Exeter physicist made Royal Society University Research Fellow

Dr Sharon Jewell joined the University of Exeter as a PhD student in 1999. Since then she has worked as a postdoctoral researcher in the electromagnetic materials group until her recent move into biomedical physics. She is based in the School of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences.

Her research expertise is on synthetic liquid crystals, such as those used for television and mobile phone displays. The Royal Society University Research Fellowship will enable her to apply her knowledge to naturally occurring liquid crystals, specifically human cell membranes.

Dr Sharon Jewell said: “I feel very privileged to have been awarded this Royal Society University Research Fellowship and to have this great opportunity to apply my training as a physicist to answer questions that arise at the interface between physics and biology.

“To a physicist, a seemingly simple mammalian cell contains a fascinating array of electrical, material and fluid mechanical properties. We are still a long way from understanding how these processes work together to allow it to function correctly. I will be specifically exploring how such tiny, organic entities generate measurable voltages across the cell membrane and why these electrical properties are so crucial for healthy cells.”

Dr Jewell aims to use the cutting-edge optical imaging techniques available in the biomedical physics research group to discover the fundamental physics behind how these voltages are generated. She hopes that this knowledge can be used to assist in the future diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

The University Research Fellowship scheme aims to provide outstanding scientists, who have the potential to become leaders in their chosen fields, with the opportunity to build an independent research career. The scheme is extremely competitive and fellows are expected to be strong candidates for permanent posts in universities at the end of their fellowships. 

Head of Physics, Professor Tim Naylor said: “It is excellent to see the Royal Society funding imaginative proposals like this one, which allow an outstanding young scientist like Sharon to move into an area outside traditional physics, where she will be making a unique contribution.”