Professor Martin J. Leahy 

DPhil CPhys FInstP FSPIE

Contact Information National University of Ireland Galway Phone: 353 91 492490 Fax: 353 91 494584 email: martin.leahynuigalway.ie web: tomi.nuigalway.ie

Brief Bio

Martin Leahy completed a DPhil at the University of Oxford and he and a colleague established Oxford Optronix Ltd., where he was Director of R&D. From 1995 he had various research and teaching posts at the University of Oxford. He then joined the Stokes Research Institute where he conducted industry led R&D and later the Physics Department at the University of Limerick where led research groups in energy and biophotonics and lectured in physics. He has secured more than €7M in external R&D funding since 2003. He is an adjunct professor at the Royal College of Surgeons, Fellow of the Institute of Physics in Ireland, Fellow of the Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland and Fellow of SPIE. He is a co-chair, executive organizing committee member and panel moderator for SPIE Photonics West BiOS in San Francisco and host of the BioPIC European Bioimaging conference. Editorial Board member of the Journal of Biomedical Optics. Prof Leahy was founding MD of Limerick West Windfarms Ltd. and Millstream Energy and PI on the research projects that spun out Biomass Heating Solutions Ltd. and Wheelsbridge AB. Since his return to full-time academia, he has played a leading role in graduate biophotonics education through NBIP, UL and the Biophotonics and Imaging Graduate Summer School. In 2010 he delivered a dozen international invited lectures and published more than a dozen ISI journal articles. He is currently Chair of Applied Physics at NUI Galway.

Membership of International Bodies/Committees

• Fellow of SPIE
• Fellow of the Institute of Physics
• Member of international programme committee of the European Microscopy Congress 2012 http://www.emc2012.org.uk/
• Member of international programme committee for SFM’08 Workshop on Optical Technologies in Biophysics & Medicine X, Saratov, Russia and again for, SFM’09, SFM’10 http://optics.sgu.ru/SFM/2010/
• SPIE visiting lecturer ( http://spie.org/x32202.xml) in “Biophotonics and Microcirculation Imaging”
• Programme committee and conference co-chair “Dynamics and Fluctuations in Biomedical Photonics VII, VIII -” SPIE Photonics West, San Francisco 2010, 2011
• Co-chair of Biophotonics Session - Photonics Ireland, 2009 and 2011
• Member of international programme committee for the 18th Advanced Laser Technology conference
• Member of international programme committee for ISQE10 XVI International School on Quantum Electronics: Laser Physics and Applications
• Member of executive organising committee for SPIE Photonics West BiOS  http://spie.org/Documents/ConferencesExhibitions/BiOS-2011-Call.pdf

Teaching Interests

Prof. Leahy began his teaching career in 1996 at New College, University of Oxford  and has been teaching undergraduate courses in physics and related fields to large (300+) and small (<10) classes since. He has taught general physics, semiconductor devices, energy, physics for nursing, quantum mechanics, control systems and has developed new modules in medical physics and medical instrumentation.

Prof. Leahy currently supervises ten PhD students and has contributed to the development of two national graduate education programmes, in addition to chairing the international graduate summer school in biophotonics and imaging (BIGSS). He has developed modules in Tissue Optics (intro), Advanced Tissue Optics for Life Scientists, Advanced Tissue Optics for Physical Scientists, Laser Safety and Biophotonic Methods in Microcirculation Imaging.  His graduate students have won several awards including the (IRCSET sponsored) Hamilton prize for best student in Physics and Mathematics, The Institute of Physics Rosse medal (twice) and NBIP Ireland prize for best oral presentation from a PhD graduate. Dr Neil Clancy, won a prestigious Research Associate position at Imperial College’s faculty of medicine, one of largest in Europe, with more than £108 million in research funding. Dr David Connolly, a graduate of 2011 has taken up an assistant professorship at Aalborg University and Dr Joey Enfield has accepted a permanent position with Fexco.

