Our
people
Dr Kevin Critchley
Title
BHRC Senior Translational Research FellowAddress
School of Physics
University of Leeds
Leeds
LS2 9JT
BHRC Role
BHRC STRF
Research Interests
Quantum dots; Self-Assembly, Nanotechnology; Nanoscience; Nanoparticles; Surface functionalisation; Nanowires; Self-assembled monolayers; fuorescence imaging.
About
I started my research career at the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Leeds. My initial focus was on the photopatterning of self-assembled monolayers on both metal and silicon surfaces. The work was done in collaboration with Sekio-EPSON, Japan. After completing my PhD I continued in Leeds as a researcher in nanoelectronics. This involved both the fabrication and charaterisation of nanowires using a four probe STM. Following this post I was awarded an EU Marie Curie Outgoing Fellowship and choose to work for Prof. Kotov at the University of Michigan for two years, working on the self-assembly of nanowires and quantum dots.
I am interested in the use of quantum dots for medical applications such as early tumor detection. I have started a collaboration with Prof. Mark Hull and Dr. Louise Coletta (LIMM, Leeds). In this work we are demonstrating that quantum dots can target cancer cells in cellular level (in vitro) experiments. Although this work is still at an early stage it shows great promise. I also have ambitious aim of including paramagnetic properties to the quantum dots. Paramagnet particles can give enhanced contrast in magnetic resonance imaging. Therefore the same paramagnetic quantum dots can be detected and give contrast for fluorescence and magnetic resonance imaging. Multimodal imaging with quantum dots would give clinicians greater confidence in identifying image features from artefacts and also give a wide range of resolution from microns (fluorescence) to centimeters and upwards (MRI). This area of research is very much in it infancy and is certainly an exciting prospect.
Collaboration
Prof. N.A. Kotov, University of Michigan, USA
Prof Rik Bryson and Dr Mike Ward, University of Leeds
Dr. Hugh Summers, University of Swansea
Prof. Mark Hull and Sarah Perry (St James Hospital/University of Leeds)
Dr Louise Coletta
Prof. J. Preece, University of Birmingham
Dr. Paula Mendes
Prof. Graham Leggett, University of Sheffield
Dr Hitoshi Fukishima , Seiko EPSON, Japan
Dr. P. Podsiadlo , University of Chicago
Prof. Eugene R. Zubarev, Rice University
Prof. Ewlyn Isaac, University of Leeds
Dr. Mebs Serve, Paraytec (York)
Prof. Stephen Evans
Prof Richard Bushby, University of Leeds
Grants Awarded
EU Marie Curie Outgoing Fellowship (2007-2010)
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