Duration: 4 years (1st year - MSc in Warwick University and Year 2-4 - PhD in Cardiff University)

Start date: MSc is 1st Oct 2014 and PhD is 1st Oct 2015 (You must apply to both universities, initially to Cardiff). The candidate who is offered the PhD will then register for an MSc at Warwick in Oct 2014 before starting the PhD in Cardiff in Oct 2015)

PhD - Lead Supervisor(s): Prof. Paola Borri (BorriP@cf.ac.uk), School of Biosciences, Dr. Oliver Williams, School of Physics, Dr. Phil Davies, School of Chemistry, Cardiff University

MSc - Mini-project supervisors: Prof. Paul May, School of Chemistry Bristol University “Structural (SEM and TEM) analysis of nanodiamonds”, Prof. John Foord, Department of Chemistry, Oxford University ”Characterisation of surface functionality of nanodiamonds”

Brief project description : Optical microscopy is an indispensable tool in cell biology, and is still the only practical means of obtaining high spatial and temporal resolution within living cells and tissues. Solid state inorganic nanoparticles hold a great promise as optical labels in the quest for microscopy with superior photostability and reduced toxicity. Recently, nanodiamonds (NDs) have gained world-wide attention due to their inexpensive large scale synthesis, particle sizes down to few nm, high bio-compatibility and the simple and versatile surface bioconjugation of organic chemistry [1]. Their application in optical microscopy of living cells is however still at an early stage.

The purpose of this project is to demonstrate a new imaging modality with NDs as optical labels that will enable the observation of living cells with a superior combination of photostability, absence of phototoxicity, high three-dimensional spatial resolution and molecular specificity. The technique will visualise NDs via coherent nonlinear light-matter interaction effects, namely electronically resonant Four-Wave Mixing (FWM) and vibrationally resonant Coherent Antistokes Raman Scattering (CARS) [2]. In a recent pilot study we have demonstrated CARS of single NDs in the 100nm size range, and deduced a sensitivity limit down to the 20nm size. The purpose of this project is to push the technology further into imaging small NDs inside living cells, and use specifically-designed surface bioconjugation such that NDs are internalised via targeted endocytic pathways.

The Diamond Science and Technology (DST) Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) involves a consortium of eight UK universities (Warwick, Aberystwyth, Bristol, Cardiff, Imperial, Newcastle, Oxford, and Strathclyde, forty academic partners) and over thirty companies, along with many international partners. Students will undertake a purpose designed MSc (Year 1) in Diamond Science and Technology based at Warwick University, but taught by academics from partner universities and industry. As part of the MSc students will undertake two, ten week mini-projects at two different universities (or industrial partner) which link to the theme of their chosen PhD (years 2-4). You are strongly encouraged to contact the lead PhD supervisor to discuss the project before making an application. For more information see http://www.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/dst/

You must apply to both Warwick for the MSc using the Warwick Online Application Form - state MSc in Diamond Science and Technology -http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/dst/about/how-to-apply/
and Cardiff University's Doctor of Philosophy (Biosciences) (October 2015 Start), http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/regis/general/applyonline/biosipgr.html stating "Novel multiphoton microscopy of living cells using nanodiamonds " in the research project title and "EPSRC funded PhD Studentship in Diamond Science and Technology" for funding.

There are more detailed info on the application process on the Warwick web site:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/dst/about/how-to-apply/

References:

[1] V. N. Mochalin, O. Shenderova, D. Ho, and Y. Gogotsi, Nature Nanotechnology 7, 11 (2012); [2] A. Zumbusch, W. Langbein, and P. Borri, Progress in Lipid Research 52, 615 (2013).