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Paul Dalgarno

Paul Dalgarno

Assistant Professor in Physics, Heriot-Watt University

I lead the Advanced Microscopy Group at Heriot-Watt University, which specializes in developing new microscopy and analytical techniques for the life sciences. My primary work focuses on interdisciplinary collaborations with core activities based on 4D imaging, multi-parameter microscopy, fluorescent lifetime imaging and the application of single photon detector arrays to life science imaging. I am heavily involved in public outreach and engagement leading activities and in 2017 was very proud to be awarded the Heriot-Watt student association Switched-On teaching Oscar for most exciting, enthusiastic and dynamic lecturer.

I obtained an MPhys degree in physics in 2001 before graduating with a PhD from Heriot-Watt in 2005 on the study of self-assembled semiconductor quantum dots. Until 2009 I worked on semiconductor quantum optics, notably single photon sources, quantum dot physics and microcavities, before moving to St Andrews to study single molecule spectroscopy of RNA. In 2011 I returned to Heriot Watt as a research fellow in the newly formed Institute of Biological Chemistry, Biophysics and Bioengineering (IB3). Since 2012 I has been an Assistant Professor and group leader of the Advanced Microscopy Group.

In my spare time I enjoy sport and exercise, notably long distance and trail running. My young son keeps me pretty busy outside work, but I still get time to enjoy the occasional science fiction novel or movie.

Beauty and the microscope: what science can learn from art

Jun 30, 2017 17:10 pm UTC| Insights & Views Science

As a scientist, I consider myself artistic in neither my abilities nor my observations of the world around me I am a physicist who has dedicated his career to controlled experiments, mathematical descriptions and...

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Economy

Interest rates: the ugly dilemma facing Europe’s central banks – and why it’s a mistake to cut too soon

Central banks in Europe are discovering an old dilemma: when they lower interest rates because inflation is slowing down, its likely to weaken their currencies. This in turn may delay the fall in inflation towards their...

Europe is still in short-term crisis mode over Ukraine and lacks a vision for its post-war identity

Some believe that the war in Ukraine has fundamentally changed Europe, giving birth to a different kind of European order. That is, it appears to be driving structural shifts in the way Europe is run and organised that...

Mortgage prisoners: regulatory changes and low credit scores have left thousands trapped in a cycle of high payments

There are 8.5 million households in the UK who own a home with a residential mortgage, often with fixed interest rates from two to five years. Usually, when that mortgage deal ends, the borrower will move to another deal...

What should you do if you can’t pay your rent or mortgage?

The cost of living crisis is making it difficult for many people to pay their bills, including housing costs. Private sector rents have increased by an average 9% over the year to February 2024, and rising interest rates...

Reducing energy demand and improving efficiency will help prevent the next gas crisis

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Politics

Gabon: post-coup dialogue has mapped out path to democracy – now military leaders must act

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How German media attention idealises female Ukrainian refugees

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Over 26 million South Africans get a social grant. Fear of losing the payment used to be a reason to vote for the ANC, but no longer – study

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Donald Trump Allegedly Offers Oil Execs a Deal to Scrap EV Incentives for $1B Donation

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US Supreme Court upended decades of precedent in 2022 by allowing voters to vote with gerrymandered maps instead of fixing the congressional districts first

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Science

Is dark matter’s main rival theory dead? There’s bad news from the Cassini spacecraft and other recent tests

One of the biggest mysteries in astrophysics today is that the forces in galaxies do not seem to add up. Galaxies rotate much faster than predicted by applying Newtons law of gravity to their visible matter, despite those...

Why are algorithms called algorithms? A brief history of the Persian polymath you’ve likely never heard of

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IceCube researchers detect a rare type of energetic neutrino sent from powerful astronomical objects

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The Mars Sample Return mission has a shaky future, and NASA is calling on private companies for backup

A critical NASA mission in the search for life beyond Earth, Mars Sample Return, is in trouble. Its budget has ballooned from US$5 billion to over $11 billion, and the sample return date may slip from the end of this...

Dark matter: our new experiment aims to turn the ghostly substance into actual light

A ghost is haunting our universe. This has been known in astronomy and cosmology for decades. Observations suggest that about 85% of all the matter in the universe is mysterious and invisible. These two qualities are...

Technology

Ether ETFs May Boost ETH to $10K, but Approval Delayed Until 2025

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Solana Could Surge After Ethereum ETF Approval: Matrixport Co-founder Predicts

The broader cryptocurrency market has risen today due to speculation over the likely approval of the Spot Ethereum ETF by the US SEC. However, amid the euphoria, Matrixport co-founder Daniel Yans recent comments have...

Tesla's ‘Cybercab’ Robotaxi Interior Leaked in New Promotional Video

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Tron Founder Justin Sun's $2.5 Billion Ethereum Stash Sparks Investor Interest

Tron founder Justin Suns $2.5 billion Ethereum investment is stirring significant market interest, highlighting his confidence in the cryptocurrencys future. Justin Suns Ethereum Holdings Explained Tron founder...
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