Dr Pilar Marcos

Assistant Lecturer
Department of Agriculture, Food and Animal Health
North Building
| Room: NC138
[email protected]
+353 (0)42 9370200

Biography

Dr Pilar Marcos is an Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Agriculture, Food and Animal Health. She holds a BSc (Hons) in Food Science and Technology and a MSc in Food Quality, Safety and Technology, both from the University of Zaragoza (Spain). She completed her PhD in Health and Agricultural Sciences at University College Dublin (UCD) and Teagasc, where her research focused on evaluating the potential of Clostridioides difficile as a foodborne pathogen in Ireland. After her PhD, Dr Pilar Marcos gained valuable industry experience as a Microbiology Laboratory Manager in a food company, which provided her with practical insights into food safety and quality.

Dr Pilar Marcos is also a member of the Centre for Freshwater and Environmental Studies (CFES) and is actively involved in school outreach activities in DkIT ('The Germ Lab' and 'Food bacteria: the good, the bad and the ugly').

Teaching

Qualifications & Awards

  • BSc (Hons) in Food Science and Technology (University of Zaragoza, Spain)
  • MSc in Food Quality, Safety and Technology (University of Zaragoza, Spain)
  • PhD in Health and Agricultural Sciences with a Major in Veterinary Medicine (University College Dublin, Ireland)

Research & Interests

Dr Pilar Marcos specializes in food and environmental microbiology, molecular biology and bioinformatics. With extensive experience studying food spoilage bacteria, common foodborne pathogens (E. coli, L. monocytogenes and Salmonella spp.), as well as emerging pathogens like C. difficile, she has developed a comprehensive understanding of the microbiological challenges faced by the food industry.

Her research interests include enhancing food and water safety, investigating antimicrobial resistance in foodborne pathogens, developing sustainable alternative disinfectants for the food sector and exploring the impact of microplastics on bacterial communities.

Publications

The publications listed below represent my 7 most recent works as recorded on ORCiD

Current Microbiology
July 2023
DOI: 10.1007/s00284-023-03328-7
Type: Journal article

Food Microbiology
June 2023
DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2023.104215
Type: Journal article

Microorganisms
16 May 2023
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11051296
Type: Journal article

Foods
4 March 2023
DOI: 10.3390/foods12051094
Type: Journal article

Pathogens
8 November 2022
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11111310
Type: Journal article

Food Microbiology
September 2021
DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2021.103781
Type: Journal article

Journal of microbiological methods
25 December 2019
DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2019.105818
Type: Journal article