Driven by curiosity. Driving changePeople
Meet the current members of the Terahertz Applications group based at the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology at the University of Cambridge
Group leader
Professor Axel Zeitler
Department of Chemical Engineering
University of Cambridge
Philippa Fawcett Drive
Cambridge, CB3 0AS, UK
Tel.: +44 (0) 1223 334783
Fax: +44 (0) 1223 334796
Email: jaz22[at]cam[dot]ac[dot]uk
Research interests
Materials Characterisation
My main interest is in the characterisation of condensed matter samples with a direct link into chemical engineering. In our work we are exploiting the sensitivity of terahertz radiation to the interaction of molecules and the resulting structure and dynamics the molecules form in solids and liquids. One of my particular areas of interest is in the solid state physicochemical properties of pharmaceutical materials. In addition to this field I am working towards a better understanding of catalysts, fundamental properties of glasses and the dynamics of biomolecules.
Non-destructive Imaging
By exploiting the fact that terahertz radiation is able to penetrate a number of materials that are opaque at visible frequencies we are able to quantitatively probe the structure of a wide variety of samples such as polymer coatings of pharmaceutical tablets. I am interested in how this information can be used to develop better processes and products, again with a particular interest in pharmaceutical manufacturing. Furthermore, in collaboration with the Semiconductor Physics Group I am interested in evaluating the potential of new, more powerful, sources of terahertz radiation such as quantum cascade lasers (THz-QCL) for imaging applications.
Industrial Sensor Applications
At the moment terahertz technology is predominantly used in laboratories in a research and development environment. In order to advance the applications into process control and manufacturing we are working together with industry towards a new generation of terahertz sensors which are capable of providing real-time data and operating under industrial conditions.
Other Professional Activities
Pharmaceutical Solid State Research Cluster (PSSRC)
Member of the editorial advisory boards of:
PhD students
Chi Ki Leung
Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology
West Cambridge Site
Philippa Fawcett Drive
Cambridge CB3 0AS
Email: ckl46[at]cam[dot]ac[dot]uk
Education:
B.A. & M.Eng. (First Class Honours), Chemical Engineering, University of Cambridge
Research interests:
My research is on pharmaceutical engineering, particularly on the porosity of drug delivery systems. I focus on understanding the influences of critical processing parameters on the porosity of pharmaceutical dosage forms, and the impact of porosity on drug product performance. I also specialise in the development of process analytical technologies for porosity measurements. In addition, I have considerable research experience in formulation development, particle processing and batteries.
Full list of publications on Google Scholar
Keywords:
pharmaceutical engineering, porous media, process analytical technologies, sensor applications, drug delivery systems, particle processing
Elena Wanvig i Dot
Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology
West Cambridge Site
Philippa Fawcett Drive
Cambridge CB3 0AS
Email: ew655[at]cam[dot]ac[dot]uk
About
I am a PhD student at Jesus College from St. Légier, near Lausanne, Switzerland. In 2023, I started my PhD in polymer synthesis in the chemistry department and subsequently moved to the Zeitler group in Chemical Engineering in 2024. I am an avid supporter of women’s involvement in the physical sciences and in 2023, I co-founded the Student Society for Women in Chemistry to that effect while I was an undergraduate at Cornell University. In my free time, I enjoy playing polo at the Cambridge Polo Club, cooking traditional Catalan food (part of my family is originally Catalan), skiing, and camping.
Education
B. A. Chemistry, B. A. Molecular Biology, Cornell University, May 2023
Thesis “Everything OLD is new again: How Structural, Functional, and Bioinformatic Advances Have Redefined a Neglected Nuclease Family” https://doi.org/10.1111/mmi.15074
Research interests
I am interested in understanding how terahertz spectroscopy can be used to map and understand crystalline and amorphous regions in organic condensed matter.
