Biography

Ana Ferreira-Duarte is a biomedical engineer who specialised in biomimetic materials and engineering approaches applied in regenerative medicine. After obtaining her Chemical Engineering degree and Master in Biomedical Engineering from Universidad Simon Bolivar (Venezuela), she moved to Italy to complete her PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the Politecnico di Torino. She received the Award of High Qualification Research Doctorate by Scuola Interpolitecnica di Dottorato for her dissertation. By late 2013, she moved to the UK and joined Newcastle University as a Research Associate within the Arthritis Research UK (ARUK, now Versus Arthritis) Tissue Engineering Centre, working on the bio-functionalisation of 3D printed scaffolds for orthopaedic applications. She joined Newcastle Engineering School in 2015 as Lecturer in Bioengineering. Her current research is focused on engineering bioinspired and biomimetic materials, micro-encapsulation systems and surface functionalisation for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. She is the author of more than 60 peer-reviewed papers in biomaterials-leading journals (Google h-index= 21) and her research has co-led to 2 patents.

Roles and Responsibilities

Stage 3 Tutor for Mechanical Engineering

Research Lead of Mechanical Engineering and Marine Technology Discipline

Editor of Materials Today Communications

Guest Associate Editor (Biomaterials) for Frontiers in Materials and Bioengineering and Biotechnology Journals

Review Editor (Bionanotechnology) for Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering and Biotechnology Journals

Education/Academic qualification

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Higher Education Academy (UK) - June 2017

Biomedical Engineering, Doctor of Philosophy, Politecnico di Torino (Italy) - November 2013

Biomedical Engineering, Master of Engineering, Universidad Simon Bolivar (Venezuela) - November 2009

Previous positions

Post-doctoral Research Associate, Newcastle University (2014-2015)

Post-doctoral Research Associate, Politecnico di Torino (2013)

Memberships

• Royal Society of Chemistry
• Tissue and Cell Engineering Society (TCES)
• Women's Engineering Society
• EPSRC Peer review College

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the SDG Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

Google Scholar Profile

SCOPUS Profile

Dr Ferreira-Duarte is Stage 3 Tutor for Mechanical Engineering and contributes to different engineering programmes, including:

• Mechanical Engineering BEng Honours
• Mechanical Engineering MEng Honours
• Biofabrication and Bioprinting MRes

She is currently teaching the following modules:

• ENG2022 : Materials Science II
• MEC8051: Biomedical AM and Biofabrication
• MEC8049: Orthopaedic Engineering

and she supervises individual and team projects for the following modules:

• MEC3098: Mechanical Engineering Project
• MEC8099: Mechanical Engineering Team Project
• MMB8099 : MRes Project

Research Interests

Dr Ferreira Duarte’s research focuses on the development of bioinspired materials, micro-encapsulation and surface functionalisation for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

More specifically, Dr Ferreira Duarte's research interests include:

• design of biomimetic systems
• development of functional materials and hydrogels as cell carriers
• engineering single-cell surface coatings
• surface coatings with biofunctional properties
• development of bio-inks for 3D bioprinting technologies
• manufacturing of hybrid constructs with advanced bio-functional properties

Advanced biomaterials and biomimetic strategies for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine play an integral role in medicine towards facilitating tissue healing after injury or diseases. Therefore, Dr Ferreira Duarte’s research has a strong multidisciplinary nature, involving collaborations with microbiologists, chemists, molecular biologists, immunologists, chemical and mechanical engineers, clinicians and industry. 

Projects and Research Funding

2021-2024 EPSRC Award on "Process Control and Novel Materials for the Reactive Jet Impingement Process".

2021-2023 ORUK Orthopaedic Research Fund 2020 on “Layer-by-Layer coatings for orthopaedic applications”.

2020-2021 EPSRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) on "Hybrid Layer-by-Layer Deposition System applied in orthopaedic implants".

2019-2025 European project (H2020-NMBP-TR-IND-2018-2020) on GIOTTO "Active aGeIng and Osteoporosis: The next challenge for smarT nanomaterials and 3D technologies". For more information: http://www.giottoproject.eu/.

