Bioengineering

Smart Electrolytes for Next-Generation Zinc-Ion Batteries

How do we build grid batteries that are cheap, safe and made from abundantmaterials?

Zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) are a promising answer – zinc is low-cost, non-toxic and worksin water-based electrolytes. But current ZIBs still suffer from limited lifetime andefficiency because the electrolyte, cathode and their interface are not optimisedtogether.

This PhD will tackle that challenge head-on. You will design “smart” aqueous or gelelectrolytes and matched cathode coatings that work as a single system to:• control how Zn2+ is solvated and transported,• suppress dendrites and cathode dissolution, and• build stable, self-healing interphases for long-life cycling.Working jointly between the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University, youwill combine:• Molecular simulations (to see how different salts and additives organise aroundZn2+),• Materials synthesis and coating design, and• Full electrochemical testing in coin cells. 

By the end of the project, you will have created and tested prototype zinc-ion cells withsignificantly improved performance, and developed design rules that can be appliedacross future grid-scale storage technologies. 

Training and environmentYou will be based in the School of Engineering at UoE, with access to:• Advanced electrochemical testing facilities• Battery fabrication labs• Materials characterisation (XRD, SEM/TEM, spectroscopy) 

You will also work closely with Prof Biggs’s group at HWU, gaining complementaryexpertise in interfacial engineering and simulation. The project includes opportunitiesto present at international conferences and to collaborate with industrial and academicpartners.

Selection process 

The application and selection process has two stages: 

1. Initial technical interview (by supervisors) 

• We will shortlist from the applications received and invite at least one candidate for an online interview before 30 January 2026.
• This interview will assess your academic background, technical skills and motivation for the project.
• Following this, we will nominate one candidate to ERPE for consideration. 

2. ERPE panel interview 

• Nominated candidates will be invited to a second, competitive interview with an ERPE panel in the weeks commencing 16 or 23 February 2026.

• Final outcomes will be communicated no later than 4 March 2026.

  Start date: September 2026 

  How to apply:Please do not submit a full PhD application at this stage.Instead, email the following as a single PDF to Dr Peisan (Sharel) E (sharel.e@ed.ac.uk):• A CV (max 2–3 pages), including degree classifications (or predicted grades), relevantprojects and publications (if any).• A 1-page cover letter explaining: -why you are interested in zinc-ion batteries and this specific project;- how your background meets the essential/desirable criteria;- whether you would in principle be willing to be considered for a switch of  principal- supervisor to HWU if offered an HWU-funded studentship.

  Please also provide contact details for two academic referees

Application deadline for initial consideration:

We encourage applications as soon as possible and no later than before 23 January 2026.

Shortlisted candidates will be contacted to arrange interviews.

Essential Experience: 

• BSc and/or Masters Degree in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, Engineering, Mathematics, Computer Science, Data Science, Machine Learning or Artificial Intelligence
• a minimum 2:1 undergraduate degree (or equivalent)
• Excellent spoken and written English and good communication skills • Experience using modelling and simulation techniques
• Literature surveys, documentation and reporting

This studentship is funded through the ERPE Joint PhD Studentship scheme. 

• Duration: 42 months (3.5 years)
• Stipend: Enhanced above standard UKRI rate
• Research & Training Grant: £5,000 total (for research costs, travel, training)
• Tuition fees: Covered at the home-fee rate Important: 

This is a competitive funding opportunity. ERPE has selected more projects than there are studentships available, so a studentship is not guaranteed even if you are nominated by the supervisors. Because of the balance of UoE- and HWU-funded studentships in this call, it is possible that a successful candidate may be offered an HWU-funded studentship instead of a UoE-funded one, in which case the principal supervisor would transfer to Prof Biggs at HWU. Candidates will be asked whether they are willing to be considered for such a supervision switch as part of the selection process.

***Open to candidates with UK “home” fee status only. This normally includes UK nationals and applicants with settled or pre-settled status, or indefinite leave to remain, who have been ordinarily resident in the UK/EU/EEA for at least 3 years.***

Further information and other funding options.

