QMUL Centre for Bioengineering News

Queen Mary hosts global showcase of bone and musculoskeletal research

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 23:00:00 +0100

Queen Mary University of London has reinforced its position as a leading international centre for musculoskeletal research by successfully hosting two major scientific conferences back-to-back on its Mile End campus this July. The XVIIth Congress of the International Society of Bone Morphometry (ISBM 2026) from 4th - 7th July was followed immediately by the Bone Research Society (BRS) Annual Meeting 2026 from 8th - 10th July. Dr Stefaan Verbruggen, and his team at the Verbruggen Lab, chaired both events, bringing together leading researchers, clinicians, engineers, imaging specialists, healthcare professionals, industry partners and early-career investigators from around the world to London for an exceptional week of scientific discovery, collaboration and innovation. The International Society of Bone Morphometry Congress showcased the latest advances in quantitative skeletal imaging, bone biology and musculoskeletal research. Delegates explored topics ranging from osteocyte biology and mechanosensing to spatial omics, artificial intelligence, computational imaging and bone regeneration. The congress highlighted emerging technologies that are transforming our ability to understand skeletal tissues across multiple scales, while providing valuable opportunities for training, networking and collaboration across disciplines. Immediately following ISBM 2026, Queen Mary welcomed the Bone Research Society Annual Meeting back to London for the first time in almost two decades. The three-day conference featured internationally recognised speakers, scientific symposia, workshops, poster presentations and networking events spanning fundamental, translational and clinical research. Key themes included osteoporosis and fracture prevention, rare bone diseases, osteoarthritis, bone cancer, advanced imaging, spatial multi-omics, mechanobiology, regenerative medicine, biomaterials and novel in vitro models. The two meetings reflected both the breadth and depth of Queen Mary's research strengths. Delegates had the opportunity to visit the Queen Mary NanoVision Centre and the Centre for Predictive In Vitro Models, showcasing cutting-edge facilities that are helping to drive advances in imaging, organ-on-a-chip technologies, tissue engineering and computational analysis. These facilities exemplify the interdisciplinary approach that underpins much of Queen Mary's research activity and its commitment to developing innovative approaches to understanding and treating musculoskeletal disease. As musculoskeletal diseases continue to affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide, the discoveries, discussions and collaborations established during these conferences will help shape future advances in prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Queen Mary is proud to have provided the venue where many of those conversations began, further strengthening its reputation as a global leader in biomedical engineering, skeletal biology and musculoskeletal research.

