C3Bio DTI PhD project: Globally accessible diagnostic microscopy - creating locally producible, automated microscopes to improve available diagnostics

The University of Bath invites applications for a PhD studentship within the C3Bio Doctoral Training Initiative: Grand Challenges in Health Technologies https://www.bath.ac.uk/research-centres/centre-for-biosensors-bioelectronics-and-biodevices/

The Centre for Biosensors, Bioelectronics and Biodevices (C3Bio) gathers over 75 researchers from engineering, physical, life and social sciences. The Centre develops technology that improves biomedical diagnosis, environmental monitoring, industrial bioprocesses and scientific understanding of biological functions; it bridges the gap between different disciplines converging into fit-for-purpose devices in order to achieve real-life impact with its research.

In this Doctoral Training Initiative, a small cohort of PhD students from different disciplines will be working on interlinked projects within the Grand Challenge of "Disease diagnosis for low-resource settings". The C3Bio DTI will provide a multidisciplinary cohort training environment with a focus on achieving real-life impact of the research.

SUPERVISORY TEAM:

Dr Richard Bowman, Department of Physics (Lead supervisor)
Dr Neill Campbell, Department of Computer Science

THE PROJECT

Parasitic diseases, including malaria, are a major cause of death and serious illness in sub-Saharan Africa and many other parts of the world. Manual microscopy is still regarded as the gold standard for diagnosis, but it is time consuming and requires trained technicians who are in short supply - we are working to create locally producible, automated microscopes that can help improve the available diagnostics. This project will involve work on the microscope hardware and software, as well as working with clinical partners in Tanzania and elsewhere to customise the design to their needs, and enable local engineers to produce it. These open-source hardware designs will be available to scientists, clinicians and entrepreneurs worldwide, and are an opportunity for many experiments to be built on easily customised, relatively inexpensive hardware.

CANDIDATE

Applicants should hold, or expect to receive, a First Class or high Upper Second Class UK Honours degree (or the equivalent qualification gained outside the UK) in a relevant subject. A master’s level qualification would also be advantageous. Any English language requirement must be met at the deadline for applications.

APPLICATIONS

Informal enquiries should be directed to Dr Richard Bowman, [Email Address Removed]

Formal applications should be made via the University of Bath’s online application form for a PhD in Physics:
https://samis.bath.ac.uk/urd/sits.urd/run/siw_ipp_lgn.login?process=siw_ipp_app&code1=RDUPH-FP01&code2=0013

Please state C3Bio DTI in the Finance section of the application form and ensure that you quote the supervisor’s name and project title in the ‘Your research interests’ section.

More information about applying for a PhD at Bath may be found here:
http://www.bath.ac.uk/guides/how-to-apply-for-doctoral-study/

Skype interviews of short-listed candidates: Week commencing 31 January 2019

Anticipated start date: 30 September 2019.