BA, MSci, MA, PhD, Cantab
Email: emma@ee.cuhk.edu.hk
Telephone: +852 2609-8260
Emma MacPherson (nee Pickwell) studied Natural Sciences at Cambridge University followed by an MSci in Physics where she specialised in Semiconductor Physics. After Cambridge, she worked on optical packet switching at BT labs, Martlesham, UK. In February 2002 she started working as a research assistant at TeraView Ltd, a company specialising in terahertz imaging which had spun out of Toshiba in 2001. She started her PhD with the Semiconductor Physics Group at Cambridge University and TeraView Ltd in October 2002. Her PhD thesis was entitled, "Biological applications of terahertz pulsed imaging and spectroscopy" - her PhD work focused on understanding contrast mechanisms in terahertz images of skin cancer. Having completed her thesis in 2005, she worked for TeraView Ltd as a Medical Scientist until moving to Hong Kong in 2006. Emma MacPherson joined the Department of Electronic Enginering in Sept 2006 as an assistant professor and here she is pursuing her research interests in Terahertz imaging with a view to establishing a terahertz group at CUHK.
ERG201B Advanced Mathematics for Engineers
ELE5140 Biomedical Information Engineering
Terahertz Imaging and Spectroscopy of biomedical materials such as skin, breast cancer, water and teeth.
Finite Difference Time Domain modelling (FDTD) to simulate interactions of terahertz light with biological materials. Journal Articles:
1. PMB: S Y Huang, Y X Wang, K W Yeung, Y-T Zhang and E Pickwell-MacPherson, "Tissue characterisation using terahertz pulsed imaging in reflection geometry". Submitted to Physics in Medicine and Biology, Sept 2008.
2. JOSA: Vincent P. Wallace, Emma MacPherson, J. Axel Zeitler, and Caroline Reid, "3-D imaging of optically opaque materials with non-ionising THz radiation", Submitted to the Journal of the Optical Society of America, July 2008
3. IEEE-TBE: Xin-Yu Zhang, E. Pickwell-MacPherson and Yuan-Ting Zhang, "Relations between the Timing of the Second Heart Sound and Aortic Blood Pressure", IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, Vol. 55, No.4, April 2008
4. JIOHS: Emma Pickwell-MacPherson, Shengyang Huang, Kanis Wai Chi Kan, Yiwen Sun, Yuan Ting Zhang, "Recent Developments of Terahertz Technology in Biomedicine", Journal of Innovation in Optical Health Science, Vol. 1, No. 1, June 2008.
5. Caries Res.: E. Pickwell, V. P. Wallace, B. E. Cole, S. Ali, C. Longbottom, R. Lynch and M. Pepper. "A Comparison of Terahertz Pulsed Imaging with Transmission Microradiography for Depth Measurement of Enamel Demineralisation in vitro". Caries Research 2007;41:4955, 2007.
6. J. Appl. Spec.: V. P. Wallace, A. J. Fitzgerald, E. Pickwell, R. J. Pye, P. F. Taday, N. Flanagand and T. Ha: "Ex vivo study of basal cell carcinoma using pulsed terahertz radiation", Journal of Applied Spectroscopy, 60(10): 1127-1133, 2006.
7. J. Phys D: E. Pickwell and V. P. Wallace, "Biomedical applications of THz technology", Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, 39(2006) R301-R310.
8. JBO: E. Pickwell, V. P Wallace, A. J. Fitzgerald, B. E. Cole, R. J. Pye, T. Ha and M. Pepper: "Simulating the response of terahertz radiation to human skin using ex vivo spectroscopy measurements". Journal of Biomedical Optics, 10(6):064021-1-7, 2005.
9. PMB: E. Pickwell, B. E. Cole, A. J. Fitzgerald, M. Pepper and V. P. Wallace: "In vivo study of human skin using pulsed terahertz radiation". Physics in Medicine and Biology, 49:1595-1607, 2004. Also selected for inclusion in IOP Select (http://Select.iop.org).
