Are you interested in using optical imaging, sensing or devices to help tackle economic and social challenges in developing countries? The University of Kent is offering up to 10 PhD scholarships for candidates who wish to work on projects related to global challenges, and we are happy to support applicants who would like to carry out all or part of their research in the Applied Optics Group.
Application deadline: 18th January 2021
Projects should by student-led, but we are happy to support and advise you in preparing and writing a proposal that aligns with one of our areas of research (i.e. which we can support with research equipment and supervisory expertise) and which is appropriate for these scholarships. We have suggested four broad areas of research below, if you would like to discuss a project proposal in one of these areas please contact the academic listed. These are not exhaustive, we are happy to hear from you if you have other for projects related to our areas of expertise, please contact the academic you think would be the closest fit, or if in unsure the Head of Group, Prof Adrian Podoleanu in the first instance.
For more general information on the scholarship scheme, see the GCDC web-pages.
Please make contact with us directly before applying.
For general information about PhD research in the Applied Optics Group, see our PhD study pages.
Suggested research areas:
- Optical imaging for environmental enteric dysfunction (EED)
- Optical coherence tomography eye imaging for infants and children
- Low cost eye imaging device for low resource settings
- Novel PV/T designs for Sub-Saharan Africa
Optical imaging for environmental enteric dysfunction (EED)
Collaborating with academics from Imperial College London, University of Zambia, Queen Mary University of London
Miniaturised, portable and endoscopic microscopes allow diagnosis and monitoring of disease in low-resource settings. In the Applied Optics Group at Kent we are developing fluorescence and holographic fibre-based endoscopic microscopes, and applications are welcomed from students who would like to develop these devices further towards specific applications in ODAC countries.
One area of particular interest is to develop technology for the monitoring of digestion and for identifying key biomarkers of environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) in Zambia. EED is a chronic condition of the small intestine which, while without obvious symptoms, is strongly associated with stunting and poor developmental outcomes for children – levels of stunting in Zambia are around 40%, far above Government and WHO target levels of 20% by 2025. Successful large-scale intervention to tackle EED in countries such as Zambia is hampered by a lack of clearly understood biomarkers for a condition which does not manifest overt symptoms.
This work would be conducted with collaborators including Dr Alex Thompson at Imperial College London and Prof Paul Kelly at University of Zambia/QMUL.
Further background on optical imaging for EED: A. Thompson, M. Hughes et al., The potential role of optical biopsy in the study and diagnosis of environmental enteric dysfunction, Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology 14 (2017) https://doi.org/10.1038/nrgastro.2017.147
Endoscopic and point-of-care microscopy at Kent: https://research.kent.ac.uk/applied-optics/hughes
Optical coherence tomography eye imaging for infants and children
According to the World Health Organization, the number of children suffering from preventable blindness is rapidly increasing. Currently there are more than 1.5 million blind children worldwide. Three-quarters of them live in the poorest regions of Africa and Asia.
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a diagnostic imaging technique that provides cross-sectional images of human retinal morphology in-vivo. As it provides information on the retinal architecture of the eye beyond that obtained by conventional ophthalmic methods, OCT has become a standard diagnostic tool for management of retinal diseases in human adults.
As the most common causes of ocular visual impairment are retinal diseases, more specific the retinopathy of prematurity and glaucoma, there is a need to further develop the current, OCT technology, for use in young children. The project will be focused on devising techniques and solutions to be used in not age-specific, fast OCT eye imaging instruments, capable to overcome difficulties in imaging children’s eye, such as those due to,
- rapid increase in the axial length of infant eye
- temporal refractive error shifts from myopia to hyperopia
- steeper corneal curvatures, and greater astigmatism than in adults
- limited cooperation ability of children required for OCT imaging.
Low cost eye imaging device for low resource settings
Collaborating with Mr. Ranjan Rajendram, Institute of Ophthalmology London
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive high-resolution imaging modality, with extensive applications in medical imaging, with an established market in ophthalmology, cardiology and dermatology, and with numerous other fields of medicine subject to intensive OCT research. OCT by excellence, can give access to depth resolved information, selected via coherence gating.
Podoleanu and the Applied Optics Group (AOG) is at the forefront of OCT developments. AOG has demonstrated the first ever OCT en-face image of the retina (1996) and invented the first combined OCT – scanning laser ophthalmoscope (1998), OCT/SLO combination now used worldwide.
