I worked full time at Leeds until May 2000 and then moved part-time into a number of different start-up activities to commercialise the research activities in biosensors and chemical sensors. Small, medium sized enterprises or SME's are the usual route to initially exploit R&D results and I have extensive experience in setting these up and running them. In 2002, an SME was formed with the object of supplying assistance in exploiting high tech research in the life sciences and sensor technology. This is particularly relevant for the new FP7 programme of the EU, since impact and exploitation of deliverables form 1/3rd of the evaluation process, see www.technologytranslators.com for more information.
In January 2004, I became project manager of the nanotechnology consortium ELISHA, funded under FP6, which I wrote with assistance from other academics. This is now nearly completed and the results are being commercialised via a new independent SME, ELISHA Systems Ltd., which is representing the consortium in exploitation of the technology. See www.immunosensors.com for more information.
In 2005, a new SME, Scensive Technologies Ltd. was launched that is commercialising volatile chemical detection systems including the BloodhoundŽ brand of electronic nose instruments. I am Research and Development Director of this SME, that focusses on the use of chemical sensor technology for medical diagnosis, security systems and a multitude of other applications where smell and odour is important. See www.scensive.com for more information.
My particular interests are in the areas of sensor interrogation, interfaces between materials and biology, conducting and semi-conducting polymers and the apllication of science in the real world we live in.