About the project
This PhD project focuses on developing silicon photonic sensors that can detect early biomarkers of sepsis in children - quickly, accurately, and at the point of care.
Help revolutionise paediatric healthcare by developing cutting-edge silicon photonic sensors for early sepsis detection. Collaborate with leading engineers and clinicians, gain hands-on experience in photonic chip design and clinical validation, and contribute to life-saving diagnostics. Ideal for curious minds in physics or electronic engineering eager to make real-world impact.
Use photonics to help clinicians detect sepsis earlier: sepsis is a serious and fast-moving condition, especially in children, where early diagnosis can make the difference between full recovery and life-threatening complications. Yet current diagnostic tools are often slow, invasive or not well-suited to paediatric care.
This PhD project focuses on developing silicon photonic sensors that can detect early biomarkers of sepsis in children - quickly, accurately, and at the point of care. These compact, light-based chips operate in wavelength regions where key biomarkers have distinct optical signatures, offering a promising route to rapid diagnosis.
You’ll work closely with researchers at the Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC) and clinicians at University Hospital Southampton, combining photonic design and fabrication with real-world clinical insight. A key part of the project will involve validating the sensors using clinical samples, ensuring the technology performs reliably in real healthcare settings.
What you’ll be working on:
- designing and fabricating silicon photonic circuits for biomarker detection
- developing sensing strategies tailored to paediatric sepsis
- validating sensor performance using clinical samples
- collaborating with clinicians to align technology with patient needs
What you’ll gain:
- access to one of Europe’s top academic cleanrooms and photonics labs
- hands-on experience in photonic design, fabrication, and characterisation
- training in biomedical sensing and interdisciplinary collaboration
- a chance to contribute to a technology with direct clinical impact
The School of Optoelectronics (ORC) is committed to promoting equality, diversity inclusivity as demonstrated by our Athena SWAN award. We welcome all applicants regardless of their gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or age, and will give full consideration to applicants seeking flexible working patterns and those who have taken a career break. The University has a generous maternity policy, onsite childcare facilities, and offers a range of benefits to help ensure employees’ well-being and work-life balance. The University of Southampton is committed to sustainability and has been awarded the Platinum EcoAward.
