Dr Jacob Lane

Jacob's research is focused on understanding how the current methods of meeting the Furniture and Furnishing (Fire) (Safety) Regulations (FFFSRs) alter the fire behaviour and smoke toxicity of upholstered furniture. In particular he is interested in how the ageing of furniture degrades the fire retardancy of furniture and the mechanisms by which chemical flame retardants leach into the environment. He currently works with Silentnight to help develop innovative solutions of meeting the FFFSRs with inherently low flammability, recyclable materials. That mitigate the use of harmful flame retardants.

Jacob completed an integrated chemistry masters (MChem) at the University of Sheffield in 2013. His masters project was carried out under the supervision of Prof. Steve Armes and looked at the thermo-responsive diblock copolymer worm gels. He then studied for his PhD (awarded 2020) in the University of Sheffield's Chemical and Biological Engineering Department. His PhD focused on demonstrating dynamic quorum sensing within clusters of enzyme loaded hydrogel particles using ratiometric imaging microscopy.

Jacob took a 6-month hiatus from his PhD in 2016 to work as a formulation chemist in a feasibility study with Air Global an SME based in Sheffield to develop new clean burning fuels. Upon submission of his PhD thesis Jacob took up a post-doctoral research position at the University of Sheffield creating and analysing acid dew point sensors.

Jacob entered his current role with us in January 2020.