Bio and Biomimetic Materials
University of Bath: Paul Raithby (PI)
University of Bristol: Dek Woolfson, Simon Hall
Cardiff University: Niklaas Buurma
University of Exeter: Saverio Russo
Background
The development of new materials with biological and/or chemical function will transform the way that chemistry and biology can be combined to make devices for healthcare technologies. Targets include:
- synthetic techniques for mono- and multilayers layers, thin films, functional surfaces
- graphene/hybrid materials for biosensing
- biological computing and self-assembled molecular machines
- sensors for non-invasive diagnostics
- wound healing and tissue engineering
- improved drugs from control of crystallisation
- self-assembled materials from biological components, e.g. DNA & proteins, combined with electroactive components.
Project summary
The community brought together three groupings within GW4: Centre for Graphene Science (Exeter & Bath), BrisSynBio (Bristol), and the EPSRC Directed Assembly Grand Challenge Network (DA; Bath, Bristol & Cardiff). New links have been established within and between GW4 institutions, as well as other UK universities and industrial companies. Two meetings stimulated a range of innovative research ideas and a number of multi-disciplinary projects have been set up. Several of these were developed into funding applications, including a successful application for GW4 Accelerator: Biomimetic assemblies of complex functional materials in hierarchical structures.
