Zoe Pikramenou


Zoe Pikramenou is Professor of Inorganic Chemistry and Photophysics at the University of Birmingham, where she is the first female professor in the chemistry department.

Research

Pikramenou is an engineer specialising in nanotechnology and photophysics. Recent research has investigated how gold nanorods could be applied to treat cancerous cells in the body. This research is in partnership with the Canadian company Sona Nanotech Inc. Pikramenou has researched other applications of gold nanoparticles, including their use in tracking blood flow in capillary networks. She was part of a team that developed iridium-coated gold nanoparticles, significant because they have a longer lifetime of use. She has co-investigated platelet nodules, using microscopy.
Another medical application of Pikramenou's nanoparticle research includes the application of coated silica particles to treat sensitive teeth. As part of her doctoral research at Michigan State University, Pikramenou invented a nanoparticle bucket, which lights up when in contains a particular compound. This kind of microscopic bucket is described as a supramolecule.

Coated nanoparticles patent

In 2017, Pikramenou and her co-researcher Nicola J Rogers, were granted a patent to protect their invention of a new process of combining at least one metal complex and a surfactant.

Career

Pikramenou graduated in 1993 from Michigan State University with a PhD in Chemistry, following a BA in Chemistry from the University of Athens in 1987. Her post-doctoral fellowship was at the University of Strasbourg, working with Jean-Marie Lehn. She became a lecturer at the University of Edinburgh, then was appointed to the University of Birmingham in 2000.

Awards