Tissue engineering of small blood cells (2018-19)

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Free tissue transfer is used to replace tissues lost through disease, cancer and trauma.  This often involves complex reconstruction with tissue being donated from one part to another, usually resulting in significant donor site morbidity.  Therefore, patients too fragile for major surgery are often denied this treatment option.

The ability to 3D print blood vessels using stem cells opens a new dimension of treatment with tissue and organs being produced in the laboratory and being made to order ‘off the shelf’.  This project aims to produce tissues using this technology and investigate its compatibility with the body.

Infection after hand and wrist injury (2019-20)

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Hand and wrist injuries account for 1-in-5 emergency hospital visits, with 350 injuries per day in the UK. The hand and wrist are important in daily life and for earning a living. Many injuries need surgery, with a risk of infection afterwards. We don't know the extent of post-operative infection for these injuries, including the effect on recovery and function. Anti-bacterial stitches used to repair injuries might reduce infection. I want to better understand infection after hand and trauma surgery and whether we can test these anti-bacterial stitches to prevent it.

Biocompatibility of Novel 3D-bioprinted Cartilage (2020-21)

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Facial disfigurement affects 1 in 111 people. Reconstructive methods involving autologous (using patient’s own tissue) or synthetic options, have well-known limitations. Tissue engineering with 3D-printing has potential to create precise, patient-specific, cartilage implants using biomaterials as ink carriers loaded with patients own cells. The research group addresses key challenges with a novel biomaterial with impressive mechanical and biological properties, and are pioneers in using tissue-specific cartilage stem cells. The study aims to advance this technology through establishing the safety and immunological profile of the biomaterial and identify key micro-properties pertinent to successful implant integration.

Immunobioengineering biomaterials for bone regeneration and reconstruction (2023-24)

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When patients lose bone through trauma or surgery, rebuilding it is difficult - especially when there isn’t enough healthy tissue to work with. New materials that help the body regrow bone are showing promise, but we need to understand how the immune system responds to them before they can be safely used in people. Plastic surgery trainee Jessica Roberts spent a year modelling how human immune cells respond to these bone-regenerating materials. Her work focuses on T cells - a key part of the immune system - and how they behave over time when exposed to different types of biomaterials. This early-stage research could help make future bone implants safer and more effective by improving how we test materials before they reach clinical trials - reducing patient risk and accelerating innovation