UK EPSRC awards £5M for biomedical photonics research
Study into resonant and shaped photonics will explore innovative ways to use light to measure the natural world
UK researchers from the University of St Andrews and the University of York have been awarded over £5M from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) to research resonant and shaped photonics, which could increase our understanding of the biomedical world.
The study will explore new and innovative ways in which we can use light to measure the natural world. Scientists will address major challenges in antimicrobial resistance and neurodegenerative disease, as well as looking to move beyond current limitations in imaging, measurement and the manipulation of miniscule particles using light.
This research builds on the team's recent advances in photonics and will exploit novel shapes of laser light and particularly the concept of resonance, the reinforcement that may occur when light interacts with a minute nanostructure.
Kishan Dholakia, principal investigator from the University of St Andrews said: "This is a strong endorsement of our team's effort over the last few years in the area of photonics and allows us to address major globally relevant challenges with a host of international partners."
Thomas Krauss from the University of York said: "The team brings a unique combination of expertise in photonics that will allow us to fully understand the response of bacteria to antibiotics and to develop a rapid and accurate diagnostic technology."
The team will work closely with clinicians and a number commercial partners to ensure the clinical impact of their work.
The EPSRC Programme Grant is valued at £5.023M (80 per cent cost) and is a collaboration between Kishan Dholakia, Frank Gunn-Moore and Malte Gather at the University of St Andrews and Thomas Krauss and Steve Johnson at the University of York.