Haseeb Mahmood
Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology
West Cambridge Site
Philippa Fawcett Drive
Cambridge CB3 0AS
Email: hm623[at]cam[dot]ac[dot]uk
Education
Integrated MEng, BEng with Industrial Placement in Chemical Engineering, University of Leeds, 2018.
MRes in Sensor Technologies for a Healthy and Sustainable Future, University of Cambridge, 2020.
Research Interests
Amorphous drugs offer superior biopharmaceutical properties in comparison to their crystalline counterparts. However, due to the higher internal energy, amorphous drugs have an intrinsic drive to convert to the more stable, lower energy crystalline state. As this recrystallisation could occur during production, storage or administration, it is important to maintain physical stability throughout the pharmaceutical shelf life.
Numerous formulation and processes have been proposed to hinder crystallisation, and commonly polymers are incorporated in the form of amorphous solid dispersions for this purpose. They essentially reduce molecular mobility, thus decreasing the driving force for crystallisation and enhancing physical stability.
Predicting crystallisation tendency, understanding the influencing parameters and how they link and their relative degree of influence, remains a considerable challenge. In my work, I use temperature-dependent THz-TDS to understand the role and influence of properties such as molecular flexibility on crystallisation tendency, as well as to investigate drug-polymer interactions for varying polymer loads.
Jasper Ward-Berry
Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology
West Cambridge Site
Philippa Fawcett Drive
Cambridge CB3 0AS
Email: jnw35[at]cam[dot]ac[dot]uk
Education:
M.Phys., Physics, University of Aberystwyth, July 2022
M.Res., Sensor Technologies, University of Cambridge, November 2023
Research interests:
My research focuses on the application of terahertz time-domain spectroscopy to challenges in biopharmaceutical stability. I aim to develop a new methodologies, incorporating both UV-visible spectroscopy and THz-TDS, to enable real-time detection of aggregation in biologic drug products.
Jongmin Lee
Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology
West Cambridge Site
Philippa Fawcett Drive
Cambridge CB3 0AS
Email: jl2112[at]cam[dot]ac[dot]uk
Education
MPhil in Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, 2021
Thesis: “Characterisation of Conformational Structure Change of Poly (vinylidene fluoride), PVDF Using Terahertz Radiation”
Research Interests
To achieve the designed therapeutic efficacy of pharmaceutical solid dosage forms, controlling the drug release time plays a critical role. The disintegration process governs this process with the dissolution process. The present basket-rack assembly disintegration test method can serve as a good compliance guideline, but it offers little scientific and mechanistic understanding of the process.
My research aims at advancing the disintegration process analysis and developing a predictive model of the process using terahertz spectroscopy and imaging techniques as the wavelength of terahertz band radiation is optimal to investigate the microstructure and the physicochemical properties of pharmaceutical solid dosage forms. Ultimately, the research is expected to accelerate the drug development processes and reduce manufacturing costs by providing real-time product information.
Jessica Hancock
Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology
West Cambridge Site
Philippa Fawcett Drive
Cambridge CB3 0AS
Email: jh2543[at]cam[dot]ac[dot]uk
About me
Hello, I’m Jessica, a PhD student originally from Derbyshire, UK. In 2024, I joined the University of Cambridge as a member of Darwin College, where I began my doctoral research with the Terahertz Applications Group. Prior to this, I earned a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Manchester. I have also collaborated with Rolls-Royce and the University of Sheffield to investigate the impact of temperature and material composition on the performance of aircraft turbine blades. In my spare time, I enjoy swimming, going to the gym and attending live music events with my family and friends.
My research Interests
My research explores the use of Terahertz spectroscopy to identify physical properties in orally administered, pharmaceutical tablets. Specifically, I am investigating the effects of drug porosity during tablet manufacturing processes and how it can be regulated to improve drug delivery and performance.
