• Functional polymers, Fibres, Fabrics and Clothing systems
• Recycling and Upcycling of used and production waste for new feedstocks
• Engineering Design Flexible 2D/3D Structures for performance and technical textiles
• 3D printing for advanced textile and clothing systems
• Micro/Nano encapsulation of chemicals for thermal management textiles and clothing
• Engineering-design textile and clothing systems for extreme conditions
• Modelling of textile materials, structures and property prediction
• Techniques and Processes for Sustainable Textiles
• Textile Finishing for added functionality and value 
• High- and low-velocity impact on flexible materials and structures
• Plasma-assisted Technology for low-carbon-emission textile production processes
• Textile production using bio-based materials such as natural dyes, bio-based finishers

 Dr M.O.R.Siddiqui         Dr K.Iqbal            Dr F.Zhu,PDRA     Dr M.Chen,PDRA      
   (2013 - 2016)                (2012 - 2016)         (2012 - 2013)          (2017 - 2019)                     

Dr Yasin,Research Fellow  Dr G. Dunn            Dr S. Dearlove          Lila Maciel-Pires     
       (2018 - 2020)                (2015 - 2018)         (2015-2021)                (2016-2021)                                                            

Dr S. Channa          Milda Lebedyte      Dr A.M.Thakker          Dr M. Ahmad
(2019 - 2024)           (2020 - 2022)           (2019 - 2022)          (2021 - 2025)

 Zhan Xu              Sylvia Donkor           Nimra Nawaz              Md Zohaib Fazal
 (2022 -  )              (2022 -  )                    (2023 -  )                     (2024 -  )

Amina Shabbir                                                                                                   
(2025 -  )

Professor Danmei Sun has nearly 30 years of experience across both the textile industry and academia. She obtained her BSc degree in Textile Engineering from Qingdao University and subsequently worked in a large-scale textile company for 12 years as a Textile Engineer. She later pursued a PhD at Heriot-Watt University, focusing on sustainable techniques and processes for textile dyeing and finishing. Her doctoral research explored how plasma treatment influences various textile properties and processes. Following her PhD, Prof. Sun worked as a Post-Doctoral Research Associate at the School of Materials, University of Manchester, on a three-year UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) funded project. Her work involved developing innovative 2D and 3D fabric structures for enhanced impact performance and using Finite Element Modelling to investigate impact mechanisms.

Since joining the School of Textiles and Design at Heriot-Watt University as an academic in 2010, Prof. Sun has led extensive research in the development of smart and functional textile materials. Her work spans thermally regulated garments, thermal analysis of textiles using Finite Element techniques, shock-absorbing polymers and novel 3D structures for anti-impact applications, wireless charging for health care applications, active thermal clothing systems, and wearable electronics for diverse uses. More recently, her research team has made significant progress in developing bio-based dyes and adopting eco-friendly approaches to generate new feedstocks from waste materials. In more recent years, her research team has made significant progress in developing bio-based dyes and adopting eco-friendly approaches to generate new feedstocks from waste materials. Her research has been supported by multiple funding bodies, including the UK Dstl/MoD, Textiles Future Forum, Innovate UK, ESPRC, NERC, AHRC, IBioIC, Oil & Gas UK, Scottish Funding Council and various company partners such as Harris Tweed, Iron and Ocean Ltd., Macnaughton Holdings Ltd, H.Dawson Wool, Brilliant Dyes Ltd, Schofield Dyers & Finishers, etc.

Prof. Sun has served as an external examiner for PhD candidates at universities both in the UK and internationally. She is a member of the EPSRC College and the Fiber Society, serves as associate editor for AUTEX Research Journal and editor for the Journal of Textile Science & Fashion Technology, and sits on the editorial boards of the Journal of Industrial Textiles.