Dr Rachel Townsend

Lecturer – MSc Programmes Manager

Biomedical Sciences

+44 (0) 1792 602829

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Available For Postgraduate Supervision

Research Links

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8019-6511

About

Rachel is a Forensic Scientist, with a PhD in analytical chemistry. Her interest in analytical analyses, particularly hyphenated techniques such as liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) led to her PhD (2019) in environmental monitoring of pharmaceuticals and biocides. Rachel has collaborated with multiple local industrial partners, working closely with Natural Resources Wales to develop a sample preparation method for environmental samples, addressing stakeholder challenges in meeting requirements of current regulation and monitoring programmes, and with Biotage GB to develop a new QuEChERS product line suitable for environmental sample preparation.

Rachel is currently the Academic Support Tutor for the MSc Nanomedicine programme and also manages the daily operation of the SUMS Analytical Chemistry laboratories in the Talbot Building.

Rachel is an active member of the Royal Society of Chemistry, the British Mass Spectrometry Society and the British Society for Nanomedicine.

Areas Of Expertise

Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
Sample Preparation Techniques
Pharmaceutical Analysis
Environmental Monitoring

Career Highlights

Teaching Interests

Rachel teaches at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, including multiple modules on the BSc Medical Pharmacology, BSc Biochemistry, MSc Nanomedicine and MSc Biomedical Sciences degree schemes.

Research Award Highlights

Publications

Research Highlights

Godfrey, R., Pignetti, D., Smith, M., Desbrow, C., & Townsend, R. (2018). QuEChERS – an alternative approach to monitoring environmental pollution?. International Environmental Technology
SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa51542
https://www.envirotech-online.com/article/water-wastewater/9/tom-lynch-independent-analytical-consultant/quechers-ndash-an-alternative-approach-to-monitoring-environmental-pollution/2472
Townsend, R., Van Keulen, G., Desbrow, C., & Godfrey, R. (2020). An investigation of the utility of QuEChERS for extracting acid, base, neutral and amphiphilic species from example environmental and clinical matrices. Analytical Science Advances, 1(3), 152-160.
https://doi.org/10.1002/ansa.202000018, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa54329
Godfrey, R., Townsend, R., Desbrow, C., & Felion, C. (2020). QuEChERS: a simple extraction for monitoring quaternary ammonium biocide pollution in soils and antimicrobial resistance. Analytical Methods, 12(35), 4387-4393.
https://doi.org/10.1039/d0ay01324b, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa55095
Godfrey, R., Dunscombe, J., Gravell, A., Hunter, A., Barrow, M., Van Keulen, G., Desbrow, C., & Townsend, R. (2022). Use of QuEChERS as a manual and automated high-throughput protocol for investigating environmental matrices. Chemosphere, 308, 136313
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136313, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa61153
Davies, K., Allan, M., Nagarajan, S., Townsend, R., Dunlop, T., McGettrick, J., Asokan, V., Ananthraj, S., Watson, T., Godfrey, R., Durrant, J., Maroto-Valer, M., Kuehnel, M., & Pitchaimuthu, S. (2023). Solar light-driven simultaneous pharmaceutical pollutant degradation and green hydrogen production using a mesoporous nanoscale WO3/BiVO4 heterostructure photoanode. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 11(3), 110256
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2023.110256, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa63594
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2023.110256

