Process Design to Prevent Prosthetic Infections
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Birmingham
Department Name: Chemical Engineering
Abstract
Most prosthetics used to replace joint function in the body have a very low chance of infection (<2%). When prosthetics must be inserted following trauma or where individualised implants must be made for patients, the chances of infection are significantly increased and can be as high as 50%. Treatment requires removal of the prosthetic and the implantation of another material that releases high-levels of antibiotics to the site of infection and causes a major risk to the health of the patients. The excessive use of antibiotics is one of the factors that has provoked a rise in the frequency of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics. Consequently, there is a significant need to develop processes and designs for implants that have enhanced resistance to bacterial contamination. In this project, we will use a combination of 3D printing and silver coating to refine current methods of processing and produce surfaces that are resistant to bacterial infection. We will work with clinicians and industrial partners to develop technologies that can be used with lots of different kinds prosthetics, however, our first target is to reduce infections following the implantation of a metallic plate in the skull.
Many different clinical conditions require that a surgeon makes a hole in the skull of a patient to allow for treatment. This allows the surgeon to relieve pressure, caused by swelling following head injury, or to work on the underlying brain tissue. Although most orthopaedic implants come in a range of sizes that can be made to fit patients, metallic implants that are used in the skull (and the defect), do not fit without further structural refinement. At the moment, these implants are made in hospitals by bending a titanium (or other metal sheet) over a 3D printed model of the defect and then polishing and dipping the surface in acid before sterilisation at more than 100oC. Although this kills the majority of contaminating bacteria, the incidence of infection following the implantation of these plates is much higher than with other metallic implants made outside the clinic (12-50% compared with 2%). If an infection occurs, the plate must be removed from the patient's skull, the site cleaned, and then another plate can be fixed in place. This process is dangerous for the patients since it increases risk due to anaesthesia, further infection and requires that the individual spends a period of time without a plate in place, meaning that the brain remains relatively unprotected.
We aim to use technology that has been developed in a previous EPSRC project (NIDMET) to reduce the incidence of infection following the fitting of a cranial plate. We will refine an existing additive layer manufacturing process so that we are able to produce something quickly, accurately, to a high quality and surface modified with silver such that it is resistant to microbial contamination and therefore unlikely to cause infection. If we are able to reduce the incidence of infection even down to that associated with orthopaedic implants, we will improve the life of a considerable number of patients reducing costs, in terms of days of hospitalisation and cost of treatment.
We will use additive layer manufacturing methodologies to address another major problem that is associated with cranial plates: artefacts that are created by the plate material in a type of MRI scanner that mean that the implant or implant site cannot be evaluated using this important imaging method. We will address incompatibility of the material with gradient field MR imaging using a process that is called topological optimisation. This is an operation that is undertaken by a computer to modify the structure of something so that it is possible to minimise the amount of material that is required for a particular structure. Minimising material, particularly around the edge of the implant, will reduce the imaging problems associated with cranial implants.
Many different clinical conditions require that a surgeon makes a hole in the skull of a patient to allow for treatment. This allows the surgeon to relieve pressure, caused by swelling following head injury, or to work on the underlying brain tissue. Although most orthopaedic implants come in a range of sizes that can be made to fit patients, metallic implants that are used in the skull (and the defect), do not fit without further structural refinement. At the moment, these implants are made in hospitals by bending a titanium (or other metal sheet) over a 3D printed model of the defect and then polishing and dipping the surface in acid before sterilisation at more than 100oC. Although this kills the majority of contaminating bacteria, the incidence of infection following the implantation of these plates is much higher than with other metallic implants made outside the clinic (12-50% compared with 2%). If an infection occurs, the plate must be removed from the patient's skull, the site cleaned, and then another plate can be fixed in place. This process is dangerous for the patients since it increases risk due to anaesthesia, further infection and requires that the individual spends a period of time without a plate in place, meaning that the brain remains relatively unprotected.
We aim to use technology that has been developed in a previous EPSRC project (NIDMET) to reduce the incidence of infection following the fitting of a cranial plate. We will refine an existing additive layer manufacturing process so that we are able to produce something quickly, accurately, to a high quality and surface modified with silver such that it is resistant to microbial contamination and therefore unlikely to cause infection. If we are able to reduce the incidence of infection even down to that associated with orthopaedic implants, we will improve the life of a considerable number of patients reducing costs, in terms of days of hospitalisation and cost of treatment.
