Towards successfully realising the impact of the chip-based phospholipid on mercury (Hg) device as a toxicity sensing system
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leeds
Department Name: Centre for Molecular Nanoscience
Abstract
Keywords: membrane-based sensor; membrane permeability and damage; cross-validation/demonstration; technical development; staff exchange; project workshop
This project can be divided into the following four categories of activity with the ultimate aim of transferring an interesting and unique technology to appropriate end users;SEAC, Unilever and ALcontrol Ltd and co-workers; IBMT, Fraunhofer:-
(i) Cross-validation/demonstration. The University of Leeds has developed a unique and elegant biosensor which is sensitive to compounds and particles which damage and/or are permeable in biological membranes a property defined as biomembrane activity. The aim of this task therefore is to evaluate exactly how the Leeds biosensor assay compares with those currently employed by the end users in achieving the same or similar functions. This activity will provide a clear definition of the respective advantages and disadvantages of both the Leeds and the end users' techniques. This is necessary since although the Leeds biosensor is at prototype stage, it is essential that its performance is compared with other systems in their detection of the biomembrane activity of a common group of compounds. Particular attention will be paid to the similarity and differences in the parameters being measured by each technique. The outcome of this activity is, (a) to enable end users to determine whether it is advantageous to add this technology to their measuring systems and, (b) to enable Leeds to adapt their technology to specified applications. The impact is an increasing confidence in and acceptance by the user community of the capabilities of the Leeds device.
2. Technical development. The technical development will take the Leeds biosensor from the prototype stage to a routine sensing device which can be operated by skilled technicians. This improvement will include streamlining the data analysis and extending the device from one module to three or more modules which will will enable it be used in a high-throughput automated configuration. The outcome of this activity therefore is to transform the Leeds biosensor system from a lab prototype into one which can be used by skilled technicians in the end user laboratories in a form which is specified by them. The impact is an increasingly robust biosensing device where a perceived risk in its application has been decreased allowing a more ready take up by end users.
3. Exchanges and placements. This objective will allow (a) end user scientists to operate and become completely familiar with, the Leeds biosensor and (b) scientists from Leeds to fully evaluate the end-users' methods and requirements in order to assess exactly how the end user technology fits in with the Leeds biosensor technology. The outcome of this activity is to transfer the Leeds technology to end users as a complimentary system to their own. Currently the Leeds biosensor has not been adopted by an end user. This objective will enable the Leeds biosensor to have a direct user application which not only expands the user's facility but also validates and consolidates the Leeds biosensor's applicability. The impact is a transfer of the technology to the end user.
4. Facilitated dissemination. This objective will enable the Leeds scientists to communicate the project progress to the end users and for the end users to comment on the deliverables. An end of project workshop will be held where the project's final report will be presented. The open nature of the workshop with outside participants will ensure other potential end users can assess Nelson's technology with increasing confidence and judge whether it is suitable for their needs so expanding its remit. The outcome and impact of this activity is to facilitate further knowledge transfer of the Leeds technology and its take up by other commercial users in additional to SEAC and ALcontrol.
This project can be divided into the following four categories of activity with the ultimate aim of transferring an interesting and unique technology to appropriate end users;SEAC, Unilever and ALcontrol Ltd and co-workers; IBMT, Fraunhofer:-
(i) Cross-validation/demonstration. The University of Leeds has developed a unique and elegant biosensor which is sensitive to compounds and particles which damage and/or are permeable in biological membranes a property defined as biomembrane activity. The aim of this task therefore is to evaluate exactly how the Leeds biosensor assay compares with those currently employed by the end users in achieving the same or similar functions. This activity will provide a clear definition of the respective advantages and disadvantages of both the Leeds and the end users' techniques. This is necessary since although the Leeds biosensor is at prototype stage, it is essential that its performance is compared with other systems in their detection of the biomembrane activity of a common group of compounds. Particular attention will be paid to the similarity and differences in the parameters being measured by each technique. The outcome of this activity is, (a) to enable end users to determine whether it is advantageous to add this technology to their measuring systems and, (b) to enable Leeds to adapt their technology to specified applications. The impact is an increasing confidence in and acceptance by the user community of the capabilities of the Leeds device.
2. Technical development. The technical development will take the Leeds biosensor from the prototype stage to a routine sensing device which can be operated by skilled technicians. This improvement will include streamlining the data analysis and extending the device from one module to three or more modules which will will enable it be used in a high-throughput automated configuration. The outcome of this activity therefore is to transform the Leeds biosensor system from a lab prototype into one which can be used by skilled technicians in the end user laboratories in a form which is specified by them. The impact is an increasingly robust biosensing device where a perceived risk in its application has been decreased allowing a more ready take up by end users.
3. Exchanges and placements. This objective will allow (a) end user scientists to operate and become completely familiar with, the Leeds biosensor and (b) scientists from Leeds to fully evaluate the end-users' methods and requirements in order to assess exactly how the end user technology fits in with the Leeds biosensor technology. The outcome of this activity is to transfer the Leeds technology to end users as a complimentary system to their own. Currently the Leeds biosensor has not been adopted by an end user. This objective will enable the Leeds biosensor to have a direct user application which not only expands the user's facility but also validates and consolidates the Leeds biosensor's applicability. The impact is a transfer of the technology to the end user.
