Developing Magnetic Sensors for Malaria Hemozoin Detection

MVLS/EPSRC PhD fully funded positions are available within the College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow. Our aim is to deliver high quality, collaborative research and training for our PhD students within the Biosciences. The West of Scotland is a key region in the UK for academic excellence, industrial support and investment.

Areas of research include (but are not restricted to) mathematical biology, bioenergy, synthetic biology, nanobiology and research into healthcare devices. A list of available projects, abstracts and supervisors can be found HERE. We strongly recommend that students examine the list of projects available, and contact potential supervisors to discuss the projects before applying.

Visit programme website for more information: https://www.gla.ac.uk/colleges/mvls/graduateschool/mvlsepsrcstudentships/

Supervisors:

Dr Lisa Ranford-Cartwright

Dr Hadi Heidari

PhD Project Summary:

Malaria is a life-threatening condition that continues to afflict millions of people worldwide. Traditional methods of diagnosing malaria can be time consuming, complex and require a great level of expertise. These characteristics are often a key limitation in malaria-affected regions that lack medical resources. This project will contribute to global efforts to control malaria by creating a simple, affordable and portable magnetic-based diagnostic device that addresses one of today’s deadliest diseases.

A distinctive attribute of malaria-infected red blood cells is the presence of malarial pigment or haemozoin, which is a paramagnetic substance having a magnetic moment only in the presence of an applied magnetic field. You will design and build a portable testing device based on a novel magnetic sensor, being developed in the School of Engineering. You will test the device using human malaria parasites grown in culture, to establish the sensitivity to detect low level parasite densities. The device will then be tested in a malaria-endemic country to diagnose malaria in naturally infected individuals attending field clinics in Africa.

This project presents an excellent, multidisciplinary doctoral training opportunity for an enthusiastic and talented student.