All Research

Journal Articles

Davies, K., Allan, M., Nagarajan, S., Townsend, R., Asokan, V., Watson, T., Godfrey, R., Maroto-Valer, M., Kuehnel, M., & Pitchaimuthu, S. (2023). Photoelectrocatalytic Surfactant Pollutant Degradation and Simultaneous Green Hydrogen Generation. Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, 62(45), 19084-19094.
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.iecr.3c00840, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65139
Davies, K., Allan, M., Nagarajan, S., Townsend, R., Dunlop, T., McGettrick, J., Asokan, V., Ananthraj, S., Watson, T., Godfrey, R., Durrant, J., Maroto-Valer, M., Kuehnel, M., & Pitchaimuthu, S. (2023). Solar light-driven simultaneous pharmaceutical pollutant degradation and green hydrogen production using a mesoporous nanoscale WO3/BiVO4 heterostructure photoanode. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 11(3), 110256
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2023.110256, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa63594
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2023.110256
Godfrey, R., Dunscombe, J., Gravell, A., Hunter, A., Barrow, M., Van Keulen, G., Desbrow, C., & Townsend, R. (2022). Use of QuEChERS as a manual and automated high-throughput protocol for investigating environmental matrices. Chemosphere, 308, 136313
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136313, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa61153
Townsend, R., Van Keulen, G., Desbrow, C., & Godfrey, R. (2020). An investigation of the utility of QuEChERS for extracting acid, base, neutral and amphiphilic species from example environmental and clinical matrices. Analytical Science Advances, 1(3), 152-160.
https://doi.org/10.1002/ansa.202000018, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa54329
Godfrey, R., Townsend, R., Desbrow, C., & Felion, C. (2020). QuEChERS: a simple extraction for monitoring quaternary ammonium biocide pollution in soils and antimicrobial resistance. Analytical Methods, 12(35), 4387-4393.
https://doi.org/10.1039/d0ay01324b, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa55095
Godfrey, R., Pignetti, D., Smith, M., Desbrow, C., & Townsend, R. (2018). QuEChERS – an alternative approach to monitoring environmental pollution?. International Environmental Technology
SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa51542
https://www.envirotech-online.com/article/water-wastewater/9/tom-lynch-independent-analytical-consultant/quechers-ndash-an-alternative-approach-to-monitoring-environmental-pollution/2472

Taught Modules

PM-273 Advances in Toxicology: Pick Your Poison

We are surrounded by substances that may do our bodies harm i.e. poisons. The harm these poisons causes depends on our exposure - the dose. The science of toxicology, a discipline that crosscuts biology, chemistry, pharmacology, and medicine, is based on the principle that the dose makes the poison. This module is compulsory for BSc Medical Pharmacology students and acts as a follow on from PM-147 Introduction to Toxicology: The Dose Makes the Poison. This module will provide students with the opportunity to expand their toxicology knowledge and apply it to three distinct fields within toxicology; analytical toxicology, forensic toxicology and clinical toxicology. Students will learn about the experimental procedures and techniques we employ for the isolation and detection of compounds as well as their effects on biological systems. Students will then learn about the role of employing these methods in the field of forensic toxicology and the role of toxicology within the legal system. Within the module, students will also learn about the role of clinical toxicology and patient presentation following poisoning events and the techniques we have for detection and treatment of toxicology within the clinical setting.
PM-D00 MSc Dissertation - Medical Radiation Physics

The module aims to develop fundamental research skills. It comprises the development of supervised research work leading to a dissertation in the field of the Master's degree programme. The specific research topic will be chosen by the student following consultation with academic staff.
PM-D01 MSc Dissertation - Clinical Science

The module aims to develop fundamental research skills. It comprises the development of supervised research work leading to a dissertation in the field of the Master's degree programme. The specific research topic will be chosen by the student following consultation with academic staff.
PMC100 Chemistry for Biochemists

The module covers transition metals, elements of bio-inorganic chemistry, forensic chemistry, antibody-drug conjugate chemistry, the chemistry of nanoparticles and the chemistry of biosensors.
PMC101 Organic Chemistry: an Introduction for Life Sciences.

The module deals with the basic principles of organic chemistry Two aspects which are particularly emphasised are the stereochemistry of organic compounds and the mechanisms of organic reactions.
PMC102 Chemical Analysis: from Composition to Structure Elucidation; an Introduction for Life Sciences.

This module deals with the principles and practice of analytical chemistry and gives an introduction to a number of important instrumental techniques in analytical chemistry for both quantitative and qualitative analysis and structure elucidation.
PMLM00 Mass Spectrometry - basics and fundamentals

This module will enable students to gain a sound knowledgebase of the basic concepts of mass spectrometry including the individual components, linking to modern separation techniques, instrument maintenance, spectral interpretation, and the basis of modern applications such as, compound identification by generating a characteristic mass `fingerprint¿ for the chemical structure and compound quantitation.
PMLM01 Laboratory Measurement Techniques for Medicinal Chemistry and Nanomedicine

