Research Interests
If you are interested in pursuing a PhD in one of our research areas, and you have already secured your own funding (e.g., government source, charity, industry, research council) or you are Self-Funded, you are encouraged to contact the Dr Wylie, with full CV and letter of motivation (maximum of one page).
- Design, synthesis, and characterisation of biomaterials and device coatings
- Stimuli-responsive hydrogels for drug delivery
- Bacterial-polymer surface interactions
- Polymer/metallic surface modification strategies for anti-fouling applications
- Low-friction and self-cleaning surfaces
- Next-generation surface disinfectants
Current Research Opportunities
- Biomaterial coatings with lubricious, slippery coatings for improved urinary catheter performance
- Infection-responsive coatings for the prevention of catheter-associated urinary tract infections
- Development of carbohydrate-functionalised materials for detection and prevention of medical device-associated infections
- Designing next-generation urinary catheter materials for clean intermittent self-catheterisation through control of the urinary microbiome
Public outreach & key achievements
The research is strongly linked to industrial collaborations built upon Dr. Wylie’s participation in Innovate UK’s ICURe commercialization programme which has led to several prototype materials for infection control: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2020.112098
Our work has recently received funding from the HEA’s Shared Island Initiative: https://www.sfi.ie/research-news/news/protection-medical-device/ and https://www.healthestatejournal.com/story/39237/taking-preventative-science-to-a-new-level
Other recent achievements from our collaborations within the School of Pharmacy include:
First of its kind 3D printed cacao-based health supplement helps boost immune system (https://www.qub.ac.uk/News/Allnews/2025/3d-printed-health-supplement-boost-immune-system.html)
3D printed innovative bandage for diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) treatment (https://www.qub.ac.uk/News/Allnews/2023/researchers-3D-printed-bandage-treatment-diabetic-foot-ulcers.html)
Research students
| PhD Title | Biomaterial coatings with lubricious, slippery coatings for improved urinary catheter performance |
| Name | Miss Jasmine Ross |
| Years of study | 2023 - 2026 |
| Country | UK |
| PhD Title | Triggered Drug Delivery Systems for Targeted Therapy |
| Name | Mrs Marah Abu Qdais |
| Years of study | 2023 - 2026 |
| Country | Jordan |
| PhD Title | Development of Clinically Relevant Test Methods to Analyse Current Commercialised Products and Support the Development of Next-generation Intermittent Catheter Products |
| Name | Miss Karina Ivachnova |
| Years of study | 2024 - 2027 |
| Country | UK |
Alumni: Where are they now
| PhD Title | Triggered drug delivery systems for targeted therapy |
| Name | Mohammad Rabee |
| Years of study | 2020 - 2023 |
| Country | Jordan |
| Current Position | Assistant Professor, Jerash University |
| PhD Title | Plasma-mediated approaches for biomaterial surface modification |
| Name | Lu Wang |
| Years of study | 2018 - 2021 |
| Country | China |
| Current Position | Postdoctoral researcher, China Medical University |
| PhD Title | Infection-Responsive Biomaterials Capable of Triggered Self-Cleaning |
| Name | Sijin Li |
| Years of study | 2018 - 2021 |
| Country | China |
| Current Position | Lecturer (Education), China Queen’s College |