10. APL: E. Pickwell, B. E. Cole, A.J. Fitzgerald, V.P. Wallace and M. Pepper: "Simulation of Terahertz Pulse Propagation in Biological Systems". Applied Physics Letters, 84, 12:2190-2192, 2004. Also selected for the April 1, 2004 issue of Virtual Journal of Biological Physics Research (http://www.vjbio.org).
1Students’ names are underlined; my name is in bold.
Rigorously Refereed Conference Proceedings:
11. THz-IRMMW: S.Y. Huang, Y.X. Wang, David K.W. Yeung, Y.T. Zhang, V.P. Wallace, and E. Pickwell-MacPherson, "Characterizing Rat Tissue Samples Using Terahertz Pulsed Imaging", THz-IRMMW 2008
12. THz-IRMMW: W. C. Kan, W S Lee, W. H. Cheung and E Pickwell-MacPherson, "A Pilot Study of Terahertz Pulsed Imaging of Osteoarthritis", THz-IRMMW 2008
13. THz-IRMMW: Y.W Sun, E Pickwell-MacPherson, "The Effects of Formalin Fixing on Terahertz Properties of Biological Samples", THz-IRMMW 2008
14. THz-IRMMW: Philip C. Ashworth, Emma Pickwell-MacPherson, Sarah E. Pinder, Elena Provenzano, Anand D. Purushotham, Michael Pepper and Vincent P. Wallace, "Terahertz Spectroscopy of Breast Tumors", THz-IRMMW 2007.
15. THz-IRMMW: E. Pickwell, V.P. Wallace, B.E. Cole, S. Ali, C. Longbottom, R.J. Lynch and M. Pepper, "Using terahertz pulsed imagng to detect enamel demineralisation in teeth", THz-IRMMW 2006
16. THz-IRMMW: V. P. Wallace, E. Pickwell, A. J. Fitzgerald and S. Pinder, "Terahertz pulsed imaging and spectroscopy of breast tumours", THz-IRMMW 2006
17. THz-IRMMW: E. Pickwell, B. E. Cole, A. J. Fitzgerald, M. Pepper and V. P.Wallace, "Terahertz Imaging and Spectroscopy of Skin Cancer", THz-IRMMW 2004
18. THz-2003: E. Pickwell, B. E. Cole, A. J. Fitzgerald, M. Pepper and V. P. Wallace, "Simulation of Terahertz Pulse Propagation in Biological Systems", The IEEE 11th international conference on terahertz electronics, 2003
19. IRMMW-2003: E. Pickwell, B. E. Cole, A. J. Fitzgerald, M. Pepper and V. P Wallace, "Simulation of Terahertz Pulse Propagation in Biological Systems", The 28th international conference of infrared and millimeter waves, 2003
20. IEEE IMS: E. Pickwell-MacPherson, WC Kan, WS Lee, V P. Wallace and W H Cheung, "Application of Terahertz Imaging to Osteoarthritis", IEEE International Microwave Symposium (IMS), 2008.
21. IEEE IMS: E. Pickwell-MacPherson, T. Lo, A. J. Fitzgerald, E. Provenzano, S. Pinder, A.Purushotham and V.P. Wallace, "Application of Finite Difference Time Domain methods to Terahertz Spectroscopy Measurements of Breast Cancer", 2007
22. IEEE IMS: V. P. Wallace, A. J. Fitzgerald, B. Robertson, E. Pickwell and B. E. Cole, "Development of a hand-held TPI System for Medical Applications", IMS 2005
23. IEEE EMBC: E Pickwell-MacPherson, SY Huang, Y Sun, W. C. Kan and YT Zhang, "Terahertz image processing methods for biomedical applications", Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, 2008
24. SPIE: Vincent P. Wallace, Emma MacPherson, Anthony J. Fitzgerald, Thomas Lo, Elena Provenzano, Sarah Pinder, and Anand Purushotham, "Terahertz pulsed imaging and spectroscopy of breast tumors", Proc. SPIE 6386, 638610 (2006)
25. IEEE LEOS: A. J. Fitzgerald, E. Pickwell, V. P. Wallace, A. Purushotham, S. Pinder, M. Linan, R. J. Pye and T. Ha, "Medical Applications of Broadband Terahertz Pulsed Radiation", LEOS, The 18th Annual Meeting of the IEEE Lasers and Electro-Optics Society, 2005.
