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

Challenge description:  

Nanostructured supplies already play a significant function in society. For instance, the purple traces on a Covid check are nanoscale gold particles. The standard method to their manufacturing employs solvents and chemical substances which current well being hazards and environmental challenges. On this undertaking we’ll exploit breakthroughs in considered one of two linked areas, in response to the experience of the coed:  

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

Examples of the steel nanoparticles are gold for medical diagnostics and most cancers remedy; iridium and platinum for clear power (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 know-how 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 purposes.  

The undertaking will swimsuit a superb scholar who enjoys design, sensible experimental work, pc modelling and modern concepts and needs to contribute to a wholesome planet. Your background could possibly be in physics, bodily chemistry/engineering, or biomedical sciences, and your function will probably be tuned accordingly. You’ll have good communication and crew work abilities and a global outlook.  

The co-sponsoring firm Grove Nanomaterials Ltd springs from Swansea College and has licensed the background patents invented by the Main Supervisor. It’s formidable and pleasant. The work envisaged has the potential to contribute to important nationwide and worldwide affect when it comes to well being, financial progress, College fame and new scientific publications.

Eligibility

Candidates should maintain an Higher Second Class (2.1) honours diploma in Engineering or related related science self-discipline. If you’re eligible to use for the scholarship (i.e. a scholar who’s eligible to pay the UK price of tuition charges) however don’t maintain a UK diploma, you may test our comparability entry necessities. Please word that you could be want to supply proof of your English Language proficiency.

Attributable to funding restrictions, this scholarship is open to candidates eligible to pay tuition charges on the UK price solely, as outlined by UKCISA laws.

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 will even be out there.