Fully Funded EPSRC and Grove Materials Ltd PhD Scholarship: Designer Nanoparticles for Biomedicine and Energy: Physics Meets Biology and Chemistry

Funding providers: EPSRC (CASE) with co-sponsor, Grove Nanomaterials Limited

Subject areas: Nanotechnology, physics, chemistry, biotechnology 

Project start date: 

• 1 January 2025 
• 1 April 2025 
• 1 July 2025 

Supervisors:

• Professor R E Palmer (Mechanical Engineering - r.e.palmer@swansea.ac.uk)
• Dr T Maffeis (Electronic and Electrical Engineering)
• Dr K Cooke (Grove Materials- Industrial supervisor)

Aligned programme of study: PhD in Nanotechnology

Mode of study: Full-time 

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: 

• 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.
• 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.

(Please visit our website for more on the project description) 

Eligibility

Candidates must hold a UK Bachelor degree with a minimum of Upper Second Class honours in Engineering or similar relevant science discipline, or overseas Bachelor degree deemed equivalent to UK Bachelor (by UK ECCTIS) and achieved a grade equivalent to UK Upper Second Class honours in Engineering or similar relevant science discipline – see country specific qualifications.

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. 

Please note that you may need to provide evidence of your English Language proficiency.

If you have any questions regarding your academic or fee eligibility based on the above, please email pgrscholarships@swansea.ac.uk with the web-link to the scholarship(s) you are interested in. 

Funding Details

Additional Funding Information

This scholarship covers the full cost of UK tuition fees and an annual stipend at £19,237 for four years.

Additional research expenses of up to £1000 per year will also be available.

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