Principal investigator

Fergal O’Brien

Director of TERG · Professor of Bioengineering and Regenerative Medicine · Principal Investigator

Biomaterials · Tissue engineering · Regenerative medicine · Gene delivery

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About

Research profile

Professor Fergal O’Brien leads TERG’s multidisciplinary programme in advanced biomaterials for regenerative medicine, linking scaffold design, mechanobiology and therapeutic delivery with tissue repair and translation.

Expertise

Research interests

01Biomaterials

02Tissue engineering

03Regenerative medicine

04Gene delivery

05Drug delivery

06Medical devices

07Bone and cartilage repair

08Neural repair

Lab members

Fergal’s research team

Browse PI groups

Postdoctoral researchers

Postdoctoral Researcher

John Amante

John Amante is a postdoctoral researcher in Fergal O’Brien’s research group at TERG, RCSI.

johnamante@rcsi.ie View profile

Postdoctoral Researcher

Giulio Brunetti

Giulio Brunetti is a postdoctoral researcher in Fergal O’Brien’s research group at TERG, RCSI.

giuliobrunetti@rcsi.com View profile

Postdoctoral Researcher

Francisco Jose Calero Castro

Francisco Jose Calero Castro is a postdoctoral researcher in Fergal O’Brien’s research group at TERG, RCSI.

FranciscoCalero@rcsi.ie View profile

Postdoctoral Researcher

Marko Dobricic

Marko Dobricic is a postdoctoral researcher in Fergal O’Brien’s research group at TERG, RCSI.

MarkoDobricic@rcsi.ie View profile

Postdoctoral Researcher

Javier Gutierrez Gonzalez

Javier Gonzalez is a postdoctoral researcher in Fergal O’Brien’s research group at TERG, RCSI.

javiergg@rcsi.ie View profile

Postdoctoral Researcher

Liam Leahy

Liam Leahy is a postdoctoral researcher in Fergal O’Brien’s research group at TERG, RCSI.

liamleahy@rcsi.com View profile

Postdoctoral Researcher

Yuyao Liu

Yuyao Liu is a postdoctoral researcher in Fergal O’Brien’s research group at TERG, RCSI.

yuyaoliu@rcsi.com View profile

Postdoctoral Researcher

Cian O'Connor

Cian O'Connor is a postdoctoral researcher in Fergal O’Brien’s research group at TERG, RCSI.

cianoconnor@rcsi.ie View profile

Postdoctoral Researcher

Golestan Salimbeigi

Golestan Salimbeigi is a postdoctoral researcher in Fergal O’Brien’s research group at TERG, RCSI.

golestansalimbeigi@rcsi.ie View profile

PhD researchers

PhD Researcher

Shean Bennett Sainz

Shean Bennett Sainz is a PhD researcher in Fergal O’Brien’s research group at TERG, RCSI.

sheanbennettsai25@rcsi.com View profile

PhD Researcher

Julia Burke

Julia Burke is a PhD researcher in Fergal O’Brien’s research group at TERG, RCSI.

juliaburke23@rcsi.ie View profile

PhD Researcher

Aamena Mejevdiwala

Aamena Mejevdiwala is a PhD researcher in Fergal O’Brien’s research group at TERG, RCSI.

aamenamejevdiwal24@rcsi.ie View profile

PhD Researcher

Rena Mullally

Rena Mullally is a PhD researcher in Fergal O’Brien’s research group at TERG, RCSI.

renamullally23@rcsi.com View profile

PhD Researcher

Anne Marie O'Callaghan

Anne Marie O'Callaghan is a PhD researcher in Fergal O’Brien’s research group at TERG, RCSI.

anneocallaghan23@rcsi.com View profile

Research assistants

Research Assistant

Sean Curtis

Sean Curtis is a research assistant in Fergal O’Brien’s research group at TERG, RCSI.

seancurtis@rcsi.ie View profile

Selected outputs

Highlighted publications

All publications by this PI

2026Biomaterials advancesFeatured

Laminin 1 enhances the angiogenic and neurogenic potential of collagen-based scaffolds for complex wound healing applications.

McGrath M, Palomeque-Chávez JC, O'Connor C, Maughan J, Dervan A, Browne S, O'Brien FJ

Spinal cord, peripheral nerve and neural repair Skin and wound healing Biomaterial scaffolds

DOI Article

2026Bioactive materials

Scaffold-mediated miRNA-155 inhibition promotes regenerative macrophage polarisation leading to anti-inflammatory, angiogenic and neurogenic responses for wound healing.

Palomeque Chávez JC, Dobricic M, McGrath M, O'Connor C, McGuire T, Maughan J, Dervan A, Dixon JE, Kearney CJ, Browne S, O'Brien FJ

Gene-activated materials Antimicrobial and immunomodulatory materials Spinal cord, peripheral nerve and neural repair Skin and wound healing Biomaterial scaffolds

DOI Article

2026Biomaterials

Advances in tissue engineering strategies for periodontal and endodontic regeneration: Current therapies and future trends for disease treatment and tissue repair in the oral cavity.

Sheehy EJ, Coffey N, Quigley RM, Duncan HF, Kennedy OD, O Brien FJ

Dental, maxillofacial and oral regeneration Biomaterial scaffolds

DOI Article

2026Bioactive materials

Development of a PTEN-siRNA activated scaffold to promote axonal regrowth following spinal cord injury.

McGuire TK, Stasiewicz M, O'Connor C, Woods I, Maughan J, Dobricic M, Brunetti G, Dixon JE, Dervan AG, O'Brien FJ

Gene-activated materials Spinal cord, peripheral nerve and neural repair Biomaterial scaffolds

DOI Article

2025Advanced ScienceFeatured

3D-Printing of Electroconductive MXene-Based Micro-Meshes in a Biomimetic Hyaluronic Acid-Based Scaffold Directs and Enhances Electrical Stimulation for Neural Repair Applications

Ian Woods, Dahnan Spurling, S. Sunil, Anne Marie O’Callaghan, Jack Maughan, Javier Gutierrez Gonzalez, Tara K. McGuire, Liam M. Leahy, Adrian Dervan, Valeria Nicolosi and Fergal J. O’Brien

Hydrogels Biofabrication and 3D printing Electroactive biomaterials and stimulation Spinal cord, peripheral nerve and neural repair

DOI

2025Advanced Healthcare MaterialsFeatured

Biomimetic Scaffolds Enhance iPSC Astrocyte Progenitor Angiogenic, Immunomodulatory, and Neurotrophic Capacity in a Stiffness and Matrix-Dependent Manner for Spinal Cord Repair Applications

Cian O’Connor, Ian Woods, Sarah F. McComish, Sean Kerr, Matthew McGrath, Juan Carlos Palomeque Chávez, Jack Maughan, Tara McGuire, Maeve A. Caldwell, Adrian Dervan and Fergal J. O’Brien

Biomaterial scaffolds Antimicrobial and immunomodulatory materials Spinal cord, peripheral nerve and neural repair

DOI Article

Industry & translation

Turning research into impact.

TERG works with academic, clinical and industry partners to move biomaterials, devices and regenerative technologies towards patient benefit.

Industry, spin-outs and collaboration

Contact

Start a conversation.

For research, collaboration and supervision enquiries, email fjobrien@rcsi.com.

Lab contact details