The School of Engineering is delighted to announce that Akira Tiele achieved the second prize award at the British Conference of Undergraduate Research "Posters in Parliament 2016" competition. Mr Tiele was one of only two representatives chosen to represent Warwick at the event, at which 53 undergraduate students from 27 universities presented their research at the Houses of Parliament in London.

The audience was made up of MPs, Peers, Vice-Chancellors and some of the most influential people from within Higher Education. The judging panel included: Sir Anthony Cleaver, Chair of the Natural Environment Research Council; and Nick Hillman, Director of the Higher Education Policy Institute.

Akira's poster was entitled: "Breath Capture Device - Breath-taking Developments for E-Noses". Breath analysis is a novel method of obtaining non-invasive data on the clinical state of an individual through specific sampling and subsequent analysis of exhaled breath. This research field has the potential to provide simple breath tests to diagnose and monitor diseases such as lung cancer, diabetes, liver diseases, irritable bowel disease and many others.

In order to establish standardised sampling procedures for breath analysis (which currently do not exist), Akira developed a breath-capture device to automatically collect breath samples. This contribution should be considered relevant and important, since it may enable breath analysis to gain widespread usage as a cheap, non-traumatic and non-invasive alternative to blood analysis. The project was completed under the supervision of Dr James Covington, supported by URSS (Undergraduate Research Support Scheme).

Many congratulations to Akira on his achievement!