Medical Engineering
MEng (HB1V), BEng (HBD8), MEng (HB18), BEng (HBC8)
News
QMUL scientist wins biomaterials awards
Dr Hing (right) as see recently on BBC TV's Bang Goes The Theory.
Friday 3rd May 2013
Dr Karin Hing from the School of Engineering and Materials Science has been awarded two prestigious prizes in recognition of her outstanding contributions to materials research in the field of biomaterials. The UK Society for Biomaterials, Biocompatibility Prize and the Kroll Medal from the institute of Materials, Mining and Minerals both relate to Dr Hing's research in the development of bone graft substitute materials.
• The 2013 UK Society for Biomaterials, Biocompatibles Prize recognises researchers with an industrial link to their research who have made significant contributions to the UK Biomaterials field. Dr Hing has been awarded this prize in recognition of her research into the importance of synthetic bone graft substitute porosity and chemistry and the translation of this research into clinical practice via the development of the bone graft material, Actifuse. In addition the award recognises her scientific and technical contribution to the biomaterials company, ApaTech, which produces Actifuse.
• The 2013 Kroll Medal from the IOM3 is awarded in recognition of a significant contribution that has enhanced the scientific understanding of materials chemistry as applied to the industrial production of inorganic materials. Dr Hing received the award for her development of a novel commercial processing technique to produce porous bone graft substitute materials with a biomimetic structure and control of chemistry, microstructure and porosity so as to enable in order to control the mechanical and biological performance of the biomaterial.
E2million project aims to revolutionise the study of cancer cells in the lab
Mouse model of ovarian cancer showing cancer cells in green, immune cells in pink and blood vessels in red
Monday 29th April 2013
Researchers from Queen Mary, University of London have been awarded a €2.43million grant from the European Research Council (ERC) for a project which aims to revolutionise the field of cancer cell research by using bioengineering techniques to grow the first complex 3-dimensional human ‘tumour microenvironment’ in the laboratory.
In the CANBUILD project the multi-disciplinary team of scientists will be using the latest advances in tissue engineering, biomechanics, imaging and stem cell biology which they believe will make it possible to engineer, for the first time, a complex 3-dimensional human tumour in which the different cell types of the tumour microenvironment will communicate, evolve and grow in vitro (outside the body, in the laboratory).
The principal investigator, Professor Fran Balkwill said that “Growing an in vitro model will allow us to watch how the cells communicate and how the tumour grows, teaching us more about what is going on in this complex system and hopefully giving us a model we can test new drugs on.”
The CANBUILD Team at Queen Mary, University of London:
Barts Cancer Institute: Professor Frances Balkwill, Dr Thorsten Hagemann, Dr Michelle Lockley
William Harvey Research Institute: Professor Sussan Nourshargh
Blizard Institute: Dr John Connelly, Professor Ian MacKenzie
School of Engineering and Materials Science: Professor Martin Knight
New device leads to kidney surgery breakthrough
Saturday 27th April 2013
The Royal London Hospital has become the first in the UK to use a pioneering new device to remove kidney stones. A tiny laser is inserted into the body and breaks stones up into small fragments which can then be flushed out of the kidney. Surgeons say it's quicker, and less painful for patients, than conventional surgery using forceps.
See film of the operation and full report on ITV news:
http://www.itv.com/news/london/story/2013-04-26/kidney-surge...
Urology consultant Dr Buchholz is one of the team leading the pioneering use of the endoscopic laser. Bioengineering students at Queen Mary University of London are currently working with Dr Buchholz studying the performance of the laser system and optimising the treatment protocols for kidney stone destruction. Dr Buchholz also lectures on a specialist module on the Medical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering degree programmes at QMUL.
Biomedical Engineering - The best job in the world
X ray of a total knee replacement implant (an important area of bioengineering)
Wednesday 24th April 2013
It is now official, being a biomedical engineer is the best job in the world. The annual ranking of occupations was published on 24th April and shows that being a biomedical engineer is in the top 10 jobs, ranked as number 2 (actuary was ranked number 1). Furthermore biomedical engineering has the highest growth forcast of 62%. All this makes studying for a degree in biomedical engineering (also known as medical engineering) an excellent career choice.
Read more in the Metro newspaper: http://metro.co.uk/2013/04/23/is-being-a-newspaper-reporter-...
Bioengineered kidney produces urine
Thursday 18th April 2013
Scientists in America have taken the first step towards growing a functioning kidney. An adult rat kidney was stripped of its cells to leave a honeycomb like scaffold, and then rebuilt with newborn rat cells in the lab. This resulted in a partially working kidney which could filter blood and produce urine both in the lab and also when it was re-implanted back into a rat. Its success has opened up the possibility of applying similar techniques to other tissues/organs. This could potentially replace failing human organs without the need for donors by using decellurised animal tissues which would not be rejected by the body.
Habiba Yasmin (2nd Year Medical Engineer)