Mapping microplastics around the British coast
PROFESSOR FAY COUCEIRO
In July 2023, a team of six ocean rowers set a new Guinness World Record for the fastest female team to complete the GB Row Challenge. As well as completing this remarkable feat, the team has collected valuable data on microplastics, temperature, noise pollution and biodiversity which will be analysed by scientists at the University of Portsmouth.
They’ ve collected microplastics using a specially designed sampling system, thanks to an innovative collaboration between the University of Portsmouth scientists and engineers from Harwin and Porvair Filtration Group. Tackling the hidden crisis of microplastic pollution will be a defining global challenge of the century. From our shores to the world’ s oceans, the lessons we learn here echo around the Earth.
Developing innovative cancer diagnosis technologies
DR PRIYANKA DEY
Dr Priyanka Dey has been named one of the world’ s top 20 rising stars for her work to help speed up cancer diagnosis. The American Chemical Society journal highlighted her pioneering research to develop new technology. This tech can detect and locate cancer in a patient’ s body without them having to undergo a surgical biopsy. It is revolutionary.
Dr Dey’ s research group has modified an analytical tool known as Raman spectroscopy, so that it works as a biomedical technology. They’ re developing tiny molecular‘ trackers’, which are made from intelligent gold beads, organised into specific structures, and coated with functional molecules. When injected into a patient, the trackers can locate different types of cancer. A specialised Raman instrument detects the trackers’ signal from outside the body. This makes cancer diagnoses a far less painful and more efficient process.
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