Research projects
I look forward to the industrial and international collaborations as well as the closer interface of clinically relevant research driven by the programme.
Grace McDermott / Advanced Biomedical Materials student
Work with supervisors at the cutting edge of biomedical materials research in the UK.
Projects are split between our Manchester and Sheffield sites and our next cohort will begin research in early 2024 after they have undertaken a teaching period during semester one.
Projects offer the opportunity to work with a wide range of supervisory teams each addressing a clinical / industrial need.
Below you will find research projects, supervisors and publications from our previous cohort of students.
Previous projects and publications
Cohort 1
Project: Development of a nappy for the detection of Cytomegalovirus (CMV) in the urine of neonates
Main supervisor: Dr Samuel Jones
Publication: Deoxyribonucleic acid polymer nanoparticle hydrogel
Caitlin Jackson
Project: Lab-based produced vascularised tissue for in vitro lab on a chip models of healthy and diseased tissue
Main supervisor: Dr Frederik Claeyssens
Publication: Development of PCL PolyHIPE Substrates for 3D Breast Cancer Cell Culture
Project: Flexible biodegradable electronics for on-skin mouse ECG monitoring
Main supervisor: Prof Alex Casson
Publication: Screen Printed, Skin-compliant Sensors for Mouse Electrocardiography
Project: 3D bioprinting of tissue engineered meniscal constructs
Main supervisor: Dr Stephen Richardson
Leona Ogene
Project: Graphene based bioinks for 3D printing of Articular Cartilage implants with enhanced bioactivity
Main supervisor: Prof Susan Kimber
Publication: Developmental principles informing human pluripotent stem cell differentiation to cartilage and bone
Project: 3D Printing of Anthropomorphic Phantoms for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Guided Radiotherapy
Main supervisor: Dr Stephen Edmondson
Sophia Read
Project: Bioprinting the multiscale extracellular matrix (ECM) environment for Articular Cartilage repair
Main supervisor: Dr Marco Domingos
Publication: 3D Bioprinting in Microgravity: Opportunities, Challenges, and Possible Applications in Space
Davide Verdolino
Project: Understanding the mechanisms of action of collagen-based dressing to promote healing
Main supervisor: Prof Sarah Cartmell
Publication: Wound dressings: curbing inflammation in chronic wound healing
Project: Polymerallogenic tissue hybrid nano-fibre scaffold for ACL regeneration
Main supervisor: Prof Julie Gough
Publication: A viewpoint on material and design considerations for oesophageal stents with extended lifetime
Cohort 2
Raíssa Barroso
Project: Real-time, Low Cost, Point-of-Care Biomimetic Sensors for Pathogen Detection within Clinical Settings, exemplified against Aspergillus fumigatus
Main supervisor: Dr Christopher Blanford
Rachel Furmidge
Project: Regenerating the oral mucosa in patients with MRONJ using synthetic poly(glycerol sebacate) scaffolds and uncultured adipose cells
Main supervisor: Vanessa Hearnden
Matt Graham
Project: Smart biomaterial composites with hierarchical architecture for ligament repair and regeneration
Main supervisor: Dr Ahu Gumrah Dumanli-Parry
Marcin Gwiazda
Project: Development of Artificial Retinas for the Treatment of Degenerative Eye Disease and the Augmentation of Human Vision
Main supervisor: Prof Michael Turner
Rebecca Hanson
Project: A novel 3D Osteochondral Scaffold with Mechano-identical properties of the native tissue for in situ tissue regeneration
Main supervisor: Aileen Crawford
Harry Lord-Moulding
Project: Potential of graphene oxide in the repair and regeneration of musculoskeletal tissues
Main supervisor: Leela Biant
Gregor Mack
