Our Research Focus
We are motivated to design polymer materials based in a more thorough understanding of how the immune system interacts with different material compositions. Taking approach focused in biomimicry, we are excited by opportunities in medical devices that work at the interface between functional material properties and inherent immune regulation.
Understanding immune cell behaviour at the material interface
The immune cell environment at the host-material interface is complex, involving a number of cell types, signalling pathways, and cell behaviour. Using animal models, patient samples, and in vitro cell culture, we are activity working to better understand this cell behaviour with gene expression, metabolomics, and multi-parameter flow cytometry.
Immunometabolism inspired degradable material libraries
Metabolism is an exciting therapeutic avenue immunoregulation, where therapeutic molecules are potential building block stable to diverse polymer strategies. We are currently focused on generating a library of materials to combat the host response across multiple immune cell types.
Next-generation implantable materials
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Degradable materials form the basis to many implantable medical devices, including sutures, support meshes, and coatings. We are interested in precision tunability through material design, balanced with immune-regulatory functionality.