We will use additive layer manufacturing methodologies to address another major problem that is associated with cranial plates: artefacts that are created by the plate material in a type of MRI scanner that mean that the implant or implant site cannot be evaluated using this important imaging method. We will address incompatibility of the material with gradient field MR imaging using a process that is called topological optimisation. This is an operation that is undertaken by a computer to modify the structure of something so that it is possible to minimise the amount of material that is required for a particular structure. Minimising material, particularly around the edge of the implant, will reduce the imaging problems associated with cranial implants.
Planned Impact
Patients: This research will ultimately be of the most benefit to patients. The implications of a prosthetic related infection are clear, with pain, threat to life and temporary (or even permanent) loss of function being major associated risks. The costs of treating these infections and associated loss of working days are both significant and are a burden to the UK NHS and thereby also the taxpayer, meaning that this work would be of potentially significant benefit to both.
Clinicians: The findings of this project would also be of significant importance to the clinicians that are involved in fitting prosthetics that are associated with a higher than normal likelihood of failure. These infections would rarely be associated with poor surgical technique, yet they could be taken to reflect the practice of the fitting clinician, potentially causing severe reputational damage.
The medical technology sector: The work would be of great benefit to two small medical technology companies in the UK (Accentus Medical and Cavendish) and would help them to move their technologies more rapidly into the clinic, potentially (through partnership with the Birmingham Health Partner Hospitals and the military) into widespread use. This would subsequently be of benefit to the economy through job creation and the UK government through increased tax collection.
Educational beneficiaries: Such a multidisciplinary collaboration, particularly with an emphasis on technical development, clearly has great potential from the point of view of training and education. Implant design and regenerative medicine capture the imagination of the general public and are excellent out-reach tools to inspire future generations of researchers into the STEM subjects. We have also found significant educational value in opening many of our design problems to final year engineers (in an appropriate non-confidential manner) who enjoy tackling real-world problems. Clinical Research fellows have also found it very engaging to be involved in Professor Grover's basic science research projects. Overall, we believe that projects like PREVENTION are a fantastic opportunity to create a community of engaged learners who, more often than not, come together to create very innovative solutions to medical issues.
Clinicians: The findings of this project would also be of significant importance to the clinicians that are involved in fitting prosthetics that are associated with a higher than normal likelihood of failure. These infections would rarely be associated with poor surgical technique, yet they could be taken to reflect the practice of the fitting clinician, potentially causing severe reputational damage.
The medical technology sector: The work would be of great benefit to two small medical technology companies in the UK (Accentus Medical and Cavendish) and would help them to move their technologies more rapidly into the clinic, potentially (through partnership with the Birmingham Health Partner Hospitals and the military) into widespread use. This would subsequently be of benefit to the economy through job creation and the UK government through increased tax collection.
Educational beneficiaries: Such a multidisciplinary collaboration, particularly with an emphasis on technical development, clearly has great potential from the point of view of training and education. Implant design and regenerative medicine capture the imagination of the general public and are excellent out-reach tools to inspire future generations of researchers into the STEM subjects. We have also found significant educational value in opening many of our design problems to final year engineers (in an appropriate non-confidential manner) who enjoy tackling real-world problems. Clinical Research fellows have also found it very engaging to be involved in Professor Grover's basic science research projects. Overall, we believe that projects like PREVENTION are a fantastic opportunity to create a community of engaged learners who, more often than not, come together to create very innovative solutions to medical issues.
Organisations
- University of Birmingham (Lead Research Organisation)
- Renishaw (United Kingdom) (Collaboration)
- OxMet Technologies (Collaboration)
- Accentus Medical (Collaboration)
- Royal Centre for Defence Medicine (RCDM) (Collaboration)
- NIHR Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiology Research Centre (Project Partner)
- University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (Project Partner)
- Cavendish Implants (Project Partner)
- Royal Orthopaedic Hospital (Project Partner)
- Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (Project Partner)
- Accentus Medical (United Kingdom (Project Partner)
- Manufacturing Technology Centre (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Johnson Matthey (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
Publications
Villapun Puzas VM
(2022)
Surface Free Energy Dominates the Biological Interactions of Postprocessed Additively Manufactured Ti-6Al-4V.
in ACS biomaterials science & engineering
Villapún VM
(2021)
Repeated exposure of nosocomial pathogens to silver does not select for silver resistance but does impact ciprofloxacin susceptibility.
in Acta biomaterialia
Carter LN
(2020)
Reducing MRI susceptibility artefacts in implants using additively manufactured porous Ti-6Al-4V structures.
in Acta biomaterialia
Villapún V
(2020)
A design approach to facilitate selective attachment of bacteria and mammalian cells to additively manufactured implants
in Additive Manufacturing
Lowther M
(2019)
Clinical, industrial, and research perspectives on powder bed fusion additively manufactured metal implants
in Additive Manufacturing
Majumdar T
(2018)
Additive Manufacturing of Titanium Alloys for Orthopedic Applications: A Materials Science Viewpoint
in Advanced Engineering Materials
Villapún V
(2020)
Development of antibacterial steel surfaces through laser texturing
in APL Materials
Villapún VM
(2023)
Laser texturing of additively manufactured implants: A tool to programme biological response.
