervision studentships between established and junior academic members of the group.”
of this research is to unlock the industrial potential of mechanochemistry to enable more efficient and greener routes for chemical synthesis, which is a central UN Sustainable Development Goal.
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