Professor Laura Harkness-Brennan PhD MPhys PGCert MInstP FHEA
Professor of Physics and Associate pro-Vice Chancellor for Research & Impact for Science & Engineering Physics
- +44 (0)151 794 6778
- Work email Laura.Harkness@liverpool.ac.uk
- Personal WebsiteNuclear Physics Group
- About
- Research
- Publications
- Teaching
- Professional Activities
Research
Gamma-ray Imaging
I have established a new research programme to develop room temperature semiconductor detectors or medical applications. This includes a real-time dosimetric system for molecular radiotherapy treatments. The semiconductor detector system is targeted at personalised cancer treatment plans, which will improve quality of life, reduce costs, increase the existing market size and enable changes in treatment planning policies. I am also leading a project to enhance the performance of CZT detectors for breast screening.
I also lead the development of gamma-ray imaging using Compton camera systems. In this interdisciplinary research, I apply expertise in advanced digital pulse processing, algorithm development, Monte-Carlo modelling and image reconstruction techniques to maximise the efficacy of the systems for these applications.
Gamma-ray Spectroscopy
I am coordinator of the PSA working group for the Advanced Gamma Tracking Array (AGATA), which is a prestigious, collaborative European effort to build the ultimate gamma-ray spectrometer for nuclear structure physics experiments.
I am a member of the Advanced Implantation Detector Array (AIDA) collaboration, a system situated at RIKEN for beta decay studies. In order to exploit AIDA in future beta decay studies at GSI, I have designed and am leading the development of a novel segmented germanium detector (SIGMA) to precisely correlate gamma and beta decays of exotic nuclei. This could potentially revolutionise the techniques of gamma-ray tracking and spectroscopy. I supported the experimental campaign at the Isolde Decay Station (IDS) and led the commissioning and first use of a BEGe detector in beta decay studies of odd-mass isotopes, at ISOLDE.
I have participated in the superheavy elements research programme (Herzberg P.I.), when I joined the ALBEGA, TASCA and SAGE collaborations. In future work, I will utilise very high resolution germanium detectors in x-ray fingerprinting of superheavy elements. I will also support the exploitation of AlBeGa at GSI.
PhD Supervision
2013-2016: Amina Patel, 1st supervisor, EPSRC
2014-2019: Kevin Tree, 1st supervisor, EPSRC NGN CDT
2015-2019: Lucy McAreavey, 1st supervisor, STFC
2015-2019: Adam Caffrey, 1st supervisor, STFC CASE
2015-2020: Ellis Rintoul, 2nd supervisor, EPSRC NGN CDT
2016-2021: Fiona Pearce, 1st supervisor, GTA
2017-present: Fraser Holloway, 1st supervisor, STFC LIV.DAT CDT
2017-present: Jacob Heery, 2nd supervisor, STFC
2017-present: Olivia Voyce, 1st supervisor, EPSRC NGN CDT
2017-present: Hamed Alshammari, 1st supervisor
2018-present: Sarah Kalantan, 2nd supervisor
2018-present: Hannah Brown, 1st supervisor, STFC
2018-present: Shiyamjith Nathaniel, 2nd supervisor, STFC LIV.DAT CDT
2020-present: Ahmed Alharbi, 1st supervisor
2020-present: Jack Hackett, 2nd supervisor, STFC
2020-present: Owain Griffiths, 1st supervisor, EPSRC GREEN CDT
2021-present: Christopher Everett, 2nd supervisor
Research Group Membership
Research Grants
Leverhulme international professorship. Muon Programme
LEVERHULME TRUST (UK)
October 2022 - September 2027
INTENSE: particle physics experiments at the high intensity frontier, from new physics to spin-offs. A cooperative Europe - United States - Japan effort
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
July 2022 - December 2024
Experimental Particle Physics Consolidated Grant 2022
UK RESEARCH AND INNOVATION
October 2022 - September 2025
Accelerating the development of novel technologies for nuclear physics
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FACILITIES COUNCIL
January 2022 - March 2022
consolidated grant tbc
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FACILITIES COUNCIL
October 2024 - September 2027
Evaluation and validation of the SIGMA gamma-ray tracking detector in relevant environments (ENVISAGE)
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FACILITIES COUNCIL
November 2023 - October 2026
STFC Cancer Diagnosis Network
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FACILITIES COUNCIL
June 2019 - September 2024
Experimental Particle Physics Consolidated Grant 2019
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FACILITIES COUNCIL
October 2019 - September 2025
Mu2e: a proposal to extend the sensitivity to charged lepton flavour violation by 4 orders of magnitude
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FACILITIES COUNCIL
April 2017 - September 2021
Nuclear Physics Consolidated Grant
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FACILITIES COUNCIL
October 2017 - March 2022
Sub pixel resolution in Cadmium Zinc Telluride detectors for Low Dose Molecular Breast Imaging
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FACILITIES COUNCIL
July 2019 - December 2022
Capital Equipment 2018
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FACILITIES COUNCIL
October 2018 - March 2019
The tale of two tunnels
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FACILITIES COUNCIL
May 2018 - November 2024
A three-dimensional integrated gamma-ray and vision system
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FACILITIES COUNCIL
July 2016 - January 2020
Quantitative SPECT for dosimetry of 131I molecular radiotherapy
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FACILITIES COUNCIL
July 2015 - June 2017
Imaging of prompt gamma emissions during proton cancer therapy for geometric and dosimetric verification
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FACILITIES COUNCIL
September 2015 - August 2017
Development of the Segmented Inverted Coaxial Germanium (SIGMA) Detector for Enhanced Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy and Imaging
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FACILITIES COUNCIL
July 2015 - June 2018