4. Facilitated dissemination. This objective will enable the Leeds scientists to communicate the project progress to the end users and for the end users to comment on the deliverables. An end of project workshop will be held where the project's final report will be presented. The open nature of the workshop with outside participants will ensure other potential end users can assess Nelson's technology with increasing confidence and judge whether it is suitable for their needs so expanding its remit. The outcome and impact of this activity is to facilitate further knowledge transfer of the Leeds technology and its take up by other commercial users in additional to SEAC and ALcontrol.
Planned Impact
The benefits and outcomes to stakeholders will be discussed dealing with each stakeholder in turn.
(1) SEAC, Unilever: SEAC, Unilever have been investigating techniques for predicting the bioavailabilty and biomembrane permeability of their products for some time. The aim of their work is to gain some estimate of the toxicology of their products especially with respect to their impact on the environment. SEAC have been using two techniques. The first is in silico and involves estimating the lipohilicity of the product compound from its molecular structure using log P or octanol-water partition coefficient as an indicator for this. The second entails a sophisticated chromatographic technique investigating retention times of the product compound on a column where the packing is coated with phospholipid membranes, the so-called immobilised artificial membrane technique (IAM). The Leeds device has also been developed to index the permeability in biomembranes of, and damage to biomembranes from, compounds using alternative techniques of electrochemical and supported membrane technology. SEAC is extremely interested in the Leeds biosensor to see how its measurements compare in performance with their own techniques. If the Leeds biosensor measures the same or similar parameters of biomembrane activity as the SEAC technology then SEAC could adopt it in their repertoire of membrane permeability measuring methods. The Leeds technology would be very suitable for take up by the company since it is cheap to install and maintain and is high throughput in operation. This project represents a perfect opportunity to take the Leeds technology from prototype stage and transfer it to SEAC as a working system.
(2) ALcontrol: Alcontrol have 30 years experience as an evironmental agency. They have especial interest in setting environmental standards for pollutants and have a long involvement in the ecotoxicology of contaminants. ALcontrol have also been interested in the Leeds biosensor for some time. ALcontrol have been a partner on Prof Nelson's projects previously namely the Royal Society Brian Mercer project and a recent NERC Follow-On project. Currently ALcontrol focus on problems with water, food and oil and gas. They are concerned with the presence of mycotoxins in food and water. ALcontrol use an ELISA assay to detect mycotoxins. ALcontrol would benefit greatly from having a complimentary technology available to detect mycotoxins in food and water. This Innovative Project is an ideal opportunity for Nelson to bring his technology directly in line with ALcontrol's needs for screening mycotoxins. This will enable ALcontrol to assess exactly how the measurement parameters of the Leeds system align with their own ELISA testing on an interesting and hazardous group of compounds. If there is sufficient compatibility and synergy between the two technologies, ALcontrol will consider adopting the Leeds biosensor into their armoury of tests.
(3) Other stakeholders. Additional stakeholders will be invited to the project workshop held at the end of the project. The results of the project will be presented and in discussed in particular relating to the performance of the Leeds biosensor and how it compares with existing state-of-art systems. These results which show how the technology has been aligned with technologies used by high profile companies will inspire interest and confidence in the Leeds technology in the outside stakeholders. It is envisaged that following a successful workshop, new links with companies will be made togther with additional opportunities for technology transfer. Evidence based take up of the technology by SEAC, Unilever and ALcontrol is the most convincing way to transfer the technology to other users which because of the unique advantages of the technology can only benefit their companies/organisations in the long term.
(1) SEAC, Unilever: SEAC, Unilever have been investigating techniques for predicting the bioavailabilty and biomembrane permeability of their products for some time. The aim of their work is to gain some estimate of the toxicology of their products especially with respect to their impact on the environment. SEAC have been using two techniques. The first is in silico and involves estimating the lipohilicity of the product compound from its molecular structure using log P or octanol-water partition coefficient as an indicator for this. The second entails a sophisticated chromatographic technique investigating retention times of the product compound on a column where the packing is coated with phospholipid membranes, the so-called immobilised artificial membrane technique (IAM). The Leeds device has also been developed to index the permeability in biomembranes of, and damage to biomembranes from, compounds using alternative techniques of electrochemical and supported membrane technology. SEAC is extremely interested in the Leeds biosensor to see how its measurements compare in performance with their own techniques. If the Leeds biosensor measures the same or similar parameters of biomembrane activity as the SEAC technology then SEAC could adopt it in their repertoire of membrane permeability measuring methods. The Leeds technology would be very suitable for take up by the company since it is cheap to install and maintain and is high throughput in operation. This project represents a perfect opportunity to take the Leeds technology from prototype stage and transfer it to SEAC as a working system.
