There is an urgent global need to develop advanced antimicrobial coatings to combat bacterial and viral impact on the human population and the world’s economy. This is an opportunity for a 3.5-year PhD position, supported by Pilkington (NSG Group), to establish a fundamental understanding of the inter-relationships between chemical composition, nanoscale organisation and antimicrobial activity of novel antimicrobial thin film coatings on glass under a variety of environmental conditions.
This project aims to develop a deep molecular level understanding of the qualitative and quantitative structure-activity interactions between the key chemical components, their spatial distributions and antimicrobial activity (antibacterial and antiviral) based on Pilkington’s latest world-leading chemistry developments for this market application from its NSG European Technical Centre, Lathom, Lancashire.
The PhD student will be based at the University of Liverpool’s Open Innovation Hub for Antimicrobial Surfaces and the Surface Science Research Centre, which is the UK’s leading centre for the fabrication and characterisation of novel antimicrobial surfaces and materials. This PhD will use state-of-the art techniques in surface fabrication and analysis via surface imaging and spectroscopic techniques, alongside biological imaging and probing.
The PhD combines fundamental interdisciplinary science and global innovation. Pilkington (NSG Group) is a world leader in the manufacture and technological innovation in glass, including glass for solar PV, transparent electronics and antimicrobial glazing, with expertise in functional coatings and nanocomposites on glass. The Open Innovation Hub for Antimicrobial Surfaces is at the forefront of translating scientific advances into frontier innovation and one of the four core partners of the £23M National Biofilm Innovation Centre (NBIC).
The student will enrol in NBIC’s Doctoral Training Centre in Biofilms Innovation, Technology and Engineering (BITE), which trains interdisciplinary PhD researchers at the Interface of Physical and Life Sciences to understand the behaviour of microbes at surfaces that are central to the global challenges of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), Health, Food Security, Clean Water and Energy.
Eligibility: UK students with the equivalent of at least a 2.1 Honours degree in Chemistry, Materials Science, Biophysics or Engineering.
An interview will be undertaken with suitable candidates before an offer is made.
For any enquiries please contact: Lucy Jones - [Email Address Removed]
To apply, please visit: https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-research/how-to-apply/ Please ensure you quote the following reference on your application: Structure-Activity mechanistic study of novel antimicrobial coatings on glass surfaces (Reference CCPR022).