Postdoctoral fellowship in biosensors available

Wed Sep 04 2013 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

Postdoctoral fellowship in biosensors available

Aquaculture industry requires a microorganism sensor that is able to give a response within eight hours (1 shift). The dairy industry requires sensors capable of detecting preclinical symptoms of disease, and relative ratios of estrous hormones to predict right times for mating and fetal wellbeing. Currently the technology used to detect micro-organisms takes around 3-5 days for a result. This equates to 6-8 shift worth of product having to be stored and destroyed or reprocessed if contaminated.

Currently there is no preclinical diagnostic for mastitis, and no low cost diagnostic for oestrous hormone levels. Last year, The University of Auckland was awarded an MSI Agri-technologies project entitled “High Performance Sensors for High Throughput Industries”. Within this project, The University of Auckland's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is responsible for the development of the equivalent circuit model for the single cell electrode.

Characterising the frequency responses of the cell-electrode impedance is the fundamental mechanism of single- cell-based biosensors in drug/bacteria detection and identification. The implementation of a proper equivalent circuit model in the single-cell level provides insightful information on electrical properties, cellular components and cell-substrate interactions, and reveals optimal sensor operating/probing frequencies. These eliminate the complexity of single-cell-based biosensing as well as uncovering its great potential.

Applicants with a sound knowledge of biosensors, bio-modelling, wireless sensor and actuator networks and those interested in both theoretical research and applications to practical problems are sought.

Applicants should possess a doctoral degree in this area of the research issued no more than three years prior to the time of application. Postdoctoral fellowships are for one year, renewable for a second year, subject to satisfactory performance.

Applicants are asked to submit a CV, research papers (published or working on) and the name and contact details of three referees to Professor Sing Kiong Nguang sk.nguang@auckland.ac.nz or Professor Zoran Salcic z.salcic@auckland.ac.nz .**

Applications must be submitted before 5pm, Tuesday 1 October 2013**.