in Biomaterials advances
Hall TJ
(2020)
A call for action to the biomaterial community to tackle antimicrobial resistance.
in Biomaterials science
Webber M
(2021)
Surface finish of Additively Manufactured Metals: biofilm formation and cellular attachment
in ESAFORM 2021
Description | We have designed a process that allows us to reduce the capacity of an implant to become contaminated with biofilm and hence pose a risk of infection. We have also worked with commercial partners to implement their silver coating technology into our process map. Staff associated with the project have begun working on the development of novel alloys for the production of ALMd specimens that are intrinsically less likely to become infected. We have recently published a scientific paper that has demonstrated, for the first time, that it is possible to make structural modifications to cranial plates in order to reduce their effect on MRI imaging. This is a significant advance and may reduce the number of procedures that are required by individuals following head trauma (or surgery), since it would mean that plates do not have to be removed prior to imaging. Recently, we have shown that by changing the angle at which the laser strikes the surface in a powder that we can control whether that surface is likely to attach bacteria or human cells. This means that we can now optimise a build to facilitate the attachment of human tissue while reducing bacterial infection. This has been incorporated into a set of build rules that are implemented through a program that we have developed to interface the printing system. In the final year of the project, we were able to publish extensively on how ALM design parameters influence the biological performance of implant materials, successfully defining how process parameters influence the surface of the finished materials and how this then primes the surface for colonisation by bacteria or by mammalian cells. The creation of a "model" that allows for optimisation of the manufacturing process should allow others to use our findings to optimise their manufacturing processes. |
Exploitation Route | We are driving forwards now collaborations with SMEs who are keen to enter the MedTech Sector. These commercial partners (Betatype and Oxmet) have a significant interest in the design of structures and new innovative alloys, respectively - we have secured funding through innovate to fund these interactions. Additionally, our work with our current partners (Cavendish and Accentus) is approaching completion and they have received the results from our experiments. We are working with Accentus to investigate the potential variability of their coating method when coating our printed prosthetics All of these results may be used to optimise processes. One of the biggest impacts that this work is likely to have is in the establishment of build rules for prosthetics, which could be broadly utilised by others working in the field. This information will be made publicly available following publication. One of the major outcome of this project was that Dr. Sophie Cox was able to lever funding for the establishment of a research centre that focusses on the development of novel customised prosthetics. The remit of this research institute is broad and it works across design, formulation and finally implementation of any of the novel processing methods. It has broadly engaged with industry and Sophie has been successful in establishing herself as a research leader (UKRI FLF funding). What she learnt during this award is allowing her to have a significant impact across industrial sectors. |
Sectors | Healthcare Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
Description | We have been engaged by several SMEs on the basis of the work that we have published, to start working implementing their technologies in our system. Discussions are ongoing with Betatype and with Oxmet to prepare further Innovate proposals to fund this work going forwards. Sophie Cox, one of the investigators on this project, has since secured funding to progress work with OxMet using their novel alloys. The findings of the research have led to the establishment of a series of design-rules that allow for the manufacture of prosthetics with optimal properties in terms of cell and biofilm attachment. These can be applied across 3D objects and have been made widely available to the community. The work has been well cited so far, despite only being published in the last eighteen months, suggesting that the work is having an impact across the field. |
Sector | Healthcare,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
Impact Types | Economic |
Description | EPSRC Capital Award for Core Equipment |
Amount | £273,800 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/T02349X/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2020 |
End | 08/2021 |
Description | Instructive acellular tissue engineering (IATE) |
Amount | £273,280 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/S016589/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 07/2019 |
End | 07/2021 |
Description | Invisible Customisation - A Data Driven Approach to Predictive Additive Manufacture Enabling Functional Implant Personalisation |
Amount | £500,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/V003356/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2020 |
End | 04/2022 |
Description | Meshworks |
Amount | £109,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | TS/T014806/1 |
Organisation | Innovate UK |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2020 |
End | 02/2022 |
Description | Rapid Design of Bioinspired Alloys - From Modelling to Manufacture |
Amount | £1,223,062 (GBP) |
Funding ID | MR/T017783/1 |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 11/2021 |
End | 11/2025 |
Description | University Studentship, matched against the award |
Amount | £90,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | NA |
Organisation | University of Birmingham |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2016 |
End | 09/2019 |
Description | University of Birmingham DIF fund |
Amount | £800,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | Centre for Customised Medical Devices (two SLM printers and technical support) |
