Research Interests
Overall I'm interested in engineering solutions to biological challenges, e.g. bioprocessing in exploitation of microalgae, manufacture of cellular therapies, isolation of stem cell products, monitoring of waterborne pathogens, tracking antimicrobial resistance in the environment. We mostly work with microfluidic technologies, particularly inertial focussing systems.
CURRENT WORK:
Replacing Centrifugation for Cellular Therapy Manufacture
We are utilising inertial focusing microfluidics to efficiently exchange media at various stages of cellular manufacturing processes, in collaboration with the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service.
Dewatering of Microalgae
Catherine Hill is working on an IBioIC and uFraction8 funded project, utilising inertial focusing, and similar systems, for algae dewatering. Her first results have demonstrated high throughput, low power, high recovery dewatering (publication under review at Algal Research) and she is now exploring any impact of the processing on the algae and the concentration limits of the system.
Paper Microfluidics
SULSA Seed Funding is covering development of paper microfluidics for water quality testing, developing systems for private water supply end-users. In collaboration with University of Glasgow, James Hutton Institute and Cranfield. This builds on work funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering Frontiers in Engineering scheme.
Antimicrobial Resistance in the Environment
I am leading a NERC funded project in collaboration with University of Edinburgh, James Hutton Institute, Indian Institute of Technology Madras and Indian Institute of Technology Rourkee to develop novel sensors to monitor the presence of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), and their co-selectors, in water. The team is also undertaking sampling in India to model the interactions between heavy metals and antimicrobials in water and how their presence influences ARGs.
ARREST-TB
At Heriot-Watt we are working on sample preparation of TB bacteria for subsequent PCR based detection. I am also leading the public engagement activities related to this EU grant.
PREVIOUS PROJECTS:
Inertial Focusing for Stem Cell Purification
Ewa Guzniczak worked on an IBioIC, and Epigem, funded project and developed systems enabling effective, label-free purification of manufactured red blood cells.
Novel Materials for Sample Processing
When monitoring for waterborne pathogens, sample processing is a key step to enrich and isolate the pathogen of interest from the huge amount of particulate matter in water. We worked with protozoan pathogens and studied their interactions with new materials and identified polymers to improve the recovery rate from filters. Projects here are in collaboration with Professor Mark Bradley at the University of Edinburgh, industry partners such as IDEXX and Parker Hannefin and Dr Moushumi Ghosh at Thapar University in India. The work was funded by an Impact Acceleration Award from Heriot-Watt and a UKIERI award.
Microfluidic Technologies for Pathogen Enrichment
BBSRC Industrial Case Award with Scottish Water; Royal Society Research Grant 2011; EU Aquavalens
Heriot-Watt lead the technology component of the EU grant Aquavalens (www.aquavalens.org)
Brian Miller and John McGrath were both PhD students working on different aspects of using microfluidics for the concentration and separation of protozoan pathogens, graduating in 2015 and 2016. Brian has now started uFraction8, based on a patent awarded during his PhD studies.
Additionally, a 2012 Heriot-Watt Crucible award enabled collaboration with modellers and other potential end-users of microfluidic separation technologies.
Microfluidics for Biomedical Applications
MRC Confidence in Concept Award 2013
In collaboration with Dr Till Bachmann at the University of Edinburgh David Watson we worked on microfluidic methods of isolating bacteria from blood for subsequent bio marker analysis.
A Raman System for Rapid Pathogen Monitoring
STFC Environmental CLASP award
Together with Dr Robert Thomson the aim was to develop a Raman instrument capable of rapid screening of pathogens, which proved very challenging. However we did demonstrate a way to couple multimode light to an array of SPADs, which could enable efficient multimode wavelength-to-time mapping systems with the spectral performance of single-mode systems.
Detection of Waterborne Pathogens using Biosensors
This project investigated different biosensor technologies for the detection of pathogens, both characterising the surface modifications necessary for pathogen recognition and working with cantilever sensors.
Other Previous Interests
Influence of nanoparticles on protozoan pathogens (Heriot-Watt Crucible funded project with Dr Pamela Cameron and Dr Birgit Gaiser).
Micropollutants monitoring: (Bridle, H., Heringa, M., Schäfer, A., Solid Phase Microextraction to Determine Partition Coefficients for Micropollutant Interactions with Organic Matter in Water, manuscript prepared); supervision of Thanh Hieu Ngo who worked on developing new approaches to detect hormones on polymer filter membranes.
