Emma MacPherson's Terahertz Research Group

The THz research group

Prof Emma MacPherson <E.MacPherson@warwick.ac.uk>Our research group, led by Professor Emma MacPherson leads the way in Biomedical THz research and we present at many global events. Emma speaking at the Plenary session of the IRMMW-THz conference in Paris in 2019.
We achieve rapid and deep THz modulation by exploiting the Brewster angle on a graphene coated prism.
THz in vivo imaging

In vivo skin imaging using a TPS 4000 from TeraView Ltd. See papers by Qiushuo Sun (Sarah) on occlusion and diffusivity.
Read about the novel THz devices we have developed that exploit TIR to achieve high performance.
We were delighted to host IRMMW-THz 2015 at the The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
International group meeting in Paris

Group members from both Warwick and CUHK meet at the IRMMW-THz 2019 conference in Paris.
OTST 2022, Budapest

The Terahertz team at the 9th International Conference on Optical Terahertz Science and Technology (OTST 2022), Budapest.

Research areas

Our research focuses on:

Terahertz medical imaging and spectroscopy

In vivo skin imaging
Characterisation of skin conditions
Evaluation of skin products

Instrumentation

Novel techniques to speed up terahertz acquisition
THz ellipsometry
Robotic THz probe development

Terahertz optical devices

Spatial light modulation
Efficient low-cost polarizers
3D printed devices

Algorithms

Use of genetical algorithms for improved classification
Modelling of human skin
Compressive sensing

Mon 10 Aug '26

60 seconds with鈥� Physics Professor, Emma MacPherson

Meet Professor Emma MacPherson (Physics) and discover how the invention of the PicoBot at Warwick could help doctors detect skin cancer more accurately, improving patient care.

Thu 13 Mar '25

International Women's Day 2025

Find out about Emma and how she pursued a career in Physics

Tue 30 Apr '24

Skin cancer detection using THz waves on BBC 1 West Midlands news

BBC Midlands Today visited Emma MacPherson's lab to see how they have created a robot arm to detect skin cancer using Terahertz waves.

Sun 02 Oct '22

THz Skinometer on Int'l Sky News

Sky News reports on the first skin cancer patient measurements using the THz skinometer at UHCW:

Mon 08 Jun '26

Terabotics Consortium Meeting (June 2026)锘�

The Terabotics Consortium meetingLink opens in a new window was held at University of Leeds on Tuesday 2nd and Wednesday 3rd June 2026. Thank you to everyone who attended.

Business partnership opportunities

We are currently pursuing opportunities to commercialise the Picobot technology for both clinical and cosmetic applications. Please contact us if you are interested in measuring skin-health using THz, medical equipment development and/or require measure and analysis of samples. Click on the icon below to download a PDF leaflet on THz skin measurements for cosmetics applications.

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