Biomedical engineering

We're working at the interface of engineering, life sciences and biomedical sciences to deliver research with socioeconomic impact – including health technology and bio-inspired materials.

One particular area of impact is in meeting the challenges posed by an ageing global population. Our research embraces the UK government's Industrial Strategy in enhancing healthy ageing. Recent projects have seen us develop innovative health technologies, bio-inspired materials and medical implants which will significantly improve clinical care and help promote clinical excellence.

Our multidisciplinary research focuses on the key topics of musculoskeletal biomechanics, cardiovascular engineering and biomedical imaging (and a range of sub-topics, outlined below) – and the outputs of our work are frequently published in leading journals within the field, including Health Technology, Scientific Reports, Age and Ageing, Clinical Biomechanics, and the Journal of Mechanical Behaviour of Biomedical Materials.

Facilities

Our facilities include the latest in manufacturing technology, such as 3D printing (multimaterial and laser sintering).

The University is also home to new bespoke biaxial mechanical testing systems for studying soft tissue mechanics, and a range of low energy bluetooth wearable sensors – including accelerometers, oximeters and electromoygraphic sensors – which will allow us to develop mobile healthcare technologies for various healthcare applications.

The Zeiss Global Centre also supports the work we're doing in 3D microCT imaging and numerical/FE modelling.

Partnerships and collaborations

Our key strategic partners include:

• Diamond Light Source
• Carl Zeiss Ltd
• GlaxoSmithKlein
• The National Heart and Lung Institute, London
• The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, London
• Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth

Funding

Recent research projects have attracted funding from the Royal Society, and from research councils such as the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). Our work has also received funding support from organisations within the industrial sector, such as Zeiss.

Discover our areas of expertise

Biomedical engineering is one of our two areas of research expertise in Mechanical Engineering – explore the other, below. 

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Interested in a PhD in Mechanical & Design Engineering?

Browse our postgraduate research degrees – including PhDs and MPhils – at our Mechanical & Design Engineering postgraduate research degrees page.