PhD Studentship in Pharmaceutics - Design and Testing of 3D Printed Prototypes to Tune the Fingertip Unit for Paediatric Dermatological Lesions

Award Summary

100% of home tuition fees paid and an annual stipend (living expenses) at the UKRI rate (£20,780 for 2025/26). This funding is designed to support Home students only. 

Overview

The fingertip unit (FTU) describes an anatomical ratio between the fingertip and an area of two palms. It enables patients to apply a consistent amount of drug to their skin, effectively controlling dosage variability from day to day. Thought to be a superior alternative to the relatively ambiguous advice of, “apply sparingly”. The FTU is calculated by assuming that a perfect cylinder is extruded onto a patient’s finger, this simple approximation enables the practitioner to determine the quantity of applied drug substance onto the skin. These simple logical steps transformed clinical practice and today the FTU remains the best means to ensure a consistent dose of a topical product. But there is a problem. Many patients who live with dermatological conditions require treatment for lesions of small sizes. 

Although it is possible to tune the FTU by changing the nozzle size, it may not be practical or economically feasible to expect manufacturers to develop nozzles of various sizes to enable facile dosing for small patches of skin. In this project we will employ the use of a 3D printer to produce prototype devices which could be attached onto any topical product to adjust the nozzle size, and thus, the FTU. Our preliminary work has shown that such an adapter can enable a consistent dose to be extruded and spread onto simulated paediatric lesions, where one FTU now covers an area of just two fingers. We seek to refine this initial design. 

Number Of Awards

1

Start Date

January 2026 

Award Duration

3 years 

Application Closing Date

3 October 2025

Sponsor

Faculty of Medical Sciences 

Supervisors

Dr Oisín N. Kavanagh 

Eligibility Criteria

A 2:1 honours degree, or international equivalent, in a relevant subject. A Masters with strong research training element would be highly advantageous. This funding is designed to support Home students only. 

If your first language is not English you need an overall IELTS score of 6.5 (at least 5.5 in all sub-skills) or equivalent language qualification. 

How To Apply

You must apply through the University’s Apply to Newcastle Portal 

In ‘Course choice’ tab, put ‘Postgraduate Research’ in 'Type of Study', ‘Full Time’ in ‘Mode of Study’, ‘2025’ in ‘Year of Entry’, code ‘8440F’ in ‘Course Title’, blank in ‘Research Area’. Press ‘Search’, select ‘PhD Translational and Clinical Research (FT)’, and save selection. 

Either upload a document or write into ‘Personal Statement’. Put code ‘TC123’ in ‘Studentship/Partnership Reference’. When prompted for research proposal, select ‘Write Proposal’. Type in the title of the research project from this advert. A research proposal is not required. You can also upload a covering letter and CV, please state how your interests and experience relate to the project. 

You must submit one application per studentship, you cannot apply for multiple studentships on one application. 

Contact Details

oisin.kavanagh@newcastle.ac.uk 

07784622354 

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