Fully Funded UK Shared Prosperity Fund MSc by Research Scholarship: Designer Nanoparticles for Biomedicine and Energy: Physics Meets Biology and Chemistry

Funding providers: UK Shared Prosperity Fund via Neath Port Talbot Council and Grove Nanomaterials

Subject areas: The research will overlap subjects such as Materials Engineering, Physics, Physical Chemistry / Engineering, or Biomedical Sciences and wider disciplines.

Start date: 

• 1 October 2024 (Enrolment open from mid-September)

Project description: 

Nanostructured materials already play a vital role in society. For example, the red lines on a Covid test are nanoscale gold particles. The conventional approach to their production employs solvents and chemicals which present health hazards and environmental challenges. In this project we will exploit breakthroughs in one of two connected areas, according to the expertise of the student: 

1. Development of nanoscale physics-based experimental methods, where Swansea is world leader, to achieve solvent-free synthesis and scale-up of soluble, ligand-capped metal nanoparticles of size 1-100 nm.
2. Conjugation of the nanoparticles at source with detector molecules chosen to recognise an infectious agent or a biomarker. This will be a completely new method to tether proteins to metal clusters for diagnostics.

Examples of the metal nanoparticles are gold for medical diagnostics and cancer treatment; iridium and platinum for clean energy (hydrogen); and silicon for photonics and solar. They will be characterised by state-of-the-art methods including XPS, SEM, TEM, dynamic light scattering, optical methods and mass spec. The production methods will combine atomistic and molecular (including protein molecule) deposition in vacuum with wafer and roll-to-roll technology, and post-processing to harvest nanoparticles on a scale beginning with grams, heading for kilograms and with the potential for tonnes – representing a revolutionary paradigm-shift in (bio) materials manufacturing at the interface between science frontiers and technological and medical applications. 

The project will suit an excellent student who enjoys design, practical experimental work, computer modelling and innovative ideas and wishes to contribute to a healthy planet. Your background could be in physics, physical chemistry/engineering, or biomedical sciences, and your role will be tuned accordingly. You will have good communication and teamwork skills, and an international outlook.

Eligibility

Candidates must hold a UK bachelor’s degree with a minimum of Upper Second Class honours or overseas bachelor’s degree deemed equivalent to UK honours (by UK ECCTIS) and achieved a grade equivalent to UK Upper Second Class honours in Engineering or similar relevant science discipline. If you are eligible to apply for the scholarship but do not hold a UK degree, you can check our comparison entry requirements. Please note that you may need to provide evidence of your English Language proficiency.

Due to funding restrictions, this scholarship is open to applicants eligible to pay tuition fees at the UK rate only, as defined by UKCISA regulations.

Salary Information

Additional Salary Information

This scholarship covers the full cost of tuition fees and a stipend of £13,000.

Additional research expenses will also be available.

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