(2) ALcontrol: Alcontrol have 30 years experience as an evironmental agency. They have especial interest in setting environmental standards for pollutants and have a long involvement in the ecotoxicology of contaminants. ALcontrol have also been interested in the Leeds biosensor for some time. ALcontrol have been a partner on Prof Nelson's projects previously namely the Royal Society Brian Mercer project and a recent NERC Follow-On project. Currently ALcontrol focus on problems with water, food and oil and gas. They are concerned with the presence of mycotoxins in food and water. ALcontrol use an ELISA assay to detect mycotoxins. ALcontrol would benefit greatly from having a complimentary technology available to detect mycotoxins in food and water. This Innovative Project is an ideal opportunity for Nelson to bring his technology directly in line with ALcontrol's needs for screening mycotoxins. This will enable ALcontrol to assess exactly how the measurement parameters of the Leeds system align with their own ELISA testing on an interesting and hazardous group of compounds. If there is sufficient compatibility and synergy between the two technologies, ALcontrol will consider adopting the Leeds biosensor into their armoury of tests.
(3) Other stakeholders. Additional stakeholders will be invited to the project workshop held at the end of the project. The results of the project will be presented and in discussed in particular relating to the performance of the Leeds biosensor and how it compares with existing state-of-art systems. These results which show how the technology has been aligned with technologies used by high profile companies will inspire interest and confidence in the Leeds technology in the outside stakeholders. It is envisaged that following a successful workshop, new links with companies will be made togther with additional opportunities for technology transfer. Evidence based take up of the technology by SEAC, Unilever and ALcontrol is the most convincing way to transfer the technology to other users which because of the unique advantages of the technology can only benefit their companies/organisations in the long term.
Organisations
- University of Leeds (Lead Research Organisation)
- Fraunhofer Society (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava (Collaboration)
- Analox Sensor Technology (Collaboration)
- Platform Kinetics (Collaboration)
- TU Wien (Collaboration)
- ALcontrol Laboratories (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- Bio-mimetic chromatography (Collaboration)
- Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (Collaboration)
- Norwegian Institute for Air Research (Collaboration)
- PALL Europe (Collaboration)
- Tel Aviv University (Collaboration)
- Materia Nova (Collaboration)
- University College Cork (Collaboration)
- University Hospital Bratislava (Collaboration)
- BlueFrog Design (Collaboration)
- Saarland University (Collaboration)
- Microlab Devices (United Kingdom) (Collaboration)
- Blueprint Design Company (Collaboration)
- Unilever (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
People |
ORCID iD |
Laurence Nelson (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Berditsch M
(2019)
Supreme activity of gramicidin S against resistant, persistent and biofilm cells of staphylococci and enterococci.
in Scientific reports
Crow B
(2023)
Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PvP) adsorbs on and interacts with biomembrane-like layers
in Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry
Kohl Y
(2023)
Rapid identification of in vitro cell toxicity using an electrochemical membrane screening platform.
in Bioelectrochemistry (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
Kohl Y
(2021)
Microfluidic In Vitro Platform for (Nano)Safety and (Nano)Drug Efficiency Screening.
in Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)
Owen J
(2020)
High-throughput electrochemical sensing platform for screening nanomaterial-biomembrane interactions.
in The Review of scientific instruments
Rashid A
(2017)
Substituents modulate biphenyl penetration into lipid membranes.
in Biochimica et biophysica acta. Biomembranes
Rashid A
(2018)
Phospholipid bilayers at the mercury (Hg)/water interface
in Electrochimica Acta
Sanver D
(2016)
Experimental Modeling of Flavonoid-Biomembrane Interactions.
in Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids
Trump B
(2023)
Safety-by-design and engineered nanomaterials: the need to move from theory to practice
in Environment Systems and Decisions
Description | The Leeds newly developed toxicity sensing technology has been compared with state of art non-animal toxicity prediction methods employed by Unilever, SEAC. Most importantly the advantages and disadvantages of the Leeds technology are set against those of Unilever. It has been shown to date that the Leeds technology measures additional parameters associated with animal toxicity compared to established procedures. The work is on-going. Basically the Leeds technology measures biomembrane damage. The Unilever toxicity sensing technology measures biomembrane permeability to non-narcotic and narcotic compounds. The Leeds technology provides a rapid means of assessing the mechanism of compound interaction with biomembranes providing similar insight to the Unilever computer models. A paper on this work describing key findings has been submitted this January. |
Exploitation Route | The findings will be especially useful to people who wish to use the Leeds toxicity sensing technology to compliment other existing procedures. A paper is being prepared for publication in collaboration with Unilevr. |
Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink Chemicals Environment Healthcare Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology Security and Diplomacy |
Description | The findings are being used by Unilever to assess whether the Leeds technology can be used as a compliment to their in-house toxicity testing methods. ALcontrol Ltd are also a partner on this grant programme and will assess the findings at the end of the programme. This programme has contributed to the successful experimental initiation of the Horizon 2020 funded programme HISENTS which began April 2016. The HISENTS project has been successfully reviewed and achieved all its objectives at the half-way stage. The chip-based system has been transferred to a SME in Barcelona, Applied Nanoparticles Ltd (APPNPS) during the SABYDOMA programme. |
First Year Of Impact | 2016 |
Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Chemicals,Environment,Healthcare,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
Impact Types | Societal Economic |
