Dr Donal Leech B.SC., PH.D
Contact Details
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Biography:
| Dónal Leech received a 1st class honours B.Sc. in Analytical Science from the then National Institute for Higher Education, Dublin (now Dublin City University) in 1988. He was awarded the Dublin Millennium Scholarship that year by the Irish government to allow him to pursue his Ph.D. studies on Electroanalytical Chemistry under the co-direction of Prof. M. R. Smyth and Prof. J.G. Vos at DCU. A six-month research exchange visit to the group of Prof. J. Wang at New Mexico State University (Wang group is now in San Diego) during his Ph.D. studies proved highly motivational. Following graduation in 1991, Dónal joined the group of Prof. G.A. Rechnitz at the Hawaii Biosensor Laboratory, University of Hawaii for post-doctoral research on the electrophysiology of crustacean neuronal structures and their application to biosensing. He was appointed Professeur Adjoint (Assistant Professor) in the Department of Chemistry of the Université de Montréal in 1993, setting up an active research effort in Electroanalysis and Sensors. He joined NUI, Galway in 1997. His research and teaching interests focus on bioanalytical chemistry, with an emphasis on electrochemical methods, surface modification and characterisation, sensors and assays. Dónal is active in professional societies, elected a Fellow of the Institute of Chemistry of Ireland in 2004, and Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry in 2005. He is also a member of the Electrochemical Society, Bioelectrocemistry Society and the International Society of Electrochemistry. He participates in Academic administration, being a past Secretary and Chair of the NUI, Galway branch of the Irish Federation of University Teachers, acting as Vice-Dean of Research of the Faculty of Science 2004-2009, and was a member of the Governing Authority of the University from 2005-2009. |
Research Interests
| The Biomolecular Electronics Research Laboratory, Director Dr. Dónal Leech, was established in NUI, Galway in 1997. Research in the laboratory focuses on the preparation and characterisation of electron-transfer catalysts and modified electrode surfaces directed to eventual application as biomolecular electrochemical detection platforms and devices. The research laboratory is located in the Ryan Institute of the National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG), and the laboratory is affiliated to the School of Chemistry and National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Sciences. The fundamental reactions that form the basis of most of our studies are electron transfer reactions. We have a particular interest in electron transfer reactions at the solid/liquid interface and in harnessing biomolecular electron transfer events. The research programme is aimed at developing eventual applications in bioelectrochemical diagnostics and sensors, biomolecular interaction platforms, biofuel cell prototypes, bio- and electrochemical bleaching methodologies, and trace metal monitoring systems in ocean environments. We have in addition a research effort that seeks to underpin these areas of application, focused on synthesis and characterisation of electrode modifiers, separations science and surface analytical techniques, and electrochemical and biochemical methods. Should you require any further information on our research programme please browse our publications, or contact Dr. Dónal Leech |
Peer Reviewed Journals
| Zafar, MN,Wang, XJ,Sygmund, C,Ludwig, R,Leech, D,Gorton, L (2012) 'Electron-Transfer Studies with a New Flavin Adenine Dinucleotide Dependent Glucose Dehydrogenase and Osmium Polymers of Different Redox Potentials'. Analytical Chemistry, 84 :334-341. [DOI] [Details] |
| Boland, S,Leech, D (2012) 'A glucose/oxygen enzymatic fuel cell based on redox polymer and enzyme immobilisation at highly-ordered macroporous gold electrodes'. Analyst, 137 :113-117. [DOI] [Details] |
| MacAodha, D,Ferrer, ML,Conghaile, PO,Kavanagh, P,Leech, D (2012) 'Crosslinked redox polymer enzyme electrodes containing carbon nanotubes for high and stable glucose oxidation current'. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 14 :14667-14672. [DOI] [Details] |
