From biocontrol to cancer, probiotics and beyond

This invited commentary covers the period 1997-2012 and has seen changes in terminology that progressed from "basic" and "applied" to "translational" research. In the context of Bioengineered, these changes map readily onto the processes of identifying microbial characteristics appropriate for specific applications, isolation of suitable cultures, strain or genome manipulation and exploitation of these or their metabolomes across a range of settings.   To a great degree, this commentary and my career reflect an engagement with molecular microbiology and the trialling of bacteria and derived constructs in applications ranging from intensive-scale crop protection to amelioration of gastrointestinal disease. This engagement began with laboratory and field evaluations of biocontrol, specifically use of pseudomonads effective against nematode and fungal plant pathogens, characterization of mechanisms mediating beneficial effects of probiotic lactobacilli and bifidobacteria and assessment of functional foods in multinational clinical trials relating to inflammatory bowel disease. Subsequent work focused on (1) intellectual property (IP)-based medical devices for localized delivery of systemically toxic and gene cancer therapies; (2) growth of the science base supporting expansion of a multinational business including company acquisitions; (3) complementing existing inter-institutional research capabilities through development of a national industry-led collaboration; and, most recently, (4) strategic research programs at Ireland's newest medical school. My activities as outlined above parallel two distinct aspects of translational research: (1) involvement in knowledge-driven (commercial and research) organizations that brought together necessary resources and infrastructure and (2) availability of scale research funding from European Framework and Irish national programs.