The Current Skills Gaps in Biological and Clinical Analysis

The Spring SciX Conference, which took place at the University of Exeter from April 16–18, brought together researchers, industry professionals, scientists, and instrument manufacturers under one roof to discuss the latest trends and developments in analytical spectroscopy. The conference featured many talks that tackled some of the most pressing issues in biological, clinical, and pharmaceutical analysis.¹

Sian Sloan-Dennison, who is a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Strathclyde, gave a talk at the conference that touched upon these application areas. Her talk, which was titled, “Droplets to Diagnosis: Digital Microfluidic SERS Detection of microRNA-122.”

In the below interview segment, Sloan-Dennison discusses the importance of considering the end-use application of SERS assays and random probes, such as whether they are for early diagnostics or patient use. Key considerations include ensuring stability at room temperature, safety in clinical settings, and the need for low laser power in emergency departments. Early exposure to clinical samples is crucial for validating assays and maintaining sensitivity in complex environments, which is essential for successful clinical applications. These factors are critical for PhD students to keep in mind as they conduct their research.

At Spring SciX, Sloan-Dennison’s talk presented a novel diagnostic platform aimed at improving rapid detection of drug-induced liver injury (DILI), a serious condition caused by prescription and over-the-counter medications.² The talk highlighted the clinical burden of DILI in the UK, where paracetamol overdose leads to approximately 100,000 hospital visits each year.² She also emphasized the shortcomings of current diagnostic approaches, which are hindered by slow turnaround times and dependence on non-liver-specific biomarkers that only increase after substantial liver damage, underscoring the need for earlier, more accurate detection methods.²

This video interview was part of our conversation with Sloan-Dennison. Previous videos of our conversation concentrated on why current detection tools for DILI fall short and the benefit of integrating digital microfluidics with SERS assays.

References

1. Wetzel, W.; Spectroscopy Staff. Previewing Spring SciX 2026. Spectroscopy. Available at: https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/previewing-spring-scix-2026 (accessed 2026-05-06).
2. Sloan-Dennison, S. Droplets to Diagnosis: Digital Microfluidic SERS Detection of microRNA-122. Presented at Spring SciX, Exeter, United Kingdom, 2026. Available at: https://rapide-diagnostics.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Spring-SciX-Programme.pdf