Denise Croker

Manager BSc, PhD

 
researcher

Biography

Industrial chemist turned chemical engineer, my career to-date has been earned between industry and academia. My PhD was an industrially based reseach project at the alumina refinery Aughinish Alumina in Askeaton, Co. Limerick. I investigated a unit operation at this site, mimicing the plant reaction in a lab-scale autocalve at in-situ synchrotron facility. I subsequently joined the company for a period as a process engineer. I returned to UL as a post doctorate researcher with the Solid State Pharmaceutical Cluster. This involved managing the day-day activities of a group of post-graduate research student, and conducting research around crystallization and associated phenomena. I became very interested in the pahramceutical industry and moved to the real world of pharma in a transition to MSD (Merck, Sharpe & Dohme) as a project engineer, where I worked mainly on the commercialization of new products.
I have just recently returned to UL as a lecturer for the BEng Chemical & Biochemical Engineering program and look forward to teaching and informing students, while establishing research activities and remaining connected to industry. 

Research Interests

Crystal engineering - cocrystallization

Crystallization processes

Use of process analytical technologies

Process Optimisation

Industrial crystallization

Academic-industrial collaborations

Peer Reviewed Journals

  Year Publication
2008 'Desilication reactions at digestion conditions: An in-situ X-ray diffraction study'
Croker, D; Loan, M; Hodnett, B K; (2008) 'Desilication reactions at digestion conditions: An in-situ X-ray diffraction study'. Crystal Growth & Design, [Details]
2009 'Kinetics and mechanisms of the hydrothermal crystallization of calcium titanate species'
Croker, D; Loan, M; Hodnett, B K (2009) 'Kinetics and mechanisms of the hydrothermal crystallization of calcium titanate species'. Crystal Growth & Design, [DOI] [Details]
2010 'Mechanistic features of polymorphic transformations: the role of surfaces'
Croker, D and Hodnett, BK (2010) 'Mechanistic features of polymorphic transformations: the role of surfaces'. Crystal Growth \& Design, 10 (6):2806-2816 [DOI] [Details]
2010 'Solubility of Form III piracetam in a range of solvents'
Maher, A; Croker, D; Rasmuson, A C; Hodnett, B K; (2010) 'Solubility of Form III piracetam in a range of solvents'. Journal Of Chemical And Engineering Data, [DOI] [Details]
2011 'In situ monitoring of supersaturation and polymorphic form of piracetam during batch cooling crystallization'
Barrett, Mark and Hao, Hongxun and Maher, Anthony and Hodnett, Kieran and Glennon, Brian and Croker, Denise (2011) 'In situ monitoring of supersaturation and polymorphic form of piracetam during batch cooling crystallization'. Organic Process Research \& Development, 15 (3):681-687 [DOI] [Details]
2011 'Epitaxial growth of polymorphic systems: The case of sulfathiazole'
Munroe, \'Aine and Croker, Denise and Hodnett, B Kieran and Seaton, Colin C (2011) 'Epitaxial growth of polymorphic systems: The case of sulfathiazole'. CrystEngComm, 13 (19):5903-5907 [DOI] [Details]
2011 'Analysis of FII crystals of sulfathiazole: epitaxial growth of FII on FIV'
Munroe, Aine and Croker, Denise and Rasmuson, \AAke C and Hodnett, BK (2011) 'Analysis of FII crystals of sulfathiazole: epitaxial growth of FII on FIV'. CrystEngComm, 13 (3):831-834 [DOI] [Details]
2011 'Understanding the p-toluenesulfonamide/triphenylphosphine oxide crystal chemistry: a new 1: 1 cocrystal and ternary phase diagram'
Croker, Denise M and Foreman, Michael E and Hogan, Bridget N and Maguire, Nuala M and Elcoate, Curtis J and Hodnett, Benjamin K and Maguire, Anita R and Rasmuson, \AAke C and Lawrence, Simon E (2011) 'Understanding the p-toluenesulfonamide/triphenylphosphine oxide crystal chemistry: a new 1: 1 cocrystal and ternary phase diagram'. Crystal Growth \& Design, 12 (2):869-875 [Details]
2012 'Examining solution and solid state composition for the solution-mediated polymorphic transformation of carbamazepine and piracetam'
O’Mahony, Marcus A and Maher, Anthony and Croker, Denise M and Rasmuson, \AAke C and Hodnett, Benjamin K (2012) 'Examining solution and solid state composition for the solution-mediated polymorphic transformation of carbamazepine and piracetam'. Crystal Growth \& Design, 12 (4):1925-1932 [DOI] [Details]
2012 'Solubility of the Metastable Polymorph of Piracetam (Form II) in a Range of Solvents'
Maher, Anthony and Rasmuson, \AAke C and Croker, Denise M and Hodnett, Benjamin K (2012) 'Solubility of the Metastable Polymorph of Piracetam (Form II) in a Range of Solvents'. Journal of Chemical \& Engineering Data, 57 (12):3525-3531 [DOI] [Details]
2012 'Investigation of the Solid-State Polymorphic Transformations of Piracetam'
Maher, Anthony and Seaton, Colin C and Hudson, Sarah and Croker, Denise M and Rasmuson, \AAke C and Hodnett, Benjamin K (2012) 'Investigation of the Solid-State Polymorphic Transformations of Piracetam'. Crystal Growth \& Design, 12 (12):6223-6233 [DOI] [Details]
2012 'Relative Stabilities of the Five Polymorphs of Sulfathiazole'
Munroe, AÌine and Rasmuson, \AAke C and Hodnett, B Kieran and Croker, Denise M (2012) 'Relative Stabilities of the Five Polymorphs of Sulfathiazole'. Crystal Growth \& Design, 12 (6):2825-2835 [DOI] [Details]
2012 'Solution mediated polymorphic transformation: form II to form III piracetam in ethanol'
Maher, Anthony and Croker, Denise M and Rasmuson, \AAke C and Hodnett, Benjamin K (2012) 'Solution mediated polymorphic transformation: form II to form III piracetam in ethanol'. Crystal Growth \& Design, 12 (12):6151-6157 [DOI] [Details]
2012 'Measuring the Solubility of a Quickly Transforming Metastable Polymorph of Carbamazepine'
O’Mahony, Marcus A and Croker, Denise M and Rasmuson, \AAke C and Veesler, SteÌphane and Hodnett, Benjamin K (2012) 'Measuring the Solubility of a Quickly Transforming Metastable Polymorph of Carbamazepine'. Organic Process Research \& Development, 17 (3):512-518 [DOI] [Details]
2012 'A comparative study of the use of powder X-ray diffraction, Raman and near infrared spectroscopy for quantification of binary polymorphic mixtures of piracetam'
Croker, Denise M and Hennigan, Michelle C and Maher, Anthony and Hu, Yun and Ryder, Alan G and Hodnett, Benjamin K (2012) 'A comparative study of the use of powder X-ray diffraction, Raman and near infrared spectroscopy for quantification of binary polymorphic mixtures of piracetam'. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis, 63 :80-86 [DOI] [Details]
2012 'Examining solution and solid state composition for the solution mediated polymorphic transformation of carbamazepine and piracetam'
O' Mahony, M; Maher, A; Croker, D, Rasmuson, A C; Hodnett, B K; (2012) 'Examining solution and solid state composition for the solution mediated polymorphic transformation of carbamazepine and piracetam'. Crystal Growth & Design, [Details]
2013 'Solution mediated phase transformations between co-crystals'
Croker, Denise M and Davey, Roger J and Rasmuson, \AAke C and Seaton, Colin C (2013) 'Solution mediated phase transformations between co-crystals'. CrystEngComm, 15 (11):2044-2047 [DOI] [Details]
2013 'Investigation into the Mechanism of Solution-Mediated Transformation from FI to FIII Carbamazepine: The Role of Dissolution and the Interaction between Polymorph Surfaces'
O’Mahony, Marcus A and Seaton, Colin C and Croker, Denise M and Veesler, SteÌphane and Rasmuson, \AAke C and Hodnett, Benjamin K (2013) 'Investigation into the Mechanism of Solution-Mediated Transformation from FI to FIII Carbamazepine: The Role of Dissolution and the Interaction between Polymorph Surfaces'. Crystal Growth \& Design, 13 (5):1861-1871 [DOI] [Details]
2013 'Nucleation in the p-Toluenesulfonamide/Triphenylphosphine Oxide Co-crystal System'
Croker, Denise M and Davey, Roger J and Rasmuson, \AAke C and Seaton, Colin C (2013) 'Nucleation in the p-Toluenesulfonamide/Triphenylphosphine Oxide Co-crystal System'. Crystal Growth \& Design, 13 (8):3754-3762 [DOI] [Details]

