Healthcare Engineering - Projects
A major healthcare engineering project is demonstrating the application of rapid prototyping approaches and process techniques to oro-maxillary - facial soft tissue - prosthesis construction. Our object is to improve clinical quality of care by creating prostheses of better aesthetics and function, especially at the margin, in a shorter time and with less visits to clinicians.
Tissue engineered products are identified by many as both next generation medical devices and pharmaceuticals. Bio-manufacturing is also a strong emerging theme. Engineers can contribute in the optimisation of current products and processes; in the creation of next generation products for example optimum bio-reactor design for rapid and uniform cell and tissue growth; and in more speculative longer term engineering associated with the construction of realistically applicable three dimensional structures in tissue engineering for wound healing, joint repair and creating the features of organs. We are beginning work in these areas with approaches that emphasise the integration of clinical, life sciences and engineering intellectual property and theory building to inform the design of commercial systems.
The group has identified drug delivery systems as a key area in which to grow its research activities. Work to date in the School has been primarily in inhaled therapies and has modelled drug deposition, developed next generation devices including informatics; and instrumented and measured flows to characterise devices using optical diagnostic techniques. It is anticipated that this will be extended both to other devices and other pharmaceutical systems. It will include basic pathway science and improvement of the understanding and control of dose variation. Within the wider School there also are vigorous groups working in bio-mechanics and robotic surgery.
We have a strong business emphasis and have active projects including; operational excellence in healthcare delivery, identification of the bottlenecks that small businesses face as they commercialise healthcare technologies; business model strands for small business success in healthcare technology exploitation; and project management disciplines for biotechnology products.
Current projects include:
Remedi Grand Challenge
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HaCIRIC (Health and Care Infrastructure Research and Innovation Centre)
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Facemaker – Maxillofacial Therapies Using Reverse Engineering
Facemaker is a DTI funded project which is clinically relevant led by industrial partner software developers Delcam plc & in collaboration with 3T RPD & Queens Medical Centre representing the NHS. There are 30,000 patients a year in the UK requiring maxillofacial therapies, resulting from congenital conditions, surgery, or trauma. Current therapies depend on craft based, and often patient-distressing, methods. This project seeks to build on a demonstration-of-concept converting craft based therapies into techniques that integrate computer imaging, reverse engineering, & rapid manufacturing & is developing systematic techniques and business models that that will both create new business opportunities and enhance patient therapy. Transfer of knowledge developed in academic & clinical situations to commercial ventures, development of patient & clinical networks, development of the specifications for software improvement, & rapid manufacturing.
IDBA – Interdisciplinary Bridging Award
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Manufuture – Leadership
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Gene therapy
Recent developments in the manufacturing of pDNA have meant that “delivery” is the key to the success of the non-viral gene therapeutic approach. The objective of this project is to develop the engineering principles which characterise the impacts of drug formulation and delivery systems on the structure of nano-sized biomaterials. The project focuses on the formulation and pulmonary delivery of plasmid DNA using aerosols generated by nebulisation in well established devices. Research has led to the safe formulation and delivery of plasmid DNA using a commercial respiratory device and prediction of damage for large plasmids. Collaborators: The Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering, University College London.