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Overview

An aerosol is a suspension of particles or droplets in the air and includes airborne dusts, mists, fumes or smoke. The suspended particles maintain their physical properties of their solid or liquid state, but they behave like a vapour. Bioaerosols are airborne particles of biological origin, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, pollen and toxins. Depending on particle size, composition, shape and concentration, aerosol and bioaerosol particles can cause adverse health effects in workers. Adverse health effects can be either short or long term. Safety hazards may include fire or explosions.

Currently, technology for real-time detection and identification of bioaerosols is not fully developed, and monitoring systems are not widely utilised. The E3 - Future Biodetection Technologies Research Hub will target the gaps in knowledge about the characteristics and dynamics of bioaerosols in outdoor and indoor environments and their impact on health, climate and ecosystems.

This PhD project aims to develop a proof-of-concept for a portable BioPM sensor exploiting some novel physical phenomenon where electron-photon interaction could be exploited in some solid-state device platforms to mimic this interaction. The absorb photons could give off their energy in several ways including to electrons inside the semiconductor device that would in turn could be detected. In this project we will design and fabricate several novel sensor devices and detect at least three bands out of 16 wavelength bands of fluorescence measurement, from 298 – 735nm, as a proof of concept.

Project Focus:

A smart and agile environmental sensor is something every environmental researcher and professional dreams of—mainly because it doesn’t exist yet. The goal here is to lay the groundwork for revolutionising how BioPM is detected. Imagine a BioPM chip in every home and car; it would completely change how we understand our environment, similar to how COâ‚‚ sensors in air conditioning systems have made energy-efficient climate control possible. The focus of this research will be on delivering a successful proof of concept, and if the results are positive, we’ll explore the best path to commercialisation.

Objectives:

• Develop and deliver proof-of-concept demonstrator sensor technologies,
• Develop optical-fluorescence spectral libraries for a chip-based system relevant to multichannel UV-LIF measurements.

Why ÃÀ¼§¸ó?

ÃÀ¼§¸ó Defence and Security (CDS) in ÃÀ¼§¸ó is known for its world-class expertise and unrivalled large-scale facilities and partnerships with industry, government and business allowing to create, curate and transform knowledge to develop solution for societal challenges. 

The project team brings together a diverse specialism and capabilities in development of sensors for the detection, quantification and characterization of a range of chemical and biological hazards as well as their application in real world at different scales and environments.  This studentship is funded by Research England Expanding Excellence in England (E3) fund as a part of Future Biodetection Technologies Hub.

Unique Selling Points

You will be part of the dynamic Aerobiosense Research Group at ÃÀ¼§¸ó, as well as the broader Future Biodetection Technologies Hub. There will be opportunities for collaboration, training, and placement with research groups at other Hub partner institutions (University of Hertfordshire), or at external partner facilities and end users. Additionally, resources will be available to support researchers' engagement activities at conferences, seminars, and workshops, as well as the production of market analyses for new technology areas.

What will you Learn?

This PhD offer a wide array of transferable skills such as project management, data analysis, problem solving, critical thinking, and effective communication. There will also be opportunities for postdoctoral progression within the Hub.

Expected Results:

The knowledge gained from this investigation will inform the design and development of future solid-state compact sensors for bioaerosols detection.

• The findings of this investigation will be a significant contribution to advancing technological capabilities to detect and characterise bioaerosols emission from various indoor-outdoor environments,
• This knowledge is critical to developing venue and scenario specific bioaerosols emission control strategies and enhancing environmental health management capabilities.