Research

We are leaders in Raman microspectroscopy and microscopic imaging. We develop new spectroscopic instrumentation based on modern photonics technology and new chemometric and other image processing methods for generation of hyperspectral image contrast. A core interest is the chemistry that governs the properties of musculo-skeletal tissues.

Our work is interdisciplinary and requires close collaboration with biomedical research groups in the medical and dental schools and in the engineering college. Uniquely within the chemistry department, we operate a core Raman spectroscopy facility that brings graduate students and postdoctoral fellows into contact with life scientists from across the university for short and long-term projects.

Research Focus

Our work can be broadly divided into four areas:
1. Disease, damage and development of bone tissue and cartilage.
2. In vivo Raman spectrsocopy and tomography of bone and other tissue
3. Optical measurements of nanometer scale motion of molecules and tissue
4. Properties of biomaterials.