PhD Engineering: Portable Mid-infrared Tool for Analysis of Mosquito Vectors of Malaria

This proposal aims to develop a novel QCL-based IR-spectroscopic tool to monitor disease vectors (initially mosquitoes) on a population scale, and therefore improve the implementation of vector control programmes designed to block disease transmission. The World Health Organisation states that mosquito borne diseases affect half the worlds population and considering malaria alone, the death toll is >400,000 per year. Successful identification of important traits in the mosquito population to higher accuracy (age, species, insecticide resistance, infection carrying, etc.) can be used as part of a more effective integrated vector management framework. For example, mosquitoes must live for 10-14 days after infection to allow malaria parasites (Plasmodium species) to complete their development and transmit the disease, therefore the evaluation of the age structure of mosquito populations through this tool would allow one to implement appropriate vector control strategies to block disease transmission. The mosquito is just one of a number of disease vectors however, the same methodology could be readily applied to many other vectors due to the universal ‘biological fingerprinting’ nature of the mid-infrared technology. In this case, the impact widens to include some 6,000,000,000 people at risk of vector borne disease. Being able to contribute to a solution to this problem means the potential for impact is also great since the problem is a truly global challenge.

Project Team

Due to the nature of the research on offer and being cross-disciplinary, spanning across two schools and two institutes, the supervisory team is quite large. This is to ensure that an expert in each area is available for all aspects of the research. The semiconductor fabrication expertise exists in the Engineering department, knowledge of the interaction between infrared light and molecular structure in School of Chemistry and finally, knowledge of the mosquitoes’ life cycle and understanding the biology behind the traits lies in the College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences. The team members are : Dr. David Childs (primary contact), Lecturer in Photonic Devices and Systems within the Electronics and Nanoscale Engineering Division (ENE), School of Engineering. Dr. Francesco Baldini, AXA Research Fund Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute of Biodiversity Animal Health and Comparative Medicine. Prof. Klaas Wynne, Chair in Chemical Physics, Ultrafast Chemical Physics group, School of Chemistry. Dr. Lisa Ranford-Cartwright, Reader in Parasite Genetics at the Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation (III). Dr. Heather M. Ferguson, Reader in infectious disease ecology in the Institute of Biodiversity Animal Health and Comparative Medicine (BAHCM).

The research environment and facilities to be accessed during the PhD are world class in many areas. Facilities include; the James Watt Nanofabrication Centre which houses over £32M of nanofabrication tools for semiconductor processing in a 1350 m2 clean room, the photonic devices and systems group (Engineering) laboratories for the test and measurement of semiconductor optoelectronic devices at all frequencies from the UV through to terahertz, the ultrafast chemical physics group (Chemistry) laser labs including ultrafast femtosecond lasers, FTIR and general spectroscopy and analysis labs, and finally the insectaries and parasite containment facilities (Life Sciences) provide access to several malaria mosquito species and human malaria parasite lines.

Person Specification

This studentship is open to candidates of any nationality – UK, EU or International. Applicants should demonstrate the following:

- Academic qualifications
- An excellent undergraduate degree in physics, engineering, chemistry or biology disciplines.
- A pre-university education which includes physics, chemistry and biology would be desirable.

Experience

We welcome applicants with research project experience in either academia or industry. Experience of a topic related to an aspect the work here is highly desirable {disease vectors and their management, mosquito life cycles and infection, mid infrared spectroscopy, optical systems design, semiconductor laser fabrication}

Skills/Attributes

Primarily we seek a willingness to learn from other disciplines outside your background, and applying that learning to your own research.

- Enthusiasm for embracing new challenges and to lead research into promising new areas.
- Presentation and communication skills, self management and problem solving are desirable
- Eagerness to develop your skillset through attending courses, workshops, conferences and fieldwork both in the UK and worldwide.

In the first instance prospective applicants should contact David Childs, [Email Address Removed] to discuss your eligibility. Applicants may submit applications up until the application deadline of 12 noon, Friday 13 January 2017.