Selected Publications

1. Microcirculation Imaging. (Wiley-VCH), Leahy, M.J. editor, 2011.
2. Enfield, J., Jonathan, E. and Leahy, M.J., 2011. In vivo imaging of the microcirculation of the volar forearm using correlation mapping optical coherence tomography (OCT). Biomedical Optics Express 2 (5) 1184-1193.
3. Jonathan, E., Enfield, J. and Leahy, M.J. 2011. Correlation mapping method for generating microcirculation morphology from optical coherence tomography (OCT) intensity images.  J. Biophotonics 4 (5) (published online 17 December 2010). http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jbio.201000103/abstract
4. O’Doherty, J., McNamara, P.M., Fitzgerald, B.W. and Leahy, M. J., 2011. Dynamic microvascular responses with a high speed TiVi imaging system. J. Biophotonics 4.   http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jbio.201000112/abstract
5. O’Doherty, J.  Henricson, J. Enfield, J.G., Nilsson, G. E., Leahy, M. J., and Anderson, C., 2010. Use of Tissue Viability Imaging (TiVi) in the assessment of divergent beam UVB phototesting. Archives of Dermatological Research 303 (2) 79-87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00403-010-1055-2   
6. Jonathan, E. and Leahy, M.J. 2011. Cellular phone-based photoplethysmographic imaging. J. Biophotonics 4 (5) 293-296.
   http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10439-010-0113-4
7. Jonathan, E. and Leahy, M.J. 2010. Investigating smartphone imaging unit for photoplethysmography, accepted, J. Physiological Measurement 31 (11) N79-N83. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0967-3334/31/11/N01
8. Clancy N. T., Nilsson G. E., Anderson C. and Leahy M. J., 2010. A new device for skin water assessment using indentation and optical measurement. Skin Res. & Technol. 16 (2) 210 – 228.
   http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0846.2010.00433.x
9. Enfield, J.G., O’Connell, M.L., Lawlor, K., Jonathan, E., O’Mahony, C. and Leahy, M.J., 2010. In vivo dynamic characterization of microneedle skin penetration using optical coherence tomography (OCT). J. Biomed. Opt. 15 (4). 
   http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/1.3463002
10. McNamara, P., O’Doherty, J., O’Connell, M.L., Henricson, J., Fitzgerald, B.W., Anderson, C., Nilsson, G.E., Toll, R. and Leahy, M.J., 2010. Tissue Viability (TiVi) Imaging: Temporal effects of local occlusion studies in the volar forearm. J. Biophotonics, 3(1-2), 66-74. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jbio.200910061
11. Connolly D, Lund H, Finn P, Mathiesen BV and Leahy M, 2011. Practical operation strategies for pumped hydroelectric energy storage (PHES) utilising electricity price arbitrage. J. Energy Policy 39 (2011) 4189–4196.
12. Finn, P., Fitzpatrick, C., Connolly, D., Leahy, M. and Relihan, L., 2011. Facilitation of renewable electricity using price based appliance control in Ireland's electricity market. J. Energy 36 (5) 2952-2960.
13. Connolly D., Lund H., Mathiesen B.V., Leahy M., 2010. A review of computer tools for analysing the integration of renewable energy into various energy systems. J. Applied Energy, 87 (4), 1059-1082.    http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2009.09.026 IF = 2.209 in JCR 2009
14. Connolly D., Lund H., Mathiesen B.V., Leahy M., 2010. Modelling the existing Irish energy-system to identify future energy costs and the maximum wind penetration feasible. J. Energy 35 (5) 2164-2173.
    http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2010.01.037 IF = 2.952 in JCR 2009
15. Omerdic E., Toal D. and Leahy M., 2010. Assistive tools for system integration, deployment, monitoring and maintenance of ocean energy devices. Journal of Engineering for the Maritime Environment 224 (3), 155-172.
    http://journals.pepublishing.com/content/v64wt1768x42p333/
16. Connolly D, MacLaughlin S., Leahy M. 2010. Development of a computer program to locate potential sites for pumped-hydroelectric energy-storage. J. Energy 35 (1) 375–381.
    http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2009.10.004 IF = 2.952 in JCR 2009
17. Connolly D., Lund H., Mathiesen B.V., Leahy M., 2011. The first step towards a 100% renewable energy-system for Ireland. J. Applied Energy 88 (2), pp. 502-507.
    http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2010.03.006 IF = 2.209 in JCR 2009
18. Pican, E., Omerdic, E., Toal D. and Leahy M. 2011. Direct interconnection of offshore electricity generators. J. Energy 36 (3) 1543-1553.
19. Omerdic E., Toal D. and Leahy M., 2010. Assistive tools for system integration, deployment, monitoring and maintenance of ocean energy devices. Journal of Engineering for the Maritime Environment 224 (3), 155-172.
    http://dx.doi.org/10.1243/14750902JEME210
20. O’Doherty, J., McNamara, P., Clancy, N.T., Enfield, J.G., and Leahy, M. J., 2009. Comparison of instruments for investigation of microcirculatory blood flow and red blood cell concentration. J. Biomed. Opt. 14 (3). Impact Factor (2007): 3.084. Rankings: 3rd of 64 journals in optics, top in biomed.
    http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/1.3149863
21. Enfield, J.G., O’Connell, M.L., Lawlor, K., Jonathan, E., O’Mahony, C. and Leahy, M.J., 2010. In vivo dynamic characterization of microneedle skin penetration using optical coherence tomography (OCT). J. Biomed. Opt. 15 (4). 
    http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/1.3463002
22. McNamara, P., O’Doherty, J., O’Connell, M.L., Henricson, J., Fitzgerald, B.W., Anderson, C., Nilsson, G.E., Toll, R. and Leahy, M.J., 2010. Tissue Viability (TiVi) Imaging: Temporal effects of local occlusion studies in the volar forearm. J. Biophotonics, 3 (1-2) 66-74.
    http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jbio.200910061
23. Connolly D., Lund H., Mathiesen B.V., Leahy M., 2010. A review of computer tools for analysing the integration of renewable energy into various energy systems. J. Applied Energy, 87 (4), 1059-1082.
    http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2009.09.026 IF = 2.209 in JCR 2009
24. Connolly D, MacLaughlin S., Leahy M. 2010. Development of a computer program to locate potential sites for pumped-hydroelectric energy-storage. J. Energy 35 (1) 375–381.
    http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2009.10.004 IF = 2.952 in JCR 2009
25. Warncke, D., Lewis, E., Lochmann, S., Leahy, M., 2009. A neural network based approach for determination of optical scattering and absorption coefficients of biological tissue J. Physics: 178, art. no. 012047. 
26. Nilsson, G.E., Anderson, C., Henricson, J., Leahy, M.J., O'Doherty, J., Sjöberg, F (2008). Assessment of tissue viability by polarization spectroscopy. Opto-Electronics Review 16 (3), 59 - 63, 2008.
    http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/s11772-008-0019-y
27. O’Doherty, J.  Nilsson, G. E., Henricson, J. Sjöberg, F. and Leahy, M. J., 2007. Sub-epidermal imaging by polarised light rejection for assessment of microvascular patency. Skin Research and Technology - 13 (4), 472-484
    http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/j.1600-0846.2007.00253.x
28. Leahy, M.J., Enfield, J.G., Clancy, N.T., O’Doherty, J., McNamara, P., Nilsson, G.E., 2007. Biophotonic methods in microcirculation imaging. Medical Laser Application - Elsevier Science 22 (2), 105-126.
    http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mla.2007.06.003

• Disclaimer
• Privacy
• Copyright
• Accessibility