Ultra-Sensitive Enhanced Nano-sensing of Infectious Organisms and Antimicrobial Resistance
Lead Research Organisation:
Newcastle University
Department Name: Inst for Cell and Molecular Biosciences
Abstract
The PhD studentship will collaborate with two grants that are currently funded by the EPSRC Healthcare Technologies theme. Namely, u-Sense - 'Ultra-Sensitive Enhanced Nanosensing of Antimicrobial Resistance' 01/10/2018-30/09/2022 (EP/R018391/1) and i-sense next steps - 'EPSRC IRC in Agile Early Warning Sensing Systems for Infectious Diseases and Antimicrobial Resistance' 01/10/2018-30/09/2022 (EP/R00529X/1).
Bacterial infection is an increasing problem, in both the developed and developing world. Over the past 60 years antibiotics have been used to treat bacterial infections with good success, however, treating a disease is much easier and cheaper if its presence and any associated antimicrobial resistance (AMR) can be detected early in the lifecycle. The aim of this PhD studentship is to produce a miniaturised, cost-effective, rapid device which will allow healthcare professionals to make informed treatment choices earlier. The developed system will be suitable for use at the Point-of-Need, outside of a centralised laboratory, in a variety of clinical settings thereby promising a major impact on human health and disease management. To achieve this we have created a multidisciplinary team with synergic expertise that covers the selection of biomarkers and recognition molecules capable of detecting target pathogens, ultra-sensitive and selective detection of these targets and fabrication of portable prototypes.
The initial phase of the PhD will cover the selection of known biomarkers, or bioinformatics generated biomarkers against Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, followed by recognition molecule generation. This will feed into an assay development phase that will focus on producing an effective workflow that can be integrated into a whole system without the need for complex instrumentation. Ultimately the system will incorporate either simple paper, or microfluidic approaches to sample preparation/processing and a handheld reader. The assay readout may be visual using simple gold nano-particles (low risk), electrochemical by incorporation of an electrode and electro-active tag (medium risk), or Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) by the use of an appropriate SERS tag (high risk). The work will be primarily supervised by Dr Neil Keegan, Prof Anil Wipat, Dr Chris Johnson, Newcastle University, but key collaborators on our established EPSRC grants will be used at strategic junctures to the benefit of the PhD student. Regarding SERS detection the PhD student will be exposed to world leading experts at Strathclyde University and the 3-D printing of handheld readers will involve collaboration with Imperial College London. Ultimately the PhD student will be pivotal in generating a model assay system that is designed and engineered to work at the Point-of Need as opposed to a centralised location. The student may validate/ evaluate the systems in clinically driven studies if suitable progress is made. Critically the PhD student will be trained as a trans-disciplinary scientist becoming integrated in all aspects of the work. From a wider training perspective the supervisors will ensure the student gains access to funds available for travel, impact and engagement during the project lifetime.
The PhD studentship fundamentally fits the EPSRC Healthcare technologies theme. The theme has the aim of accelerating translation to healthcare applications by addressing four grand challenges. This particular PhD studentship will develop a diagnostic system to detect pathogens - Mycobacterium Tuberculosis in the first instance - at the Point-of-Need, so it's directly aligned to two of the four grand challenges detailed below,.
1) Optimising Treatment: Optimising care through effective diagnosis, patient-specific prediction and evidence-based intervention.
2) Transforming Community Health and Care: Using real-time information to support self-management of health and wellbeing, and to facilitate timely interventions.
Bacterial infection is an increasing problem, in both the developed and developing world. Over the past 60 years antibiotics have been used to treat bacterial infections with good success, however, treating a disease is much easier and cheaper if its presence and any associated antimicrobial resistance (AMR) can be detected early in the lifecycle. The aim of this PhD studentship is to produce a miniaturised, cost-effective, rapid device which will allow healthcare professionals to make informed treatment choices earlier. The developed system will be suitable for use at the Point-of-Need, outside of a centralised laboratory, in a variety of clinical settings thereby promising a major impact on human health and disease management. To achieve this we have created a multidisciplinary team with synergic expertise that covers the selection of biomarkers and recognition molecules capable of detecting target pathogens, ultra-sensitive and selective detection of these targets and fabrication of portable prototypes.
The initial phase of the PhD will cover the selection of known biomarkers, or bioinformatics generated biomarkers against Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, followed by recognition molecule generation. This will feed into an assay development phase that will focus on producing an effective workflow that can be integrated into a whole system without the need for complex instrumentation. Ultimately the system will incorporate either simple paper, or microfluidic approaches to sample preparation/processing and a handheld reader. The assay readout may be visual using simple gold nano-particles (low risk), electrochemical by incorporation of an electrode and electro-active tag (medium risk), or Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) by the use of an appropriate SERS tag (high risk). The work will be primarily supervised by Dr Neil Keegan, Prof Anil Wipat, Dr Chris Johnson, Newcastle University, but key collaborators on our established EPSRC grants will be used at strategic junctures to the benefit of the PhD student. Regarding SERS detection the PhD student will be exposed to world leading experts at Strathclyde University and the 3-D printing of handheld readers will involve collaboration with Imperial College London. Ultimately the PhD student will be pivotal in generating a model assay system that is designed and engineered to work at the Point-of Need as opposed to a centralised location. The student may validate/ evaluate the systems in clinically driven studies if suitable progress is made. Critically the PhD student will be trained as a trans-disciplinary scientist becoming integrated in all aspects of the work. From a wider training perspective the supervisors will ensure the student gains access to funds available for travel, impact and engagement during the project lifetime.
The PhD studentship fundamentally fits the EPSRC Healthcare technologies theme. The theme has the aim of accelerating translation to healthcare applications by addressing four grand challenges. This particular PhD studentship will develop a diagnostic system to detect pathogens - Mycobacterium Tuberculosis in the first instance - at the Point-of-Need, so it's directly aligned to two of the four grand challenges detailed below,.
1) Optimising Treatment: Optimising care through effective diagnosis, patient-specific prediction and evidence-based intervention.
2) Transforming Community Health and Care: Using real-time information to support self-management of health and wellbeing, and to facilitate timely interventions.
Organisations
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP/R51309X/1 | 01/10/2018 | 30/09/2023 | |||
| 2311944 | Studentship | EP/R51309X/1 | 01/10/2019 | 22/11/2023 | Terri Lau |