• Diploma in Project Management - Dublin Business School, 2010
• PhD Biomedical Engineering, University of Limerick, 2009
• BEng Mechanical Engineering, University of Limerick, 2002
• National Certificate Mechanical Engineering, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, 1999

• Senior Lecture, August 2018 - Present
• Lecture, January 2018 - July 2018
• Chancellor's Fellow, January 2013 - December 2017
• IRCSET/Marie-Curie Research Fellowship, (Phase 2) National University of Ireland Galway 2012 - 2013
• IRCSET/Marie-Curie Research Fellowship, (Phase 1) Imperial College London 2010 - 2012
• Postdoctoral Researcher - Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering, University of Limerick 2009 - 2010
• International collaboration - University of Pittsburgh, USA (3 months) 2005

• PhD Biomedical Engineering, University of Durham, 1999
• BSc Mechanical Engineering, University of Durham, 1993
• MSc Bioengineering, University of Strathclyde, 1994

• Member, Optical Society of America
• Member, Society of Applied Spectroscopists
• Fellow of the Society of Biology
• Member, European Society for Biomaterials
• Active member, Orthopaedic Research Society

• Director of the BBSRC Synthetic Biology Network on Standardisation
• US-UK Fulbright Commission, Distinguished Scholars Award, University of California Berkeley, 2003
• EPSRC Advanced Research Fellowship, 2004-2009
• Royal Academy of Engineering, Global Research Award, University of California Berkeley, 2003

Consulting Engineer

</div> </h3><p>You can watch this video on <a href="https://media.ed.ac.uk/media/Martin+ReekieA+Consulting+engineer/1_r27eka1j" title="Dr Martin Reekie, Consulting Engineer" target="_blank">Media Hopper</a> or on <a href="https://youtu.be/qtbpz3E-O9A" title="Dr Martin Reekie, Consulting Engineer" target="_blank">YouTube</a>.</p>

http://www.homepages.ed.ac.uk/ssmith13/

School Roles:

• Director of Students - Academic oversight of student support
• Convenor of Board of Examiners - MSc in Electronics

Research Interests:

• Microelectronic test and measurement
• MEMS and microsystems design, integration test and packaging
• Biosensors, bioelectronics, and biomedical microsystems
• Microfluidic design and manufacturing

Recent Activity:

General Chair of the 2024 IEEE 36th International Conference on Microelectronic Test Structures (ICMTS)

Research Article: Deiana, G.; Smith, S. 3D Printed Devices for the Separation of Blood Plasma from Capillary Samples. Micromachines 2024, 15, 359. https://doi.org/10.3390/mi15030359

Research Article: Tsiamis, A.; Buchoux, A.; Mahon, S.T.; Walton, A.J.; Smith, S.; Clarke, D.J.; Stokes, A.A. Design and Fabrication of a Fully-Integrated, Miniaturised Fluidic System for the Analysis of Enzyme Kinetics. Micromachines 2023, 14, 537. https://doi.org/10.3390/mi14030537

Research Article: Jamie R.K. Marland, Mark E. Gray, Camelia Dunare, Ewen O. Blair, Andreas Tsiamis, Paul Sullivan, Eva González-Fernández, Stephen N. Greenhalgh, Rachael Gregson, R. Eddie Clutton, Magdalena M. Parys, Alex Dyson, Mervyn Singer, Ian H. Kunkler, Mark A. Potter, Srinjoy Mitra, Jonathan G. Terry, Stewart Smith, Andrew R. Mount, Ian Underwood, Anthony J. Walton, David J. Argyle, Alan F. Murray, Real-time measurement of tumour hypoxia using an implantable microfabricated oxygen sensor, Sensing and Bio-Sensing Research, 2020, 30, 100375. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbsr.2020.100375.

• PhD, The University of Edinburgh, Title: "Sheet Resistance and Electrical Linewidth Test Structures for Semiconductor Process Characterisation", 2003, EPSRC funded project.
• B.Eng. (Hons.), Electronics and Electrical Engineering (Microelectronics), The University of Edinburgh, 1997

• Member of the Steering Committee and Technical Programme Committee, IEEE International Conference on Microelectronic Test Structures (ICMTS) - https://icmts.net
• Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice, The University of Edinburgh, 2013
• Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy, 2013
• Member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Young Academy of Scotland, 2012-2017
• Senior Member of the IEEE since 2012
• Member of the Institute of Engineering and Technology since 1997

• Course organiser - Sensors and Instrumentation 5/MSc (ELEE11109/PGEE11219)
• Lecturer - Digital System Design 4/MSc (ELEE10007/PGEE10008)
• Contributor - Community-based Technology Research for Sustainable Development 5 (SCEE11018) 

https://xianfengchen.wixsite.com/biomaterials

Prof. Chen’s research is focused on biomaterials, biomedical engineering, biophysics, and the application of nanomaterials in biology and medicine. In these areas, he has been working on physical (microneedle & nanoneedle arrays) and chemical (nanomaterials) for drug delivery and sensing, as well as microfluidic devices for biomedical applications.

