Winner: Analytical Science mid-career Prize
Professor Damion Corrigan
University of Strathclyde
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2025 Analytical Science mid-career Prize: awarded for innovative contributions to the field of electrochemical sensors for biomedical...
Professor Damion Corrigan works on the development of new biosensor technologies and their application for the earlier and improved diagnosis of disease. He is interested in lowering the costs and complexity associated with diagnostic testing so that health conditions can be identified earlier and in community settings. The research involves fabrication of electrode sensors, attachment of biological receptors to surfaces and the development of high sensitivity measurements for biomarkers of interest.
Biography
Professor Damion Corrigan is the LGC professor in measurement science for health in the department of pure and applied chemistry, University of Strathclyde, UK. Prior to joining Strathclyde, he worked in the chemistry departments at Edinburgh and Southampton Universities as a postdoc and completed a GSK funded EPSRC CASE PhD at Cranfield University, under the supervision of Professor Sergey Piletsky and Dr Sean McCrossen.
Damion and his team work on the development of electrochemical biosensing platforms and their application to areas of human and environmental diagnostics. Areas of strong interest include sensor fabrication, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and the development of new assay reagents to improve the sensitivity and robustness of biosensor platforms.
Applications of the research have included: SARS-CoV-2 detection, detection of drug-resistant urinary tract infections, high sensitivity cardiac troponin detection, liquid biopsies and the use of DNA origami as a new material in biosensor platforms. Damion is also interested in research translation and is the founding director and chief scientific officer for Aureum Diagnostics and a co-founder and chief technology officer for Microplate Dx. Damion is also a Fellow of the 九州影院.
My motivation is to use my knowledge of analytical chemistry and electrochemistry to develop new technologies which improve diagnosis of disease
Professor Damion Corrigan
Q&A with professor Damion Corrigan
How did you first become interested in chemistry?
I've always had a general interest in science and felt most at home in a chemistry department. My major preference has been biochemistry, and I became most interested in this during my A-level time at school, particularly learning about the macromolecules which make up cells and the various functions of enzymes and other proteins.
Tell us about somebody who has inspired or mentored you in your career
For me, it's difficult to pick out one person because inspiration has come in many places. My school teachers, Mr David Spybey and Mr Norman Brown, helped me learn the basics of maths and biology/biochemistry, which ignited an interest in science. At university level, my PhD supervisor, Professor Sergey Piletsky, showed me how life can be in a well-run and productive group, and my two postdoc advisors, Professor Phil Bartlett and Professor Andy Mount, taught me the fundamentals of electrochemistry and how to apply them to a variety of measurement challenges.
What motivates you?
My motivation is to use my knowledge of analytical chemistry and electrochemistry to develop new technologies which improve diagnosis of disease.
What advice would you give to a young person considering a career in chemistry?
When young it's not always possible to see how important a science chemistry is and how wide ranging it can be in terms of career. I've met a lot of people with degrees in chemistry in places I wouldn't expect to. The sub-disciplines (physical, organic, inorganic etc) are so varied it means people with very different skill sets and outlooks can advance.
Can you tell us about a scientific development on the horizon that you are excited about?
As a bit of an enthusiastic amateur, I try to keep an eye on what's happening in battery science and general energy-related research.
What has been a highlight for you (either personally or in your career)?
Whilst it was a situation no one wanted, during Covid-19 my team and I were funded by Chief Scientist Office Scotland to work on the development of low-cost, easy-to-use testing solutions for SARS-CoV-2. We were one of the few groups allowed into the university, and working on the development of our assay as the science was changing in real time was very exciting and fulfilling. We were able in early clinical testing to see that the newly emerged Alpha (Kent) variant gave a greater response on our sensor due to its higher affinity for the ACE2 receptor, meaning the behaviour of our device was changing as the virus was evolving.
What has been a challenge for you (either personally or in your career)?
Like a lot of other scientists, whilst an extremely professionally rewarding career stage, being a postdoc and not having a clear picture of what was coming next was a bit of a challenge. Contractual changes, relocation, project funding etc. are all familiar problems in research.
What does good research culture look like/mean to you?
For me, being able to shift the emphasis on to longer term projects aimed at producing high quality outcomes is always the aim. This can be challenging to balance against the need to produce publications in the shorter term. Alongside this, building long-term reciprocal collaborations is also part of a good research culture.
Why do you think collaboration and teamwork are important in science?
Our work is based on collaboration. This is because the research is interdisciplinary in nature and involves working with biologists, electrical engineers, clinicians and more in order to cover all necessary elements of diagnostic test production. Collaborative work is very important within our team and in many respects, science in moving in this direction with teamwork becoming increasingly necessary to deliver new results.
What is your favourite element?
Bismuth - it's an in joke :)