Socio-economic perspectives on the value of water and water monitoring as well as promoting behaviour change using gaming/visualisations/apps, e.g. To reduce water use (Scottish Crucible funded project).
CURRENT WORK:
Replacing Centrifugation for Cellular Therapy Manufacture
We are utilising inertial focusing microfluidics to efficiently exchange media at various stages of cellular manufacturing processes, in collaboration with the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service.
Dewatering of Microalgae
Catherine Hill is working on an IBioIC and uFraction8 funded project, utilising inertial focusing, and similar systems, for algae dewatering. Her first results have demonstrated high throughput, low power, high recovery dewatering (publication under review at Algal Research) and she is now exploring any impact of the processing on the algae and the concentration limits of the system.
Paper Microfluidics
SULSA Seed Funding is covering development of paper microfluidics for water quality testing, developing systems for private water supply end-users. In collaboration with University of Glasgow, James Hutton Institute and Cranfield. This builds on work funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering Frontiers in Engineering scheme.
Antimicrobial Resistance in the Environment
I am leading a NERC funded project in collaboration with University of Edinburgh, James Hutton Institute, Indian Institute of Technology Madras and Indian Institute of Technology Rourkee to develop novel sensors to monitor the presence of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), and their co-selectors, in water. The team is also undertaking sampling in India to model the interactions between heavy metals and antimicrobials in water and how their presence influences ARGs.
ARREST-TB
At Heriot-Watt we are working on sample preparation of TB bacteria for subsequent PCR based detection. I am also leading the public engagement activities related to this EU grant.
PREVIOUS PROJECTS:
Inertial Focusing for Stem Cell Purification
Ewa Guzniczak worked on an IBioIC, and Epigem, funded project and developed systems enabling effective, label-free purification of manufactured red blood cells.
Novel Materials for Sample Processing
When monitoring for waterborne pathogens, sample processing is a key step to enrich and isolate the pathogen of interest from the huge amount of particulate matter in water. We worked with protozoan pathogens and studied their interactions with new materials and identified polymers to improve the recovery rate from filters. Projects here are in collaboration with Professor Mark Bradley at the University of Edinburgh, industry partners such as IDEXX and Parker Hannefin and Dr Moushumi Ghosh at Thapar University in India. The work was funded by an Impact Acceleration Award from Heriot-Watt and a UKIERI award.
Microfluidic Technologies for Pathogen Enrichment
BBSRC Industrial Case Award with Scottish Water; Royal Society Research Grant 2011; EU Aquavalens
Heriot-Watt lead the technology component of the EU grant Aquavalens (www.aquavalens.org)
Brian Miller and John McGrath were both PhD students working on different aspects of using microfluidics for the concentration and separation of protozoan pathogens, graduating in 2015 and 2016. Brian has now started uFraction8, based on a patent awarded during his PhD studies.
Additionally, a 2012 Heriot-Watt Crucible award enabled collaboration with modellers and other potential end-users of microfluidic separation technologies.
Microfluidics for Biomedical Applications
MRC Confidence in Concept Award 2013
In collaboration with Dr Till Bachmann at the University of Edinburgh David Watson we worked on microfluidic methods of isolating bacteria from blood for subsequent bio marker analysis.
A Raman System for Rapid Pathogen Monitoring
STFC Environmental CLASP award
Together with Dr Robert Thomson the aim was to develop a Raman instrument capable of rapid screening of pathogens, which proved very challenging. However we did demonstrate a way to couple multimode light to an array of SPADs, which could enable efficient multimode wavelength-to-time mapping systems with the spectral performance of single-mode systems.
Detection of Waterborne Pathogens using Biosensors
This project investigated different biosensor technologies for the detection of pathogens, both characterising the surface modifications necessary for pathogen recognition and working with cantilever sensors.
Other Previous Interests
Influence of nanoparticles on protozoan pathogens (Heriot-Watt Crucible funded project with Dr Pamela Cameron and Dr Birgit Gaiser).
Micropollutants monitoring: (Bridle, H., Heringa, M., Schäfer, A., Solid Phase Microextraction to Determine Partition Coefficients for Micropollutant Interactions with Organic Matter in Water, manuscript prepared); supervision of Thanh Hieu Ngo who worked on developing new approaches to detect hormones on polymer filter membranes.
Socio-economic perspectives on the value of water and water monitoring as well as promoting behaviour change using gaming/visualisations/apps, e.g. To reduce water use (Scottish Crucible funded project).