2017-2020  NC3Rs CRACK-IT Challenges: "Microfluidic Automated Platform for Osteoarthritis Drug Screening"

2017  Confidence in Concept MRC-CiC: ”High Throughput Biofabrication of Microtissues for Disease Modelling and Regenerative Medicine”

2015  EPSRC RiHN Feasibility Studies: "Bioprinting of Microtissues for Treatment of Diabetes". For more information: Feasibility Studies and Islet micro-tissues

2015  EPSRC MeDe Innovations Fresh Ideas Fund: "Tendon-bone tissue constructs for rotator cuff repair"

Patents

• Ferreira-Duarte A.M.; Gentile P. (2020). Hybrid Layer-by-Layer equipment (patent application PCT/GB2020/052641)
• Ciardelli G., Tonda-Turo C., Gentile P., Chiono V., Mattu C., Ferreira-Duarte A.M. (2011) Biomimetic cement biomimetic and biodegradable. WO2012176224 A1 

Postgraduate Supervision

Lead supervisor for 4 PhD students; co-supervisor for 7 PhD students.

Former PhD students

2014 - 2018        Dr Ricardo Da Conceicao Ribeiro

2016 - 2019        Dr Nicole Kattner

2016 - 2020        Dr Priscila Melo

2016 - 2020        Dr Joseph Dudman 

• Scalzone A, Wang XN, Dalgarno K, Ferreira AM, Gentile P. A Chondrosphere-Based Scaffold Free Approach to Manufacture an In Vitro Articular Cartilage Model. Tissue Engineering Part A 2022, 28(1-2), 84-93.
• Udduttula A, Li J, Ma Z, Teng B, Zhang JV, Ferreira AM, Gentile P, Wang G, Zhao X, Ren P-G. A novel apatite-inspired Sr₅(PO₄)₂SiO₄ plasma-sprayed coating on Ti alloy promoting biomineralization, osteogenesis and angiogenesis. Ceramics International 2022, 48(8), 10979-10989.
• Hoyat N, Gentile P, Ferreira AM, Siller L. Automatic Pore Size Measurements from Scanning Electron Microscopy Images of Porous Scaffolds. Journal of Porous Materials 2022. In Press.
• Kotlarz M, Ferreira AM, Gentile P, Dalgarno K. Bioprinting of cell-laden hydrogels onto titanium alloy surfaces to produce a bioactive interface. Macromolecular Bioscience 2022, 22(6), 2200071.
• Kotlarz M, Ferreira AM, Gentile P, Russell SJ, Dalgarno K. Droplet-based bioprinting enables the fabrication of cell-hydrogel-microfibre composite tissue precursors. Bio-Design and Manufacture 2022, 5, 512-528.
• Scalzone A, Tonda-Turo C, Ferreira AM, Gentile P. 3D-printed Soft Hydrogels for Cell Encapsulation. In: Azevedo HS; Mano JF; Borges J, ed. Soft Matter for Biomedical Applications. Cambridge: Royal Society of Chemistry, 2021, pp.594-625.
• Ngadimin K, Stokes A, Gentile P, Ferreira AM. Biomimetic hydrogels designed for cartilage tissue engineering. Biomaterials Science 2021, 9(12), 4246-4259.
• Dura G, Crespo-Cuadrado M, Waller H, Peters DT, Ferreira AM, Lakey JH, Fulton DA. Hydrogels of engineered bacterial fimbriae can finely tune 2D human cell culture. Biomaterials Science 2021, 9(7), 2542-2552.
• Dudman J, Ferreira AM, Gentile P, Wang X, Dalgarno K. Microvalve Bioprinting of MSC-Chondrocyte Co-Cultures. Cells 2021, 10(12), 3329.
• Naseem R, Tzivelekis C, German MJ, Gentile P, Ferreira-Duarte A, Dalgarno K. Strategies for Enhancing Polyester-Based Materials for Bone Fixation Applications. Molecules 2021, 26(4), 992.
• Sieberath A, Della Bella E, Ferreira AM, Gentile P, Eglin D, Dalgarno K. A Comparison of Osteoblast and Osteoclast In Vitro Co-Culture Models and Their Translation for Preclinical Drug Testing Applications. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2020, 21(3), 912.
• Dura G, Peters DT, Waller H, Yemm AI, Perkins ND, Ferreira AM, Crespo-Cuadrado M, Lakey JH, Fulton DA. A thermally reformable protein polymer. Chem 2020, 6(11), 3132-3151.
• Dewhurst RM, Scalzone A, Buckley J, Mattu C, Rankin KS, Gentile P, Ferreira AM. Development of Natural-Based Bone Cement for a Controlled Doxorubicin-Drug Release. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology 2020, 8, 754.
