The PROTEUS project is the UK's largest optical imaging project geared towards clinical application. Funded by the EPSRC and launched in October 2013, it brings together a multidisciplinary team of chemists, clinicians, biologists, engineers, optical physicists, image analysts, machine learners, signal processors, NHS partners, Industry and commercialisation support to deliver a transformative point-of-care immediate sensing device for pulmonary critical care. The team comprises 16 Post Doctoral Scientists, 24 PhDs and 10 Investigators with 200 man years of effort focussed on developing a next generation platform. PROTEUS will develop a Fibre-based Optical Sensing and Imaging Platform (FOSIP) that will provide ground-breaking dynamic sensing of key physiological and pathological events in the distal lung and blood of critically-ill ventilated patients that will lead to significant healthcare improvement.

FOSIP aims to allow clinicians to simultaneously and dynamically sense and image multiple pivotal physiological and pathological targets in the distal lung and in the blood of critically ill ICU patients. This will be achieved through the integration of fibre-based multiplexed optical sensing capability with unique Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) to measure physiological parameters and fluorescent molecular SmartProbes to allow simultaneous multiplexed real-time monitoring of biological targets via a single optical fibre inserted directly into an arterial/standard blood sampling-line and via pulmonary micro-endoscopy and the local instillation of 'microdoses' of exquisitely sensitive and disease target specific SmartProbes.

The seminar will involve a presentation by members of the team from University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University. Speakers include:

• Dr Kev Dhaliwal - PROTEUS Hub Team Leader
  Kev is a Senior Lecturer in Pulmonary Molecular Imaging and an Honorary Consultant in Respiratory Medicine. He sub-specialises in Pulmonary Infection and Tuberculosis. He undertook a BSc in Medical Microbiology and a PhD in Optical Molecular Imaging and Lung Inflammation. He currently performs translational research in collaboration with the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) developing and applying non-invasive methodologies for imaging inflammation.
• Dr Nikola Krstajić - PROTEUS Research Associate
  Nikola's research focus has been in instrumentation including time-resolved detectors, optical coherence tomography, fluorescence microscopy, endoscopy and radiation dosimetry. Nikola will apply his expertise to innovate, build and integrate several modules reading out fluorescence and Raman signals from tissue. His main aim within the PROTEUS project is to provide tools for ground breaking distal lung sensing and imaging.
• Dr Richard Walker - PROTEUS Research Associate
  Richard's research has explored new system and pixel architectures for 3D cameras. During his studies, Richard also contributed towards the Megaframe project, working on the sensor's digital readout design, FPGA firmware and software. Richard will enrich PROTEUS work with his deep understanding of sensor technology.
• Dr Antonios Perperidis - PROTEUS Postdoctoral Research Associate
  Antonios' academic background is in Biomedical Image Processing and Biomedical Engineering. His previous work at the Unit of Medical Physics & Medical Engineering, University of Edinburgh involved the post processing of Medical Ultrasound image sequences. Antonios will bring his significant image processing and analysis skills to the PROTEUS project in order to de-noise and enhance images.
• Dr Debaditya Choudhury - PROTEUS Postdoctoral Research Associate
  Debaditya's previous research has focused on the optoelectronic characterisation of amorphous hydrogenated silicon germanium thin-films for photovoltaic applications. He has also investigated applications of hyperspectral imaging in trace evidence detection. Debaditya will use the techniques of laser inscription to full effect within the PROTEUS project in order to optimize novel fibres.
• Dr Ioulia K. Mati - PROTEUS Research Associate
  Ioulia's research has focused on the synthesis of molecular torsion balances for the quantification of non-covalent interactions. Working as part of the PROTEUS team Ioulia will develop nanosensors to measure physiological parameters in the lungs and blood of critically ill patients.
• Dr Michael Tanner - PROTEUS Research Associate
  Michael worked as a Postdoctoral Research Scientist at Hitachi, investigating the excitation structure of Isolated Double Quantum Dots (IDQDs), or "artificial molecules". With wide ranging skills in experimental systems, fibre optics, and sensing technologies Michael will now lead the optical physics strand within the PROTEUS project to optimise novel fibre probes for clinical application.
• Dr Ettore Pedretti - Postdoctoral Research Associate
  Ettore is a research fellow at Heriot-Watt University and has a strong academic background in Astronomy. He has a particular interest in developing complex instrumentation and will apply this knowledge within PROTEUS by using optical interferometry to observe bacteria in the distal lung.