The Bernal Institute is privileged to announce the appointment of Professor Sarah Hudson as our new Director. With a distinguished track record in research and innovation on both national and international stages, Professor Hudson is an outstanding choice to lead the Institute into its next chapter.
Professor Sarah Hudson has worked at the interface of materials and biological systems for over 20 years. Her research journey began investigating the photophysics of DNA complexes with Rhenium in Trinity College Dublin as a Foundational Scholar. From there, her interest in structures and interactions between materials and biology deepened. During her PhD, she worked on designing porous materials for the adsorption and immobilisation of enzymes for biocatalytic applications. As a postdoc, Professor Hudson spent 3 years at Massachusetts Institute of Technology working on developing hydrogels and porous materials for drug delivery applications. Her research has continued at this materials-biological interface, aligning with the core ethos of the Bernal Institute, that structures matter. One of the main applications Sarah targets in her work is the (bio)pharma sector. She has active projects on the production and formulation of advanced therapeutics by bringing together complementary academic and industrial groupings from different disciplines. Sarah is also interested in the commercialization of research to reach real world impactful applications.
Her vision is to design materials to be used for a wide range of applications, creating a greener, more sustainable world with improved quality of life for all, enabled by the unique environment provided by the Bernal Institute. Sarah has trained over forty-five master, doctoral and postdoctoral researchers, is an inventor on one USA awarded patent, and has published over eighty peer reviewed articles. Sarah currently leads a dynamic team of fifteen researchers (PhD students and postdoctoral fellows) at the Bernal Institute.
Commenting on her appointment, Professor Hudson said: 鈥淚t is a great privilege to be appointed Director. I look forward to future collaborations with a strong commitment to advancing research and innovation that addresses global challenges and contributes to societal and economic development.鈥
"Our institute is a beacon of excellence in research, education, and industry collaboration at the 黑料社. Situated within the vibrant academic community of the 黑料社, we are proud to foster an environment that encourages interdisciplinary collaboration and enables creativity. At the heart of our endeavours lies a commitment to advancing knowledge and addressing the grand challenges facing society today. From sustainable energy solutions and environmental impact to advanced healthcare technologies, our research spans a diverse array of fields, all with the common goal of making a positive impact on the world."
"Our work extends beyond the laboratory. Through partnerships with industry, government, and academia, we are translating our research findings into real-world applications that benefit society and drive economic growth for years to come."
Join us in welcoming Professor Sarah Hudson as she leads the Bernal Institute into a new era of innovation, collaboration, and impact. Together, we will continue to push the boundaries of scientific discovery and create a brighter, more sustainable future for all.
