Bio-photonics and medical engineering
1) Magnetically triggerable microporous sponges for on-demand delivery of an anti-cancer drugs
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The above images show magnetically triggerable microporous sponges (top) and mouse intestine section labeled with fluorescent dyes (bottom)
- Colorectal cancer (CRC), is the development of cancer from the colon (parts of the large intestine.
- Signs and symptoms may include blood in the stools. Targeted drug delivery is aimed to reduce the effects of drugs within the patient
- Non contact metrology is used to characterize the compression of the microporous sponges at a range of different compositions (pre-polymer / curing agent ) for on demand anticancer drug delivery.
- The exact amount of drug delivered is characterized using Selective plane illumination allowing its quantification with pico to microliter resolution.
- Determining the magnetic field relation to the sponge compression is crucial for the exact delivery of drug on the patient
2) Non contact metrology: Characterization of catheters for aortic valve implantation
- The above image shows Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (top) and Balloon calibration curve (bottom)
- Balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) is a simple and low-cost treatment method for patients with severe aortic stenosis.
- As the BAV procedural technique is not well standardised it is likely that inflations often reach well above the rated burst pressure of individual devices.
- Non contact metrology is used to allow measurement of BAV balloons at a range of pressures corresponding to those used in the real world during BAV procedures.
- Determining the exact balloon size is paramount for minimizing the risks of coronary occlusion, annular damage or THV embolization during transcatheter heart valve (THV) implantation.
3) Optoelectronic: Laser sources for biomedical applications
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The image shows a high peak-power picosecond quantum-dot-based external-cavity mode-locked laser and tapered optical amplifier
- Ultrashort pulsed lasers are key devices for its use on biomedical applications such as nonlinear imaging.
- These lase’s footprint and price (> £50K) has limited its widespread adoption for biomedical applications.
- We aim to produce alternative ultrashort pulsed laser technologies based on quantum dots, reducing its price and footprint to be used for biomedical applications
- Potential applications include lab-on-a-chip devices, micro-endoscopes and non linear microscopy.