Postgraduate Opportunities
Newcastle University
Supervisors: Dr Eileen Yu, Professor Keith Scott
School: School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials
Sponsor: EPSRC
Duration: 3 years
There are two main research areas which will be covered by this EPSRC-funded project:
*Development of enzyme electrodes for biofuel cell and biosensor applications
Enzymes are used as bioelectrocatalysts in bioelectronic devices. Direct electron transfer between enzymes and the electrode substrates and high electron transfer rate are key for high performance bioelectronics. Due to the different molecular structure of different enzymes, the efficiency of electron transfer varies. Enzyme modification with chemical and biological methods could provide solutions to improve electron transfer and enzyme stability. Fabrication of enzyme electrodes by immobilising enzymes using conducting redox polymer or monolayer self assembly is the main task for this research. Characterisation of the activity and performance of enzyme electrodes will be carried out by electrochemical methods and physical analysis.
*Development of novel health care devices
Our society is ageing and as this places more demands on our health care services, the need for novel detection, diagnosis and monitoring devices increases. We are interested in developing these systems using enzymes and proteins for sensors, such as optical or electrochemical detectors for cancer markers. Health care chips with multiple sensor micro-arrays enable the detection and monitoring of various physiological substances to help early diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Micro-fabrication of microchips, investigation of micro-fluid of the system, development of novel electrode substrates and exploring and immobilisation of biomarkers are the key factors affecting performance obtained from the health care chips.
Person Specification
We are seeking highly motivated applicants with a good Honours degree (minimum of an upper-second-class BSc or BEng Honours degree or equivalent) in chemical engineering, chemistry, bioengineering, biochemistry, or a related area. Applicants must have good numeric and experimental skills.
Value of the Award and Eligibility
Due to funding criteria, this award is only available to UK and other EU applicants. UK students are eligible for an award that covers fees and provides an annual stipend (£12,940 per annum). Applicants from other EU countries are eligible for a fees only award.
How to Apply
You must complete the University’s postgraduate application form (www.ncl.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply), selecting ‘PhD School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials (full time) - Chemical Engineering’ as the programme of study and inserting the reference number CE014. Only mandatory fields need to be completed (no personal statement required) and a CV and a covering letter should be attached. The covering letter must state the title of the studentship, quote the reference number CE014 and state how your interests and experience relate to the project.
Closing date: Candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible as this position will be filled as soon as a suitable candidate is found.
Further Information
If you would like more details about this studentship, please contact Dr Eileen Yu, eileen.yu@ncl.ac.uk or Professor Keith Scott, k.scott@ncl.ac.uk
Funding information
- Funding applies to:
- EU applicants (including UK)