This module will enable students to understand the basic and advanced concepts of measurement techniques used in medicinal chemistry and nanomedicine, how they may be applied with relevant methods of detection, gain `hands on¿ problem solving experience and strategic method development for complete bioanalysis according to target molecule characteristics and method application.
PMLM22 Laboratory Measurement Techniques for Medical Sciences

This module will enable students to understand the basic and advanced concepts of laboratory and measurement techniques used in medical sciences, how they may be applied with relevant methods of detection, gain `hands on¿ problem solving experience and strategic method development for complete bioanalysis according to target molecule characteristics and method application.
PMNMD0 Postgraduate Taught Masters Dissertation

In this module the student will be able to gain extensive specialist expertise in a chosen topic which could be targeted to their future career in the field of nanomedicine. Students will be supervised by University academics and/or members of their research and innovation teams. A variety of project types are available that include: 1. Laboratory based experimental research and data analysis (dependant on laboratory access and capacity). 2. Analysis of experimental data originating from the project supervisor¿s laboratory* 3. Meta-analysis of publicly available experimental data* 4. Systematic analysis of publicly available reported data* *potentially linking with Swansea¿s data health science or clinical trials unit. Working with a dedicated academic supervisor students will develop a clear research question, experimental plan and derive, analyse and present research data. The research topic choice will be made in conjunction with the supervisor, based upon novelty, feasibility and practical considerations on a 'first come first served' basis. The final approval of the topic rests with the project supervisor. The module lead and academic tutor will provide additional support available throughout the module period. A series of information sessions and engagement events such as the 3 Minute Thesis and employability for an innovative and integral part of this module. A small number of placement opportunities may arise with external academic and industry partners. These opportunities will be highlighted early in the first semester, with placements, in the event of high demand, based on student academic performance.
PMPM02 Research Methods in Medical Physics and Clinical Engineering

Generic teaching on research methodology in medical physics and clinical engineering clinical science specialism.
PMPM05 Research Methods in Medical Physics and Clinical Engineering

The overall aim of this module is to ensure that the trainee in medical physics or clinical engineering has the underpinning knowledge of the importance of research, development and innovation across the NHS and in healthcare science in particular and to provide the underpinning knowledge for the research project.
PMPM10 Radiotherapy Physics

The theory and practice of medical physicists in radiotherapy with external radiation beams, radioisotopes and emergent radiation modalities.

Career History

Academic Support Tutor, Swansea University

2018 - Present
PhD Researcher, Swansea University

October 2014 - March 2019
Laboratory Technician, LGC Forensics

October 2011 - July 2013
Laboratory Technician, Gower Chemicals

July 2010 - October 2011

Affiliated Positions

Member, Royal Society of Chemistry

2016 - Present
Member, British Mass Spectrometry Society

2013 - Present
Member, British Society for Nanomedicine

2019 - Present

Dr Rachel Townsend

Telephone number

Email address

LinkedIn Account

Research Links

About

Areas Of Expertise

Career Highlights

Publications

Research Highlights

All Research

Journal Articles

Taught Modules

PM-273 Advances in Toxicology: Pick Your Poison

PM-D00 MSc Dissertation - Medical Radiation Physics

PM-D01 MSc Dissertation - Clinical Science

PMC100 Chemistry for Biochemists

PMC101 Organic Chemistry: an Introduction for Life Sciences.

PMC102 Chemical Analysis: from Composition to Structure Elucidation; an Introduction for Life Sciences.

PMLM00 Mass Spectrometry - basics and fundamentals

PMLM01 Laboratory Measurement Techniques for Medicinal Chemistry and Nanomedicine

PMLM22 Laboratory Measurement Techniques for Medical Sciences

PMNMD0 Postgraduate Taught Masters Dissertation

PMPM02 Research Methods in Medical Physics and Clinical Engineering

PMPM05 Research Methods in Medical Physics and Clinical Engineering

PMPM10 Radiotherapy Physics

Career History

Academic Support Tutor, Swansea University

PhD Researcher, Swansea University

Laboratory Technician, LGC Forensics

Laboratory Technician, Gower Chemicals

Affiliated Positions

Member, Royal Society of Chemistry

Member, British Mass Spectrometry Society

Member, British Society for Nanomedicine