• Melo P, Kotlarz M, Marshall M, Magallanes M, Ferreira AM, Gentile P, Dalgarno K. Effects of alumina on the thermal processing of apatite-wollastonite: changes in sintering, microstructure and crystallinity of compressed pellets. Journal of the European Ceramic Society 2020, 40(15), 6107-6113.
• Zhang H, Whalley RD, Ferreira AM, Dalgarno K. High throughput physiological micro-models for in vitro pre-clinical drug testing: a review of engineering systems approaches. Progress in Biomedical Engineering 2020, 2(2), 022001.
• Scalzone A, Bonifacio MA, Cometa S, Cucinotta F, De Giglio E, Ferreira AM, Gentile P. pH-Triggered Adhesiveness and Cohesiveness of Chondroitin Sulfate-Catechol Biopolymer for Biomedical Applications. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology 2020, 8, 712.
• Dudman J, Ferreira AM, Gentile P, Wang XN, Ribeiro R, Benning M, Dalgarno K. Reliable inkjet printing of chondrocytes and MSCs using reservoir agitation. Biofabrication 2020, 12(4), 045024.
• Cometa S, Bonifacio MA, Ferreira AM, Gentile P, de Giglio E. Surface characterization of electro-assisted titanium implants: A multi-technique approach. Materials 2020, 13(3), 705.
• McColgan-Bannon KIS, Upson S, Gentile P, Tausif M, Russell S, Dalgarno K, Ferreira AM. Biomimetic Properties of Force-Spun PHBV Membranes Functionalised with Collagen as Substrates for Biomedical Application. Coatings 2019, 9(6), 350.
• Ferreira AM, Tonda-Turo C, Mancuso E, Gentile P. Multilayer nanoscale functionalisation to treat disorders and enhance regeneration of bone tissue. Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine 2019, 19, 22-38.
• Melo P, Ferreira A-M, Waldron K, Swift T, Gentile P, Magallanes M, Marshall M, Dalgarno K. Osteoinduction of 3D printed particulate and short-fibre reinforced composites produced using PLLA and apatite-wollastonite. Composites Science and Technology 2019, 184, 107834.
• Bazgir M, Hancox Z, Raja T, Gentile P, Ferreira AM, Zhang W, Mozafari M, Katsikogianni M, Youseffi M, Coates P, Sefat F. Scaffolds for blood vessel tissue engineering. In: Mozafari, M; Sefat, F; Atala, A, ed. Handbook of Tissue Engineering Scaffolds: Volume One. Elsevier, 2019, pp.659-684.
• Melo P, Tarrant E, Swift T, Townshend A, German M, Ferreira AM, Gentile P, Dalgarno K. Short phosphate glass fiber - PLLA composite to promote bone mineralization. Materials Science and Engineering C 2019, 104, 109929.
• Scalzone A, Ferreira AM, Tonda-Turo C, Ciardelli G, Dalgarno K, Gentile P. The interplay between chondrocyte spheroids and mesenchymal stem cells boosts cartilage regeneration within a 3D natural-based hydrogel. Scientific Reports 2019, 9(1), 14630.
• Bonifacio MA, Cometa S, Cochis A, Gentile P, Ferreira AM, Azzimonti B, Procino G, Ceci E, Rimondini L, DeGiglio E. Antibacterial effectiveness meets improved mechanical properties: Manuka Honey/Gellan Gum composite hydrogels for cartilage repair. Carbohydrate Polymers 2018, 198, 462–472.
• Salam N, Toumpaniari S, Gentile P, Ferreira AM, Dalgarno K, Partridge S. Assessment of Migration of Human MSCs through Fibrin Hydrogels as a Tool for Formulation Optimisation. Materials 2018, 11(9), 1781.
• Bonifacio MA, Cometa S, Cochis A, Gentile P, Ferreira AM, Azzimonti B, Procino G, Ceci E, Rimondini L, De Giglio E. Data on Manuka Honey/Gellan Gum composite hydrogels for cartilage repair. Data in Brief 2018, 20, 831-839.
• Etxabide A, Ribeiro RDC, Guerrero P, Ferreira AM, Stafford GP, Dalgarno K, de la Caba K, Gentile P. Lactose-crosslinked fish gelatin-based porous scaffolds embedded with tetrahydrocurcumin for cartilage regeneration. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 2018, 117, 199-208.
