Dr. Paul Leonard
- Associate Dean for Industry Engagement (ADIE), working to strengthen and expand collaboration between the Faculty and industry. The role focuses on building strategic partnerships, connecting industry needs with DCU expertise, supporting collaborative research and innovation, and creating opportunities for knowledge exchange, funding, researcher engagement and talent development.
- Associate Professor in Biotherapeutics at Dublin City University (DCU) leading research in biomolecular interaction analysis, technology development (including software and hardware), single cell analysis, biologics discovery and diagnostics across multiple application areas including oncology, cardiovascular and infectious disease (Sept 2023 - present).
- MSc in Diagnostics and Precision Medicine Programme Chair and the LSI Industry Liaison (Sept 2024 to present).
- Innovative entrepreneur and technology inventor with 20 year’s post Ph.D. experience in academic and industrial research and senior management roles in clinical and pre-clinical stage companies. Co-founder and previous CSO/CTO of Remedy Biologics Ltd. Spun the company out of Dublin City University, raising >€15M in non-dilutive and equity-based financing (Feb 2017 to July 2023).
- Consultant to the life sciences industry including roles as advisor to senior management, entrepreneur in residence, scientific and business strategy advisor, including business positioning and communication, IP and technical expert (Jan 2018 to April 2025).
- Previous director and head of R&D at Vaccinogen Ireland responsible for leading Vaccinogen’s overall cancer therapeutics strategy in Ireland including scientific, operational and financial (Dec 2014 to Dec 2016).
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (2018), experienced leading process improvements using Lean Six Sigma principles and building and managing multidisciplinary teams of research scientists in the areas of single cell analysis, cancer vaccine development, manufacturing improvements, antibody engineering, high throughput screening, therapeutic discovery and assay design.
- Lead inventor on granted and pending patents filed in the US and Europe. Expert assessor for various Health and Life Sciences funding programmes, including for SMEs (2011 to present).External Examiner (2023-2024 to 2026-2027) for Technical University Dublin’s TU866 BSc (Hons) Biomedical and Molecular Diagnostics.
- Assistant Professor in Biomedical Sciences, School of Biotechnology, Dublin City University (Nov 2009 to Sept 2014)
Research Interests
Research interests include:
(i) Single-cell analysis for biological discovery
(ii) Technologies for improved antibody and cell therapy discovery
(iii) High throughput biomolecular interaction technologies and studies
(iv) Immunoassay development and validation for biomedical and environmental analysis
Teaching Interests
Immunology, Biomedical Sciences, Diagnostics, Therapeutics, Advanced Therapy, Immunoanalysis and validation
Funding Highlights
|
Title |
Role |
Start date |
End date |
|
Advanced MOnitoring for a Resilient Environment (AMORE) |
Co-PI (PhD supervisor) with Prof Fiona Regan |
01/09/2026 |
30/08/2030 |
|
Hydrasense (undisclosed EI Feasibility grant) |
Co-PI with Prof Fiona Regan |
01/05/2026 |
31/08/2026 |
|
SafeDrop: Multimodal Photonic-Electronic Sensor Platform for Rapid Health and Environmental Diagnostics |
Co-PI (PhD supervisor) |
01/06/2026 |
31/05/2030 |
|
SERENA (Undisclosed EI POC grant) |
PI |
01/09/2026 |
31/08/2027 |
|
CASPDx – a novel blood test for early detection of CRC |
Co-applicant |
05/01/2026 |
04/01/2028 |
|
In silco antibody discovery for next generation IBD diagnostics |
Co-PI with Prof Christine Loscher |
01/12/2025 |
30/11/2028 |
|
Antibody Coated extraCellur vEsicles for imProved Therapy (ACCEPT) |
PI |
01/09/2025 |
31/08/2029 |
|
Leveraging changes in the epigenome for better disease diagnosis and treatment |
Co-PI (PhD supervisor) |
01/12/2025 |
30/11/2028 |
|
Gram negative antibody performance testing study |
DCU PI |
01/01/2025 |
30/05/2025 |
|
DG RTD Workshop |
DCU PI |
25/10/2024 |
24/04/2025 |
|
Biotherapeutics for Inflammatory Skin Diseases |
Co-PI |
01/02/2024 |
31/12/2027 |
|
ON SITE BIOLOGICAL SENSING FOR AQUATIC POLLUTANTS AND BIOHAZARDS |
DCU Co-PI |
01/01/2024 |
28/02/2027 |
|
AquaBioSens |
Co-PI |
01/01/2024 |
31/12/2026 |
|
Patient-guided immunological studies for the development of colon cancer therapies |
Co applicant and industry supervisor |
01/10/2018 |
30/09/2022 |
|
Monoclonal Cell Array Technology |
DCU PI |
30/09/2019 |
29/09/2021 |
|
Antibody-based testing hub for serological assay validation |
DCU PI |
01/09/2020 |
31/12/2020 |
|
IMI Stakeholder Forum 2019 |
DCU PI |
11/06/2019 |
31/07/2019 |
|
BBISolutions_DiCast Platform |
DCU PI |
16/06/2014 |
15/09/2014 |
|
Protein engineering using novel artificial metallonucleases. TIDA 2013. |
DCU PI |
01/01/2014 |
31/12/2014 |
|
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Drug Monitoring at Point of Need |
DCU PI |
01/06/2013 |
12/07/2013 |
|
Innovamab - Innovation in monoclonal antibody discovery |
DCU PI |
01/10/2012 |
31/07/2013 |
|
Direct Clone Analysis and Selection Technology |
DCU PI |
14/03/2012 |
11/04/2012 |
|
TIDA Training for PAul Leonard DiCAST - leading the way in drug discovery |
DCU PI |
01/06/2012 |
30/11/2012 |
|
BDI PP2 - DiCAST |
PI |
01/10/2010 |
31/03/2012 |
Gallery
Multimedia
- Paul Leonard and Marta Albin explain how research at the DCU Water Institute is helping monitor the development of harmful toxins at the water side using recombinant antibodies developed at DCU.