Under pressure: when tension builds up, the nucleus escapes

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 23:00:00 +0100

Researchers at Queen Mary University of London and IBEC have discovered that epithelial tissues adapt to prolonged stretching by slowly reorganising their keratin cytoskeleton into large multicellular networks. Using advanced live imaging, engineered tissue models and computational simulations, the team found that this process eventually pushes the cell nucleus out of its surrounding keratin cage. The findings reveal a previously unknown mechanism by which tissues respond to sustained mechanical stress, with potential implications for development, organ physiology and diseases linked to defective keratin organisation. How do tissues cope with being stretched for hours or even days? A study led by researchers at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) and Queen Mary University of London has uncovered an unexpected answer: cells radically reorganise their internal scaffolding and, in the process, release their nuclei from a protective keratin network. The work, published in Nature Physics, reveals a new way in which tissues adapt to long-lasting mechanical forces. Keratin is one of the main structural components of the cytoskeleton, the network of protein filaments that gives cells their shape and mechanical resilience. Although keratin has long been known to protect tissues from large deformations, exactly how it responds to sustained stretching has remained unclear. To investigate this question, the researchers combined engineered epithelial tissues, a custom-built microfluidic stretching device, live-cell microscopy and multiscale computational modelling. They observed that keratin does not react immediately when tissues are stretched. Instead, over several hours, individual filaments gradually reorganise into thick, star-shaped bundles that span neighbouring cells, forming supracellular networks across the tissue. "Simulating the intracellular dynamics revealed that the same process that forms these striking bundles also generates forces that ultimately push the nucleus out of its cage," says Marco Pensalfini, Assistant Professor at Queen Mary University of London, who developed the computational model together with Marino Arroyo, Full Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the UPC, principal investigator of the  Soft and Living Material Interfaces research group at CIMNE. "Computational modelling allowed us to connect what we observed in experiments with the underlying physical mechanisms." The structural reorganisation begins at the junctions where three cells meet. Keratin filaments progressively disappear from these regions and accumulate into increasingly thick bundles. Remarkably, the process is collective: it starts in a few isolated cells and then spreads to their neighbours, creating expanding clusters of bundled cells connected by a shared keratin network. Live imaging confirmed this prediction: as bundles grew thicker, the nucleus gradually detached from its surrounding keratin mesh until it separated completely, leaving it connected to only a residual amount of filament. This "nuclear uncaging" turned out to be one of the most striking findings of the study, tightly coupled to the formation of the keratin bundles themselves. "One of the most intriguing questions raised by our study is whether this uncaging process ultimately protects the nucleus or makes it more vulnerable," says Xavier Trepat, ICREA Research Professor at IBEC, principal investigator of the Integrative Cell and Tissue Dynamics group, and co-lead author of the study. "On the one hand, removing the keratin cage could expose the nucleus more directly to mechanical forces. On the other, and perhaps counter-intuitively, disconnecting the nucleus from a highly stressed cytoskeletal network may actually protect it by preventing force transmission. Understanding which of these effects dominates will require future studies examining how nuclei respond to prolonged mechanical stress." The researchers also identified an important role for actin, another major component of the cytoskeleton. Weakening the molecular links between actin and keratin accelerated the bundling process almost threefold, showing that interactions between the two filament systems are key regulators of how tissues adapt to stretching. "These findings may help us better understand how tissues adapt to prolonged stretching in a wide range of biological contexts," says Tom Golde, postdoctoral researcher in Trepat's group and first author of the study. "Similar mechanical conditions occur during embryonic development and in organs that repeatedly expand and contract, such as the bladder or the mammary gland. We also think that the mechanisms we uncovered could be relevant to diseases in which the keratin network is altered." As engineers often reinforce bridges and buildings to withstand repeated loading, this study shows that our own cells have evolved a remarkably similar strategy—continually rebuilding their internal scaffolding to keep tissues resilient in the face of everyday mechanical forces.

Summer research internships for undergraduate students

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 23:00:00 +0100

Ten talented undergraduate students from across a wide range of Science and Engineering programmes are embarking on exciting summer research internships under the mentorship of academic supervisors. This fantastic opportunity has been made possible through the QMUL Summer Training Research Initiative to Support Diversity and Equality (STRIDE) and the London Mathematical Society's Undergraduate Research Bursaries (URB) scheme. Spanning the full breadth of Science and Engineering, these diverse and innovative projects offer students a unique chance to explore research, develop new skills, and gain first-hand experience of academic discovery. We hope the programme will inspire the next generation of researchers and ignite a lasting passion for scientific inquiry. Below, you can find the full list of projects, students, and supervisors taking part in this year's programme. Zahra Ibrahim Ahmed Yusuf: An inclusive approach to measuring depression in neurodivergent young adults from diverse backgrounds (supervisor Giorgia Michelini) Tahran Tinnin Motlib-Siddiqui: Bioelectronic Sensors for Lanthanides (supervisor Lin Su) Radoslaw Bukowiński: LoRa-Based Satellite Ground Station Development and Link Analysis using the TinyGS Network (supervisor Fatma Benkhelifa) Mohammed Rizwan Miah: Offshore Aquaculture Renewables (supervisor Eldad Avital) Elsie Chidera Obiako: Developing AI tools for image-based diagnosis (supervisor Shaheer U Saeed) Amina Abulrahim Montalto: Domestic Water Recycling (supervisor Eldad Avital) Nursen Adiba Chowdhury: Synthesis, Fabrication and Characterization of Novel Antiferroelectric Materials (supervisor Giuseppe Viola) Ivet Lobo: Combinatorial search algorithms- AI and Machine Learning vs Integer Optimization (supervisor Thomas Prellberg) Zishan Xu: Higher order hyperbolic problems with singularities (LMS URB, supervisor Claudia Garetto) Oliver Leo Carter: Matroids that maximase a valuative invariant (LMS URB, supervisors Alex Fink and Mark Jerrum)