Project: A smart disposable device for ophthalmic point-of-care
Main supervisor: Prof Philip Morgan
Rebecca Steele
Project: Development of graphene containing 3D printed scaffolds for orthopaedic applications
Main supervisor: Dr Olga Tsigkou
Cohort 3
Cerys Barclay
Project: Light-driven biofabrication of 3D stem-cell chondrogenic tissue analogues
Main supervisor: Dr Marco Domingos
Emily Briggs
Project: Development of a bioelectronic wound dressing to aid chronic ulcer wound repair
Main supervisor: Prof Sarah Cartmell
Jiaqian Fan
Project: Development of hexagonal boron nitride reinforced light curable dental resin composites
Main supervisor: Dr Helen Chen
Louis Johnson
Project: Bioactive nerve guides anti-inflammatory and anti-scarring devices
Main supervisor: Dr Frederik Claeyssens
Rebekah Kay
Project: Engineered cancer in vitro model to demultiplex biophysical cues in metastasis
Main supervisor: Prof Kaye Williams
Ayesha Patel
Project: Designing a new vaginal prophylaxis for the release of biocompatible polymeric virucides
Main supervisor: Dr Samuel Jones
Caitlin Ryan
Project: Bone Clip: Developing an angiogenic biomaterial to increase bone healing
Main supervisor: Dr Gwen Reilly
Fraser Shields
Project: Development of an advanced biofabrication platform for cartilaginous tissue regeneration
Main supervisor: Dr Stephen Richardson
Meghna Suvarna
Project: Development of an in vitro musculoskeletal model of human aging
Main supervisor: Dr Nicola Green
Rowan Watson
Project: Peripheral nerve reconstruction: NO hope for advanced regeneration
Main supervisor: Prof Julie Gough
Ryan Weller
Project: Improving the longevity of oesophageal stents
Main supervisor: Dr Andrew Thomas
Cohort 4
Ioana Albu
Project: Biofabrication of a 3D bone tissue analogue with immunomodulatory factors to induce neovascularization and osteogenesis
Main supervisor: Dr Olga Tsigkou
Adrian Perez Barreto
Project: Suspended additive manufacturing of complex wounds for precision therapy testing
Main supervisor: Dr Jason Wong
Sara Cabral
Project: Developing preclinical peptide hydrogel models of breast cancer metastasis to bone using patient-derived tumour cells and xenografts
Main supervisor: Prof Robert Clarke
Rebecca Downs-Ford
Project: 3D Bioprinting of immunocompetent skin equivalents for wound healing project
Main supervisor: Dr Marco Domingos
Samantha Heslop
Project: A functionalised TRAD for the treatment of rotator cuff injuries
Main supervisor: Prof Sarah Cartmell
Madeline Lombardo
Project: Integrating CRISPR-Cas diagnostics into organic electronics for point-of-care genotyping
Main supervisor: Dr Lu Shin Wong
Prarthana Mistry
Project: The fabrication of complex structures using biodegradable polymerised high internal phase emulsion (PolyHIPE) scaffolds for targeted drug delivery
Main supervisor: Dr Frederik Claeyssens
Amy Morgan
Project: Design and manufacture of an antimicrobial multi-layered scaffold for skin regeneration
Main supervisor: Dr Illida Ortega Asencio
Keir Nathan
Project: Implementation of new 3D printed & advanced materials sensors for the bio analysis of dysphagia patients
Main supervisor: Dr Alex Casson
Catherine Pennington
Project: Self assembly peptide hydrogels: functional characterisation for peritoneal delivery
Main supervisor: Prof Kay Marshall
Anant Preet
Project: PHA based Core Sheath Fibrous Structures for Healthcare Engineering
Main supervisor: Prof Ipsita Roy
Eve Tipple
Project: Development of in vitro models of common cancers of the urological system to investigate the effects on the tumour microenvironment
Main supervisor: Prof Julie Gough
Tom Whalley
Project: A multidisciplinary approach to model and reveal the mechanisms of fibrotic tissue formation follow injury
Main supervisor: Prof Christoph Ballestrem