diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index f8c57a5..aee35af 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1804,10 +1804,11 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@typescript-eslint/parser/node_modules/brace-expansion": {
-      "version": "2.0.1",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/brace-expansion/-/brace-expansion-2.0.1.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-XnAIvQ8eM+kC6aULx6wuQiwVsnzsi9d3WxzV3FpWTGA19F621kwdbsAcFKXgKUHZWsy+mY6iL1sHTxWEFCytDA==",
+      "version": "2.0.2",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/brace-expansion/-/brace-expansion-2.0.2.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-Jt0vHyM+jmUBqojB7E1NIYadt0vI0Qxjxd2TErW94wDz+E2LAm5vKMXXwg6ZZBTHPuUlDgQHKXvjGBdfcF1ZDQ==",
       "dev": true,
+      "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
         "balanced-match": "^1.0.0"
       }
@@ -1913,10 +1914,11 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@typescript-eslint/typescript-estree/node_modules/brace-expansion": {
-      "version": "2.0.1",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/brace-expansion/-/brace-expansion-2.0.1.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-XnAIvQ8eM+kC6aULx6wuQiwVsnzsi9d3WxzV3FpWTGA19F621kwdbsAcFKXgKUHZWsy+mY6iL1sHTxWEFCytDA==",
+      "version": "2.0.2",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/brace-expansion/-/brace-expansion-2.0.2.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-Jt0vHyM+jmUBqojB7E1NIYadt0vI0Qxjxd2TErW94wDz+E2LAm5vKMXXwg6ZZBTHPuUlDgQHKXvjGBdfcF1ZDQ==",
       "dev": true,
+      "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
         "balanced-match": "^1.0.0"
       }
@@ -2475,9 +2477,10 @@
       "integrity": "sha512-Tpp60P6IUJDTuOq/5Z8cdskzJujfwqfOTkrwIwj7IRISpnkJnT6SyJ4PCPnGMoFjC9ddhal5KVIYtAt97ix05A=="
     },
     "node_modules/brace-expansion": {
-      "version": "1.1.11",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/brace-expansion/-/brace-expansion-1.1.11.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-iCuPHDFgrHX7H2vEI/5xpz07zSHB00TpugqhmYtVmMO6518mCuRMoOYFldEBl0g187ufozdaHgWKcYFb61qGiA==",
+      "version": "1.1.12",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/brace-expansion/-/brace-expansion-1.1.12.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-9T9UjW3r0UW5c1Q7GTwllptXwhvYmEzFhzMfZ9H7FQWt+uZePjZPjBP/W1ZEyZ1twGWom5/56TF4lPcqjnDHcg==",
+      "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
         "balanced-match": "^1.0.0",
         "concat-map": "0.0.1"
@@ -4090,10 +4093,11 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/filelist/node_modules/brace-expansion": {
-      "version": "2.0.1",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/brace-expansion/-/brace-expansion-2.0.1.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-XnAIvQ8eM+kC6aULx6wuQiwVsnzsi9d3WxzV3FpWTGA19F621kwdbsAcFKXgKUHZWsy+mY6iL1sHTxWEFCytDA==",
+      "version": "2.0.2",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/brace-expansion/-/brace-expansion-2.0.2.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-Jt0vHyM+jmUBqojB7E1NIYadt0vI0Qxjxd2TErW94wDz+E2LAm5vKMXXwg6ZZBTHPuUlDgQHKXvjGBdfcF1ZDQ==",
       "dev": true,
+      "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
         "balanced-match": "^1.0.0"
       }
@@ -10328,9 +10332,9 @@
           }
         },
         "brace-expansion": {
-          "version": "2.0.1",
-          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/brace-expansion/-/brace-expansion-2.0.1.tgz",
