Newcastle University

Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technologies

The group forms the core of a University-wide venture combining aspects of Nanomedicine, Medical Physics and Engineering, to research innovative healthcare and patient management solutions which will be crucial in delivering improved healthcare over the next twenty years. It is now widely accepted that a combination of medical engineering and bionanotechnology that harnesses the full potential of proteomic and genomic information will lead to the next healthcare revolution.

The two major research themes of Diagnostic amd Therapeutic Technologies are:

Sensor Systems and Nanomedicine

This theme, under the direction of Calum McNeil, has an established track record in the design and development of integrated electrochemical and bio-microelectromechanical (bio-MEMS) sensors for application to point-of-care diagnosis of disease processes. Work, led by Philip Manning, is in progress to develop sensor technologies for real-time, high content intracellular analysis using polymer-based nanosensor systems. This aspect of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technologies has a direct link to Nanomedicine as a specialist subject area. This involves design, fabrication and controlled self-assembly of nanoscale functional components for diagnostic devices.

Cardiovascular Physics and Engineering

This theme is led by Philip Langley and applies physics and engineering techniques to complex physiological systems in order to develop and evaluate new procedures, devices, and techniques for translation into clinical practice. Spanning prevention, diagnosis, treatment and after-care the research is wide-ranging but focuses on cardiovascular disease (Alan Murray). Specific expertise exists in computerised analysis and modelling of cardiac physiology, imaging, haemodynamics, blood pressure, autonomic function and microvascular assessment.

Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technologies research necessitates collaboration across the University's three faculties. Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technologies currently collaborates with the Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, the Institute for Ageing and Health, the School of Computing Science, the School of Mechanical and Systems Engineering, the School of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering, the School of Chemistry and the Policy, Ethics and Life Sciences Research Centre.