Research interests include the role of novel, vitamin-K dependent proteins in health and disease, and specifically those involved in bone metabolism, cognition, glucose regulation and cardiovascular health. Keen interest in how diet can impact and modulate the gut microbiota and thus impact health in specific population groups. Also researching determinants of malnutrition in older populations and risk factors for obesity in adolescents and children.

                       Eibhlís O Connor is a Registered Human Nutritionist, Principle Investigator, Senior Lecturer and Course Director of the BSc. Food Science and Health programme in the Department of Biological Sciences, UL. She has a BSc and PhD in Nutritional Sciences from University College Cork (UCC). Her post-doctoral experience with the School of Food and; Nutritional Sciences, UCC involved clinical trial coordination of a human intervention with Crohn s disease patients (focus on bone health) followed by a project management and clinical coordinator role on the ELDERMET project with the School of Microbiology and Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre (APC), Microbiome Ireland, UCC. In collaboration with colleagues in University Hospital Limerick, her research interests include the role of novel, vitamin K-dependent proteins as biomarkers of CVD. She has strong collaborative links and ongoing projects with the SFI funded APC (with whom she is a Funded Investigator) investigating how diet can impact and modulate the gut microbiota and thus impact health in specific population groups (including T2DM and IBD). She was National Coordinator of the Irish contribution to a European Joint Programme Initiative, Malnutrition in the Elderly (MaNuEL) Knowledge Hub which comprised 22 partners across 7 countries, and was Work Package leader of the Determinants of Malnutrition group. Eibhlís is a member of the the Health Research Institute (HRI) and BioSciBER group in the Bernal Institute.