Bangor University has been awarded one of this year’s highly competitive APEX Awards, a scheme jointly run by the British Academy, the Royal Academy of Engineering, and the Royal Society with generous support from the Leverhulme Trust.
Since its launch in 2017, only 59 projects have been funded through APEX, and this success marks a milestone: it is the first time a project led by a Welsh university has received the award.
The awards fund research that encourages curiosity and creativity by bringing together experts from different areas of engineering to solve tough problems in new and innovative ways.
The award will support a two-year collaboration between two highly acclaimed Bangor University researchers. Professor Zengbo Wang from the School of Computer Science and Engineering and Dr Ellie Jameson from the School of Environmental and Natural Sciences. Their project, Listen to the Cell Breathe: Investigating Viral Infection in Real-Time with Nano-Vibration Detection and Super-Resolution Imaging, combines expertise in advanced photonics with environmental virology.
Professor Wang is a leading expert in advanced imaging and light technology. He brings new methods for looking at tiny structures and detecting very small vibrations to the project. Dr. Jameson is a leading environmental virologist whose expertise spans microbial ecology and bacteriophage infection dynamics. Dr Jameson brings valuable knowledge about how these viral infections work with a focus on tackling antibiotic resistant bacteria.
The research will develop a new way of observing viral infection by both watching and listening to cells as they are infected. With advanced technology, the team can see structures thousands of times smaller than the width of a human hair. They can also pick up the faint vibrations, like tiny ‘breaths,’ that cells make when viruses attack them. This dual approach will provide unprecedented real-time insights into how viruses interact with their hosts, while preserving their viability—work that could lay the foundation for future advances in disease diagnosis and treatment.
The APEX Award gives us a unique opportunity to combine cutting-edge imaging technology with virology to open a new frontier in understanding viral infections. We are excited not only about the scientific insights but also about engaging the public with the wonder of this research.
“This collaboration demonstrates the power of bringing together different disciplines to tackle fundamental questions. We hope the outcomes will inspire further research and future applications to benefit human and environmental health.”
Alongside the scientific research, the Bangor research team will run public engagement activities to share their discoveries with the wider community. These will include school outreach, public lectures, and interactive events designed to inspire curiosity about science and highlight the value of interdisciplinary research.
This award underlines Bangor University’s commitment to fostering cross-disciplinary research that delivers both scientific excellence and societal impact. By bringing together world-leading expertise from across our schools, we are not only addressing complex challenges but also positioning Bangor at the forefront of transformative, curiosity-driven research with real global significance.
Alongside the two-year APEX Award, the project will also be supported by Bangor’s Wynne Humphrey Davies Fund. This additional backing extends the studentship into a full PhD and opens the door for new research collaborations with world-leading US institutions, including MIT and Northeastern University, enhancing the project’s global reach and long-term impact.
Read the official announcement here: Royal Academy of Engineering – Ten APEX awards given for innovative, curiosity-driven interdisciplinary research projects
Ink drawing based on the ideas behind the grant
