Development and Application of Next-Generation Instrumentation to Quantify the Chemical Drivers of Particle Oxidative Potential
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
PhD Research Project Directly Funded UK Students
Dr Steven Campbell, Dr Aristeidis Voliotis, Dr J Allan, Dr Dawei Hu
Application Deadline: Applications accepted all year round
Details
Air pollution exposure is a major global health issue, responsible for millions of premature deaths each year and is a leading cause of respiratory and cardiovascular disease worldwide. Despite compelling evidence associating exposure to particulate matter (PM) with adverse health effects, the most harmful PM chemical components remain unclear. Current air quality regulation targets total PM mass regardless of composition, an approach increasingly recognised as inefficient, since it treats all particles as equally hazardous, irrespective of their chemical composition or biological activity.
Oxidative potential (OP), the capacity of PM to deplete antioxidants and generate reactive oxygen species, has emerged as a leading metric for capturing the biologically relevant hazard of PM, reflected in its inclusion in the recently updated European Union Air Quality Directive. Unlike mass-based measurements of PM, OP reflects particle chemical reactivity and their capacity to promote oxidative stress, offering a route to identifying which components and emission sources are most harmful to health.
We have recently pioneered the development a novel instrument that provides continuous, high time-resolution quantification of OP which has been deployed in proof of concept laboratory and field studies. Building on this state-of-the-art platform, this studentship will advance the next generation of the instrument, apply it in controlled laboratory studies at the Manchester Aerosol Chamber (MAC), and deploy it in real-world field campaigns to generate comprehensive high time-resolution OP datasets to determine the PM components and emission sources which drive OP.
The student will first lead the design, optimisation and characterisation of an improved instrument iteration, gaining hands-on experience in analytical instrument development, including microfluidics, chemical reagent optimisation, and laboratory performance testing, establishing it as the leading platform for real-time OP quantification.
Second, the student will deploy the instrument at the MAC, a leading atmospheric simulation facility, to investigate the chemical mechanisms driving PM oxidative activity. Experiments will explore how particle composition of different PM emission sources and atmospheric processing, including photochemical ageing, humidity, and interactions between redox-active metals and secondary organic aerosol, influence OP.
Third, the student will deploy the instrument at an established urban air quality monitoring site, generating high time-resolution OP datasets alongside complementary PM composition measurements, gaining critical insights into the temporal variability and PM components which drive OP.
The student will gain broad, interdisciplinary training spanning instrument design, experimental aerosol science, atmospheric chemistry, and data analysis, equipping them to work at the frontier of atmospheric chemistry and public health research.
The University of Manchester provides a world-leading research environment, particularly in atmospheric science. The project will be based within the Centre for Atmospheric Science, supported by state-of-the-art laboratory infrastructure. The supervisory team, led by Dr Steven Campbell, brings expertise in aerosol science, air pollution characterisation, atmospheric chemistry, and in vitro toxicology. The studentship will align closely with a range of ongoing collaborative work at the University of Manchester, the new MRC Centre for Research Excellence in Exposome Immunology, and ongoing collaborations with Imperial College London, The University of Basel, and Helmholtz Munich, providing the student with a broad interdisciplinary network spanning aerosol science, in vitro toxicology and immunology.
Eligibility
Applicants should have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2.1 honours degree or a master’s (or international equivalent) in chemistry, biochemistry, atmospheric or environmental science, chemical engineering, or a related discipline, and a genuine enthusiasm for hands-on laboratory and field measurements.
Before you apply
We strongly recommend that you contact the supervisor for this project before you apply. Dr Steven Campbell (steven.campbell@manchester.ac.uk) would be pleased to discuss this project further with interested candidates prior to application. Please include details of your current level of study, academic background and any relevant experience and include a paragraph about your motivation to study this PhD project.
How to apply
Apply online through our website: https://uom.link/pgr-apply-2425
When applying, you’ll need to specify the full name of this project, the name of your supervisor, if you already having funding or if you wish to be considered for available funding through the university, details of your previous study, and names and contact details of two referees.
Your application will not be processed without all of the required documents submitted at the time of application, and we cannot accept responsibility for late or missed deadlines. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
After you have applied you will be asked to upload the following supporting documents:
- Final Transcript and certificates of all awarded university level qualifications
- Interim Transcript of any university level qualifications in progress
- CV
- Supporting statement: A one or two page statement outlining your motivation to pursue postgraduate research and why you want to undertake postgraduate research at Manchester, any relevant research or work experience, the key findings of your previous research experience, and techniques and skills you’ve developed. (This is mandatory for all applicants and the application will be put on hold without it).
- Contact details for two referees (please make sure that the contact email you provide is an official university/work email address as we may need to verify the reference)
- English Language certificate (if applicable)
If you have any questions about making an application, please contact our admissions team by emailing FSE.doctoralacademy.admissions@manchester.ac.uk.
Equality, diversity and inclusion is fundamental to the success of The University of Manchester, and is at the heart of all of our activities. We know that diversity strengthens our research community, leading to enhanced research creativity, productivity and quality, and societal and economic impact.
We actively encourage applicants from diverse career paths and backgrounds and from all sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation and transgender status.
We also support applications from those returning from a career break or other roles. We consider offering flexible study arrangements (including part-time: 50%, 60% or 80%, depending on the project/funder).
Funding Notes
This 4-year PhD project is fully funded; students who are eligible to pay tuition fees at the Home rate are eligible to apply. The successful candidate will receive an annual tax-free stipend set at the UKRI rate (£21,805 for 2026/27) and tuition fees will be paid. We expect the stipend to increase each year. The start date is January 2027.
We recommend that you apply early as the advert may be removed before the deadline.
