Ingestible sensors, gas sensors, point-of-care biosensors: UNSW professor awarded prestigious science prize

Professor Kourosh Kalantar-Zadeh from UNSW Chemical Engineering has been awarded the prestigious 2020 Robert Boyle Prize for Analytical Science by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC).

Professor Kalantar-Zadeh has been recognised for significant research outcomes that have frequently been first-in-world such as the development of commercialised ingestible sensors for gut disorders, gas sensors for pollutants and point-of-care biosensors.

His research team has developed a gas capsule that offers an accurate and safe tool for monitoring the effects of an individual diet and has the potential to be used as a diagnostic tool for the gut.

A revolutionary tool to analyse the gastrointestinal gases, the ingestible sensing capsule loaded with gas-sensing technology, detects gaseous biomarkers as it passes through the gut.

“I feel extremely happy to be recognised by the Royal Society of Chemistry,” Prof. Kalantar-Zadeh said. “This prize is an extraordinary honour and it’s humbling to see my name among the best in the history of analytical science.”

Professor Kalantar-Zadeh has authored more than 425 research articles and reviews and was named among the top 1% Highly Cited Researchers internationally by Clarivate Analytics in both 2018 and 2019. In 2019 he was awarded the Walter Burfitt Prize from the Royal Society of NSW.

President and Vice-Chancellor at UNSW Sydney, Professor Ian Jacobs congratulated Professor Kalantar-Zadeh on his Prize on behalf of the University.

“Being awarded the Robert Boyle Prize by the Royal Society of Chemistry is a remarkable achievement,” Prof. Jacobs said. “We are very proud of our world-class researchers at UNSW and I congratulate Professor Kalantar-Zadeh on this well-deserved international recognition of his ground-breaking research.”

Dr Helen Pain, acting chief executive of the Royal Society of Chemistry said, “The global chemical sciences community is one that covers many different specialisms, from health and climate change to product development, sustainable transport, and everything in between. In recognising the work of Professor Kalantar-Zadeh we are also recognising the important contribution this incredible network of scientists makes to improving our lives every day.”

The Robert Boyle Prize is awarded biennially for outstanding contributions to analytical science, with the winner receiving £5000, a medal and a certificate and an invitation to undertake a UK lecture tour.

The Prize is named after Robert Boyle, who is widely regarded as being the first modern chemist and a pioneer of the famous modern scientific method known as Boyles Law, which relates pressure and temperature.

Recipients of the Prize are chosen by the RSC Analytical Division Awards Committee based on criteria including originality of research; impact of research; quality of publications and/or patents and/or software; innovation; professional standing; collaborations and teamwork; and other indicators of esteem indicated by nominee or nominator.

To learn more about the ingestible gas sensing capsule, click here.

A full list of prize and award winners for 2020 is available here.


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