Explore: Bio-Solutions webinar

Biomaterials from biocomposites in construction to nanomaterials in human health

This webinar showcases some of the breadth of materials research at the University of Edinburgh, from biological materials with semi- and non-structural applications to advanced materials such as nanomaterials with applications in biology and medicine. 

Part 1: Biocomposites for a Greener Future 

The importance of sustainable materials emerging from renewable and biobased resources is growing significantly due to increasing environmental awareness. Natural fibers like hemp flax, jute, bamboo, wood etc. can be used to produce biocomposites for various semi-structural to non-structural applications. Natural fillers like cellulose, lignin, saw dust are also used extensively to produce biocomposites. Biocomposites are already used in some industries, but their demand is growing further as they are more environmentally friendly than their synthetic counterparts. Natural fibre reinforcements are now available commercially in large scale and a steady supply chain exists. Several challenges have been identified such as moisture absorption and poor fibre/matrix interfacial bonding, but research activities are ongoing to find ways to mitigate these issues. More academia-industry collaborative research is needed to explore the full potential of biocomposites and diversify its applications in the real world. This presentation will cover a brief outline of the characteristics of biocomposites and their development trends for diversified applications.  

• Speaker: Dr. Dipa Roy is Reader in Composite Materials and Processing at the University of Edinburgh. She has been working in the field of polymers and composites for the last 23 years. She has been the editor of an Elsevier book on Biocomposites. After joining University of Edinburgh in 2017, she has led several projects on sustainable composites as Principal Investigator. She has received support from and is doing collaborative research with industries like Hexcel Advanced Composites Ltd., Johns Manville, PALTECH, TAF Composites Ltd. and she also holds a patent on dielectric heating of polymeric materials.  

Part 2: Nanotechnologies for Advanced Drug Delivery Systems and Biosensing 

The market for advanced drug delivery systems is rising rapidly, because both clinical therapy and basic biological research rely on novel and innovative delivery techniques. In this seminar, I would like to introduce our research development in innovating and improving nanotechnologies based drug delivery, including diamond nanoneedle arrays for high-throughput intracellular delivery, and nanoparticles for enhanced cancer therapy and antibacterial applications. 

Beyond drug delivery systems for disease treatment, biosensing for disease diagnosis is of equal importance. Therefore, I would also like to describe some of our work in using nanotechnologies to detect biological molecules and exosomes for potential applications of diagnosis. 

• Speaker: Dr Michael Chen is currently working in the Institute for Bioengineering in the School of Engineering at The University of Edinburgh as a Senior Lecturer in Chemical Engineering. Dr Chen’s research is focused on biomaterials, biomedical engineering, and the application of nanomaterials in biology and medicine. In these areas, he has been working on physical (microneedle & nanoneedle arrays), chemical (nanomaterials), and biological (microalgae) tools for drug delivery and sensing. He has 12 granted patents in drug delivery technologies in major countries and regions, mostly in the USA and Europe. Some of these technologies have been invested by venture companies for commercialisation. 

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