• De Giglio E, Bonifacio MA, Ferreira AM, Cometa S, Ti ZY, Stanzione A, Dalgarno K, Gentile P. Multi-compartment scaffold fabricated via 3D-printing as in vitro co-culture osteogenic model. Scientific reports 2018, 8(1), 15130.
• Tonda-Turo C, Ruini F, Ceresa C, Gentile P, Varela P, Ferreira AM, Fracchia L, Ciardelli G. Nanostructured scaffold with biomimetic and antibacterial properties for wound healing produced by 'green electrospinning'. Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces 2018, 172, 233-243.
• Ribeiro R, Pal D, Ferreira AM, Gentile PG, Benning M, Dalgarno K. Reactive jet impingement bioprinting of high cell density gels for bone microtissue fabrication. Biofabrication 2018, 11(1), 015014.
• Longley R, Ferreira AM, Gentile P. Recent approaches to the manufacturing of biomimetic multi-phasic scaffolds for osteochondral regeneration. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2018, 19(6), 1755.
• Montalbano G, Toumpaniari S, Popov A, Duan P, Chen J, Dalgarno K, Scott III WE, Ferreira AM. Synthesis of bioinspired collagen/alginate/fibrin based hydrogels for soft tissue engineering. Materials Science & Engineering: C 2018, 91, 236-246.
• Gentile P, Ghione C, Ferreira AM, Crawford A, Hatton PV. Alginate-based Hydrogels Functionalised at the Nanoscale using Layer-by-Layer Assembly for Potential Cartilage Repair. Biomaterials Science 2017, 5(9), 1922-1931.
• Gentile P, McColgan-Bannon K, Ceretto N, Sefat F, Dalgarno K, Ferreira AM. Biosynthetic PCL-graft-collagen bulk material for tissue engineering. Materials 2017, 10(7), 693-710.
• Upson SJ, OHaire T, Russell SJ, Dalgarno K, Ferreira AM. Centrifugally Spun PHBV Micro and Nanofibres. Materials Science & Engineering C 2017, 76, 190-195.
• Bonifacio MA, Gentile PG, Ferreira AM, Cometa S, Giglio ED. Insight into halloysite nanotubes-loaded gellan gum hydrogels for soft tissue engineering applications. Carbohydrate Polymers 2017, 163, 280-291.
• Gentile P, Ferreira AM, Callaghan JT, Miller CA, Atkinson J, Freeman C, Hatton PV. Multilayer Nanoscale Encapsulation of Biofunctional Peptides to Enhance Bone Tissue Regeneration In Vivo. Advanced Healthcare Materials 2017, 6(8), 1601182.
• Baba Ismail YM, Ferreira AM, Bretcanu O, Dalgarno K, El Haj AJ. Polyelectrolyte multi-layers assembly of SiCHA nanopowders and collagen type I on aminolysed PLA films to enhance cell-material interactions. Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces 2017, 159, 445-453.
• Ribeiro R, Pal D, Jamieson D, Rankin K, Benning M, Dalgarno K, Ferreira A. Temporary Single Cell Coating for Bioprocessing via a Cationic Polymer. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2017, 9(15), 12967-12974.
• Popov AA, Montalbano G, Scott WE, Chen J, Shaw JAM, Dalgarno K, Ferreira-Duarte AM. 3D manufactured islet micro-tissues for the treatment of type-1 diabetes. In: TERMIS-EU 2016 Conference. 2016, Uppsala, Sweden: eCM.
• Ferreira AM, Gentile P, Toumpaniari S, Ciardelli G, Birch MA. Impact of collagen/heparin multi-layers for regulating bone cellular functions. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2016, 8(44), 29923-29932.
• Rodrigues N, Benning M, Ferreira AM, Dixon L, Dalgarno K. Manufacture and characterisation of porous PLA scaffolds. In: The Second CIRP Conference on Biomanufacturing. 2016, Manchester, UK: Elsevier BV.
• Caddie S, Baino F, Ferreira AM, Sartori S, Novajra G, Ciardelli G, Vitale-Brovarone C. Collagen/Polyurethane-Coated Bioactive Glass: Early Achievements towards the Modelling of Healthy and Osteoporotic Bone. In: 6th Symposium and Annual Meeting of the International Society for Ceramics in Medicine, ISCM 2014. 2015, Spain: Key Engineering Materials (Trans Tech Publications Ltd).