| Hasan, K,Patil, SA,Leech, D,Hagerhall, C,Gorton, L (2012) 'Electrochemical communication between microbial cells and electrodes via osmium redox systems'. Biochemical Society Transactions, 40 :1330-1335. [DOI] [Details] |
| Patil, SA,Hasan, K,Leech, D,Hagerhall, C,Gorton, L (2012) 'Improved microbial electrocatalysis with osmium polymer modified electrodes'. Chemical Communications, 48 :10183-10185. [DOI] [Details] |
| Yakovleva, ME,Killyeni, A,Ortiz, R,Schulz, C,MacAodha, D,Conghaile, PO,Leech, D,Popescu, IC,Gonaus, C,Peterbauer, CK,Gorton, L (2012) 'Recombinant pyranose dehydrogenase-A versatile enzyme possessing both mediated and direct electron transfer'. Electrochemistry Communications, 24 :120-122. [DOI] [Details] |
| Kumar, A,Katuri, K,Lens, P,Leech, D (2012) 'Does bioelectrochemical cell configuration and anode potential affect biofilm response?'. Biochemical Society Transactions, 40 :1308-1314. [DOI] [Details] |
| Katuri, KP,Enright, AM,O'Flaherty, V,Leech, D (2012) 'Microbial analysis of anodic biofilm in a microbial fuel cell using slaughterhouse wastewater'. Bioelectrochemistry, 87 :164-171. [DOI] [Details] |
| Jenkins, P,Tuurala, S,Vaari, A,Valkiainen, M,Smolander, M,Leech, D (2012) 'A comparison of glucose oxidase and aldose dehydrogenase as mediated anodes in printed glucose/oxygen enzymatic fuel cells using ABTS/laccase cathodes'. Bioelectrochemistry, 87 :172-177. [DOI] [Details] |
| Scanlon, MD,Salaj-Kosla, U,Belochapkine, S,MacAodha, D,Leech, D,Ding, Y,Magner, E (2012) 'Characterization of Nanoporous Gold Electrodes for Bioelectrochemical Applications'. Langmuir, 28 :2251-2261. [DOI] [Details] |
| Jenkins, P,Tuurala, S,Vaari, A,Valkiainen, M,Smolander, M,Leech, D (2012) 'A mediated glucose/oxygen enzymatic fuel cell based on printed carbon inks containing aldose dehydrogenase and laccase as anode and cathode'. Enzyme And Microbial Technology, 50 :181-187. [DOI] [Details] |
| Zafar, MN,Beden, N,Leech, D,Sygmund, C,Ludwig, R,Gorton, L (2012) 'Characterization of different FAD-dependent glucose dehydrogenases for possible use in glucose-based biosensors and biofuel cells'. Analytical And Bioanalytical Chemistry, 402 :2069-2077. [DOI] [Details] |
| Katuri, KP,Rengaraj, S,Kavanagh, P,O'Flaherty, V,Leech, D (2012) 'Charge Transport through Geobacter sulfurreducens Biofilms Grown on Graphite Rods'. Langmuir, 28 :7904-7913. [DOI] [Details] |
| Joyce, E,Kavanagh, P,Leech, D,Karpinska, J,McArdle, P,Aldabbagh, F (2012) 'Acetic anhydride mediated condensation of aromatic o-diacid dichlorides with benzimidazoles to provide electro-reducible p-dione adducts'. Tetrahedron Letters, 53 :3788-3791. [DOI] [Details] |
| Rengaraj, S,Mani, V,Kavanagh, P,Rusling, J,Leech, D (2011) 'A membrane-less enzymatic fuel cell with layer-by-layer assembly of redox polymer and enzyme over graphite electrodes'. Chemical Communications, 47 :11861-11863. [DOI] [Details] |
| Katuri, K,Ferrer, ML,Gutierrez, MC,Jimenez, R,del Monte, F,Leech, D (2011) 'Three-dimensional microchanelled electrodes in flow-through configuration for bioanode formation and current generation'. Energy & Environmental Science, 4 :4201-4210. [DOI] [Details] |
| Tonda-Mikiela, P,Habrioux, A,Boland, S,Servat, K,Tingry, S,Kavanagh, P,Napporn, TW,Leech, D,Kokoh, KB (2011) 'Oxygen Electroreduction Catalyzed by Bilirubin Oxidase Does Not Release Hydrogen Peroxide'. Electrocatalysis, 2 :268-272. [DOI] [Details] |
| Rengaraj, S,Kavanagh, P,Leech, D (2011) 'A comparison of redox polymer and enzyme co-immobilization on carbon electrodes to provide membrane-less glucose/O-2 enzymatic fuel cells with improved power output and stability'. Biosensors & Bioelectronics, 30 :294-299. [DOI] [Details] |
| Zafar,M.N., Tasca, F., Boland, S., Kujawa, M., Patel, I., Peterbauer, C.K., Leech, D., Gorton, L. (2010) 'Wiring of pyranose dehydrogenase with osmium polymers of different redox potentials'. Bioelectrochemistry, 80 (1). [Details] |
| Niedziolka-Jonsson, J., Boland, S., Leech, D., Boukherroub, R., Szunerits, S. (2010) 'Preparation and reactivity of carboxylic acid-terminated boron-doped diamond electrodes'. Electrochimica Acta, 55 (3). [Details] |