Queen Mary students shine at STEM for Britain in Parliament

Tue, 05 May 2026 23:00:00 +0100

Two students from the School of Engineering and Materials Science at Queen Mary University of London delivered impressive research presentations at this year's STEM for Britain competition, held at the House of Commons on Tuesday 17 March 2026. Sarah Hussain and Rory Bennett were selected as finalists in this highly competitive national event, which brings together some of the UK's most promising early-career researchers, to present their work to Members of Parliament and leading scientists. Organised by the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee, the exhibition has been running since 1997. Sarah presented her project, "At home augmented reality training for upper limb prosthesis control", which explores a gamified, emotion-aware augmented reality system to support children learning to use myoelectric prostheses. By combining real-time biometric data with adaptive feedback, her work aims to make rehabilitation more engaging and effective at home. This research was supervised by Dr Hasan Shaheed. Rory presented "Towards Reducing the Burden of Prostate Cancer in the NHS", introducing a machine learning-based workflow designed to help identify which patients are most likely to need a biopsy. The goal is to reduce unnecessary procedures while improving early detection and easing pressure on the NHS. He is working with Prof Zion Tse. Both students represented Queen Mary exceptionally well, showcasing not only strong technical work but also a clear focus on real-world impact in healthcare. Their participation highlights the strength of research and innovation within the School of Engineering and Materials Science.

QMUL Recognised for Industry-Led Innovation at The Engineer Collaborate to Innovate Award

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0100

Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) has been recognised at The Engineer Collaborate to Innovate Awards, which celebrate projects where close collaboration between universities, industry and the NHS delivers real-world impact. Three QMUL-involved projects were in the finalist, with Prostate-AI receiving a Highly Commended award. This recognition highlights Queen Mary's strength in translating research into deployable solutions through strong partnerships beyond academia. Prostate-AI: High-Throughput, AI-Enabled Prostate Cancer Screening for the NHS is led at QMUL by Rory Bennett, Dhruv Basude and Prof Zion Tse and brings together Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and JEB Technologies. The collaboration combines academic expertise in AI with industrial imaging systems and clinical insight to support faster and scalable prostate cancer screening aligned with NHS workflows. The Highly Commended award reflects the project's readiness for NHS adoption and its potential to improve diagnostic capacity. QMUL was also shortlisted for Transforming Whole Blood into Accessible and Personalised Regenerative Implants, by Prof Thomas Iskratsch's team in collaboration with the University of Nottingham. The project brings together bioengineering research and translational expertise to explore new routes for creating personalised regenerative implants, with the aim of improving accessibility and clinical relevance. A third finalist project extends QMUL's collaborative engineering work beyond healthcare. The farming future project, Integrated Human-Augmented Robotics and Intelligent Sensing for Precision Viticulture, is led by Dr Ketao Zhang and Prof Lei Su in collaboration with industry partners Extend Robotics and Saffron Grange Vineyard. By working closely with robotics integrator and end users, the team has developed robotic and sensing technologies for advanced manufacturing at the high-value products in the agriculture sector. Across all three projects, a common theme is the importance of collaboration with industry and the NHS. By co-developing solutions with partners from the outset, Queen Mary researchers are ensuring that engineering innovation moves efficiently from research to real-world impact.

Meet one of our academics: Stefaan Verbruggen

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0100

I am a lecturer in Medical Technology and a member of the Centre for Bioengineering at Queen Mary University of London. My research focuses on biomechanics and organ-on-a-chip technologies, particularly how mechanical forces influence musculoskeletal health and disease. My work sits at the intersection of biomechanics, mechanobiology and advanced in vitro modelling. I develop microphysiological systems and organ-on-a-chip platforms that allow us to model human joints, tendons and cartilage in the laboratory. I am especially interested in how cells sense and respond to mechanical loading, and whether we can model joint ageing in a controlled, predictive way. A key question in my research is whether ageing and degeneration are predetermined or whether they can be influenced by lifestyle and environmental factors. Ultimately, I want to build better, more human-relevant models that reduce reliance on animal experiments and accelerate the development of new therapies for musculoskeletal diseases such as osteoarthritis. I have always been fascinated by how physical forces shape biology. The musculoskeletal system is a perfect example of this: our bones, cartilage and tendons are constantly adapting to the loads we place on them. Bioengineering allows me to combine engineering principles with biology to answer fundamental questions about health and disease, and to translate those answers into technologies that can have real clinical impact. For me, scientific excellence and inclusive culture are inseparable. Diverse perspectives make research stronger, more creative and more impactful. I lead Pride@ORS within the Orthopaedic Research Society (the world's largest orthopaedic research society) where I work to increase visibility and foster community for LGBTQ+ researchers in orthopaedics. I also serve on the EDI panels of the UK Biomedical Engineering Society and the European Society of Biomechanics, and I am an academic representative on the SEMS EDI Committee at Queen Mary. Through these roles, I advocate for equitable practices, inclusive leadership and meaningful structural change. Creating environments where everyone feels they belong is not separate from research, it is fundamental to doing research well. I enjoy the interdisciplinary nature of our community and the opportunity to mentor students and early-career researchers from diverse backgrounds. Watching students grow in confidence, scientifically and personally, is one of the most rewarding aspects of my role. At Queen Mary, I feel part of a community that values both research excellence and social responsibility, and that balance is very important to me.