• Ferreira-Duarte AM, Da Conceicao-Ribeiro R, Benning M, Partridge S, Toumpaniari R, Dalgarno K. Encapsulated Tumoral Cells for Bioprocessing. In: 2015 4th TERMIS World Congress. 2015, Boston, Massachusetts, USA: Mary Ann Liebert.
• Rodrigues N, Benning M, Ferreira AM, Dixon L, Dalgarno K. Manufacture and characterisation of porous PLA scaffolds. In: The Second CIRP Conference on BioManufacturing (CIRP-BioM 2015). 2015, Manchester, UK: Elsevier.
• Ferreira AM, Mattu C, Ranzato E, Ciardelli G. Bioinspired porous membranes containing polymer nanoparticles for wound healing. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research - Part A 2014, 102(12), 4394-4405.
• Boccafoschi F, Rasponi M, Ramella M, Ferreira AM, Vesentini S, Cannas M. Short-term effects of microstructured surfaces: role in cell differentiation toward a contractile phenotype. Journal of Applied Biomaterials & Functional Materials 2014.
• González-Paz RJ, Ferreira AM, Mattu C, Boccafoschi F, Lligadas G, Ronda JC, Galià M, Cádiz V, Ciardelli G. Cytocompatible polyurethanes from fatty acids through covalent immobilization of collagen. Reactive and Functional Polymers 2013, 73(5), 690-697.
• González-Paz RJ, Lligadas G, Ronda JC, Galià M, Ferreira AM, Boccafoschi F, Ciardelli C, Cádiz V. Study on the interaction between gelatin and polyurethanes derived from fatty acids. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research - Part A 2013, 101A(4), 1036-1046.
• Ferreira AM, Carmagnola I, Chiono V, Gentile P, Fracchia L, Ceresa C, Georgiev G, Ciardelli G. Surface modification of poly(dimethylsiloxane) by two-step plasma treatment for further grafting with chitosan-Rose Bengal photosensitizer. Surface and Coatings Technology 2013, 223, 92-97.
• Ferreira AM, Gentile P, Sartori S, Pagliano C, Cabrele C, Chiono V, Ciardelli G. Biomimetic soluble collagen purified from bones. Biotechnology Journal 2012, 7(11), 1386-1394.
• Ferreira AM, Gentile P, Chiono V, Ciardelli G. Collagen for bone tissue regeneration. Acta Biomaterialia 2012, 8(9), 3191-3200.
• González-Paz RJ, Lligadas G, Ronda JC, Galià M, Ferreira AM, Boccafoschi F, Ciardelli G, Cádiz V. Enhancement of Fatty Acid-based Polyurethanes Cytocompatibility by Non-covalent Anchoring of Chondroitin Sulfate. Macromolecular Bioscience 2012, 12(12), 1697-1705.
• Gentile P, Chiono V, Tonda-Turo C, Ferreira AM, Ciardelli G. Polymeric membranes for guided bone regeneration. Biotechnology Journal 2011, 6(10), 1187-1197.
• Ferreira AM, González G, González-Paz RJ, Feijoo JL, Lira-Olivares J, Noris-Suárez K. Bone collagen role in piezoelectric mediated remineralization [Papel del colageno oseo en la remineralizacion mediada por piezoelectricidad]. Acta Microscopica 2009, 18(3), 278-286.
• Ferreira AM, Noris-Suárez K, Bello A, Marquez AH, Feijoo JL, Lira-Olivares J. Influencia de la piezoelectricidad del colágeno tipo i en la adhesión celular | [Piezoelectricity influence of type I collagen in cell adhesion]. In: 4th Latin American Congress on Biomedical Engineering, CLAIB 2007. 2008, Venezuela: IFMBE Proceedings, Springer Verlag.
• Noris-Suárez K, Lira-Olivares J, Ferreira AM, Graterol A, Feijoo JL, Lee SW. Electrochemical influence of collagen piezoelectric effect in bone healing. In: 8th International Symposium on Eco-Materials Processing and Design. 2007, Japan: Materials Science Forum.
• Noris-Suárez K, Lira-Olivares J, Ferreira AM, Feijoo JL, Suárez N, Hernández MC, Barrios E. In vitro deposition of hydroxyapatite on cortical bone collagen stimulated by deformation-induced piezoelectricity. Biomacromolecules 2007, 8(3), 941-948.