NOEL SIRR BEng MIEI
PhD Research Postgraduate (2004-2007)

e: noel.sirr@ul.ie

t: +353-61-213103

Noel Sirr graduated in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Limerick in 2004. Noel has received industrial experience in Boston Scientific (Galway), working on the development of balloon-tipped catheters for use in less invasive surgical procedures. Having completed his degree, Noel returned to UL where his current research areas of interest include heat transfer and fluid flow in multiphase microfluidics with application to PCR devices.

PhD Project Title: Integration of Pre-mixing and Droplet Formation with a Thermal Cycling μTAS

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has revolutionised molecular biology, and is at the forefront of many current efforts to document and understand human genetic diversity. PCR is a technique that is used to selectively amplify a specific region of DNA for effective testing. The trademark of the PCR process is an exponential amplification of a target DNA sequence. As part of the PCR process the PCR mix is thermally cycled in a three-step process - denaturation, hybridisation, and replication.

The image below is of continuous flow spiral thermal cycler used to study the effects of interfacial and microfluidic phenomena on the PCR process.