26. FACSS: T. Lo, E. Pickwell, A. J. Fitzgerald, V. P. Wallace, D. Newnham, M. Pepper and P. F. Taday, "Terahertz pulsed spectroscopy of aqueous and biological materials", The Federation of Analytical Chemistry and Spectroscopy Societies conference, Portland, 2004.
27. SPIE: Vincent P. Wallace, Ruth M. Woodward, Anthony J. Fitzgerald, E. Pickwell, Richard J. Pye, and Donald D. Arnone, "Terahertz pulsed imaging of cancers", Proc. SPIE 4949, 353 (2003)
Other refereed conferences, workshops and Invited talks:
BSN Invited talk: E. Pickwell-MacPherson, "Biomedical Applications of Terahertz Pusled Imaging and Spectroscopy", 5th International Workshop on Wearable and Implantable Body Sensor Networks (BSN) 2008
BSN workshop: W. C. Kan, W. H. Cheung and E Pickwell-MacPherson, Terahertz Pulsed Imaging of Osteoarthritis, BSN June 2008.
BSN workshop: S.Y. Huang, E. Pickwell-MacPherson, Y.T. Zhang, "A New Data Processing Approach to Reduce Variations in Terahertz Pulsed Imaging", BSN 2008.
BSN workshop: Yiwen Sun, Emma Pickwell-MacPherson, "Non-invasive Tablet Inspection Using Terahertz Pulsed Imaging", BSN 2008.
BSN workshop: Linda Wang, E. Pickwell-MacPherson, Y.T. Zhang, Blood Pressure Contour Analysis by the Photoplethysmogram Using a Transfer Function Method", BSN 2008.
IEEE-EMBS workshop: S.Y. Huang, E. Pickwell-MacPherson, Y.T. Zhang, A Feasibility Study of Burn Wound Depth Assessment Using Terahertz Pulsed Imaging. IEEE-EMBS International Summer School and Symposium on Medical Devices and Biosensors, 2007.
DSTO workshop: A. Fitzgerald, C. Baker, V. P. Wallace, E. Pickwell, Y. Shen, T. Lo, B. E. Cole, P. F. Taday, W. Tribe, M. Kemp, Terahertz reflection spectroscopy in security and biological applications, Terahertz for Defence and Security conference, 2004.
Horizon Seminar: E. Pickwell, B. E. Cole, A. J. Fitzgerald, R. M Woodward, D. D. Arnone, M. Pepper and V. P. Wallace: Biological applications of Terahertz Pulsed Imaging, poster presentation at The Horizon Seminar, Imaging and Healthcare: The Future, Cambridge UK, October 2004.
ORCA: S. Ali, R. Lynch, E. Pickwell, V. P.Wallace, C. Longbottom, A comparative study of lesion depth: terahertz pulse imaging versus transversal microradiography, oral presentation at The 51st European Organisation for Caries Research (ORCA) Congress, Marburg, Germany, June 2004.
Faraday Disc.: E. Pickwell, B. E. Cole, A. J. Fitzgerald, R. M Woodward, D. D. Arnone, M. Pepper and V. P Wallace: Biological applications of Terahertz Pulsed Imaging, poster presentation at the Faraday Discussions 126, Nottingham, UK, September 2003. Awarded the Skinner Prize for the best poster.
Royal Soc.: E. Pickwell, B. E. Cole, A. J. Fitzgerald, R. M Woodward, D. D. Arnone, M. Pepper and V. P Wallace: Biological applications of Terahertz Pulsed Imaging, poster presentation at The Royal Society discussion meeting: The terahertz gap: the generation of far-infrared radiation and its applications, London, UK, June 2003.
Current Research Interests:
Selected Publications:
Any questions or bug reports regarding this site should go to www@ee.cuhk.edu.hk