Dr Priyanka Dey has secured funding to develop a new technique that will give us a richer understanding of what cancer cells are made of and how they change as disease progresses
project aims to develop a new technology that will allow researchers to look inside cancer cells using more detailed 3D imaging to get valuable insights into the disease.
, Assistant Professor in Bioanalytical Chemistry in the School of Medicine, Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, has been awarded £713,000, with 80 per cent being funded through the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) New Investigator Award (NIA) scheme. The three-year project begins in April 2026.
Much like an MRI scan allows doctors to see inside the body, the 3D image technology will show what the cell looks like and what it is made of, by capturing its chemical composition and biological structure at the same time.
By comparing diseased cells with healthy ones in 3D - rather than the flat, two-dimensional images typically used today - researchers hope to spot those differences far more clearly than has previously been possible.
My hope is that the insights we gain here will one day help make cancer diagnosis earlier, less invasive, and more tailored for patients."
“This level of detail matters because cancer is not a uniform disease”, said Dr Dey. “The way a cancer cell's biochemistry changes as it grows, spreads, or responds to treatment can hold vital clues about how aggressive it is and how it might best be tackled. My hope is that the insights we gain here will one day help make cancer diagnosis earlier, less invasive, and more tailored for patients.”
Current imaging methods, such as fluorescence imaging, typically rely on dyes or specially modified molecules to make the structures inside a cell visible.
Dr Dey explained: “Think of it like needing to add food colouring to water before you can see it clearly. The problem is that introducing these dyes can alter the cell's natural chemistry.”
Dr Dey's approach, based on a technique called Raman spectroscopy, works differently. It reads the natural chemical “fingerprint” that every molecule already possesses, without needing to add any dyes or artificial markers at all. To help visualise the structures inside the cell clearly without dyes, the project will use specially designed particles that enhance the image without interfering with the cell's natural molecules. The result is a far more accurate picture of what is happening inside a cancer cell.
The project will build on an initial optical imaging system purchased by the University through its own Research Capital Investment Fund. Dr Dey's laboratory will develop and test the technology using breast cancer cells, however the approach is designed to work with any type of cell.
The research is a major step forward in understanding the biology of cancer at the sub-cellular level - knowledge that could inform earlier, more accurate diagnosis and treatment.
Dr Dey added: “Being able to image cells in three dimensions with detailed sub-cellular structure and chemical information with this RamVis technology will give us a far richer understanding of how to manipulate these cancer cells. The prestigious award from EPSRC will help us reach closer to our goal of making cancer less painful.”
The project will be supported by a postdoctoral researcher, with plans to recruit later in 2026.
It builds directly on Dr Dey's existing track record in developing novel Raman spectroscopy-based technologies for cancer diagnostics. In 2024, she was named one of the world's top 20 rising stars in measurement science by the American Chemical Society journal ACS Measurement Science Au, recognised for her work developing biopsy-free cancer detection tools.
The EPSRC New Investigator Award is a competitive scheme open to early career researchers, with applicants only permitted to apply once.
Professor Joy Watts, Associate Dean for Research and Innovation in the Faculty of Science and Health, said: “Priyanka's success in securing this award is a wonderful achievement, and a testament to the quality and originality of her research. The ability to image cancer cells in three dimensions - capturing both chemical and biological information - is genuinely exciting science with real potential for clinical impact. This EPSRC award reflects the University's excellence in the life sciences and diagnostic innovation space, and we look forward to seeing where this important research leads.”
Dr Dey is part of the University’s Institute of Life Sciences and Healthcare, located within the Faculty of Science and Health, which relaunched last year to strengthen collaborations with NHS trusts and regional partners in tackling health challenges across the South East.
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