Engineering Doctorate (EngD) Application of Raman and hyperspectral imaging to non-invasively monitor cellular health

The Biophotonics Research Unit, at GHNHSFT/Cranfield University, undertakes research using optical biopsy techniques, mainly Raman spectroscopy, to detect epithelial cellular changes which precede, or predict, the future development of cancer at the gastro-oesophageal junction in patients with Barrett’s oesophagus. The technique has been shown to have value in this clinical application, but an important shortcoming is the relatively limited field of view which makes scanning larger areas of tissue challenging. The hyper-spectral imaging group, led by Prof Andy Harvey, and Prof Andy McNaught at GHNSTFT/Heriot-Watt has applied hyper-spectral imaging techniques to estimating oxygen saturation of haemoglobin in retinal blood vessels. This work has provided valuable insights into retinal physiology in health and disease. The group is extending the hyper-spectral techniques to investigate other aspects of retinal physiology, including retinal cellular health.

The two research groups already share a close geographical proximity, and have recently developed a more formal collaboration centred around this proposed Eng Doc research project:

Expertise already developed by the Biophotonics Research Unit in the characterisation of cell health using Raman spectroscopy, will be extended by investigation of hyper-spectral signatures associated with cellular health, and disease. Retinal hyper-spectral imaging research expertise, would inform development of wider-field epithelial imaging techniques which would allow more targeted biopsy of suspect areas. Concurrently, insights learnt from the hyper-spectral imaging of tissue samples will assist in the identification of in-vivo cellular signatures in the retina associated with health, or disease.

The student would integrate into the academic environment at both Gloucestershire Hospitals (Gloucester Royal, and Cheltenham General) and at Heriot-Watt/Cranfield Universities.