He has published >130 papers in peer-reviewed journals including Nature Communications, Advanced Materials, Angewandte Chemie International Edition, Advanced Functional Materials, Small, Advanced Healthcare Materials, Journal of the American Chemical Society, Nano Letters, ACS Nano, Biomaterials, Journal of Controlled Release, Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, and Chemical Society Reviews. These publications generated an h-index of 58 and >9000 citations. Additionally, he has 3 book chapters and 12 granted patents & 15 patent applications in drug delivery technologies in major countries and regions, mostly in the USA and Europe. His research output has attracted broad media coverage including TV, newspapers, internet websites, journal cover, and journal cover stories.​

His research has been supported by grants from MRC (nanomedicine), ESRC (sing-cell analysis), EPSRC (Phase 0 clinical trial tool development), industry (hydrogel, nanomedicine, antibacterial coatings), Cancer Research UK (biosensor), Royal Society (microfluidic nanomedicine synthesis), and Royal Society of Edinburgh (nanomedicine, biosensor), etc.

Examples of his contribution to technology include: 1. Microneedle transdermal delivery: Invented technology for coating vaccines on small and densely packed microneedles for efficient skin vaccination (22 patents and >20 journal papers); this technology contributed to the establishment of Vaxxas (https://www.vaxxas.com/about-vaxxas/); 2. Diamond nanoneedle arrays: Pioneered diamond nanoneedle arrays for high-throughput intracellular delivery (3 patents and >10 journal papers); 3. Programmable Optical Window Bonding: Invented this technology enabling high-resolution, transparent microfluidic device production through 3D printing.

For scientific community service, he serves as a reviewer for many fields' top journals such as Science Robotics, Nature Communications, Science Advances, Advanced Materials, Small, Advanced Healthcare Materials, Journal of the American Chemical Society, ACS Nano, Nano Letters, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, Journal of Controlled Release, Biomaterials, Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, and grant proposals from different research councils in the UK (e.g., EPSRC, BBSRC, MRC, CRUK, and Royal Society) and a number of other countries. He is also an associate editor of IET Nanobiotechnology and an editorial board member of Sensors, Bioengineering, and Journal of Functional Biomaterials.

• Research Group Homepage
• Google Scholar

• DPhil in Materials Science, University of Oxford
• MSc in Chemistry, National University of Singapore

• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA), United Kingdom
• Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), United Kingdom

• Process Plant Engineering CHEE08016
• Nanomaterials in Chemical & Biomedical Engineering CHEE11026 (With Dr Norbert Radacsi)

• Advanced drug delivery systems
• Antibacterial
• Biodegradable nanomedicine
• Biomaterials
• Biomedical imaging
• Biosensing
• Cancer therapy and diagnosis
• Hydrogel
• Microfluidics
• Nanomaterials and nanotechnology
• Nanotoxicology

Currently, we have an EPSRC/MRC CDT scholarship for urgent application (Project 2: Imaging tumour macrophage polarisation for non-invasive evaluation of anticancer therapy). The applicants must be UK citizens or EU citizens who have been living in the UK for a minimum of 3 years. The deadline is 26/07/2018.

• https://www.findaphd.com/search/PhDDetails.aspx?CAID=2605&LID=300
• http://www.optima-cdt.ac.uk/

Edinburgh Global Research Scholarship

These awards are designed to attract high quality overseas research students to the University of Edinburgh.

http://www.ed.ac.uk/student-funding/postgraduate/international/global/research

Principal's Career Development PhD Scholarships

http://www.ed.ac.uk/student-funding/postgraduate/international/other-funding/development

China Scholarships Council/University of Edinburgh Scholarships (Citizens and permanent residents of the People's Republic of China)

• http://www.ed.ac.uk/student-funding/postgraduate/international/region/as...

Croucher Foundation Study awards (Permanent Hong Kong residents)

• http://www.croucher.org.hk/funding/study_awards

Postdoctoral researchers are welcome to join the group to perform research in bioengineering, biomaterials, and the application of nanomaterials in biology, medicine, environment and energy. Outstanding applicants can consider the following fellowship (just a few examples).

Newton International Fellowships

• http://www.newtonfellowships.org/the-fellowships/

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowships

• http://ec.europa.eu/research/mariecurieactions/about/individual-fellowships_en

Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowships

• https://wellcome.ac.uk/funding/sir-henry-wellcome-postdoctoral-fellowships

Innovative and results-driven biomedical researcher pursuing a PhD in Tissue Engineering, specializing in immunomodulatory scaffolds for regenerative medicine applications. Extensive experience in pharmacology, immunology, molecular biology, and bioengineering, with a strong publication record and conference presentations. Passionate about space medicine and translating scientific advancements into clinical and pharmaceutical applications, particularly in drug development, biotechnology, and medical affairs.

