Fully Funded EPSRC and Grove Materials Ltd PhD Scholarship: Designer Nanoparticles for Biomedicine and Energy: Physics Meets Biology and Chemistry

Funding suppliers: EPSRC (CASE) with co-sponsor, Grove Nanomaterials Restricted

Topic areas: Nanotechnology, physics, chemistry, biotechnology

Mission description:  

Nanostructured supplies already play a significant position in society. For instance, the pink strains on a Covid check are nanoscale gold particles. The traditional strategy to their manufacturing employs solvents and chemical substances which current well being hazards and environmental challenges. On this undertaking we are going to exploit breakthroughs in one in every of two linked areas, in response to the experience of the coed:  

• Improvement of nanoscale physics-based experimental strategies, the place Swansea is world chief, to attain solvent-free synthesis and scale-up of soluble, ligand-capped metallic nanoparticles of dimension 1-100 nm.
• Conjugation of the nanoparticles at supply with detector molecules chosen to recognise an infectious agent or a biomarker. This can be a very new technique to tether proteins to metallic clusters for diagnostics.

Examples of the metallic nanoparticles are gold for medical diagnostics and most cancers therapy; iridium and platinum for clear vitality (hydrogen); and silicon for photonics and photo voltaic. They are going to be characterised by state-of-the-art strategies together with XPS, SEM, TEM, dynamic gentle scattering, optical strategies and mass spec. The manufacturing strategies will mix atomistic and molecular (together with protein molecule) deposition in vacuum with wafer and roll-to-roll expertise and post-processing to reap nanoparticles on a scale starting with grams, heading for kilograms and with the potential for tonnes – representing a revolutionary paradigm-shift in (bio) supplies manufacturing on the interface between science frontiers and technological and medical functions.  

The undertaking will swimsuit a superb scholar who enjoys design, sensible experimental work, laptop modelling and modern concepts and desires to contribute to a wholesome planet. Your background may very well be in physics, bodily chemistry/engineering, or biomedical sciences, and your position can be tuned accordingly. You’ll have good communication and workforce work expertise and a world outlook.  

The co-sponsoring firm Grove Nanomaterials Ltd springs from Swansea College and has licensed the background patents invented by the Major Supervisor. It’s bold and pleasant. The work envisaged has the potential to contribute to vital nationwide and worldwide influence by way of well being, financial progress, College popularity and new scientific publications.

Eligibility

Candidates should maintain an Higher Second Class (2.1) honours diploma in Engineering or comparable related science self-discipline. In case you are eligible to use for the scholarship (i.e. a scholar who’s eligible to pay the UK charge of tuition charges) however don’t maintain a UK diploma, you possibly can verify our comparability entry necessities. Please be aware that you could be want to supply proof of your English Language proficiency.

Because of funding restrictions, this scholarship is open to candidates eligible to pay tuition charges on the UK charge solely, as outlined by UKCISA rules.

Further Funding Data

This scholarship covers the total value of UK tuition charges and an annual stipend at £19,237 for 4 years.

Further analysis bills can even be accessible.