The Biomechanics group is headed by Professor Michael Sutcliffe and contributes both to the Department's Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering subject areas within the Bioengineering theme.
Within the Biological engineering subject area, the group is active across a range of applications using modelling and experimental techniques to simulate cell behaviour, for example characterising cell forces and dynamics, cancer development and blood dynamics. Tissue engineering work includes development and characterisation of hydrogels and use of electro-spinning to produce micro-architectured material from a range of materials for use in bioengineering applications.
The Biomechanics group is also active in the area of Biomedical Engineering. Work on fibre-networks aims to exploit magnetic actuation to improve bone tissue growth on prosthetic implants, while biomechanics principles are used to understand the mechanical behaviour of arteries, skin and embryo development.
The group works with the Cambridge Centre for Engineering Better Care (CEBC), a cross-disciplinary initiative aiming to develop ideas, conduct teaching and research between engineering, medicine and the healthcare industry, principally in the Cambridge area.
New course for 2024
Healthcare Innovation: Engineering, Systems and Improvement (part-time - PgCert, PGDip, MSt)
The Department has just launched a part-time PgCert/PGDip/MSt postgraduate qualification in "Healthcare Innovation: Engineering, Systems and Improvement".
The aim of the programme is to provide knowledge and understanding of the healthcare system and the technologies applicable to this sector, giving students the expertise and skills needed to innovate successfully in healthcare.
The course is suitable for those with a background in medicine, engineering, or a related area. Students enrolling on the course qualify successively for a PGCert, PGDip and then MSt over three years.
The website for the course is now live at https://healthcare.eng.cam.ac.uk with course and application details for the start of the course in September 2024.
Principal Investigators:
Shery Huang's laboratory is driven by translational bioengineering research, focusing on 3D bioprinting/biomicrofabrication and developing biomimetic organ-on-chips for high throughput drug testing.
Alexandre Kabla
Athina Markaki
Thierry Savin's group studies the mechanobiology of diseases. We develop experimental and theoretical methods of soft matter research to study biological processes in cancer, cardiovascular diseases and birth defects.
Michael Sutcliffe works with colleagues in a range of medical fields applying mechanics of materials methods to biological tissues (e.g. for arteries, radiotherapy, neurosurgery)