Education
MEng in Chemical Engineering, University of Manchester, 2024
Mingrui Ma
Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology
West Cambridge Site
Philippa Fawcett Drive
Cambridge CB3 0AS
Email: mm2337[at]cam[dot]ac[dot]uk
Biography
I read MEng & BA Chemical Engineering via Natural Sciences at CEB at the University of Cambridge (Fitzwilliam College) from 2018 to 2022. During my fourth year of this undergraduate course, I joined the Terahertz Applications Group to undertake my research project, which inspired me to continue further as a PhD student (Gonville & Caius College) starting Michaelmas 2022.
Research Interests
I studied the water transport through immediate release tablets using terahertz pulsed imaging (TPI), whose results assisted the fundamental understanding towards the drug release performance from porous media. My PhD research will extend the scope to more complex formulations and fluid environments with TPI. I aim to further demonstrate the terahertz spectroscopy as a robust process analytical technology that facilitate the Quality by Design (QbD) initiatives.
Personal Interests
I enjoy photographing and afternoon tea experiences during free time. I am also crazy about anime and manga as well as the Rococo fashion. From time to time, I dress up my ball-jointed dolls that recreate amine figures in real life.
Ruohan Zhang
Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology
West Cambridge Site
Philippa Fawcett Drive
Cambridge CB3 0AS
Email: rz330[at]cam[dot]ac[dot]uk
Education
BA in Physics, Christ Church College, University of Oxford,2019
MPhys Physics, Christ Church College, University of Oxford,2020
Research Interests
Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), which is the phenomenon of a mixture de-mixing into two liquid phases of different concentrations, is considered to be a possible explanation for the coexistence of different non-membrane-bound compartments in biological systems. My current research interest is to study LLPS using THz-TDS and other complementary methods. I hope to approach phase transition problems step by step, building quantitative understanding from the simplest system to the relatively more complex ones.
Shushan Wang
Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology
West Cambridge Site
Philippa Fawcett Drive
Cambridge CB3 0AS
Email: sw2088[at]cam[dot]ac[dot]uk
About
Hi! I’m Shushan Wang, a PhD student from China.
I joined the Terahertz Applications Group (TAG) in the Michaelmas Term of 2023 and am a member of Gonville & Caius College, University of Cambridge.
My biggest hobbies? Eating and sleeping! (^▽^)
TAG is an amazing family—come and join us!
Education
MEng in Electrical Engineering, Tsinghua University, 2023
BEng in Electrical Engineering and Automation, China University of Mining and Technology, 2021
Research Interests
Applications of reflection/transflection terahertz testing
Honorary members
Lynn Gladden
Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology
West Cambridge Site
Philippa Fawcett Drive
Cambridge CB3 0AS
Email: lfg1[at]cam[dot]ac[dot]uk
Research Interests
Please see Lynn’s page on Meet the Academics profile page for an up-to-date research profile.
Key Publications
Terahertz group
Former members
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Amelia Turner
Summer research student
Dora Dai
Summer research student
Supawan (Amy) Santitewagun
PhD student
Runqiao (Ray) Dong
PhD student and Postdoc
Prince Bawuah
Postdoc
Johanna Kölbel
PhD student
Qi Li
PhD student
Mohammed Al-Sharabi
PhD student
Adam Zaczek
Postdoc
Talia Shmool
PhD student
Theona Mudley
MPhil ACE student 2018
Daniel Markl
Postdoc
Michael Ruggiero
Postdoc
Samy Yassin
PhD student
Perry Wang
MPhil ACE student 2016
Juraj Sibik
PhD student and Postdoc
Leonard Chia
PhD student
Jade Wong
MPhil ACE student 2015
Nicholas Tan
PhD student
Ke Su
Postdoc
Denis Ferachou
Postdoc
Hungyen Lin
Postdoc
Daniela Brock
Visiting PhD student
Robert May
Postodoc
Roy Li
PhD student
Daniele Tomerini
PhD student
Edward Parrott
PhD student and Postdoc
Jelena Obradovic († 2008)
PhD student
Lien Nguyen
PhD student
Ole Hirsch
Postdoc