Description | NanoSafetyCluster education day 27 November 2020 |
Geographic Reach | Europe |
Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
Impact | The NanoSafetyCuster Education day reported on the latest ideas on NanoSafety. We organised an hour's workshop on new ideas in the concept of Safety by Design which reached out not only to workers in nanotechnology but also those in pharmacology and Health Care. The workshop had a large attendance which was free and available to all those interested. |
Description | BIO-SUSHY: Sustainable surface protection by glass-like hybrid and biomaterials coatings |
Amount | £364,233 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 10056199 |
Organisation | Innovate UK |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2023 |
End | 12/2026 |
Description | Commercialisation of membrane-based screen on chip for natural waters and seawater |
Amount | £13,316 (GBP) |
Funding ID | NE/S008977/1 |
Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 07/2018 |
End | 10/2018 |
Description | Horizon 2020 |
Amount | € 6,400,000 (EUR) |
Funding ID | 685817 |
Organisation | European Commission |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 03/2016 |
End | 03/2019 |
Description | SAFETY BY DESIGN OF NANOMATERIALS (SABYDOMA) - FROM LAB MANUFACTURE TO GOVERNANCE AND COMMUNICATION: PROGRESSING UP THE TRL LADDER |
Amount | € 6,000,000 (EUR) |
Funding ID | 862296 |
Organisation | European Commission H2020 |
Sector | Public |
Country | Belgium |
Start | 03/2020 |
End | 09/2023 |
Title | Development of an an electrochemical screen for biomembrane active compounds and particles. |
Description | The screening platform consists of a membrane sensor element on mercury (Hg) microelectrode. The electrode is fabricated on a silicon wafer where the Hg is tightly bound to platinum (Pt). Biomembrane active compounds/particles interact with the membrane sensor element modifying its organisation in a specific and selective way. The technology now has a full performance evaluation and rivals any existing techniques for assaying biomembrane activity. The technology is also micronised and ruggedised to operate in a high throughput configuration. |
Type Of Material | Model of mechanisms or symptoms - in vitro |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | The most notable impact of this research has been the development of a collaboration with Unilever over the past year. The technology won Special Commendation by Lush Prize (2013) committee for services to the replacement of animals in testing. The research tool formed the heart and basis of the development of the EU funded HISENTS project. The research tool has formed the basis of the Option Agreement between Blueprint Product Design Ltd and University of Leeds and to the writing of three grant applications one of which to InnovateUK has been approved. |
Title | CCDC 1949011: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination |
Description | Related Article: Heba A. Mohamed, Samantha Shepherd, Nicola William, Helen A. Blundell, Madhurima Das, Christopher M. Pask, Benjamin R. M. Lake, Roger M. Phillips, Andrew Nelson, Charlotte E. Willans|2020|Organometallics|39|1318|doi:10.1021/acs.organomet.0c00069 |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | http://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/services/structure_request?id=doi:10.5517/ccdc.csd.cc23f3b0&sid=DataCite |
Title | CCDC 1949012: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination |
Description | Related Article: Heba A. Mohamed, Samantha Shepherd, Nicola William, Helen A. Blundell, Madhurima Das, Christopher M. Pask, Benjamin R. M. Lake, Roger M. Phillips, Andrew Nelson, Charlotte E. Willans|2020|Organometallics|39|1318|doi:10.1021/acs.organomet.0c00069 |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | http://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/services/structure_request?id=doi:10.5517/ccdc.csd.cc23f3c1&sid=DataCite |
Title | CCDC 1949013: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination |
Description | Related Article: Heba A. Mohamed, Samantha Shepherd, Nicola William, Helen A. Blundell, Madhurima Das, Christopher M. Pask, Benjamin R. M. Lake, Roger M. Phillips, Andrew Nelson, Charlotte E. Willans|2020|Organometallics|39|1318|doi:10.1021/acs.organomet.0c00069 |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | http://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/services/structure_request?id=doi:10.5517/ccdc.csd.cc23f3d2&sid=DataCite |
Title | CCDC 1949014: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination |
Description | Related Article: Heba A. Mohamed, Samantha Shepherd, Nicola William, Helen A. Blundell, Madhurima Das, Christopher M. Pask, Benjamin R. M. Lake, Roger M. Phillips, Andrew Nelson, Charlotte E. Willans|2020|Organometallics|39|1318|doi:10.1021/acs.organomet.0c00069 |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | http://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/services/structure_request?id=doi:10.5517/ccdc.csd.cc23f3f3&sid=DataCite |
Title | CCDC 1949015: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination |
Description | Related Article: Heba A. Mohamed, Samantha Shepherd, Nicola William, Helen A. Blundell, Madhurima Das, Christopher M. Pask, Benjamin R. M. Lake, Roger M. Phillips, Andrew Nelson, Charlotte E. Willans|2020|Organometallics|39|1318|doi:10.1021/acs.organomet.0c00069 |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | http://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/services/structure_request?id=doi:10.5517/ccdc.csd.cc23f3g4&sid=DataCite |
Title | CCDC 1949016: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination |
Description | Related Article: Heba A. Mohamed, Samantha Shepherd, Nicola William, Helen A. Blundell, Madhurima Das, Christopher M. Pask, Benjamin R. M. Lake, Roger M. Phillips, Andrew Nelson, Charlotte E. Willans|2020|Organometallics|39|1318|doi:10.1021/acs.organomet.0c00069 |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | http://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/services/structure_request?id=doi:10.5517/ccdc.csd.cc23f3h5&sid=DataCite |
Title | CCDC 1949017: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination |
Description | Related Article: Heba A. Mohamed, Samantha Shepherd, Nicola William, Helen A. Blundell, Madhurima Das, Christopher M. Pask, Benjamin R. M. Lake, Roger M. Phillips, Andrew Nelson, Charlotte E. Willans|2020|Organometallics|39|1318|doi:10.1021/acs.organomet.0c00069 |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | http://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/services/structure_request?id=doi:10.5517/ccdc.csd.cc23f3j6&sid=DataCite |
