b'Member News March 2024 21Research prizeInnovative infectious disease professor awarded our A F Harvey PrizeEarlier this month IET President, Dr Gopichand Katragadda hosted Professor Rachel McKendry, our 2023 A F Harvey Engineering Research Prize winner as she gave her online lecture, Going viral: Harnessing2023 A F Harvey Engineering Research Deep Learning and Quantum Materials for Early Disease Diagnosis.Prize winner, Professor Rachel McKendryRachel McKendry isShe hopes this ground- to advance their research. Professor of Biomedicalbreaking early-stageProfessor McKendry is Nanoscience at Universityresearch could lay theleading the way in public College London andfoundations of next stagehealth and diagnostics with Director of the i-sensetranslational funding andher pioneering work at the EPSRC IRC in Earlyopen up applicationsintersection of biology, Warning Sensing Systemsto other communicabledigital and materials. Id like for Infectious Diseases.and non-communicableto congratulate her on this Her research lies at thediseases. She explained:awardwe are excited to cutting edge of quantumThere is an urgent needsupport the next phase of technologies, deep learningfor new diagnostic testsher research.and telecommunicationsthat can detect early for infectious diseasesinfections and to improveOur search and selection and public health. in blood and urineandantibiotic stewardship. Ipanel scour the world for would advance the resultsam also really excited topotential candidates each Rachel led the i-senseof current PCR tests. lead a public engagementyear, drawing on expansive team to help tackle a rangeinitiative to raise theinternational networks to of infections from HIV toDuring the lecture, Rachelvisibility of the hiddenreward the most innovative the global response toshared her fascinatingheroes of diagnosticstheworkers in these fields.COVID-19, developing newresearch and explainedengineers and scientists diagnostics and analysinghow her team will usebehind diagnostic tests data for public healththe 350,000 prize fundthat have been soIf you missed the lecture, surveillance. to build on their recentvital to the COVID-19visit theiet.org/harvey breakthroughs in quantumpandemic response.She is also working tonanodiamond diagnosticsto catch up and find out transform the ability toand deep learning of rapidOur President, Drmore about how Professor accurately interpret HIVtests to revolutioniseGopichand KatragaddaMcKendry and her team results with the use ofthe early diagnosis ofsaid: The IETs A F Harveyare making great strides nanodiamonds, which haveantimicrobial resistance,Engineering Research Prizein helping in the early heightened sensitivityfocusing on drug resistantsupports the worlds bestdiagnosis of antimicrobial to detect virus proteinsTuberculosis as an exemplar. scientists and engineers resistance.Read more at: theiet.org/harvey'