Meet one of our academics: Nadine Lavan

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0100

I am a Senior Lecturer in Psychology in the Centre for Brain and Behaviour, where I study how humans perceive voices. Human voices don't just tell us what someone is saying, voices also convey a lot of information about a speaker's intentions, feelings, and attitudes. Crucially, voices also help us make sense of who we are talking to. My research tackles questions such as: - How do we form first impressions from a voice within a fraction of a second and what shapes these impressions? - How do we become familiar with a voice, and what changes in our perception as we get more familiar? - How do we recognise someone purely from the sound of their voice? This work has become especially exciting in the era of rapidly advancing voice technology and AI voice synthesis. Alongside studying human voices, I now also get to investigate how people perceive increasingly realistic AI‑generated voices, and what it means for our interactions (be they human-to-human or human-computer interactions), when AI-generated voices and content become part of our everyday lives. One of my recent papers can be found here. Beyond my research, I am an EDI co‑lead for the School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences. With LGBTQ+ History Month approaching and as a member of the LGBTQ+ community myself, I am always impressed with the university's a busy programme of events for both LGBTQ+ History Month and Pride Month. The kinds of events and QMUL's commitment to push forward important policies, including QMUL's trans‑inclusion statement, help make the university a supportive place for all

Queen Mary launches world's first masters degree in organ-on-a-chip technology

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0100

Queen Mary is proud to launch a new specialist bioengineering programme, MSc Organ-on-a-Chip Technologies, now open for September 2026 applications. Delivered within the renowned Centre for Predictive In Vitro Models, the course provides advanced training in next-generation organ-on-a-chip, tissue engineering and in vitro technologies. Following the Government's recently announced strategy to reduce the use of animals in science, non-animal research methods are gaining increased attention, and organ-on-a-chip technology has been named as a priority area for future investment. Organ-chip technologies enable the creation of realistic, human-centred models that advance understanding of disease mechanisms and therapeutic responses, with the potential for more accurate results than animal models. The MSc course will be industry-led, preparing students to shape the future of healthcare. As well as learning from globally-leading academics in the field, students will benefit from a network of 150+ industry affiliates across pharma, biotech, and regulatory agencies, including GSK, AstraZeneca, Baxter and the RSPCA. As well as detailed knowledge in these technologies, students will also develop transferable skills in project management, entrepreneurship, ethics, and regulatory affairs, alongside expertise in biomedical engineering techniques. Graduates can expect career opportunities in research, regulation, consultancy, and more industries. This course follows the launch of a Centre for Doctoral Training in organ-on-a-chip technology at Queen Mary's CPM in 2025 – utilising £7 million in funding to train a new generation of experts in this future-facing technology. The Centre for Predictive In Vitro Models is one of the largest and most pioneering centres of its kind in the world, bringing together experts in 2D and 3D cell culture models, organoids, microphysiological systems, organ-on-a-chip technology and other non-animal methods.

Queen Mary team qualify an organ-chip model of breast cancer metastasis using a multi-omics approach

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0100

Researchers at Queen Mary University of London have developed and rigorously qualified a new organ-on-a-chip model that replicates the early stages of breast cancer bone metastasis, offering a promising alternative to animal studies. The microfluidic system brings together osteocytes, osteoclasts and breast cancer cells in a dynamic tri-culture, but its real advance lies in the comprehensive multi-omics validation undertaken by the team. By integrating RNA sequencing, cytokine profiling and high-content imaging, the researchers demonstrated that the chip faithfully reproduces key molecular and cellular signatures seen in established in vivo animal models. This robust, data-driven qualification provides a new benchmark for evidence-based confidence in organ-chip technologies, positioning the platform as a scalable tool for mechanistic studies and future drug screening. The study underscores the Centre for Predictive in vitro Models' commitment to developing human-relevant, well-validated alternatives to animal research. This work was funded by an EPSRC-CRUK multidisciplinary award and was a collaboration between bioengineers at the Centre for Bioengineering and the Centre for Predictive in vitro Models, and biologists at Barts Cancer Institute.