Title | CCDC 1949018: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination |
Description | Related Article: Heba A. Mohamed, Samantha Shepherd, Nicola William, Helen A. Blundell, Madhurima Das, Christopher M. Pask, Benjamin R. M. Lake, Roger M. Phillips, Andrew Nelson, Charlotte E. Willans|2020|Organometallics|39|1318|doi:10.1021/acs.organomet.0c00069 |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | http://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/services/structure_request?id=doi:10.5517/ccdc.csd.cc23f3k7&sid=DataCite |
Title | CCDC 1949019: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination |
Description | Related Article: Heba A. Mohamed, Samantha Shepherd, Nicola William, Helen A. Blundell, Madhurima Das, Christopher M. Pask, Benjamin R. M. Lake, Roger M. Phillips, Andrew Nelson, Charlotte E. Willans|2020|Organometallics|39|1318|doi:10.1021/acs.organomet.0c00069 |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | http://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/services/structure_request?id=doi:10.5517/ccdc.csd.cc23f3l8&sid=DataCite |
Title | CCDC 1949020: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination |
Description | Related Article: Heba A. Mohamed, Samantha Shepherd, Nicola William, Helen A. Blundell, Madhurima Das, Christopher M. Pask, Benjamin R. M. Lake, Roger M. Phillips, Andrew Nelson, Charlotte E. Willans|2020|Organometallics|39|1318|doi:10.1021/acs.organomet.0c00069 |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | http://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/services/structure_request?id=doi:10.5517/ccdc.csd.cc23f3m9&sid=DataCite |
Title | CCDC 1949021: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination |
Description | Related Article: Heba A. Mohamed, Samantha Shepherd, Nicola William, Helen A. Blundell, Madhurima Das, Christopher M. Pask, Benjamin R. M. Lake, Roger M. Phillips, Andrew Nelson, Charlotte E. Willans|2020|Organometallics|39|1318|doi:10.1021/acs.organomet.0c00069 |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | http://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/services/structure_request?id=doi:10.5517/ccdc.csd.cc23f3nb&sid=DataCite |
Title | CCDC 1949022: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination |
Description | Related Article: Heba A. Mohamed, Samantha Shepherd, Nicola William, Helen A. Blundell, Madhurima Das, Christopher M. Pask, Benjamin R. M. Lake, Roger M. Phillips, Andrew Nelson, Charlotte E. Willans|2020|Organometallics|39|1318|doi:10.1021/acs.organomet.0c00069 |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | http://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/services/structure_request?id=doi:10.5517/ccdc.csd.cc23f3pc&sid=DataCite |
Title | CCDC 1949023: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination |
Description | Related Article: Heba A. Mohamed, Samantha Shepherd, Nicola William, Helen A. Blundell, Madhurima Das, Christopher M. Pask, Benjamin R. M. Lake, Roger M. Phillips, Andrew Nelson, Charlotte E. Willans|2020|Organometallics|39|1318|doi:10.1021/acs.organomet.0c00069 |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | http://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/services/structure_request?id=doi:10.5517/ccdc.csd.cc23f3qd&sid=DataCite |
Description | ALcontrol Ltd |
Organisation | ALcontrol Laboratories |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | We have been working with Unilever on a NERC funded Innovation Grant. We have screened 20 compounds for Unilever and are assessing our technolgy in the context of Unilever's methods and in the toxicity sensing area in general. |
Collaborator Contribution | ALcontrol's contribution is mainly in the form of commenting on the final results. |
Impact | None as yet. |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Analox Ltd |
Organisation | Analox Sensor Technology |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | We entered into a TSB funded opportunity with Analox Ltd, MicroLab Devices and PALL to develop a sensor for tricresyl phosphate in aircraft cabins. Our contribution was to develop the sensing technology. |
Collaborator Contribution | MicroLab Devices administered the programme and carried out some engineering work on the sensing technology. |
Impact | No concrete outcomes at present. Collaboration was multidisciplinary. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Bio-SUSHY consortium |
Organisation | Materia Nova |
Country | Belgium |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Bio-SUSHY consortium |
Collaborator Contribution | UoL is screening advanced material coatings for toxicity using an innovative high throughput screening platform |
Impact | Succeeded in obtaining € 4 815 296,25. for a consortium of 14 partners including UoL. UoL is funded £364000 by InnovateUK to take part in this consortium's program through the Horizon Europe Guarantee fund. |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Blueprint Design Ltd (BPDES) |
Organisation | BlueFrog Design |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | We have had a series of meetings with the partner describing our research and applications. We took on the partner as the SME beneficiary to our EU H2020 funded HISENTS program. BPDES will lead the dissemination and exploitation work package. We have written three further grant applications with them: EU H2020 SMEinstrument application RAPPONSE submitted last January and two InnovateUK applications one of which has been approved for funding 58695 GBP coming to Leeds as subcontract. |
Collaborator Contribution | The partner has developed a market survey report for our technology. BPDES contributed to the writing of the three proposals above. BPDES have drawn up an Option Agreement for the IP at present owned by University of Leeds and signed by both partners. |
Impact | The collaboration is ongoing. Partner has joined EU HISENTS consortium where we are co-ordinators. This program began 1 April 2017. Blueprint and myself have applied for two Innovate_UK awards using the technology. One of these awards has been successful and we are awaiting formalisation. We have also applied for an H2020 SMEinstrument award. In the evaluation we passed all thresholds but did not achieve sufficient ranking to be awarded the grant. We have three more submissions this year to SMEinstrument call. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Entered into working collaboration with Bio-Mimetic Chromatography Ltd to validate UoL screening technology against the technology of the company using a set of synthetic antimicrobial peptides as case studies. |
