Claire Watkins

Claire Watkins has a passion for science, discovering new things and seeing them come to life. After receiving her Bachelor of Science honours degree in Microbiology from University College Cork (UCC) in 2013, Claire expanded her education and experience by completing a doctoral degree in Microbiology, also at UCC with the Teagasc Food Research Centre & APC Microbiome Ireland.

During her PhD research, Claire investigated the gut microbiota present in the infant gut and searched for unique characteristics which made those gut microbes special. Claire transitioned from academia to industry when she joined PrecisionBiotics Group (now Novozymes,) as a Microbiologist, soon becoming Senior Microbiologist and after 2 years became a Health Science & Technology Lead, working closely with scientists and healthcare professionals to unlock the scientific evidence behind microbes with a strong focus on gastrointestinal health. Today, Claire is a Product Innovation Lead in Novozymes, Cork. In this role, she works with teams in product development, regulatory affairs, quality, marketing and business development among others, to bring these clinically studied microbes to the market where they are truly put to the test.

Claire has published scientific articles in the fields of human health and aging with microbiome, probiotics and diet, as a key focus area throughout her career.

Tom Coleman

Sleep plays a crucial role in helping us deal with the demands of life on every level. In this talk Tom Coleman will out why Sleep is important and how it interacts with aspects of our physical, emotional, and mental health.

The talk will give an explanation of sleep mechanics, sleep hygiene and why it is so important. We also look at sleep for optimizing Health, vitality and then explore how to strike a good balance along with changing and developing positive lifestyle habits.

We look at the role of Nutrition & gut health to Sleep and their relationship to our mental Health & Wellbeing, giving people actionable advice and tips on how to protect & improve their gut health. We then look at other areas which impact our Sleep such as Stress & Anxiety and how we can manage them to our advantage. We finish with tips and coping strategies for sleep, stress how to deal with a variety of daily challenges.

About Tom:

Tom Coleman is a diplomatic and articulate speaker and a leading consultant in Sleep, Health & Wellness.

For over a decade Qualified Health Scientist Tom Coleman has been speaking about the importance of Sleep, working with high level teams and elite athletes, consulting and speaking for multinationals on dealing with challenges relating to Shift work and helping people get better sleep.

In 2018 Tom sat on an expert panel contributing to research on Sleep in Corporate Ireland.

Eunice Power

I am a big believer in gut health and how it’s intrinsically linked with mental health. As a chef, I always try to keep this in mind in my meal plans, and the cookery demo on October 10th will reflect this, while also keeping in mind the target audience of busy people who often need to eat on the go.

The demo will focus on making quick and easy meals while still keeping good gut health in mind. We can all fall into the trap of grabbing a takeaway to avoid making dinner, but actually, it’s quite easy to whip up something healthy, tasty and nutritious in a short space of time that won’t leave you feeling bloated.

I’ll focus on the creation of easy, protein and fibre rich meals, with plenty of colour, using ingredients like eggs, chickpeas, tuna and salads. I love to add a splash of colour to my dishes, so, for example, I can demonstrate how to make a quick and easy salsa to top off that tuna salad, or how to make a feast from seasonal vegetables.

I’ve done numerous cookery demos, and I’m happy to chat to attendees throughout, explaining my method and why the dishes I’m making are good alternatives to takeaways. I am a fan of PrecisionBiotics products and have no problem discussing my own experience with using them.

About Eunice:

Eunice Power is one of Ireland’s leading chefs and event caterers, offering first-class food made from scratch with care, from the best of seasonal ingredients – every detail considered. Eunice is a familiar face on Irish television, as a regular chef on RTE’s Today Show. She headed up last year’s prestigious West Waterford Festival of Food . Eunice has hosted cookery demonstrations over the past 20 years, She is a great communicator and engages with her audience making cookery demos and learning about food fun.