Development of Advanced Micro-Nano topological Platforms for Point-of-Care Diagnostics

A review article has been submitted as one of the co-authors to the Nano Today journal titled 'Emerging Lithographic Techniques for Nanostructure Fabrication'.
The review article covers the emerging techniques in micro-nano-fabrication techniques addressing their strengths and limitations. It focused mainly on the latest advances in the main emerging patterning methods.
The emerging methods enable structural and chemical micro-nanofabrication while comparing these innovations to established lithographic techniques.
The current project is towards a journal article as the primary author. This will include results obtained from simulation and experimental work on surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate to enable accurate detection of certain biomarkers present in patients suspected of having a traumatic brain injury. This is at the results-gathering stage both from experiments and simulations, whereby the results obtained will be analysed and discussed with potential co-authors.
Another collaboration is in its initial (planning) stage, which will include some colleagues and a separate research group focusing on graphene biosensors. Graphene-coated substrates offer relatively cheaper alternatives to other metallic-coated substrates while producing a similar level of Raman signal enhancements for the detection of analytes which indicates the onset of certain diseases.
They are interested in the current research work on SERS substrates involving surfaced-patterned substrates whereby the collaboration would involve coating produced structured substrates with graphene monolayer. Other aspects of the project would involve other research colleagues' work involving biosensors, to publish an article (and possibly patents) at the end of the project.

1. Our primary impact will be by supplying the UK knowledge economy with skilled multidisciplinary researchers, equipped with the technical and transferable skills to establish the UK as pre-eminent in topology-based future technologies. The training they receive will make them proficient in the demands of the translation of academic science (with a broad background in condensed matter physics, materials science and applied electromagnetics) to industry, with direct experience from internship and industry engagement days. With their exposure to both theoretical research (including modelling and big data-driven problems) and experimental practice, our graduates will be ideally equipped to tackle research challenges of the future and communicate to a broad audience, ready to lead teams made up of diverse specialised components. The potential impact of our researchers will be enhanced by a broad programme of transferable skills, focusing on innovation, entrepreneurship and responsible research. Beneficiaries here will include the students themselves as they embark on future careers intertwining academic research and industry, as well as the other sectors listed below.

2. The research undertaken by students in the CDT will have impact on the future direction of topological science. Related disciplines, including physics, materials science, mathematics, and information technology will benefit from the cross-disciplinary fertilisation it will enable. The CDT will not only provide an interface between research in physical sciences and engineering, but also provide a route for academia to interact effectively with industry. This will help organise researchers from different disciplines to collaborate around the needs of future technology to design materials based on topological properties.

3. Our research will enable industries to set the direction of topological research around the needs of commercial research and development, leading to wealth generation for the UK, and to influence the mindset of the next generation of future technologists. Specifically, topological design has the promise to revolutionise devices and materials relevant to communications, microwave and terahertz technologies, optical information processing, manufacturing, and cybersecurity. Through partnership with organisations from the wider knowledge sector, we will deepen the relationship between academic research and disciplines including IP law and scientific software development.

4. Our CDT will also have impact on the wider academic community. New specialist courses and training in transferable skills will be developed utilising cutting-edge multimedia technologies. Our international research collaborators, including prominent global laboratories, will benefit from placements and research visits of the CDT students. Our interdisciplinary research, combining the needs of academia and industry will be an exemplar of the effectiveness of the CDT model on an international stage.

5. The wider community will benefit from our organised public engagement activities. These will include direct interaction activities, such as demonstrating at the Birmingham Thinktank Science Centre, the Royal Society Summer Exhibition, local schools and community centres.