's Biography

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Professor Higson’s career to date has spanned academic departments of Chemistry, Medicine, Biotechnology, Materials Science and Health - and this is reflected in the research interests in the group he now heads.

Professor Higson is a long standing college member of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Council (EPSRC) of the UK, serves in an advisory and/or consultative capacity for a number of public bodies and acts as Technical Director for Microarray Ltd - a company formed upon science and patents originating from his group.

Professor Higson is also author of a major text, 'Analytical Chemistry', published by the Oxford University press: (ISBN: 0 19-8502893).

Professor Higson's current research interests are primarily focused towards practical implementation of electro-analytical science and analytical biochemistry for biomedical, environmental and industrial process control applications.

A recurrent theme in much of Séamus' research includes the design and fabrication of micro-electrode arrays for applications ranging from DNA analysis, (including genomic and proteomic applications), through to enzymatic biosensors and electro-analytical chemical sensors. Fabrication routes include, electrochemical polymerisation techniques, screen printing technology and sonochemical ablation approaches. Further applications of micro electrodes include the development of novel interrogation formats for scanning electron microscopy (SECM).

Professor Higson also undertakes a considerable quantity of work directly focused towards industry in the field of biosensors and electroanalytical science including the production, harvesting and exploitation of recombinant enzymes, the exploitation of ultra-thin polymer film coating technologies and nano-fabricated architectures for biosensors.

Recent and ongoing high profile work has included the development of a range of biosensors with ultra-low limits of detection for, for example the early detection of prostrate and ovarian cancer, the diagnosis of transient ischemic events (stroke), the determination of a range of pathogens and nucleic acid based sensors with differential ability down to the level of a single gene.