Profile/Research Interests
Professor James McLaughlin, a physicist, is currently the Director of the Engineering Research Institute (ERI) and Director of NIBEC. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Physics and was recently awarded an OBE for his services to Research and Economic Development in Northern Ireland.
His present research interests address nanotechnology and it’s application in areas such as point-of-care sensors and medical diagnostics. These interests involve the integration of nanotechnology, sensors and microfluidics. The main focus for this research is in the area of sensor diagnostic fabrication. Professor McLaughlin has led key developments in the technology of sensor materials and in particular it’s impact into the connected health industry. This work has had a strong influence on the Universities commercialisation of IP relating to Connected Health companies, as well as providing the basis for a range of new biomedical sensing platforms.
He has over three hundred publications, numerous successful patents and achieved outstanding paper awards at international conferences, as well as being honoured as an invited keynote speaker at numerous International Conferences.
In recent years Professor McLaughlin’s over-arching strategy is aimed at developing a strong Connected Health Platform within the University of Ulster. This work involves linking bioengineering and computing sciences with sensor technology developed within NIBEC and thus encouraging clinically-led research initiatives to benefit the healthcare sector.
Professor McLaughlin has attracted over £25M of funding to establish research that has led to the establishment of NIBEC, NICAM, NanotecNI and BEST. These centres have now led to a vibrant Research Institute (ERI) with over eighty researchers carrying out both basic and applied research in topics. He has been awarded funding from EPSRC, EU, NSF, DOH, DEL, HEA, Leverhulme Trust, RDA’s and various funding bodies.
He is the co-founder of Intelesens Ltd. (formerly ST&D Ltd.) which specialises in the design and fabrication of wireless vital-signs monitoring systems, as well as incorporating new micro- and nano-scale technologies, thus enabling the miniaturisation and integration of low-cost medical device systems. He is also a Director with Noribic, SiSAF (Chief Scientific Officer) and the European Connected Health Campus (Chair).
Responsibilities
Professor McLaughlin is a Member of the EPSRC Peer Review College and he represents the University on panels such as; RAE 2008 Metallurgy and Materials Assessment Panel; Northern Ireland Industry and Science Panel (MATRIX); NanoIreland Task Force/Chairs the Nanomaterials Panel; US Ireland R&D Partnership; Advisory panel to MSSI; as well as numerous local organisations. He is also a well known conference organiser; and has membership of a range of International Conference Committees.
He is responsible for teaching Advanced Medical Sensors, Biomedical Physics and Bio Instrumentation.
