Ali Taha Ozdemir

Ali Taha Ozdemir studied genetics and bioengineering in International Unviersity of Sarajevo. He was then awarded fully funded scholarship by European Comission to pursue master's degree in Leading International Vaccinology Program (LIVE) in 2018. As a part of Master program he was trained on immunology and vaccine development in 5 European Universities in 3 different countries (Spain, Belgium and France). Taha worked on development of novel vaccine technologies for delivery of HIV vaccine antigens in Institute of Biology and Chemistry of Proteins (CNRS) in Lyon and succcesfully completed his master's degree in 2020. He is interest in nano delivery systems and infectious diseases. Taha has commenced his postgraduate studies in May 2021 working delivery of nanodecoys against SARS-CoV-2 pathogen. Design and Evaluation of First-line COVID-19 respiratory defence by immune-Enhancing Nano-Decoys (DEFEND) is the title of Taha’s research project. The project aims to develop engineered nanospheres in the form of ‘nanodecoys’, which when delivered into the respiratory system, will bind to and neutralize SARS-CoV-2, preventing its attachment to cells in our respiratory system. 

He is currentnly working on the formulation step of the PhD project. Once the formulation is complete, Taha will investigate the antiviral effect of the formulation against SARS-CoV-2. Cell culture studies involving SARS-CoV-2 virus will be carried out in Biosafety Level 3 Laboratories in UCD under the supervision of Dr Gerald Barry, who is a virology and infectious disease expert, while the formulation will take place in SETU Waterford.