From an industrial chemist to a chemical engineer, Dr Denise Croker’s career to date has been spread across both industry and academia.

Now based at University of Limerick as a researcher, and a principal researcher at the Synthesis and Solid State Pharmaceutical Centre, Dr Denise Croker faces the challenge of narrowing the wide gap that currently exists between industry practice and research.

The issue, she said in conversation with Siliconrepublic.com, is that by its nature, the pharmaceutical industry is heavily regulated. While this is for good reason, given that products are to be tested on human patients, it poses a few problems.

“That means it’s harder for the industry to change some of the technology or practices that they have,” Croker said.

Words by Colm Gorey