Organisation | Bio-mimetic chromatography |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | We screened about 20 novel synthetic antimicrobial peptides. for biomembrane activity against standard partition coefficient tests done by company and toxicity tests carried out by University of Karlsruhe, Germany.. We correlated our biomembrane activity results with the partitioning toxicity data. We hosted a student from the company for three days. |
Collaborator Contribution | The company supplied the peptides and the student via University College London and University of Karlsruhe. The company carried out an extensive characterisation of the compounds particularly partition coefficient data. |
Impact | A paper on this very successful collaboration is being prepared and will be submitted this year. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Formation of HISENTS EU consortium |
Organisation | Blueprint Design Company |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | I contacted ten partners in 2015 and together we put together a grant application to H2020 which was successful. The grant programme began April 2016. |
Collaborator Contribution | Each partner contributed to the application in the form of describing the work that they would do in the proposed project. At present each partner is contributing to the work of the project. |
Impact | The outputs from this HISENTS project in the form of deliverables and mid-term report have now been provisionally accepted by the EU commission |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Formation of HISENTS EU consortium |
Organisation | Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology |
Country | Spain |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I contacted ten partners in 2015 and together we put together a grant application to H2020 which was successful. The grant programme began April 2016. |
Collaborator Contribution | Each partner contributed to the application in the form of describing the work that they would do in the proposed project. At present each partner is contributing to the work of the project. |
Impact | The outputs from this HISENTS project in the form of deliverables and mid-term report have now been provisionally accepted by the EU commission |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Formation of HISENTS EU consortium |
Organisation | Fraunhofer Society |
Department | The Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering (IBMT) |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | I contacted ten partners in 2015 and together we put together a grant application to H2020 which was successful. The grant programme began April 2016. |
Collaborator Contribution | Each partner contributed to the application in the form of describing the work that they would do in the proposed project. At present each partner is contributing to the work of the project. |
Impact | The outputs from this HISENTS project in the form of deliverables and mid-term report have now been provisionally accepted by the EU commission |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Formation of HISENTS EU consortium |
Organisation | Norwegian Institute for Air Research |
Country | Norway |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | I contacted ten partners in 2015 and together we put together a grant application to H2020 which was successful. The grant programme began April 2016. |
Collaborator Contribution | Each partner contributed to the application in the form of describing the work that they would do in the proposed project. At present each partner is contributing to the work of the project. |
Impact | The outputs from this HISENTS project in the form of deliverables and mid-term report have now been provisionally accepted by the EU commission |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Formation of HISENTS EU consortium |
Organisation | Saarland University |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I contacted ten partners in 2015 and together we put together a grant application to H2020 which was successful. The grant programme began April 2016. |
Collaborator Contribution | Each partner contributed to the application in the form of describing the work that they would do in the proposed project. At present each partner is contributing to the work of the project. |
Impact | The outputs from this HISENTS project in the form of deliverables and mid-term report have now been provisionally accepted by the EU commission |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Formation of HISENTS EU consortium |
Organisation | Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava |
Country | Slovakia |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I contacted ten partners in 2015 and together we put together a grant application to H2020 which was successful. The grant programme began April 2016. |
Collaborator Contribution | Each partner contributed to the application in the form of describing the work that they would do in the proposed project. At present each partner is contributing to the work of the project. |
Impact | The outputs from this HISENTS project in the form of deliverables and mid-term report have now been provisionally accepted by the EU commission |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Formation of HISENTS EU consortium |
Organisation | Tel Aviv University |
Country | Israel |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I contacted ten partners in 2015 and together we put together a grant application to H2020 which was successful. The grant programme began April 2016. |
Collaborator Contribution | Each partner contributed to the application in the form of describing the work that they would do in the proposed project. At present each partner is contributing to the work of the project. |
Impact | The outputs from this HISENTS project in the form of deliverables and mid-term report have now been provisionally accepted by the EU commission |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Formation of HISENTS EU consortium |
Organisation | University College Cork |
Department | Tyndall National Institute |
Country | Ireland |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I contacted ten partners in 2015 and together we put together a grant application to H2020 which was successful. The grant programme began April 2016. |
Collaborator Contribution | Each partner contributed to the application in the form of describing the work that they would do in the proposed project. At present each partner is contributing to the work of the project. |