Conference Paper

  Year Publication
2005 In situ time-resolved synchrotron diffraction studies of high temperature Bayer digestion. Proceedings of the 7th International Alumina Quality Workshop, AQW Inc., Perth, Australia.
Loan, M,Loughlin, B,Haines, J,Croker, D,Fennell, M,Hodnett, BK (2005) In situ time-resolved synchrotron diffraction studies of high temperature Bayer digestion. Proceedings of the 7th International Alumina Quality Workshop, AQW Inc., Perth, Australia. Conference Paper [Details]

Professional Associations

  Association Function From / To
Engineering Council Chartered Engineer 17-DEC-13 / 23-DEC-14
Institution of Chemical Engineers Chartered Member 17-DEC-13 / 23-DEC-14

Employment

  Employer Position From / To
Aughinish Alumina Process Engineer 01-OCT-07 / 06-JUN-08
Solid State Pharmaceutical Cluster Post Doctorate Researcher 08-JUN-09 / 14-NOV-11
MSD Ballydine Project Engineer 21-NOV-11 / 07-FEB-14

Education

  Year Institution Qualification Subject
2007 University of Limerick PhD An in-situ study of Bayer digestion chemistry
2004 University of Limerick BSc (Hons) Industrial Chemistry

Teaching Interests

I will be teaching within the BEng Chemical & Biochemical Engineering
with initial responsibility for:
Bioprocess Engineering 1
Bioprocess Engineering 2                      

Modules Taught

  Term (ID)) Title Link Subject
2014 BEng Chemical & Biochemical Engineering CG4003Bioprocess Engineering 1
2014 BEng Chemical & Biochemical Engineering CG4017Bioprocess Engineering 2