Musician Will Young visits Queen Mary to explore alternatives to Animal Testing

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0100

A group of high-profile guests visited Queen Mary's Centre for Predictive In Vitro Models on Tuesday 11th November, to explore the university's cutting-edge organ-on-a-chip facilities. The delegation included musician and animal advocate Will Young, a Director and Toxicologist from Lush cosmetics, and representatives from the charity Animal Aid. The group took part in presentations and workshops showcasing how organ-on-a-chip technology has the potential to revolutionise personalised medicine, speed up drug discovery, and significantly reduce the need for animals in scientific research. Professor Martin Knight led hands-on demonstrations of the technology in action, assisted by post-doctoral researchers, who showed the group commercial organ-chip platforms from Emulate, CN Bio and Mimetas, which are used for different applications. The visitors enjoyed pipetting into the chips and learning about how the different models work to mimic the environment of the human body. Organ-on-a-chip innovations have the potential to revolutionise treatments for cancers, heart, liver and kidney diseases, and much more. The visit took place on the day the Government announced a new strategy to reduce the use of animals in science, which names organ-on-a-chip technology as a priority area for future investment. Professor Hazel Screen, Head of the School of Engineering and Materials Science, said: "It was incredibly exciting to host the visit on the day the new strategy was announced, and we're equally excited to continue sharing our understanding of this technology with a wide range of stakeholders." Speaking at the visit, Karl Bygrave, Director at Lush, said: "Given that the Government announced its strategy for phasing out animal testing today, it was an amazing time to be here to see new models being developed, and the future of non-animal labs." "This technology is very exciting for Lush, what we're seeing is the future. As a cosmetics manufacturer, this technology will filter down to us, and in a number of years we will be using this for our own purposes, to check the safety of our products." Will Young said: "I feel very excited about the future. The aim is to have better science, better medicine and no abuse to animals – and today has shown me that that's possible." Queen Mary has recently launched the world's first taught master's degree in organ-on-a-chip technology, along with a Centre for Doctoral Training that will equip the next generation of specialists in the field. The university's organ-on-a-chip research is carried out in close collaboration with more than 150 affiliate organisations across the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, and regulatory sectors, ensuring that the technologies developed directly address industry needs.

Queen Mary Bioengineers provides expert comment on new Government strategy

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0100

Bioengineers at Queen Mary University of London, have provided expert comment to the BBC about the new alternatives strategy launched today (11 November) by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. Watch Queen Mary experts speak to the BBC about the Government's new alternatives strategy on 11 November from 6.10am. This new strategy outlines the Government's vision of eliminating the use of animals in research and development in all but exceptional circumstances, and sets out a plan to achieve this by replacing animals with alternative methods wherever possible. To explain more about this strategy, what these alternatives are and how they work, BBC's Pallab Ghosh spoke to Queen Mary academics Professor Hazel Screen, who co-directs the Queen Mary's Centre for Preventative in vitro Models (CPM) with her colleague Professor Martin Knight, and Professor Fran Balkwill, Deputy Lead at the University's Centre for Tumour Microenvironment. Listen to Professor Hazel Screen and Professor Fran Balkwill speak about the strategy on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme on 11 November at 7.30am-7.40am. Professor Screen spoke to Pallab about the world-leading research work she and her colleagues are carrying out at Queen Mary. Researchers use state-of-the-art organ-on-a-chip technology to develop the next generation of predictive in vitro models that can be used to reduce the use of animals in research. Researchers are developing a wide range of approaches to study conditions such as arthritis, inflammation, cancer and cardiovascular disease. By working with pharmaceutical companies and other end users, researchers aim to maximise the adoption of these alternative methods in order to drive human-relevant science and accelerate the development of better medicines. Professor Balkwill spoke to Pallab about her research into complex multi-cellular models of ovarian cancer, which include the tumour microenvironment. These models, often referred to as organoids, provide a 3D multi-cellular model of ovarian cancer which allows Professor Balkwill and her team to understand things like cell-to-cell communication in the tumour microenvironment, test new biological therapies and study sensitivity and resistance to T cell killing. As well as delivering world leading research developing and using these alternative methods, Queen Mary is also pioneering in the UK and globally when it comes to educating and training the researchers in this field. They are doing this via their EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in next generation organ-on-a-chip technologies, which has welcomed its first cohort of PhD students, and the world's first Master's Degree Programme for organ-on-a-chip technology, which has recently opened to applications. Through these education programmes, world leading research and industry engagement, Queen Mary is ideally placed to help achieve the Government's aim of reducing the use of animals in science.