Need for early detection of retinal disease in Low/ Middle Income countries (LMIC), with particular reference to Diabetic Retinopathy/ Diabetic Maculopathy
African population-based studies have suggested that posterior segment eye diseases are highly prevalent, and this group of disorders, which includes age related macula degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma, has been highlighted as either the leading or second leading cause of blindness in surveys undertaken in Cameroon[1], Tanzania[2], Kenya[3], Rwanda[4], Zanzibar[5], and Guinea[6]. The International Diabetes Federation[7] has estimated that the number of adults diagnosed with diabetes in Africa will increase from 12.1 million in 2010 to 23.9 million in 2030. Incidence of sight threatening diabetic retinopathy was approximately 3 times that reported in recent European studies. The negative association of HIV infection with retinopathy progression is a new finding. Limited resource settings areas are found outside Africa, in other countries on the DAC list of ODA recipients such as Brazil, where Ranjan Rajendram already conducted clinical trips and so, he is highly experienced to provide significant inputs to the co-supervision.
Commercial OCT systems are highly priced and bulky, in the range of £100K. More accessible OCT technology is necessary to help identify people at an earlier stage before irreversible sight-loss occurs and connect them to local health workers. The cost of treating patients is a problem particularly in LMICs, early detection and prevention are vital.
Diabetes has been described by the WHO as “a global pandemic”. In 2030, 10% of the global adult population will have diabetes – many of whom will be unaware. 80% of these will reside in LMIC[8].
This PhD project will research a compact, highly portable OCT instrument that can be used to image the eye of patients in low resource settings, with a much lower cost than currently available commercial systems. A highly imaginative applicant is sought to bring to practice a patented adapter[9] by A. Podoleanu, that can transform a commercial grade digital camera or the camera in a smart phone into a depth resolved OCT measuring instrument, to be used in the field.
[1] Oye JE, Kuper H (2007) Prevalence and causes of blindness and visual impairment in Limbe urban area, South West Province, Cameroon. Br J Ophthalmol 91: 1435–1439.
[2] Habiyakire C, Kabona G, Courtright P, Lewallen S (2010) Rapid assessment of avoidable blindness and cataract surgical services in kilimanjaro region, Tanzania. Ophthalmic Epidemiol 17: 90–94.
[3] Mathenge W, Kuper H, Limburg H, Polack S, Onyango O, et al. (2007) Rapid assessment of avoidable blindness in Nakuru district, Kenya. Ophthalmology 114: 599–605.
[4] Mathenge W, Nkurikiye J, Limburg H, Kuper H (2007) Rapid assessment of avoidable blindness in Western Rwanda: blindness in a postconflict setting. PLoS Med 4: e217. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.0040217.
[5] Kikira S (2007) RAAB survey of Pemba and Unguja islands, Zanzibar. Community Eye Health 20: 71.
[6] Moser CL, Martin-Baranera M, Vega F, Draper V, Gutierrez J, et al. (2002) Survey of blindness and visual impairment in Bioko, Equatorial Guinea, Br J Ophthalmol 86: 257–260.
[7] Philip I. Burgess, Simon P. Harding, Marta García-Fiñana, Nicholas A.V. Beare, Gerald Msukwa, Theresa J. Allain, First Prospective Cohort Study of Diabetic Retinopathy from Sub-Saharan Africa, High Incidence and Progression of Retinopathy and Relationship to Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection, American Academy of Ophthalmology, 123(9), 2016, 1919-1925.
[8] Yau, Rogers et al. (2012) Global Prevalence and major risk factors for diabetic retinopathy, Diabetes Care, 5(3): 556-564.
[9] US8619184, A. Podoleanu, Camera Adapter Based Optical Imaging Apparatus.
Novel PV/T designs for Sub-Saharan Africa
Universal access to electricity through the provision of affordable and clean energy is one of UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Of all world regions, Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has the lowest energy access, and despite the rapid rise in the use of off-grid systems in that region, the economic difficulties arising from the Covid-19 crisis are unravelling recently made gains. Currently more than 50% of SSA is without access, with fewer households predicted to be able to cover energy costs in the first part of this decade, so achieving universal access to electricity by 2030 will require innovative, low cost designs compatible with household and community off-grid systems.
With a higher energy conversion efficiency, Photovoltaic/Thermal (PV/T) systems are superior to the more ubiquitous PV panels as that they enable the conversion of infrared radiation (otherwise wasted) into energy stored as heat. Their cost and installation complexity have prevented a wider take up and research continues apace in both those directions and load balancing to achieve optimal PV efficiency (known to be higher when the panels run cooler).
The University’s School of Physical Sciences has been collaborating with Convert Energy Ltd for several years in bringing unit costs down and making installation simpler through novel elements in the design of concentrated solar collectors for PV/T and control systems.
The project will leverage Convert Energy’s capabilities and access to trial sites in the UK and elsewhere to focus on the particular challenges of operating with high temperature heat (not encountered at northern latitudes) and target additional cost reduction innovations such as a more reliable optical design for solar collectors (suitable for SSA countries) together with simple deployment kits that would not require expert installations and maintenance, using 3-D printed parts as much as possible, with the stated aim of reducing the installed cost to below 150% of a similar size PV system.