Biomedical Microengineering Group

This project develops innovative approaches to direct patterning of live cells for spheroid formation, tissue engineering, organ repair and reconstruction.

(Sponsored by SUPA in partnership with Roslin Cellab)

The £1 million e-Finger project, funded by EPSRC, will design and test a range of probes, which will be able to measure the hardness the prostate tissue, which has been linked to potential cancer development. It is expected that the use of the micro-mechanical probes will provide a minimally invasive measure of tissue quality to refine and build on information currently gained from ultrasound and other tests.

(In collaboration with Prof. Bob Reuben, in partnership with University of Edinburgh, NHS Lothian University Hospital. Funded by EPSRC.)

This project develops an automated microfluidic platform for synthetic biology applications including automated genome segment assembly (GSA).

(Sponsored by Scottish Enterprise/ITI Life Sciences, in partnership with Ginkgo Bioworks, Boston, WideBlue Scotland.)

This project develops a label-free microcantilever biosensor arrays for probing disease biomarkers, DNA, apatamers, cell-drug interaction and cell-nanoparticle interactions.

(Sponsored by RSE, SE, SFC.)

Recent developments in the functionality of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), particularly for medical and biological applications, have led to an increasing demand for micromanipulation devices. This project involves the design, fabrication, and testing of a family of pneumatically driven microgrippers which can be scaled to handle millimetre to nanometre compliant and non-compliant objects, with the potential to control gripping forces.

(In collaboration with Prof. Bob Reuben)