Under the direction of Professor John Hunt, the Division of Clinical Engineering at the University of Liverpool has been at the forefront of research in biomaterials, biocompatibility, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine for over 30 years. The Division was awarded one of the first Joint Infrastructure Fund grants to construct new laboratories specifically for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering research. The Division has active collaborations within the Faculties of Health & Life Sciences and Science & Engineering that support basic and clinical aspects of Tissue Engineering.

Research Overview
The Division of Clinical Engineering is a unit within the School of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences. The Division encompasses a number of research and educational activities that embrace many different aspects of technology in health care. By far the greatest emphasis, however, has been on its research programmes related to biomaterials, and the Division has built up a substantial world-wide reputation in this area. The academic staff of the UKCTE are fully involved in these programmes, offering expertise ranging from materials science to fluid mechanics, and from biochemistry to clinical medicine. Click here for more detailed information about our current research, educational and clinical activities.

The research portfolio addresses a broad range of generic issues and platform technologies, including the following:

The control of cell phenotype and the influence of fluid mechanics on cell function

Unstimulated mesenchymal stem cells (7 day)

Activated macrophages showing formation of fibrin network

Rotating wall bioreactor instrumented with probes to quantify mass transport

Quantitative velocity measurement by means of Laser Doppler anemometery (LDA)

The development of three-dimensional tissue structures with anisotropic support

The development and optimisation of biodegradable materials with bioactive surface functions

Integration with host tissues, including the control of angiogenic responses

The control of inflammation and immune responses to tissue engineering constructs