Materials and fabrication: nano and micro-fabrication, microfluidics and sensors.

The EPSRC funded Sci-Phy-4-Health CDT is a 4 year integrated PhD programme and is recruiting highly motivated 1st class students from Physical Sciences background who will pursue a research degree to develop a range of new physical science to address and impact three of the most important healthcare challenges currently facing the UK:
• Rebuilding the ageing and diseased body
• Understanding cardiovascular disease
• Improving trauma and emergency medicine

The 4 year integrated PhD programme is designed such that the 1st year of the studies consists of taught and ‘mini-project’ modules to train and enhance the background knowledge of the candidate in all areas of Physical Sciences in Healthcare, including Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Computer Sciences, as well as a range of public engagement and transferable skills. After the successful completion of the 1st year, the candidates choose and embark on the PhD research project.

We have a number of projects available that are centred on developing highly-sensitive, accurate point-of-care (bedside) devices for rapid diagnosis of infection to limit tissue damage and infection. These include but are not limited to sensor chips containing multiple nano-layers of immobilized materials for improved sensitivity as well as hybrid electromechanical optical sensors - with both label-free microelectromechanical (MEMS) resonant sensing of the target and luminescence sensing. The studies will exploit tools from nanochemistry and molecular imprinting as well as computer simulations to provide innovative synthetic recognition platforms