Here at Edinburgh Instruments, we are proud of all our employees for all they do behind the scenes, so we thought it was time to put them in the spotlight. This series does exactly that; you get a sneak peek into what drives, excites and enamours our team. We hope you enjoy it!  

Let’s get into it 

Meet Tommy Loan, an Application Scientist here at Edinburgh Instruments. Application Scientists are like a bridge between the company and our clients. They conduct research, tests and samples using our products to share the best way to use them for real-world applications.  

Tommy Loan 

What has been your journey to get you to where you are now?   

I was born and raised in Edinburgh, then studied chemistry at the University of Glasgow, doing a research placement at the University of Barcelona for my masters. After graduating, I worked in labs in India and Portugal and became really interested in how light can be used to help diagnose and treat diseases. 

I then did a PhD at the University of Edinburgh on using fluorescent molecules to help diagnose cancer, and I accidentally discovered a crystal that reversibly changes colour when you shine light on it. I also figured why this happens, which is my proudest achievement!  

This work made me fascinated with light and how its interaction with matter can produce weird and beautiful results. So shortly after finishing my PhD, I joined Edinburgh Instruments as a Fluorescence Applications Scientist, where I get to measure optical materials and substances made in labs all over the world. 

What do you do in your spare time? / Where would we find you on the weekend? 

I like doing a lot of sports, like cycling, climbing, and football. I also try to go hiking highlands of Scotland whenever I can. So you’d probably find me up north somewhere, or at an old man pub in Edinburgh.  

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? 

Probably Italy. To me, it’s got it all; the food, the weather, the mountains, the sea, the art, and the history.  

Top 5 movies: 

Casino (1995) 

Magnolia (1999) 

Eyes Wide Shut (1999) 

Mean Girls (2004) 

Your Stick’s No Even Touchin’ the Ground Man (2022)