A physicist by discipline, Dr Nicholls has been successful in commercialising his scientific research in both Scotland and the USA. In 1998 he was awarded a Royal Society of Edinburgh/Scottish Enterprise Fellowship, which allowed him to establish the company Photonic Materials.
The business develops and manufactures novel optical crystal products for medical scanners and solid-state lasers. Under Dr Nicholls’ direction the company has successfully transitioned from a telecommunications focus to target the medical imaging market. Working with leading customers in the industry, Photonic Materials has introduced new detector crystals for next generation Positron Emission Tomography (PET) body scanners, used in cancer detection and treatment. The company has established strong links with leading international institutions including a number of Scottish universities.
Past Member