| Hajdukiewicz,J., Boland, S., Kavanagh, P., Nowicka, A., Stojek, Z., Leech, D. (2009) 'Enzyme-amplified amperometric detection of DNA using redox mediating films on gold microelectrodes'. Electroanalysis, 21 (3-5). [Details] |
| Boland,S., Foster, K., Leech, D. (2009) 'A stability comparison of redox-active layers produced by chemical coupling of an osmium redox complex to pre-functionalized gold and carbon electrodes'. Electrochimica Acta, 54 (7). [Details] |
| Jenkins, PA,Boland, S,Kavanagh, P,Leech, D (2009) 'Evaluation of performance and stability of biocatalytic redox films constructed with different copper oxygenases and osmium-based redox polymers'. Bioelectrochemistry, 76 :162-168. [DOI] [Details] |
| Pellissier, M,Barriere, F,Downard, AJ,Leech, D (2008) 'Improved stability of redox enzyme layers on glassy carbon electrodes via covalent grafting'. Electrochemistry Communications, 10 :835-838. [DOI] [Details] |
| Leech,D, Pellissier,M, Barrière,F. (2008) 'Book Chapter: Powering fuel cells through biocatalysis”'. Electrochemical Sensors, Biosensors and their Biomedical Applications, :385-410. [DOI] [Details] |
| Boland, S,Barriere, F,Leech, D (2008) 'Designing stable redox-active surfaces: Chemical attachment of an osmium complex to glassy carbon electrodes prefunctionalized by electrochemical reduction of an in situ-generated aryldiazonium cation'. Langmuir, 24 :6351-6358. [DOI] [Details] |
| Lynch, M,Hehir, S,Kavanagh, P,Leech, D,O'Shaughnessy, J,Carty, MP,Aldabbagh, F (2007) 'Synthesis by radical cyclization and cytotoxicity of highly potent bioreductive alicyclic ring fused [1,2-a]benzimidazolequinones'. Chemistry-A European Journal, 13 :3218-3226. [DOI] [Details] |
| Knight,S., Morley, N., Leech, D., Cave, R. (2006) 'Movoltammetric laboratory for ship-board and shore-based analyses of dissolved copper'. Environmental Chemistry, 3 (6). [Details] |
| Barriere,F., Kavanagh, P., Leech, D. (2006) 'A laccase-glucose oxidase biofuel cell prototype operating in a physiological buffer'. Electrochimica Acta, 51 (24). [Details] |
| Ferry, Y,Leech, D (2005) 'Amperometric detection of catecholamine neurotransmitters using electrocatalytic substrate recycling at a laccase electrode'. Electroanalysis, 17 :113-119. [Details] |
| O'Shaughnessy, J,Cunningham, D,Kavanagh, P,Leech, D,McArdle, P,Aldabbagh, F (2004) 'Synthesis of benzimidazolequinone analogue of cyclopropamitosene antitumor agents'. Synlett, :2382-2384. [DOI] [Details] |
| Kavanagh, P,Leech, D (2004) 'Improved synthesis of 4,4 '-diamino-2,2 '-bipyridine from 4,4 '-dinitro-2,2 '-bipyridine-N,N '-dioxide'. Tetrahedron Letters, 45 :121-123. [DOI] [Details] |
| Barriere, F,Ferry, Y,Rochefort, D,Leech, D (2004) 'Targetting redox polymers as mediators for laccase oxygen reduction in a membrane-less biofuel cell'. Electrochemistry Communications, 6 :237-241. [DOI] [Details] |
| Rochefort D., Leech D., Bourbonnais R. (2004) 'Electron transfer mediator systems for bleaching of paper pulp'. Green Chemistry, 6 (1). [Details] |
| Rochefort, D,Bourbonnais, R,Leech, D,Renaud, S,Paice, M (2002) 'Electrochemical oxidation of transition metal-based mediators for pulp delignification'. Journal Of The Electrochemical Society, 149 :15-20. [DOI] [Details] |
| Rochefort, D,Bourbonnais, R,Leech, D,Paice, MG (2002) 'Oxidation of lignin model compounds by organic and transition metal-based electron transfer mediators'. Chemical Communications, :1182-1183. [DOI] [Details] |
| Grogan, C,Raiteri, R,O'Connor, GM,Glynn, TJ,Cunningham, V,Kane, M,Charlton, M,Leech, D (2002) 'Characterisation of an antibody coated microcantilever as a potential immuno-based biosensor'. Biosensors & Bioelectronics, 17 :201-207. [DOI] [Details] |
| Bourbonnais, R., Rochefort, D., Paice, M.G., Leech, D. (2001) 'Development of stable redox complexes to mediate delignification of kraft pulp by laccase'. ACS Symposium Series, 785 . [Details] |
| Leech, D,Feerick, KO (2000) 'Biosensor warning devices: Reagentless detection of modulators of laccase activity'. Electroanalysis, 12 :1339-1342. [Details] |
| Perusse,P., Leech, D. (2000) 'Dual electrode cyclic voltammetry under computer control using graphical programming of a bipotentiostat'. Instrumentation Science and Technology, 28 (1). [Details] |
