top of page

Prof James Wilkinson

BSc(Eng), CEng, PhD, FIET, FInstP, FIEEE

blank-profile-picture-973460_640.png
google scolar.png

James S. Wilkinson is Professor of Optoelectronics in the Optoelectronics Research Centre at Southampton University. 


He took his BSc and PhD, both in electronic engineering, from University College London in 1977 and 1985. He conducted research into optical fibre transmission systems at the GEC Hirst Research Centre, London, from 1977 – 1979, and into optical monitoring and control for haemodialysis procedures at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, between 1983 and 1985. His present research focusses on sensing and telecommunications including lasers and optical amplifiers, fluorescence immunosensors, Raman biosensors and mid-IR waveguide spectroscopy for point-of-care medical diagnostics.

Landmark publications:


1. Butement, JT, Holloway, PM, Welsh, JA, Holloway, JA, Englyst, NA, Horak,   P, West, J & Wilkinson, JS, Monolithically-integrated cytometer for   measuring particle diameter in the extracellular vesicle size range using   multi-angle scattering, Lab on a Chip, 20, 1267-1280 (2020).


2. Mittal, V, Devitt, G, Nedeljkovic, M, Carpenter, LG, Chong, HMH,   Wilkinson, Mahajan, S & Mashanovich, GZ, Ge on Si waveguide mid-infrared   absorption spectroscopy of proteins and their aggregates, Biomedical Optics   Express, 11, 4714-4722 (2020).


3. Rowe, DJ, Smith, D & Wilkinson, JS; Complex refractive index   spectra of whole blood and aqueous solutions of anticoagulants, analgesics and   buffers in the mid-infrared; Sci Rep, 7, Art: 7356 (2017)


4. Liu, LH, Zhou, XH, Wilkinson, JS, Hua, P, Song, BD & Shi, HC; Integrated   optical waveguide-based fluorescent immunosensor for fast and sensitive   detection of microcystin-LR in lakes: Optimization and Analysis, Sci Rep, 7,   Art: 3655, (2017).


5. Hellesø, Olav Gaute; Lovhaugen, Pal; Subramanian, Ananth Z.;   Wilkinson, James S.; Ahluwalia, Balpreet Singh “Surface transport and stable   trapping of particles and cells by an optical waveguide loop” Lab Chip, 12   3436-3440 (2012).


6. A.K. Sheridan, P.   Ngamukot, P.N. Bartlett and J.S. Wilkinson, Waveguide surface plasmon   resonance sensing: Electrochemical desorption of alkane thiol monolayers”, Sensors and Actuators B: 117, 253-260 (2006).


7. J.P. Hole, J.S. Wilkinson,   K. Grujic & O.G. Hellesø, Velocity   distribution of gold nanoparticles trapped on an optical waveguide,   Optics Express, 13, 3896-3901 (2005).


8.   P.Hua, J.P. Hole, J.S. Wilkinson, G. Proll, J. Tschmelak, G. Gauglitz, M.A.   Jackson, R. Nudd, H.M.T. Griffith, R.A. Abuknesha, J.Kaiser and P. Kraemmer, Integrated   optical fluorescence multisensor for water pollution, Optics   Express, 13, 1124-1130, (2005).


9. Chao-Yi Tai, James S. Wilkinson, Nicolas M. B.   Perney, M. Caterina Netti, F. Cattaneo, Chris E. Finlayson, and Jeremy J.   Baumberg, Determination of Nonlinear Refractive Index in a Ta2O5  Rib Waveguide using Self-Phase Modulation, Optics Express, 12, 5110-5116,   (2004).


10. R.D.Harris, B.J.Luff, J.S.Wilkinson, J.Piehler, A.Brecht, G.Gauglitz   & R.A.Abuknesha, Integrated Optical Surface Plasmon Resonance Immunoprobe   for Simazine Detection”, Biosensors & Bioelectronics, 14, 377-386 (1999).


11. J.E.Román, P.Camy,   M.Hempstead, W.S.Brocklesby, S.Nouh, A.Beguin, C.Lerminiaux & J.S.   Wilkinson, Ion-exchanged Er/Yb waveguide laser at 1.5μm pumped by a laser diode, Electronics Letters,   31, 1345-1346, (1995).


12. J.Amin, M.Hempstead, J.E.Román, &   J.S.Wilkinson, Tunable Coupled-Cavity Waveguide Laser at Room Temperature in   Nd-diffused LiNbO3, Optics Letters, 19, 1541-1543, (1994).


13. C.Piraud, E.K.Mwarania, G.Wylangowski,   K.O'Dwyer, D.J.Schiffrin, & J.S.Wilkinson, Optoelectrochemical Thin-Film   Chlorine Sensor Employing Evanescent Fields on Planar Optical Waveguides, Analytical   Chemistry, 64, 651-655 (1992).


Major grants:

  • Southampton AMR Clinical Research Laboratory; Read, R. Wilkinson, J., Morgan, H., Faust, S., Webb, J. & Clark, T. National Institute of Health Research: £2,739,128; 1/09/19 -  31/03/22

  • Flexible Raman biosensing platform for low-cost health diagnostics; Wilkinson, J., Read, R., Zervas, M., Bartlett, P. EPSRC   EP/R011230/1: £972,875; 1/04/18 - 30/09/22

  • Combining the Strengths of Mid-IR and Raman Spectroscopies on a Single Chip for Rapid   Bedside Biomarker Diagnostics; Ganapathy, S., Clark, H., Postle A. & Wilkinson J. EPSRC   EP/S03109X/1: £805,208; 1/10/19 - 31/05/23

  • MISSION (Mid- Infrared Silicon Photonic Sensors for Healthcare and Environmental   Monitoring); Reed, G., Wang, Y., Heffernan, J., Krauss, T., Faust, S., Mowlem, M., Wilkinson, J. and Mashanovich, G. EPSRC EP/V047663/1: £5,757,814; 1/07/21 – 30/06/26

  • UK National Quantum Technology Hub in Sensing and Timing; Bongs, K. et al., EPSRC EP/T001046/1: £23,949,168; 1/12/19 – 30/11/2024


Impact example:


Founder of Mesophotonics Ltd which first commercialised Klarite SERS chips for biomedical analysis.

bottom of page