PhD student Yu Hu passes her PhD on organ-chip models of cardiovascular disease

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0100

Many congratulations to Yu Hu who passed her PhD viva. During her PhD, Yu developed an organ-on-a-chip model of the human coronary artery incorporating endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells and circulating immune cells. The organ-chips were subjected to pulsatile dilation and fluid shear stress causing cellular reorganisation as seen in vivo. Introduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines induced a robust inflammatory response which was upregulated in areas with lower levels of either tensile strain or shear stress. This again replicated the increased inflammation observed in vivo around bifurcations and areas of reduced flow. Yu's thesis also explored the mechanism through which low shear stress primes endothelial cells to be more susceptible to inflammation. She showed that this was associated with changes in YAP and primary expression. Increased cilia and associated intraflagellar transport protein, IFT88, were observed in response to lower levels of shear stress. Knock down of IFT88 replicated the anti-inflammatory effect of high shear stress. Yu was supervised by Prof Martin Knight and has already published one paper with a second in revision: Pulsatile low shear stress increases susceptibility to endothelial inflammation via upregulation of IFT and activation of YAP. Hou Y Screen HRC Knight MM. (2025) Apl Bioengineering, vol. 9 (2)

Digital Twins Take Centre Stage: Inspiring Ideas and Collaboration at QMUL's IEEE Panel

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0100

The Old Library at Queen Mary University of London was alive with conversation and ideas as more than 60 researchers, professionals, and students gathered for the IEEE UK and Ireland Section panel, "Twinned Realities: Shaping Our World with Digital Models." on 30th October 2025! Led by Dr. Mona Jaber, Reader in Internet of Things at QMUL, the event brought together leading voices in digital innovation to explore how digital twin technologies are reshaping the way we model, manage, and understand complex systems. The panel featured Prof. Akram Alomainy, Paul M. Cunningham, Dr. Caroline Roney, Prof. Christopher Pain, Dr. Jason Shepherd, and Prof. Berk Canberk, who shared insights spanning medicine, infrastructure, AI, and systems engineering. Discussions covered everything from cardiac digital twins used in in-silico clinical trials to sustainable city modelling and intelligent service platforms that bridge the physical and digital worlds. Reflecting on the discussion, Prof. Akram Alomainy highlighted the transformative power of collaboration in this fast-moving field: "Digital twins sit at the intersection of science, engineering, and creativity. What makes them truly exciting is how they bring together expertise from so many disciplines to solve real-world problems in smarter, faster, and more human-centred ways." Dr. Jaber described the event as "a wonderful exchange of ideas that showcased the creativity and collaboration driving this field forward." With more than sixty participants engaging during the session and many staying afterward to continue conversations, the enthusiasm in the room reflected growing momentum behind digital twin research and its cross-sector potential. As one attendee put it, "Digital twins are no longer just simulations; they're becoming living digital entities. Their connection with Agentic AI could redefine how we build and interact with complex systems." The event closed with a strong sense of optimism and plans for future collaboration between academia and industry. Dr. Jaber thanked all speakers and attendees for making the panel a success: "The level of engagement and discussion was inspiring; I look forward to seeing how these conversations grow into new ideas and partnerships."