| Bourbonnais,R.,Rochefort, D.,Paice, M.G., Renaud, S.,Leech, D. (2000) 'Transition metal complexes: A new class of laccase mediators for pulp bleaching'. TAPPI Journal, 83 (10). [Details] |
| Voicu, R., Ellis, T.J., Ju, H-X., Leech,D. (1999) 'Adsorption and Desorption of Electroactive Self-Assembled Thiolate Monolayers on Gold'. LANGMUIR, * (15):8170-8177. [Details] |
| Ju, H., Leech, D. (1999) 'Effect of electrolytes on the electrochemical behaviour of 11- (ferrocenylcarbonyloxy)undecanethiol SAMs on gold disk electrodes'. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 1 (7). [Details] |
| Bourbonnais,R., Leech, D., Paice, M.G. (1998) 'Electrochemical analysis of the interactions of laccase mediators with lignin model compounds'. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - General Subjects, 1379 (3). [Details] |
| Ju, H., Leech, D. (1997) 'Os(bpy)2(PVI)10Cl]Cl polymer-modified carbon fiber electrodes for the electrocatalytic oxidation of NADH'. Analytica Chimica Acta, 345 (1-3). [Details] |
| Daigle, F., Leech, D. (1997) 'Reagentless Tyrosinase Enzyme Electrodes: Effects of Enzyme Loading, Electrolyte pH, Ionic Strength, and Temperature'. Analytical Chemistry, 69 (20). [Details] |
| Trudeau, F., Daigle, F., Leech, D. (1997) 'Reagentless Mediated Laccase Electrode for the Detection of Enzyme Modulators'. Analytical Chemistry, 69 (5). [Details] |
| Ju, H., Leech, D. (1997) 'Electrochemistry of poly(vinylferrocene) formed by direct electrochemical reduction at a glassy carbon electrode'. Journal of the Chemical Society - Faraday Transactions, 93 (7). [Details] |
| Doherty,A.P., Stanley, M.A., Leech, D., Vos, J.G. (1996) 'Oxidative detection of nitrite at an electrocatalytic [Ru(bipy)2poly-(4-vinylpyridine)10Cl]Cl electrochemical sensor applied for the flow injection determination of nitrate using a Cu/Cd redactor column'. Analytica Chimica Acta, 319 (1-2). [Details] |
| Adeyoju,O., Iwuoha, E.I., Smyth, M.R., Leech, D. (1996) 'High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of phenols using a tyrosinase-based amperometric biosensor detection system'. Analyst, 121 (12). [Details] |
| Leech,D. (1994) 'Affinity biosensors'. Chemical Society Reviews, 23 (3). [Details] |
| Leech,D., Rechnitz, C.A. (1993) 'Biomagnetic neurosensors'. Analytical Chemistry, 65 (22). [Details] |
| Leech,D., Rechnitz, G.A. (1993) 'Crayfish walking leg neuronal biosensor for the detection of pyrazinamide and selected local anesthetics'. Analytica Chimica Acta, 274 (1). [Details] |
| O'Shea, T.J.,Leech, D.,Smyth, M.R., Vos, J.G. (1992) 'Determination of nitrite based on mediated oxidation at a carbon paste electrode modified with a ruthenium polymer'. Talanta, 39 (4). [Details] |
| Leech D., Forster R.J., Smyth M.R., Vos J.G. (1991) 'Effect of composition of polymer backbone on spectroscopic and electrochemical properties of ruthenium(ii) bis(2,2?-bipyridyl)-containing 4-vinylpyridine/styrene copolymers'. Journal of Materials Chemistry, 1 (4). [Details] |
| Wang, J.,Leech, D.,Ozsoz, M.,Martinez, S.,Smyth, M.R. (1991) 'One-step fabrication of glucose sensors based on entrapment of glucose oxidase within poly(ester-sulfonic acid) coatings'. Analytica Chimica Acta, 245 (2). [Details] |
| Leech D., Wang J., Smyth M.R. (1990) 'Electrocatalytic detection of streptomycin and related antibiotics at ruthenium dioxide modified graphite - Epoxy composite electrodes'. Analyst, 115 (11). [Details] |
Reviews
| Leech, D,Kavanagh, P,Schuhmann, W (2012) Enzymatic fuel cells: Recent progress. Reviews [DOI] [Details] |
Associations
| Association: Royal Society of Chemistry, Function/Role: Fellow and Chair of the executive of Republic of Ireland section of the Analytical Division |
| Association: Insitute of Chemistry of Ireland, Function/Role: Fellow |
| Association: Electrochemical Society, Function/Role: Member |
| Association: Bioelectrochemical Society, Function/Role: Member |
| Association: International Society of Electrochemistry, Function/Role: Member |
| Association: International Society of Microbial Electrochemical Technology, Function/Role: Member |