-          "integrity": "sha512-XnAIvQ8eM+kC6aULx6wuQiwVsnzsi9d3WxzV3FpWTGA19F621kwdbsAcFKXgKUHZWsy+mY6iL1sHTxWEFCytDA==",
+          "version": "2.0.2",
+          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/brace-expansion/-/brace-expansion-2.0.2.tgz",
+          "integrity": "sha512-Jt0vHyM+jmUBqojB7E1NIYadt0vI0Qxjxd2TErW94wDz+E2LAm5vKMXXwg6ZZBTHPuUlDgQHKXvjGBdfcF1ZDQ==",
           "dev": true,
           "requires": {
             "balanced-match": "^1.0.0"
@@ -10392,9 +10396,9 @@
       },
       "dependencies": {
         "brace-expansion": {
-          "version": "2.0.1",
-          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/brace-expansion/-/brace-expansion-2.0.1.tgz",
-          "integrity": "sha512-XnAIvQ8eM+kC6aULx6wuQiwVsnzsi9d3WxzV3FpWTGA19F621kwdbsAcFKXgKUHZWsy+mY6iL1sHTxWEFCytDA==",
+          "version": "2.0.2",
+          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/brace-expansion/-/brace-expansion-2.0.2.tgz",
+          "integrity": "sha512-Jt0vHyM+jmUBqojB7E1NIYadt0vI0Qxjxd2TErW94wDz+E2LAm5vKMXXwg6ZZBTHPuUlDgQHKXvjGBdfcF1ZDQ==",
           "dev": true,
           "requires": {
             "balanced-match": "^1.0.0"
@@ -10808,9 +10812,9 @@
       }
     },
     "brace-expansion": {
-      "version": "1.1.11",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/brace-expansion/-/brace-expansion-1.1.11.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-iCuPHDFgrHX7H2vEI/5xpz07zSHB00TpugqhmYtVmMO6518mCuRMoOYFldEBl0g187ufozdaHgWKcYFb61qGiA==",
+      "version": "1.1.12",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/brace-expansion/-/brace-expansion-1.1.12.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-9T9UjW3r0UW5c1Q7GTwllptXwhvYmEzFhzMfZ9H7FQWt+uZePjZPjBP/W1ZEyZ1twGWom5/56TF4lPcqjnDHcg==",
       "requires": {
         "balanced-match": "^1.0.0",
         "concat-map": "0.0.1"
@@ -11942,9 +11946,9 @@
       },
       "dependencies": {
         "brace-expansion": {
-          "version": "2.0.1",
-          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/brace-expansion/-/brace-expansion-2.0.1.tgz",
-          "integrity": "sha512-XnAIvQ8eM+kC6aULx6wuQiwVsnzsi9d3WxzV3FpWTGA19F621kwdbsAcFKXgKUHZWsy+mY6iL1sHTxWEFCytDA==",
+          "version": "2.0.2",
+          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/brace-expansion/-/brace-expansion-2.0.2.tgz",
+          "integrity": "sha512-Jt0vHyM+jmUBqojB7E1NIYadt0vI0Qxjxd2TErW94wDz+E2LAm5vKMXXwg6ZZBTHPuUlDgQHKXvjGBdfcF1ZDQ==",
           "dev": true,
           "requires": {
             "balanced-match": "^1.0.0"
diff --git a/src/models/ProposalMessage.ts b/src/models/ProposalMessage.ts
index f33a8c2..b2955ae 100644
--- a/src/models/ProposalMessage.ts
+++ b/src/models/ProposalMessage.ts
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ export type ProposalMessageData = {
   newStatus?: ProposalStatusDefaultShortCodes;
   submitted: boolean;
   members: ProposalUser[];
-  dataAccessUsers: ProposalUser[];
-  visitors: ProposalUser[];
+  dataAccessUsers?: ProposalUser[];
+  visitors?: ProposalUser[];
   proposer?: ProposalUser;
   instruments?: Instrument[];
 };
diff --git a/src/queue/consumers/scicat/scicatProposal/consumerCallbacks/upsertProposalInScicat.ts b/src/queue/consumers/scicat/scicatProposal/consumerCallbacks/upsertProposalInScicat.ts
index 63f0bbe..8b47c59 100644
--- a/src/queue/consumers/scicat/scicatProposal/consumerCallbacks/upsertProposalInScicat.ts
+++ b/src/queue/consumers/scicat/scicatProposal/consumerCallbacks/upsertProposalInScicat.ts
@@ -195,19 +195,32 @@ const checkProposalExists = async (
 