Key competencies include:

• Tissue Engineering & Biomaterials: Expertise in 3D bio-printing, electrospinning, and scaffold design for regenerative medicine.
• Molecular & Cellular Biology: Proficiency in flow cytometry, qPCR, immunohistochemistry, and cell culture techniques.
• Immunology & Drug Discovery: Research experience in immune responses to viral infections and radiation, antimicrobial peptides utilisation and novel therapeutic approaches.
• Regulatory & Medical Affairs: Understanding of pharmaceutical regulations, clinical trials, and drug development pipelines.
• Scientific Communication & Liaison: Published in peer-reviewed journals, presented at international conferences, and collaborated with interdisciplinary teams.

MSc by Research in Biomedical Sciences (Infectious Diseases) - The University of Edinburgh

BSc Pharmacology - The University of Edinburgh

HNC Buisness Management

Scientific Translator for the European Consortium for Communicating Gene & Cell Therapy

STEM Ambassador for STEM Ambassadors Scotland

Member of the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM)

Member of the British Society for Immunology (BSI)

Member of the United Kingdom Society for Biomaterials (UKSB)

Member of the Tissue and Cell Engineering Society (TCES)

Tutor and Demonstrator

• Engineering Principles 1
• Immunology 3
• The Microbial World 2

Supervision of Master Research Projects

• MEng (Mechanical) - Development of Electrospun Polycaprolactone-Oestrogen Materials for Tissue Engineering Applications
• MScR Biomedical Sciences - Elucidating the Effect of Radiation-Induced Hypothyroidism on Immune Cell Populations and Extracellular Matrix Composition
• MSc Regenerative Medicine - Determining changes in lymphocytes and extracellular matrix composition in radiation-induced hypothyroidism

Maria Heim’s research focuses on tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, with a particular interest in developing bio-therapeutics for radiation-induced hypothyroidism. Her work explores extracellular matrix remodeling, immune modulation following radiation injury, and the engineering of functional scaffolds using electrospinning and bioprinting. She also has experience in immunology, virology, and molecular diagnostics.

Conferences

• Setting a Vision and Strategy for the future of the UK Fluid Network - Workshop delivery, UK Fluid Network 2.0 (2024), Leeds, UK
• Towards Effective RIHT Therapies: Identifying Proteins for In Vitro Thyroid Scaffold Evaluation - Selected Talk, Tissue and Cell Engineering Society Conference 2024, Glasgow, UK
• Assessing physical & mechanical properties of various antioxidant functionalised electrospun biomaterials - Selected Talk, 29^th Congress of the European Society of Biomechanics, 2024, Edinburgh, UK
• Radiation-Induced Hypothyroidism: Macrophages as a Therapeutic Target - Poster, European Society for Macrophages and Dendritic Cells Conference 2023, Ghent, Belgium
• Development of Oestrogen Scaffolds as a Niche for Thyroid Cell Proliferation - Selected Talk & Poster, UK Society for Biomaterials Conference 2023, Belfast, UK
• Lego Serious Play: Levelling the Playfield for Co-creation of Challenging Courses - Workshop delivery, Learning and Teaching Conference 2023, Edinburgh, UK
• Electrospun Scaffold Fibre Diameter: Comparing Responses of Immortalized and Primary Thyroid Cells - Presentation & Poster, School of Engineering Postgraduate Conference 2023, Edinburgh, UK
• The Effects of Electrospun Scaffold Fibre Diameter on Primary Thyroid Cells - Poster, Tissue and Cell Engineering Society Conference 2022, Birmingham, UK

Awards

• MRC-SCN Exchange Program Award 2024
• British Society for Immunology (BSI) European Travel Grant 2023
• 3^rd place for Best Selected Talk at UKSB23
• Institute for Engineering and Physics in Medicine (IPEM) Travel Grant 2023
• UK Society for Biomaterials (UKSB) Travel Award 2023
• Edinburgh Award for Student Association: Society and Volunteering Group Office Bearers 2018

We are always open to new collaborations and students. If you have any enquiries please email rhiannon.grant@ed.ac.uk

Dr Grant is happy to speak at public event and is particularly committed to encouraging women and girls in STEM. If you'd like her to speak at your school, workplace or event please send an email!

We maintain strict commitments to the reduction, refinement and replacement of animal models throughout our work.