Queen Mary hosts the UK Organ-on-a-chip Symposium

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 23:00:00 +0100

Queen Mary's Centre for Predictive in vitro Models hosted a fastic afternoon of science and bioengineering at the UK organ-on-a-chip Annual Symposium. The event was attended by nearly 300 people, including 100 online, with representatives from academia, industry, Government, charities and other stakeholders. There were flash talks from four talented Early Career Researchers at the Centre, and then four inspiring keynote presentations from: Professor Ignacio Ochoa (University of Zaragoza) Professor Rocky Tuan (Chinese University of Hong Kong / University of Pittsburgh) Professor Roisin Owens (University of Cambridge) Professor Cathy Merry (University of Nottingham) Dr Anthony Holmes from NC3Rs gave an excellent presentation. His talk entitled "Innovate, Integrate, Regulate: MPS technologies in the global life sciences arena" explored initiatives across the World which are building momentum in the drive to deliver more human relevant science and replace the use of animals. Prof Martin Knight and Prof Hazel Screen, presented the journey from running the UK Organ-on-a-chip network, to co-directing the Centre for Predictive in vitro Models, which now has over 70 academics, the most extensive organ-chip facilities in the UK, industrial affiliates from over 100 organisation, and a new Centre for Doctoral Training. The Centre hosts the Annual Symposium and will soon be running a eSymposia series enabling researchers from across the Globe to join monthly online seminars sharing exciting research associated with organ-on-a-chip technology, organoids, and other forms of predictive in vitro models. Finally, Dr Emily Richardson from CN Bio presented some of their lovely work on the development, qualification and validation of microphysiological systems for translating safety risks to the clinic. The Symposium also celebrated the launch of Queen Mary's new EPSRC Centre for doctoral training in next generation Organ-on-a-chip Technology (COaCT). We have a fantastic group of 15 new PhD students, all with industry sponsors, tackling a wide range of projects associated with the development of innovative organ-chip models and underpinning technology. The PhD students, joined with supervisors, and industry partners for a launch party after the symposium, and are now beginning an intensive few weeks of events including an organ-chip training course in our in vitro models facilities.

Dr Elis Newham appears on BBC's Secrets of the Brain

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 23:00:00 +0100

Dr Elis Newham, Post-doctoral Research Assistant in Prof Himadri Gupta's research group, appeared on BBC2's 'Secrets of the Brain' on Monday 29th September to explain brain evolution in the earliest mammals. He visited Cwm Colhuw Beach in South Wales, where the earliest mammals known as 'Morganucodon' were discovered, to talk to Professor Jim Al'Khalili about what makes their brains so special. Dr Newham's research into these ancient mammals looked at what their teeth can tell us about how they lived; "although they had bigger brains and more advanced behaviour, they didn't live fast and die young but led a slower-paced, longer life akin to those of small reptiles, like lizards," Dr Newham said when this research was first published in 2020. He told Prof Al'Khalili about morganucodon's neo-cortex - a part of their brain not found in other animals at the time. "It's the bump that makes our brains unique" said Prof Al'Khalili goes on to explain. The full episode is available to watch back on BBC iPlayer for 11 months. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m002k781/secrets-of-the-brain-series-1-episode-1

Queen Mary staff and students present at the BioMedEng Conference

Sun, 14 Sep 2025 23:00:00 +0100

It was fantastic to see so many Queen Mary staff and PhD students at the BioMedEng conference in Glasgow following the sucess of last year's conference at Queen Mary. This annual meeting of the BioMedEng Association brings together Biomedical Engineers from industry, academia and the NHS. The conference is the UK home for a broad field of multidisciplinary activity that uses engineering tools and techniques to solve problems arising in biology and medicine. Colleagues from Queen Mary's Centre for Bioengineering were presenting their latest research in a variety of areas including, robotics, AI, computational modelling, biomaterials, organ-on-a-chip and biomechanics. Prof Knight is the chair of the Council for BioMedEng Association, and presented at the AGM

Prof Liz Tanner awarded the European Society for Biomaterials Klaus de Groot Award

Sat, 13 Sep 2025 23:00:00 +0100

At this month's European Society for Biomaterials conference in Turin, Prof Liz Tanner from Queen Mary's Centre for Bioengineering, was given the Klaus de Groot Award. This award is for "scientists who have shown a distinct ability to provide excellent mentorship and guidance to young researchers, helping them to establish their own independent career." The panel recognised Prof Tanner's considerable contribution supporting students and early career academics at Queen Mary and during her time at University of Glasgow. Prof Tanner gave a Prize Lecture entitled "New Bones for Old" which covered her career from undergraduate to professor including running European Society for Biomaterials and World Biomaterials Conferences. She also described the development of biomaterials and biomedical engineering education within the UK and Sweden.