Dr Mike MacDonald

Dr MacDonald is currently the head of the Biophotonics research group and a lecturer at the University of Dundee where he is developing his research in cell-sorting, cell-manipulation, surgical technology, optical diagnosis of cancer and colloidal transport over potential energy landscapes.

Before joining the faculty at Dundee, Dr MacDonald worked for 7 years at the University of St Andrews. In his time at St Andrews he played a central role in setting up the now world-renowned optical trapping and biophotonics group with Prof Kishan Dholakia, before becoming an EPSRC Advanced Research Fellow in Medical Instrumentation, Devices and Equipment. Whilst at St Andrews Dr MacDonald spearheaded several projects which led to the discovery of new optical manipulation techniques and cell-sorting technologies, the findings of which have been published in Science and Nature (see publications). Dr MacDonald led the commercialisation of optical sorting and acted as a consultant for Elliot Scientific in the development of their portable and affordable optical tweezers system. For the last 6 years of his time at St Andrews, Dr MacDonald has been lecturing in Advanced Laser Physics, Non-linear Optics and Optoelectronics.

Before working at St Andrews, Dr MacDonald was employed at Berne University in Switzerland where he gained his MSc and PhD. During this time he worked in the Laser Produced Plasmas and X-ray Laser group, developing high-powers solid-state lasers and master oscillators whilst collaborating with other disciplines and with industry.

• PhD in Laser Physics. Berne University, Switzerland, Institute of Applied Physics. "Scaling and adaptation of a multirod Nd:YAG diode-pumped laser."
• MSc in Physics. Berne University, Switzerland, Institure of Applied Physics. "Comparison of different cooling methods for longitudinally diode laser-pumped solid-state laser rods."
• BSc (1st class hons.) in Laser Physics and Optoelectronics. University of Strathclyde, Physics Department "Refractive index gradients in Lithium Niobate Single Crystal Fibres, with Application to a Miniature Fibre Polariser"

• Optical Manipulation
• Cellular microsurgery
• Optically enabled total-micro analysis systems
• Optics in Microfluidics

• R. L. Smith, G. C. Spalding, K Dholakia and M. P. MacDonald "Colloidal sorting in dynamic optical lattices" J Opt A 9 S134-S138 (2007)
• G. Milne, D. Rhodes, M.P. MacDonald and K. Dholakia, "Fractionation of polydisperse colloid with acousto-optically generated potential energy landscapes" Optics Letters 32, 1144 (2007).
• M. P. MacDonald, P. Prentice and K. Dholakia, "Optical vortices produced by diffraction from dislocations in two-dimensional colloidal crystals", New Journal of Physics, 8 257 (2006).
• M. P. MacDonald, G. C. Spalding and K. Dholakia, "Microfluidic sorting in an optical lattice" Nature vol. 426, pp. 421-424, 27th November (2003).
• M. P. MacDonald, L. Paterson, K. Volke-Sepulveda, J. Arlt, W. Sibbett and K. Dholakia, "Creation and enhanced manipulation of 3-dimensional optically trapped structures" Science vol. 296, pp.1101-1103 (2002).
• L. Paterson, M. P. MacDonald, J.Arlt, W. Sibbett, P. E. Bryant and K. Dholakia, "Controlled rotation of optically trapped microscopic particles" Science vol. 292, pp. 912-914 (2001).

Dr Mike MacDonald

Division of Electronic Engineering and Physics

University of Dundee

Nethergate

Dundee

DD1 4HN