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Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology

Research

Laser Analytics Group

The central theme of our research activities (website) lies in the development and application of modern laser spectroscopic methods to visualise and quantify dynamic chemical processes.  

Applications range from environmental and chemical process sensing to biomedical applications. We have developed tools that allow the fast probing of exothermic chemistry in reactive flows and the research has been used, for example, in the design of next generation, low emission aero-engines. On a very different scale we have succeeded in visualising chemical reactions inside single living cells and our optical tools help in the understanding of molecular mechanisms of disease and in the design and testing of novel drugs.

You'll find more information on the type of work we do on our  Research pages. 

Our work is strongly collaborative in nature and we work with groups from all over the world including the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Germany, Sandia National Labs in US, George Washington University, US. In Cambridge we have active collaborations with the The Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK,Gurdon Institute of Cancer & Developmental Biology, the Hutchison MRC Institute, the departments of Genetics, Engineering, Physics and Physiology Development and Neuroscience.

The group runs the CamBridgeSens initiative, a large scale research initiative to connect sensor research across the University of Cambridge and co-ordinates the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Sensor Technologies and Applications.  We are also strongly involved in the operation of the Cambridge Advanced Imaging Center, CAIC, where state-of-the-art microscopy techniques are developed for use in the life sciences.  We are members of the Cambridge Neurodegenerative Disease Consortium for which we develop advanced molecular imaging techniques.

I am director of the Centre for Doctoral Training in Sensor Technologies and Applications.

We are currently seeking to recruit outstanding postdoctoral researchers in the following areas of research:

  1. Application of optical superresolution imaging for the study of viral replication in collaboration with the department of Pathology.
  2. Development of advanced Stimulated Emission Depletion Microscopes.

For further information on any of these projects or general enquiries  contact C. Kaminski (cfk23_AT_cam.ac.uk).

We particularly welcome applications from candidates with strong backgrounds in one or more of the following fields: Applied optics, microscopy, molecular spectroscopy, biophysics, chemical biology.

Publications

Key publications: 

Dupont S, Qu Z, Kiwanuka S-S, Hooper L E, Knight J C,  Keiding S R, and Kaminski C F, "Ultra-high repetition rate absorption spectroscopy with low noise supercontinuum radiation generated in an all-normal dispersion fibre," Laser Physics Letters, 11 075601. (2014)

Michel CH, Kumar S, Pinotsi D, Tunnacliffe A, St George-Hyslop P, Mandelkow E, Mandelkow E-M, Kaminski CF, Kaminski Schierle GS (2014), "Extracellular Monomeric Tau is Sufficient to Initiate the Spread of Tau Pathology", J. Biol. Chem. (2014), 289: 956-967. DOI | pdf | summary

Pinotsi D, Buell AK, Dobson CM, Kaminski Schierle GS and Kaminski CF (2013), “A label-free, quantitative assay of amyloid fibril growth based on intrinsic fluorescence”, ChemBioChem, 14 (7), 846-850,pdf | summary

Kaminski Schierle GS, Bertoncini CW, Chan FT, van der Goot AT, Schwedler S, Skepper J, Schlachter S, van Ham T, Esposito A, Kumita JR, Nollen EA, Dobson CM, Kaminski CF (2011), “A FRET sensor for non-invasive imaging of amyloid formation in vivo.” Chemphyschem 12(3):673-80 PDF Details

Kaminski Schierle GS, van de Linde S, Erdelyi M, Esbjörner EK, Klein T, Rees E, Bertoncini CW, Dobson CM, Sauer M, Kaminski CF (2011), “In Situ Measurements of the Formation and Morphology of Intracellular β-Amyloid Fibrils by Super-Resolution Fluorescence Imaging.” J Am Chem Soc 133(33):12902-12905 PDF Details

Elder AD, Domin A, Kaminski Schierle GS, Lindon C, Pines J, Esposito A, Kaminski CF (2009), “A quantitative protocol for dynamic measurements of protein interactions by FRET-sensitized fluorescence emission” J. Roy. Soc. Interface 6,59-81 PDF

Kiwanuka SS, Laurila T, Kaminski CF (2010), “Sensitive method for the kinetic measurement of trace species in liquids using cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopy with broad bandwidth supercontinuum radiation.” Anal Chem 82(17):7498-501

Professor of Chemical Physics
Director: EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Sensor Technologies and Applications
Head of Department
Professor Clemens  Kaminski

Contact Details

763135
Email address: 

Affiliations

Collaborator profiles: 
Person keywords: 
biochemical engineering
Applied Optics
Microscopy
biosensors
optics
Chemical Sensing
ageing
Chemical Imaging
Sensor