Skip to main content

Next-generation nanopore technologies for biomolecular analysis and diagnostics

Contribute to Materials & Devices for Life Sciences at EIT, redefining nanopore technologies and progressing new approaches in tissue engineering, as a Graduate Ellison Scholar.

Key facts

Project description

Biological information is carried by molecules spanning an enormous range, from small metabolites and reactive species to large, complex biopolymers such as peptides and glycans. Across this range, structural diversity, chemical modification and dynamic behaviour make these molecules both biologically vital and difficult to analyse, and conventional methods often fall short of providing timely, molecule-level information. Nanopore sensing, a single-molecule technology, offers a unique route to read molecules one at a time. Nucleic acid sequencing has shown what is possible; the next frontier is extending nanopore analysis across the full range of biomolecules, from finger-printing small-molecule mixtures to sequencing modifications of biopolymers. Building on our expertise in nanopore sensing and chemical biology, this project will develop nanopore systems that capture previously inaccessible information at the level of individual molecules. The aim is to advance real-time, accessible molecular diagnostics with novel chemical and biological tools, integrating sample preparation, single-molecule sensing and quantitative analysis into deployable systems, with the potential to reshape both clinical and personal disease and health monitoring. 

Skills Required

  • A degree in chemistry, physics, biochemistry, biology, engineering, computer science or a related discipline
  • Wet-laboratory and data analysis experience in their degree field (broadly defined), demonstrating project-based research competence
  • Interest in interdisciplinary research spanning chemistry, biophysics and molecular diagnostics
  • Strong motivation and capacity for independent research
  • Clear written and verbal communication 

Skills to be Developed

  • Nanopore sensing and single-molecule biophysics
  • Chemical and/or biological tool design for molecular recognition
  • Sample preparation and device integration for diagnostics
  • Data analysis, modelling and quantitative interpretation
  • Scientific writing, presentation and cross-disciplinary collaboration  

Relevant Background Reading

  1. Martin-Baniandres, P. et al. Enzyme-less nanopore detection of post-translational modifications within long polypeptides. Nat. Nanotechnol. 18, 1335–1340 (2023).
  2. Lan, W.-H., He, H., Bayley, H. & Qing, Y. Location of phosphorylation sites within long polypeptide chains by binder-assisted nanopore detection. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 146, 24265–24270 (2024).
  3. McGivern, L. E., Lim, Z. H., Yuan, Y., Bo, Z., Wu, G., Bayley, H. & Qing, Y. Targeted, high-resolution sensing of volatile organic compounds by covalent nanopore detection. Nat. Commun. 16, 9409 (2025).  
  4. Lim, Z. H., Bo, Z., Armstrong, E., Bayley, H. & Qing, Y. Unexpected diastereoselective chemistry on a 2D protein surface. Chem 11, 102717 (2025). 

How to apply

Stage 1: Apply to Ellison Institute of Technology

Submit an application to Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT) by 5pm UK time on Tuesday 1 December 2026.

We encourage you to apply early, as applications will be reviewed as they are received.

Learn more and apply

Stage 2: Apply to the University of Oxford 

If selected by EIT, you will receive conditional funding and will be invited to apply to the University of Oxford by following the instructions on the course page.

Your application will then follow the standard graduate admissions process and will be assessed against the entry requirements shown on the course page.