Bioengineering
Bioengineering
About
This research area is based on strong collaborations with our Medical School, agriculture research, and with the NHS and leading medical charities.
Our areas of specialist expertise are wide and varied, ranging from biomechanical modelling and motion analysis, to nanotechnology and robotic solutions.
The Bioengineering group has an element of public engagement. Professor Tom Joyce has been awarded a grant for patient-centred public engagement work about failed hip replacements. Find out more about the MetalHip project.

Collaboration with industry
UK
- Glass Technology Services (UK)
- JRI Ltd (UK)
- BPEX (British Pig Executive)
- PXD (UK)
Europe
- Bionica Tech srl (Italy)
- Italian Institute of Metrological Research Turin (Italy)
- Ceramtec (Germany)
- Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Switzerland)
Worldwide
- Ascension Orthopaedics (US)
Collaboration with academia
UK
- Imperial College London
- UCL London
- York St John
- Huddersfield University
- Liverpool John Moores University
- Glasgow University
- University of Southampton
- QMUL London
- Chemical Engineering research at Newcastle University (collaboration on bio-tribocorrosion of orthopaedic implants)
Europe
- University Politecnico di Torino (Italy)
- Universidade de Evora (Portugal)
- Institute for Biomaterials-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (Germany)
- Sakarya University (Turkey)
Worldwide
- Banaras Hindu University (India)
- Nanyang Technological university (Singapore)
- Monash University Sunway Campus (Australia)
Collaboration with hospitals
UK
- Newcastle Surgical Training Centre Freeman Hospital
- University Hospital of North Tees
- James Cook University Hospital
- Wrightington Hospital
- Taunton Hospital
-
A New Frontier in Design: The Simulation of Open Engineered Biological Systems
Project Leader(s): Prof NG Wright
Project Dates: From October 2013 to October 2018 -
Arthritis Research UK Tissue Engineering Centre
Project Leader(s): Professor AW McCaskie
Project Dates: From April 2011 to April 2016 -
Bioprinting for Re-Distributed Manufacture of Microtissues for Treatment of Diabetes
Project Leader(s): Dr AM Ferreira-Duarte
Project Dates: From October 2015 to April 2016 -
CIM medical devices
Project Leader(s): Prof KW Dalgarno
Project Dates: From October 2013 to September 2018 -
Ex vivo analysis of failed resurfacing hip prostheses
Project Leader(s): Dr Tom Joyce
Project Dates: From April 2009 to October 2010 -
FDA metal-on-metal
Project Leader(s): Prof Tom Joyce
Project Dates: From September 2013 to August 2014 -
Finger Joint Testing
Project Leader(s): Prof Tom Joyce
Project Dates: From April 2013 to February 2014 -
Improving the metal-on-metal hip prosthesis – A study of failures and wear mechanisms
Project Leader(s): Dr Tom Joyce
Project Dates: From October 2009 to September 2012 -
MAGEC Spinal Rod Explant Analysis
Project Leader(s): Prof Tom Joyce
Project Dates: From September 2016 to March 2017 -
Restoration
Project Leader(s): Professor Kenneth Dalgarno
Project Dates: From April 2012 to March 2016 -
Service for the investigation of failed lower limb arthroplasties
Project Leader(s): Dr Tom Joyce
Project Dates: From November 2010 to August 2011 -
Technical market development for a novel design of total shoulder replacement
Project Leader(s): Dr Tom Joyce
Project Dates: From October 2010 to March 2011 -
Tendon-bone tissue constructs for rotator cuff repair
Project Leader(s): Dr AM Ferreira-Duarte
Project Dates: From October 2015 to September 2016 -
The design of a multi-station shoulder simulator
Project Leader(s): Dr Tom Joyce
Project Dates: From March 2009 to September 2011 -
The effect of specific spinal exercises on the intervertebral disc
Project Leader(s): Dr Tom Joyce
Project Dates: From January 2010 to December 2015 -
Using nanomechanical testing and modelling to understand the biophysics of cell-hydrogel Interactions
Project Leader(s): Dr Jinju Vicky Chen
Project Dates: From February 2013 to March 2013 -
When technology fails patients: engaging with stakeholders on metal-on-metal hip joint failures
Project Leader(s): Dr Thomas Joyce
PhD Students
If you're considering doing a PhD with us, here's a list of possible PhD project titles and current research student projects to think about.
You can also read about former students, completed projects, and publications co-authored by PhD/post doctorate students.
Research
Our research takes us into the fields of biomaterials, biomechanics modelling, biotribology and biofabrication. Find out more in the expandable boxes below.
TG/DTA/DSC thermal analysis max temp.1600°C
Thermogravimetry with simultaneous Differential Thermal Analysis and Differential Scanning Calorimetry measurements within the temperature range of ambient to 1600°C. It measures glass transition, melting, crystallization, heat capacity, weight changes with temperature.
Dynamic Mechanical Analyser max temp.400°C
Dynamic Mechanical Analyser with fluid bath option. Tests: 3point bending, compression, tension, shear, Young’s modulus.
Freeze dryer -55°C
Freeze dryer for fabrication of microporous scaffold.
Titrator
Simultaneous titration with 2 dosing units, automatic addition of solvents and pH control.
NanoSight Particle sizer
NanoSight visualizes, measures and characterizes virtually all nanoparticles moving under Brownian motion.
Multi-station shoulder wear simulator
A five-station shoulder simulator has been developed. The simulator includes a sixth ‘load-soak station’. The simulator can apply loading of up to 1,500N and motions of up to 90° of internal-external rotation and 110° in the flexion-extension and abduction-adduction axes.
50-station pin-on-disc wear machine
This is a 50-station version of the machine designed by Vesa Saikko (Saikko 2005, J Eng Med, 309-18) and now manufactured by Phoenix Tribology. A recent paper which employed the 50-station machine to compare the wear of UHMWPE and XLPE is Harsha and Joyce, 2013, J Eng Med, 600-08.
2x Finger wear testing machines
Two reciprocating pistons combined with a pulley mechanism simulate the biomechanics of the human hand, moving the artificial finger joints between 0° extension to 90° flexion. An intermittent static load is applied (to simulate finger pinch) through a larger pneumatic cylinder.
4 station pin-on-plate machine
Two of these four station wear test rigs are available. Each test station can apply multi-directional motion to test samples which provides clinically relevant wear rates. A recent paper which describes the use of the machine to investigate the addition of a visco-supplement to a lubricant of bovine serum is Joyce, 2009, J Eng Trib, 297-302.
Vicon T20
Six camera motion capture system using stereo-photogrammetry.
Mitutoyo Legex 322
Co-ordinate measuring machine.
Other equipment
- digital microscope
- high temperature furnaces
- oven
- analytical balances
- manual/hydraulic press
- hot plate/magnetic stirrer
- pH meters
- siever
- incubator
- ultrasonic cleaner
- grinder/polisher