Photonics in Life and Health
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Strathclyde
Department Name: Inst of Photonics
Abstract
The student will adopt a portfolio approach to their research and will benefit from the opportunity of exposure to a number of different photonics research areas and industrial collaborators. The student will commence on a project looking to develop an optical microfluidic-silicon chip diagnostic platform for the point-of-care detection of antibiotic susceptibility. In the first instance, the technology is being developed to investigate antibiotic susceptibility of bacteria involved in urinary tract infection. This is a project already underway for development of a benchtop instrument. A follow-on project will be to develop of a hand-held instrument for the same application but using a different optical waveguide structure that has been developed in the IOP.
In addition, there will be the opportunity for the student to be immersed in other FCAP industry facing projects under the health and life sciences theme, amongst others.
In addition, there will be the opportunity for the student to be immersed in other FCAP industry facing projects under the health and life sciences theme, amongst others.
Planned Impact
This section should be read with the accompanying Pathways to Impact document, which describes how we intend to ensure impacts is realized in several different aspects.
Real-world impact is the leading priority for our industrial partners. Their confidence that the proposed CDT will deliver valuable scientific, engineering and commercial impact is emphasized by their overwhelming financial support (£4.1M from industry in the form of cash contributions, and further in-kind support of £5.3M).
Here we summarize what will be the impacts expected from the proposed CDT.
(1) Impact on People
(a) Students
The CDT will have its major impact on the students themselves, by providing them with new understanding, skills and abilities (technical, business, professional), and by enhancing their employability.
(b) The UK public
The engagement planned in the CDT will educate and inform the general public about the high quality science and engineering being pursued by researchers in the CDT, and will also contribute to raising the profile of this mode of doctoral training -- particularly important since the public have limited awareness of the mechanisms through which research scientists are trained.
(2) Impact on Knowledge
New scientific knowledge and engineering know-how will be generated by the CDT. Theses, conference / journal papers and patents will be published which disseminate this knowledge.
(3) Impact on UK industry and economy
UK companies will gain a competitive advantage by using know-how and new techniques generated by CDT researchers.
Companies will also gain from improved recruitment and retention of high quality staff.
Longer term economic impacts will be felt as increased turnover and profitability for companies, and perhaps other impacts such as the generation / segmentation of new markets, and companies receiving inward investment for new products.
(4) Impact on Society
Research in the CDT spans many sectors, all of which impact society, e.g. in the improvement of healthcare diagnostics, or in the creation of new consumer products and services. This CDT has particular resonance with all of the RCUK stated societal challenge themes, with more detail provided in the Pathways to Impact document.
Greater internationalisation of the cohort of CDT researchers is expect from some of the CDT activities (e.g. international summer schools), with the potential impact if greater collaboration in the future between the next generations of UK and international researchers.
Real-world impact is the leading priority for our industrial partners. Their confidence that the proposed CDT will deliver valuable scientific, engineering and commercial impact is emphasized by their overwhelming financial support (£4.1M from industry in the form of cash contributions, and further in-kind support of £5.3M).
Here we summarize what will be the impacts expected from the proposed CDT.
(1) Impact on People
(a) Students
The CDT will have its major impact on the students themselves, by providing them with new understanding, skills and abilities (technical, business, professional), and by enhancing their employability.
(b) The UK public
The engagement planned in the CDT will educate and inform the general public about the high quality science and engineering being pursued by researchers in the CDT, and will also contribute to raising the profile of this mode of doctoral training -- particularly important since the public have limited awareness of the mechanisms through which research scientists are trained.
(2) Impact on Knowledge
New scientific knowledge and engineering know-how will be generated by the CDT. Theses, conference / journal papers and patents will be published which disseminate this knowledge.
(3) Impact on UK industry and economy
UK companies will gain a competitive advantage by using know-how and new techniques generated by CDT researchers.
Companies will also gain from improved recruitment and retention of high quality staff.
Longer term economic impacts will be felt as increased turnover and profitability for companies, and perhaps other impacts such as the generation / segmentation of new markets, and companies receiving inward investment for new products.
(4) Impact on Society
Research in the CDT spans many sectors, all of which impact society, e.g. in the improvement of healthcare diagnostics, or in the creation of new consumer products and services. This CDT has particular resonance with all of the RCUK stated societal challenge themes, with more detail provided in the Pathways to Impact document.
Greater internationalisation of the cohort of CDT researchers is expect from some of the CDT activities (e.g. international summer schools), with the potential impact if greater collaboration in the future between the next generations of UK and international researchers.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Nicolas Laurand (Primary Supervisor) | |
| Eilidh Johnston (Student) |
| Description | - Optical sensors have been shown to be capable of detecting the growth of bacteria by changing their output wavelength/colour over time. - The materials used require low relatively powers to run and could be capable of producing results within a 30 minute time period. - When attempting to optimise the system for use in a medical environment, it has been discovered that the output wavelength changes due to an as yet unconfirmed reason when placed in a heated liquid. - Engineering/scientific research is ongoing to determine the cause of this issue and overcome it for future use. |
| Exploitation Route | The fact that the system can detect some level of bacterial growth is important and encouraging for use as a platform in various systems. Other issues need to be overcome in order for the sensor to be fully utilised by another party at this point in time. |
| Sectors | Healthcare |
| URL | https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9059576 |
| Description | This project will introduce a novel diagnostic technique to be used at the point of care (e.g. a GP clinic) through the development of an organic laser sensor in order to prevent the over prescription of unnecessary antibiotics. The sensor responds to the presence and growth of bacteria in a sample(e.g. urine) by changing its wavelength (colour) and consequently indicates which antibiotic should be prescribed for the particular patient in less than 30 minutes. With considerable human lives at stake as antimicrobial resistance (AMR) encroaches further into society, we need to act quickly in order halt its progression. Correctly identifying the necessary antibiotic will firstly expedite a successful patient outcome, secondly decrease the rate of AMR by preventing uninformed prescriptions prior to test results which currently take 2-3 days and thirdly, reduce the cost to healthcare services by minimising the use of ineffective antibiotics. Although not a functioning device as yet, the societal impacts of a successful project could be far reaching both economically and for people's health. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2021 |
| Sector | Healthcare |
| Impact Types | Societal,Economic |