PhD Studentship - Novel Method Development and Applications in Electron Paramagnetic Resonance

Research theme: Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Quantum Information Processing

Deadline: All year round

Positions: 1

This 4 year PhD studentship is supported by the Royal Society and the University of Manchester and will provide a tax free stipend set at the UKRI rate (£19,237 for 2024/25) and fees for a home (UK) student.

A 4-year PhD studentship in novel method development and applications in Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) is available in the group of Dr Alice Bowen.

EPR is a technique that allows systems with centres that possess unpaired electrons, such as radicals, metal centres and photo-excited triplet states to be studied. Information on the interactions of these EPR active centres with each other and their environment can be determined allowing information on the state of the system to be determined. Manipulation of the spin-states of the centres using microwaves can also be used to implement quantum gates which are the building blocks of quantum information processing algorithms.

Dr Bowen’s group specialise in the development and application of novel methods in EPR which are used to study a variety of systems from determining biological structures such as proteins to studying candidate molecular qubit systems for Quantum Information Processing. In particular, the group focuses on the study of light induced species and processes by coupling light sources such as lasers and LEDs into the spectrometer systems.

The direction of the project can be in part driven by the interests of the student appointed. Possible project directions include; Applications in QIP - such as using light to generate triplet states on chromophores that can modulate the coupling between EPR active centres providing an avenue for implementation of quantum gates; Development and optimisation of EPR methodology and equipment to improve sensitivity and signal to noise in experimental results; Biological structural determination – such as using light to generate EPR active centres on proteins in cells, to allow determination of biological structural properties in near native conditions.

PhD projects in EPR typically involve a combination of spectroscopy with either sample preparation (e.g. synthesis or protein expression) or computational simulations.

The University of Manchester is a fantastic location for EPR research, with unique state-of-the-art facilities. Within the Photon Science Institute is housed the EPSRC funded National Research Facility for EPR (www.chemistry.manchester.ac.uk/epr), of which Dr Bowen is a member. In addition, Dr Bowen’s group collaborate with Scientists at the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology (www.mib.manchester.ac.uk), with the University of Manchester Molecular Magnets Group (www.molmag.manchester.ac.uk) and with the broader Department of Chemistry at Manchester University (www.chemistry.manchester.ac.uk).

Projects in Dr. Bowen’s group would suit a student with interests in spectroscopy, analytical and physical methods with a background in Chemistry, Physics, Biochemistry or Natural Sciences.

Interested students are encouraged to contact Dr Bowen via email (alice.bowen@mancheser.ac.uk) for informal discussions as soon as possible.

This project is highly interdisciplinary and could suit applicants from a wide variety of scientific backgrounds as the direction of the project can be driven, in part, by the interest of the student undertaking the work. Applicants are expected to hold (or about to obtain) a minimum upper second-class undergraduate honours degree (or equivalent) in a related scientific subject such as Chemistry, Physics, Biochemistry or Natural Sciences. Applicants with previous experience of research projects either as part of their undergraduate degree program or through placements/work experience are particularly encouraged to apply.

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