Two researchers awarded prestigious fellowships
Published: 25 May 2010
Two researchers have been awarded fellowships in the prestigious Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) and Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) scheme.
Two researchers from the University of Glasgow have been awarded fellowships in the prestigious Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) and Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) scheme.
Dr Manlio Tassieri, a research associate in Electronics and Electrical Engineering, and Physics and Astronomy research fellow Dr Debbie Gunning have both received funding to pursue their own research interests for the next five years.
The aim of Dr Tassieri’s research will be to come up with new instruments and tools for measuring fundamental information on the nature of macromolecular interactions in solution. This could help provide a better understanding of pathological processes and be used to explore the interaction of new medicines with proteins and cells.
He said: “It’s a great honour to have been awarded a RAEng/EPSRC fellowship to continue my research into this important area of work, which will give us a better understanding of the mechanical interactions within biological and bio-analytical systems. I am particularly interested in sensing both intra- and inter-molecular binding events occurring at THz frequencies.”
Dr Gunning will research 3D networks of neurons in unprecedented detail by studying thin slices of the brain in vitro.
The project proposed will realise a system for extracellular recording and electrical stimulation of cortical neurons. The key component in this system will be a high-density array of 512 micro-needles capable of penetrating into neural tissue, unparalleled in terms of volume, area and density.
She said: “To study and further the understanding of brain functions is essential for developing treatments for disorders, such as epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease and paralysis.
“However, the vastness and complexity of cell networks in the brain make this an enormous and almost incomprehensible task. This prestigious fellowship will enable me to undertake research which will hopefully shed more light on how networks of neurons in the brain function.”
Professor Steve Beaumont, Vice Principal Research and Enterprise, added: “I would like to congratulate Dr Tassieri and Dr Gunning on securing these highly competitive awards. It is an outstanding achievement for the University to be awarded two of these prestigious fellowships in a single year.
“This is testament to the high calibre of our early career researchers and the quality of the research environment provided by the University of Glasgow.”
For more information contact Nicolas White in the University of Glasgow Media Relations Office on 0141 330 3535 or email n.white@admin.gla.ac.uk
First published: 25 May 2010
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