Impact | The outputs from this HISENTS project in the form of deliverables and mid-term report have now been provisionally accepted by the EU commission |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Formation of HISENTS EU consortium |
Organisation | University Hospital Bratislava |
Country | Slovakia |
Sector | Hospitals |
PI Contribution | I contacted ten partners in 2015 and together we put together a grant application to H2020 which was successful. The grant programme began April 2016. |
Collaborator Contribution | Each partner contributed to the application in the form of describing the work that they would do in the proposed project. At present each partner is contributing to the work of the project. |
Impact | The outputs from this HISENTS project in the form of deliverables and mid-term report have now been provisionally accepted by the EU commission |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Formation of HISENTS EU consortium |
Organisation | Vienna University of Technology |
Country | Austria |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I contacted ten partners in 2015 and together we put together a grant application to H2020 which was successful. The grant programme began April 2016. |
Collaborator Contribution | Each partner contributed to the application in the form of describing the work that they would do in the proposed project. At present each partner is contributing to the work of the project. |
Impact | The outputs from this HISENTS project in the form of deliverables and mid-term report have now been provisionally accepted by the EU commission |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Formed a consortium with two SMEs and one large company |
Organisation | Analox Sensor Technology |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Prepared an application for the TSB on a direct development of the sensor to screen aircraft cabin air for toxic molecules. Stage 2 of the application to be submitted next week (10/04/2013). On second submission this grant application was successful (December 2014). |
Collaborator Contribution | Our technology forms the heart of the collaboration. MicroLab Devices are developing a microfluidic system to interface with our technology. Analox are developing the hybrid system to function in the field; ie within aircraft cabins. PALL are acting as end-user by selling the system to aircraft companies. |
Impact | Only outcome so far is winning a TSB award. The collaboration is multidisciplinary. Leeds are electrochemists. MicroLab devices are microfluidic engineers. Analox package up analytical /sensing technology and PALL manufacture filters and associated items to be used in aircraft. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Formed a consortium with two SMEs and one large company |
Organisation | MicroLab devices Ltd |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Prepared an application for the TSB on a direct development of the sensor to screen aircraft cabin air for toxic molecules. Stage 2 of the application to be submitted next week (10/04/2013). On second submission this grant application was successful (December 2014). |
Collaborator Contribution | Our technology forms the heart of the collaboration. MicroLab Devices are developing a microfluidic system to interface with our technology. Analox are developing the hybrid system to function in the field; ie within aircraft cabins. PALL are acting as end-user by selling the system to aircraft companies. |
Impact | Only outcome so far is winning a TSB award. The collaboration is multidisciplinary. Leeds are electrochemists. MicroLab devices are microfluidic engineers. Analox package up analytical /sensing technology and PALL manufacture filters and associated items to be used in aircraft. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Formed a consortium with two SMEs and one large company |
Organisation | PALL Europe |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Prepared an application for the TSB on a direct development of the sensor to screen aircraft cabin air for toxic molecules. Stage 2 of the application to be submitted next week (10/04/2013). On second submission this grant application was successful (December 2014). |
Collaborator Contribution | Our technology forms the heart of the collaboration. MicroLab Devices are developing a microfluidic system to interface with our technology. Analox are developing the hybrid system to function in the field; ie within aircraft cabins. PALL are acting as end-user by selling the system to aircraft companies. |
Impact | Only outcome so far is winning a TSB award. The collaboration is multidisciplinary. Leeds are electrochemists. MicroLab devices are microfluidic engineers. Analox package up analytical /sensing technology and PALL manufacture filters and associated items to be used in aircraft. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | MicroLab Devices Ltd |
Organisation | MicroLab devices Ltd |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | MicroLab Devices, Analox Ltd and PALL joined with Leeds on a TSB programme to develop a sensor to determine tricresyl phosphate in aircraft cabin air. Leeds carried out the bulk of the work developing the sensing technology. |
Collaborator Contribution | MicroLab Devices administered the programme. MicroLab Devices made some contribution to the engineering systems of the sensing platform. |
Impact | None as yet. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | PALL |
Organisation | PALL Europe |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Leeds, Analox Ltd, MicroLab Devices carried out TSB funded research into a sensor technology to determine tricresyl phosphate in aircraft cabin air. Leeds carried out most of work developing sensor technology. |
Collaborator Contribution | MicroLab Devices administered the programme and carried out a small amount of engineering work. PALL did some market research on the need for the sensor technology. |
Impact | None as yet. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Platform Kinetics Ltd |
Organisation | Platform Kinetics |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | We applied jointly with Platform Kinetics Ltd (PKL) for an MoD Dstl grant and were successful. This project involved the development of a screener for antibiotic-target binding using membrane electrochemical methods. The idea was also to embed this screener within a microfluidic system. |
Collaborator Contribution | PKL developed a microfluidic system and automatic interrogation techniques to interface withe electrochemical screen. |