 const getInstrumentIds = async (instruments: Instrument[]) => {
   const sciCatAccessToken = await getSciCatAccessToken();
-  const shortCodes = JSON.stringify(instruments.map((inst) => inst.shortCode));
+  const instrumentNames = instruments.map((inst) => inst.shortCode);
 
-  const url = `${sciCatBaseUrl}/Instruments?filter={"where":{"name":{"$in":${shortCodes}}}}`;
+  const instrumentIds = [];
 
-  const getInstrumentsResponse = await request<InstrumentDto[]>(url, {
-    method: 'GET',
-    headers: {
-      'Content-Type': 'application/json',
-      Authorization: `Bearer ${sciCatAccessToken}`,
-    },
-  });
+  for (const name of instrumentNames) {
+    const instrumentNameLowerCase = encodeURIComponent(name.toLowerCase());
+    const url = `${sciCatBaseUrl}/Instruments?filter={"where":{"name":{"like":"${instrumentNameLowerCase}"}}}`;
+
+    try {
+      const res = await request<InstrumentDto[]>(url, {
+        method: 'GET',
+        headers: {
+          'Content-Type': 'application/json',
+          Authorization: `Bearer ${sciCatAccessToken}`,
+        },
+      });
+
+      instrumentIds.push(res[0].pid);
+    } catch (error) {
+      logger.logError(`Error fetching instrument ID from scicat for ${name}`, {
+        error,
+      });
+    }
+  }
 
-  return getInstrumentsResponse.map((inst) => inst.pid);
+  return instrumentIds;
 };
 
 const upsertProposalInScicat = async (
diff --git a/src/queue/consumers/visa/consumerCallbacks/syncVisaProposal.ts b/src/queue/consumers/visa/consumerCallbacks/syncVisaProposal.ts
index 0dd0b74..cbb79e2 100644
--- a/src/queue/consumers/visa/consumerCallbacks/syncVisaProposal.ts
+++ b/src/queue/consumers/visa/consumerCallbacks/syncVisaProposal.ts
@@ -107,8 +107,8 @@ export async function syncVisaProposal(
   const experimenters = [
     ...(proposalWithNewStatus.proposer ? [proposalWithNewStatus.proposer] : []),
     ...proposalWithNewStatus.members,
-    ...proposalWithNewStatus.dataAccessUsers,
-    ...proposalWithNewStatus.visitors,
+    ...(proposalWithNewStatus.dataAccessUsers || []),
+    ...(proposalWithNewStatus.visitors || []),
   ];
 
   // Create new user for the Principal Investigator, Coproposers, Data Access Users and Visitors
diff --git a/src/queue/consumers/visa/utils/sanitizeProposalMessage.ts b/src/queue/consumers/visa/utils/sanitizeProposalMessage.ts
index 648cc0d..393ddf3 100644
--- a/src/queue/consumers/visa/utils/sanitizeProposalMessage.ts
+++ b/src/queue/consumers/visa/utils/sanitizeProposalMessage.ts
@@ -10,16 +10,20 @@ export function sanitizeProposalMessage(proposalMessage: ProposalMessageData) {
       oidcSub: member.oidcSub.toLowerCase(),
       email: member.email.toLowerCase(),
     })),
-    dataAccessUsers: proposalMessage.dataAccessUsers.map((user) => ({
-      ...user,
-      oidcSub: user.oidcSub.toLowerCase(),
-      email: user.email.toLowerCase(),
-    })),
-    visitors: proposalMessage.visitors.map((visitor) => ({
-      ...visitor,
-      oidcSub: visitor.oidcSub.toLowerCase(),
-      email: visitor.email.toLowerCase(),
-    })),
+    dataAccessUsers: proposalMessage.dataAccessUsers
+      ? proposalMessage.dataAccessUsers.map((user) => ({
+          ...user,
+          oidcSub: user.oidcSub.toLowerCase(),
+          email: user.email.toLowerCase(),
+        }))
+      : [],
+    visitors: proposalMessage.visitors
+      ? proposalMessage.visitors.map((visitor) => ({
+          ...visitor,
+          oidcSub: visitor.oidcSub.toLowerCase(),
+          email: visitor.email.toLowerCase(),
+        }))
+      : [],
     proposer: proposalMessage.proposer
       ? {
           ...proposalMessage.proposer,