Dr Lewis MacKenzie

Strathclyde Chancellor's Fellow

Pure and Applied Chemistry

Personal statement

I am a Royal Society University Research Fellow and Chancellor's Fellow in the Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry. My group's research primarily focuses on the development of photonic upconversion nanoparticle (UCNPs) systems for biomedical applications. My research group has leading equipment for the synthesis and application of UCNPs, including a high-safety autoclave reactor, a microwave reactor, and the UK's only dedicated upconversion spectrometer. My background is interdisciplinary, spanning biophotonic applications in physics and chemistry. Beyond UCNPs, my research interests include biophotonics, imaging, spectroscopy, microscopy, circularly polarised luminescence (CPL), optical instrumentation, and quantative science communication research. I can offer project opportunities for masters-level and PhD students. Please email me for details. For more details, please my group website: www.mackenzie-lab.org

Expertise

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Prize And Awards

Light and Science Applications (Nature): Monthly Editor's Pick Reviewer Award: Recipient; 12/2025
Royal Society University Research Fellowhsip: Recipient; 2025
IOP 3 Minute Wonder UK Grand Finalist: Recipient; 17/5/2022
Institute of Physics, 3 Minute Wonder, North East England Heat Winner: Recipient; 11/2019
BBSRC Discovery Fellowship: Recipient; 2019
‘ACTION for Impact’ Pitch Competition Runner Up - course run jointly by University of Newcastle and Durham University: Recipient; 2019

More prizes and awards

Qualifications

2025. Associate Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy. Advance HE. In recognition of attainment against the Professional Standards Framework for teaching and learning support in higher education

Ph.D. 2016. School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow. Thesis title: 'In vivo oximetry using multispectral imaging'. Supervisor: Prof. Andy Harvey.

M.Sc. Astrophysics. 2012. School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow.

B.Sc. (Hons). Physics and Astronomy. 2011. School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow.

Publications

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Publications

The infinitesimal surgeon : nanomachines and upconversion nanoparticles: MacKenzie Lewis E; (2026); https://doi.org/10.26434/chemrxiv.15008974/v1
Polyethyleneimine (PEI) molecular weight alters the photophysical and FRET properties of water dispersible NaYF4:Yb,Er upconversion nanoparticles: McGonigle Rebecca, Homann Chris, Connelly Ciera, Gajewska Marta, Hildebrandt Niko, Pal Robert, Chow Shiao, Resch-Genger Ute, MacKenzie Lewis; (2026); https://doi.org/10.26434/chemrxiv.15004510/v1
Investigation of the robustness of Rayleigh optical activity for the assignment of absolute configurations of chiral molecules: Puente Andrew R, McArthur Duncan, Alexakis Emmanouil I, MacKenzie Lewis E, Cameron Robert P, Barron Laurence D, Polavarapu Prasad L; Journal of Physical Chemistry A Vol 130, pp. 2238-2251 (2026); https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpca.5c08390
Circularly polarised luminescence (CPL) as a contingency assay for 'mirror life' bio-hazards: MacKenzie Lewis E, Black Dominic J, Pal Robert; (2026); https://doi.org/10.26434/chemrxiv.10001955/v1
Observation of Rayleigh optical activity for chiral molecules : a new chiroptical tool: McArthur Duncan, Alexakis Emmanouil I, Puente Andrew R, McGonigle Rebecca, Love Andrew J, Polavarapu Prasad L, Barron Laurence D, MacKenzie Lewis E, Arnold Aidan S, Cameron Robert P; Journal of Physical Chemistry A Vol 129, pp. 11884-11887 (2025); https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpca.5c05516
Investigation of the robustness of Rayleigh optical activity for the assignment of absolute configurations of chiral molecules: Puente Andrew, McArthur Duncan, Alexakis Emmanouil, MacKenzie Lewis, Cameron Robert P, Barron Laurence, Polavarapu Prasad; (2025); https://doi.org/10.26434/chemrxiv-2025-r972r

More publications

Teaching

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Teaching

Dr MacKenzie currently teaches CH213 'Handling Chemical Data and Mathematics' as part of the level 2 undergraduate Chemistry curriculum.

Research

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Research Interests

The MacKenzie NanoBioPhotonics group currently focus on these interdisciplinary research themes:

Upconversion nanoparticles: synthesis, design, and functionalization.
Nanobiosensing: oxygen measurement in blood, cells, and tissue.
Applied optics: imaging and spectroscopy
Chiral nanomaterials and chiral spectroscopy, particularly circularly polarised luminescence.
Quantitative science communication: science podcast and chemistry YouTube channels

For a detailed breakdown, please visit:

https://mackenzie-lab.org/research-areas