GROUP MEMBERS
GROUP LEADER: Dr Lewis E. MacKenzie (he/him)
Web links: University of Strathclyde Staff Webpage | Google scholar profile | Bluesky | Twitter
Lewis and a scanning electron microscope. Spot the nanoparticles in the background!
Having originally studied physics and astronomy, Lewis gained his interest in biophotonics from his PhD at the University of Glasgow Imaging Concepts Group (2012-2016), where he applied multispectral imaging to measure blood oxygen in vivo. After this, he discovered upconversion nanoparticles via his postdoctoral research at the University of Leeds working in the Millner BioNanoTechnology group. Subsequently he spent several more years immersed at the interface of chemistry and photonics as a postdoc research circularly polarised luminescence and chiral molecular spectroscopy in the Pal group at Durham University, before gaining a BBSRC Discovery Fellowship in 2020 and joining the University of Strathclyde as a Chancellors Fellow / group leader in 2021.
Lewis teaches the Level 2 undergraduate course ‘CH213: Handling Chemical Data & Mathematics’.
Outside the lab, Lewis enjoys playing bass guitar in various bands, lifting weights, homebrewing beer, and collecting uranium glass.
CURRENT PHD STUDENTS
Rebecca McGonigle: 2022 - ongoing
Second supervisor: Dr Clare Hoskins.
Project title: oxygen sensitive upconversion nanoparticle constructs.
Rebecca has a First Class M.Chem. degree in Chemistry with Drug Discovery obtained at the University of Strathclyde. She is currently developing upconversion nanoparticles constructs to create an oxygen-sensitive nanosensor constructs.
Outside the lab, Rebecca enjoys travelling, cooking, swimming, and anything that’s furry with four legs!
Ciera Connelly: 2023 - ongoing
Co-supervised with Dr Shiao Chow.
Project title: Cancer-targeting Upconversion Nanoparticles to Track-and-Treat Glioblastoma
Ciera completed her undergraduate Masters degree at the University of Strathclyde in Pure and Applied Chemistry. During this, she completed a year in industry working at Charles River Laboratories. Her work involved the use of radioactive tracers to monitor the residues of agrochemicals both in vitro and in vivo in a variety of test systems. Ciera then returned to Strathclyde to complete her Masters thesis where she developed optically active Gold Nanorod-Quantum Dot conjugates to achieve imaging and tracking on a single particle level, which yielded a reliable design for applications in biomarker sensing analysis. Ciera’s research interests are now focused on developing ‘track-and-treat’ nanoparticles installed with Blood-Brain-Barrier navigational abilities to treat glioblastoma.
Outside of work, Ciera likes to coach gymnastics and travel!
undergraduate project Students
Iain Cameron. (He/him) M.Chem Project Student. 2023 - 2024.
Project title: Strategies for multiplexing upconversion nanoparticle emission and excitation for future cellular labelling applications
Iain is in his final year of his undergraduate Masters degree in Pure and Applied Chemistry at the University of Strathclyde. He has recently completed an industrial placement in Frankfurt am Main with Bayer’s crop science division, as well as an in-house placement designing and implementing new experiments for the university’s undergraduate chemistry curriculum. He is currently working on developing robust dye-sensitised upconversion nanoparticles for potential in-vivo use in biological systems.
When he is not in the lab, Iain has a love of history, cartography, sewing and coin-collecting, and can think of nothing more relaxing than a 9-hour strategy board game session with friends!
Scott Gardner. In-house Industrial Placement Student. 2023-2024.
Project: Analysis of chemistry YouTube Channels.
Scott is in his fourth year of his undergraduate Masters degree at the University of Strathclyde in Pure and Applied Chemistry.
He is currently working on a paper which aims to identify and quantitatively analyse chemistry YouTube channels, so that we can better understand the role that these types of channels play in communicating science as a whole.
Alumni / past members
Prior Masters project students:
2023 team photo at the Purrple Cat Cafe, Glasgow.
Catriona Houston - (M.Sc. Nanoscience, University of Strathclyde, 2022/23). Thesis title: Investigating upconversion nanoparticles with multi-wavelength excitation’.
🏆 Winner: Department of Physics MSc Excellence prize for best student overall 2023.
🏆 Winner: Department of Physics MSc prize for best project 2023.
Jodie Glasgow - (M.Chem, University of Strathclyde, 2022/23). Thesis title: synthesis of upconversion nanoparticles and enhancing their optical emission properties for bioscience applications.
Ross Birch (M.Chem. Forensic and Analytical Chemistry - 2021/22). Thesis title: tuning the morphology and emission of lanthanide doped upconversion nanoparticles using the PVP synthesis route.
Prior Summer students:
Gabriela Bezati (2023). Analysis of chemistry YouTube Channels
Tristen Godfrey (2023). Analysis of chemistry YouTube Channels
Non-human team members
Office Monstera. Office Monstera has lived in Lewis’s office since 2021 and has done a lot of growing up. It had to say bye to it’s pot-mates back in 2023 but is growing nice and strong! Since spring 2024, Office Monstera has a nice supportive moss pole, which is 3D printed and extendable. Office Monstera’s ambition is to one day be the biggest monstera in Glasgow City Centre.
