Applications are invited for an EPSRC funded studentship in the School of Physics, University of Exeter, beginning October 2009, working under the supervision of Dr Julian Moger. The project aims to develop a novel optical imaging technique for monitoring the mechanisms of nanoparticle drug delivery in both in-vitro and ex-vivo models. A successful applicant will benefit from a range of interdisciplinary training in fields including ultra-fast lasers, biophotonics and cell culturing. In addition pharmaceutical training/support will be provided through collaborations with the London School of Pharmacy.

At present, 95% of all potential new drug compounds cannot be directly administered as a pharmaceutical due to poor biocompatibility. This can be overcome by encapsulating the compounds in nanoparticles, which can also act as depositories for controlled drug release and can actively target specific sites within the body. The mechanisms by which nanoparticles travel through, interact with, and modify tissues and how this relates to the improved drug performance are still unclear. Answering these questions is currently hindered by the lack of an imaging modality to visualise such small particles without the using contrast agents. This project aims to develop a novel type of label-free optical microscopy, Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering (CARS) for performing such measurements.

Applicants should have (or be about to receive) an honours degree (at least 2.1 or equivalent) in Physics, or other relevant discipline. Experience in the following areas is desirable: working with ultra-fast systems, optical spectroscopy, digital signal processing, and computer programming.

For more details please contact: Dr Julian Moger or visit http://newton.ex.ac.uk/research/biomedical/multiphoton/.

Funding

The studentship offers tuition fees and a maintenance grant in accordance with Research Council eligibility criteria.

Applications should include a CV, publications list, contact details for two professional referees, and should be sent to Dr Julian Moger, School of Physics, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QL

The admission process for PhD studentships is detailed here.

Biophotonics: Harnessing Non-Linear Plasmonics

Applications are invited for an internally funded studentship in the School of Physics, University of Exeter, beginning October 2009, working under the supervision of Dr Julian Moger. The project aims to investigate the feasibility of using non-linear excitation of surface plasmons to enhance weak optical effects from molecules at nanostructured metallic surfaces. A successful applicant will benefit from a range of interdisciplinary training in fields including ultra-fast laser physics and nanoscience.

It is well known that weak optical responses can be enhanced by the strong local electric fields associated with surface plasmon resonances of metallic nanostructures. Molecules can be tethered to nanostructured metallic surface where local fields are several orders of magnitude higher than the driving field. This results in signal enhancements of several orders of magnitude. In principle, it is possible to obtain even higher signal gain by surface enhancement of a non-linear process, since signals scale non-linearly with the intensity of the local electromagnetic field. Several early publications report enhancement of optical nonlinearities at metallic surfaces, by factors up to 6 orders of magnitude. However, it is as yet unclear whether it is feasible to harness these field enhancements to help distinguish weak molecular signals, as is often then goal for biological applications. We propose to investigate and optimize the non-linear enhancement of metallic structures for such applications. The project will require two lines of investigation: (1) development of novel detection schemes to heighten discrimination of molecular signals over the metallic response. (2) A comprehensive and methodical investigation into how the non-linear response of metallic nanostructures can be altered by geometric factors, exploring high Q structures such as ring resonators which can exhibit high local-fd enhancements outside the metal.

For more details please contact: Dr Julian Moger

Funding

The studentship offers tuition fees and a maintenance grant and is available to international applicants.

Applications should include a CV, publications list, contact details for two professional referees, and should be sent to Dr Julian Moger, School of Physics, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QL

The admission process for PhD studentships is detailed here.

Membrane biophysics

Multi-photon imaging and analysis of Brownian motion will be used to investigate the molecular origins of membrane elasticity and to understand the role of the cell membrane in diseases ranging from diabetes to atherosclerosis, leading to the development of novel therapeutic approaches.

For more details please contact: Dr Peter Petrov

Funding

The studentship offers tuition fees and a maintenance grant and is available to international applicants.

Applications should include a CV, publications list, contact details for two professional referees, and should be sent to Dr Peter Petrov, School of Physics, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QL

The admission process for PhD studentships is detailed here.

Physics of Perception

Hardware and software will be developed for a multimodal computer interface that allows realistic encounters with virtual objects by means of a touch stimulator with multiple contactors on the fingertip.

This work follows on from two successful EU-funded collaborations to develop a multimodal computer interface for the display of virtual objects. The Exeter contribution to those projects was a prototype system to present virtual surface texture to the skin, by means of a touch stimulator with multiple contactors on the fingertip. The virtual object is described in software and active exploration by the user generates the appropriate touch stimuli to represent encounters with virtual objects. The proposed project is intended to develop this system, in terms of both hardware and software, with the intention of producing realistic virtual surfaces.

For more details please contact: Dr Ian Summers or visit http://newton.ex.ac.uk/research/biomedical/tactile/.

Funding

The studentship offers tuition fees and a maintenance grant and is available to international applicants.

Applications should include a CV, publications list, contact details for two professional referees, and should be sent to Dr Ian Summers, School of Physics, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QL

The admission process for PhD studentships is detailed here.

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