Postgraduate research project

2D Material enhanced ATR and Raman chips for biomedical sensing applications

Funding
Competition funded View fees and funding
Type of degree
Doctor of Philosophy
Entry requirements
2:1 honours degree View full entry requirements
Faculty graduate school
Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences
Closing date

About the project

There is an urgent need for diagnostic tools capable of swiftly delivering results directly at patients' bedsides and within doctors' practices. The prompt and precise outcomes obtained will enable rapid therapeutic decisions, ultimately leading to lives being saved at a reduced cost. In contrast, current technologies necessitate the transfer of samples to centrally located laboratories that are equipped with sophisticated instruments and staffed by highly skilled personnel.

 

Both Mid-IR and Raman molecular fingerprint spectroscopies have been shown to be powerful biodiagnostic tools for specific biomarkers. They have the potential to be deployed at the point of care and bedside for rapid biomarker analysis.

Enhancing the sensitivity and improving the detection limit of current Mid-IR and Raman spectroscopic platforms are most important to exploit them for early diagnosis of disease biomarkers in point of care setting.

Recently two-dimensional (2D) materials such as graphene and transition metal di-chalcogenides (TMDC) have shown huge potentials for spectroscopic signal enhancement. In this project, we will develop highly sensitive ATR and Raman chips empowered with 2D material layer for super enhanced IR and Raman spectroscopies. We will develop bulk silicon and silicon on insulator (SOI) platforms coated with TMDCs in both ATR and waveguide configurations for enhanced Mid-IR and Raman spectroscopies.

The diagnostic potential of these platforms will be evaluated using the detection of cancer and acute respiratory distress syndrome biomarkers in collaboration with The Institute of Cancer Research, London and University Hospital Southampton.

Join us in shaping the future of biomedical diagnostics and making a real impact in healthcare. Apply now and be part of a team committed to advancing solutions for biomedical diagnostic challenges