Impact | The main output of this collaboration is that proof of concept results have shown that the electrochemical screen for broad-based antibiotic binding with targets is entirely feasible. This has led to a collaboration with the funders the Dstl on an application for funding for a PhD studentship. Disciplines involved are: electrochemistry, microfluidics, synthetic organic chemistry and bacteriology. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Title | BIOSENSOR |
Description | An electrode assembly that may be used, for example, for electrochemically analysing a sample to determine the presence (or otherwise) of a species having biomembrane activity comprises at least one working electrode comprised of a conductive carrier substrate having a surface coated with mercury immobilised on the surface of the substrate. The surface of the mercury remote from said substrate is coated with a phospholipid layer. The preferred carrier substrate is platinum. The electrode assembly may be incorporated in a flow cell. |
IP Reference | WO2009016366 |
Protection | Patent granted |
Year Protection Granted | 2009 |
Licensed | No |
Impact | An Option Agreement relating to the transfer of the IP to a SME was drawn up in 2016 leading to the future licensing of the IP to the SME subject to them raising sufficient finance. |
Title | Experimental platform for screening pharmaceuticals and toxins for toxicity |
Description | Innovation is an electrochemical technology of sensor element on chip-based electrode in flow system which can screen toxins and pharmaceuticals for toxicity. Technology is high throughput and on-line. A NERC Innovation Grant funded this work which finished in April 2016 and was carried out in collaboration with Unilever, SEAC. This platform led to the idea of a mulitmodule platform for screening nanomaterials, toxins and pharmaceuticals for toxicity and formed the basis of a Horizon 2020 application which was successful and began April 2016. |
Type | Diagnostic Tool - Non-Imaging |
Current Stage Of Development | Refinement. Non-clinical |
Year Development Stage Completed | 2014 |
Development Status | Actively seeking support |
Impact | No medical impacts realised yet. |
Description | Chair of EU nano safety innovation and safety by design working group |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Chairing the working group involved chairing meetings and giving main talks. Also representing the working group on international telecoms. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019,2020 |
Description | Chair of Working Group E of NanoSafetyCluster group affiliated to EU Framework Programmes:Safety and Sustainability by Design and Innovation |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | I chair the working group which involves meetings every two months. We discuss issues associated with the working group subject matter and we plan sessions at appropriate and relevant international conferences. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019,2020,2021,2022,2023 |
URL | https://www.nanosafetycluster.eu/nsc-overview/nsc-structure/working-groups/wge/#:~:text=WGE%20aims%2... |
Description | Chaired Innovation working group of EU Nanosafety Cluster. Initiated working group to plan calls for Safety by Design topic in next Framework of EU (Horizon Europe). |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Initiated and chaired working group telecom meetings. Gave leading introductory talk at Vienna Industrial Technologies meeting. Chaired Innovation group meeting in Grenoble. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Gave a short talk to the general public on the principle of safety by design at the "Be Curious" event in Leeds |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | I gave a short talk which was directed to the public on the philosophy and ethics of safety management of new materials. At the end of the talk, I was asked a few questions on the subject publicly by an interviewer. The event was part of the "Be Curious" programme held online by the University of Leeds. The aim of the event was to showcase how research at Leeds is making a world of difference to people's lives. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.leeds.ac.uk/becurious |
Description | Legal workshop associated with Horizon 2020 project SABYDOMA |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Participated and contributed to a legal workshop associated with my Horizon 2020 project SABYDOMA. Gave a keynote talk and sat on panel answering questions about legal aspects of safety issues associated with nano materials and chemicals. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.nanosafetycluster.eu/sabydoma-1st-legal-workshop-on-safe-by-design/ |
Description | Member of an OECD technical expert panel on hydrophobicity of nanoparticles |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The purpose of this expert panel is to develop a technical guidance. note for OECD i.e. international standard use. for the characterisation of the hydrophobicity of nano materials. We have had one face to face meeting in October 2019. This has been followed up with a circulation round the group of the particular analytical technology proposed for standard implementation. We are holding a ring trial intercalibration of this standardised technology. later this year probably in June and I shall be leading the University of Leeds component. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019,2020 |
Description | Public lectures |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | I give yearly lectures at Imperial College about the development of my technology. This stimulates students who wish to innovate themselves. I give talks at national KT meetings on the history of my technology and engaging with the industrial sector. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013,2014,2015,2016,2017 |
Description | Regular talks to public on impact of science on society and impact of society on scientific work |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The talks have stimulated debate and discussion and instigated invitations to give further talks. The talks gave rise to me developing novel university courses and to be invited to other universities to give talks on this subject ie scientific impact |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014 |
Description | Stakeholder workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Planned, executed and Chaired a Stakeholder conference where details of the EU HISENTS platform was disseminated and feedback from the stakeholders was obtained. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://hisents.org/2018/02/26/hisents-stakeholder-workshop/ |