Traditional Medicine

Biography
Neil Rowan PhD, has directed the Bioscience Research Institute (BRI) at the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), Ireland for over 11 years. He undertook his BSc Hons at the University of Galway, before achieving his Masters in Biotechnology and PhD in Biomedical Microbiology at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK.

He was a Senior Lecturer at the University of Strathclyde, where his research performance was recognized as top of scale (5*) in the UK Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). He was co-founder and first technical manager of the Roberston Laboratories for Electronic Sterilization Technologies.

Neil holds Adjunct and Honorary Professorships: School of Medicine at University of Galway (Ireland), Faculty of Biotechnology at University of Malaya (Malaysia – where he also evaluates for Professorial Chair appointments), and at School of Nursing and Public Health, University of Kwa-Zulu-Natal (South Africa). He has advanced research and developed innovation through appropriate and relevant interdisciplinary activities with stakeholders including industry, communities and local government with an international orientation. He has published over 200 publications in peer-reviewed scientific and engineering journals, 8 book chapters, and over 150 conference presentations. He has supervised 34 PhDs to completion in these domains, and mentored 18 postdoctoral researchers.

He holds memberships of several professional bodies including Fellowship of the Institute of Food Science and Technology; he also is an Editorial Board member of several leading journals including Science of the Total Environment, Sustainability and Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology. He as an Associate Editor of Applied and Environmental Microbiology for 12 years. He is ranked #1 for research outputs at TUS  and is in the top 4% worldwide for his research activities as informed by Scopus and AD Scientific Indexing.

He has helped develop strategic policies regionally and nationally including Midlands Regional Development Plan 2024 to Irelands’ new Research, Innovation and Impact Strategy 2030. He has coordinated several multi-disciplinary complex projects and is currently funded through Interreg Neptunus, MSCA RISE ICHTHYS, MSCA DIGI+ (ITN), MSCA MedTrain (ITN), Erasmsus Plus and so forth. Neil is developing and testing new green innovations including characterizing and managing first peatland-based aquaculture /bioeconomy site at Mount Lucas Wind Farm in Irish Midlands. He was Guest Editor of the first Special Issue to address important sustaining and disruptive Green innovation in Current Opinion In Environmental Science and Health. He was recognized for his unique contribution to advancing the fields of ‘sustainability’ and ‘digital transformation’ by Maynooth University in 2023 at their IVI 2023 Summit. He is also currently Guest Editor of two others Special Issues for journals Frontiers and Bioengineering and Biotechnology and Sustainability on advancing the bioeconomy.

He has helped train over 50 science demonstrators to introduce STEM to Primary Schools (53) regionally through partnership with University of Galway via SFI-funded Cell Explorers Programme. He reviews for European Innovation Council (EIC) under Pathfinder Programme for high risk/high gain/ deep tech innovation. He helps SMEs through bespoke training and via mobility such as MSCA RISE programmes. Neil has led my creative projects that led to first cross-disciplinary PhDs blending Science, Engineering and Business. He was first PhD supervisor at TUS in the area of Biomedical Science, Sterilization Microbiology, Biotechnology, Pollination and Ecosystem Service Management and Green Innovation (including econometric modeling). He has been active member of several committees such as Research Ethics (Strathclyde), Microbiology Subcommittee of Food Safety Authority to RDI&I at THEA. He has presented several Plenary and Keynote speeches including at RUN-EU Inaugural Congress and ‘Science meets Borders’ initiative.

He has help society with complex challenges including defining appropriate solutions for safe reprocessing of PPE during COVID-19 pandemic under EUA.