Organisation | University of Birmingham |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2018 |
End | 09/2028 |
Description | Biomedical alloy design |
Organisation | OxMet Technologies |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Supporting physicochemical characterisation and in-vitro testing of a novel Ti-based biomedical alloy as well as advice on translational mapping of their technology |
Collaborator Contribution | OxMet have computational expertise in alloy design and metal additive manufacturing. |
Impact | Project was initially support through MD-TEC (ERDF) funded centre and has since led to a successful Innovate UK project to progress OxMet's biomedical alloy to in-vivo testing |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | Custom medical devices |
Organisation | Renishaw PLC |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Expertise in the design, additive manufacture and testing of medical devices. |
Collaborator Contribution | Expertise in metal additive manufacturing and custom medical device regulation |
Impact | Strategic partnership between the University of Birmingham and Renishaw PLC leading to co-investment in a facility housing two SLM machines, sponsorship of two PhD studentships through EPSRC CDTs, and support of an EPSRC Future Manufacturing Discovery proposal |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | Silver embedding on ALMd surfaces |
Organisation | Accentus Medical |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | We have set up a collaboration between ourselves, the University Hospital of Birmingham Maxillofacial Repair Department, the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Accentus Medical and Cavendish Implants. Within this collaboration, we seek to bring together process innovation in additive layer manufacturing and silver embedding to produce prescribed prosthetics with a lower chance of infection. |
Collaborator Contribution | Birmingham Maxillofacial Repair Departments - have allowed us to examine their processes and identify potential sources of infection. RCDM - have initiated work with us to investigate how our prosthesis modification technology can be used to reduce infection in transcutaneous prosthetics. Accentus are working with us to implement their novel silver coating process into our additive layeer manufacturing process. Cavendish implants are working in collaboration with us to provide cast alternatives for our additively manufactured implants. |
Impact | We have recently secured an EPSRC grant that will help us to move the collaboration forwards, hopefully to the point that it is of significant clinical value (EP/P02341X/1). The collaboration is highly multidisciplinary and involves industry (Accentus and Cavendish), medical practicioners (RCDM, UHB and Addison), materials scientists (Grover and Attalah), and Mechanical Engineers (Shepherd and Cox). |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Silver embedding on ALMd surfaces |
Organisation | Royal Centre for Defence Medicine (RCDM) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Hospitals |
PI Contribution | We have set up a collaboration between ourselves, the University Hospital of Birmingham Maxillofacial Repair Department, the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Accentus Medical and Cavendish Implants. Within this collaboration, we seek to bring together process innovation in additive layer manufacturing and silver embedding to produce prescribed prosthetics with a lower chance of infection. |
Collaborator Contribution | Birmingham Maxillofacial Repair Departments - have allowed us to examine their processes and identify potential sources of infection. RCDM - have initiated work with us to investigate how our prosthesis modification technology can be used to reduce infection in transcutaneous prosthetics. Accentus are working with us to implement their novel silver coating process into our additive layeer manufacturing process. Cavendish implants are working in collaboration with us to provide cast alternatives for our additively manufactured implants. |
Impact | We have recently secured an EPSRC grant that will help us to move the collaboration forwards, hopefully to the point that it is of significant clinical value (EP/P02341X/1). The collaboration is highly multidisciplinary and involves industry (Accentus and Cavendish), medical practicioners (RCDM, UHB and Addison), materials scientists (Grover and Attalah), and Mechanical Engineers (Shepherd and Cox). |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Collaborative seminar with clinical specialist |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Seminar with visiting clinical dentistry to discuss opportunities to exploit additive manufacturing. Attended by research group members and other academic colleagues involved in hosting the visitor. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Delivery of interactive workshop to school children attending 'girls can' outreach event at the university of birmingham |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Interactive workshop designed and delivered to approximately 90 school children (all girls) attending an outreach event at the University of Birmingham. The workshop was focused on improving their understanding of research concerning medical device development, specifically customised implants via 3D printing and novel adhesives for stoma devices. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Dissemination of collaborative activity focused on using AI to improve the design of customised implants |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Online article in Orthopaedic Product News focused on collaborative work with an SME that are innovating an AI platform to facilitate faster and more accurate design of customised implants. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://www.opnews.com/2023/02/customised-knee-implants-within-hours-thanks-to-ai/17832 |
Description | Engagement with visiting academics from Germany BAM institute |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Dr Cox gave a presentation concerning her team's research to visiting academics and technical specialists from the BAM Institute. This has led to follow on collaborative discussion concerning the use of BAM equipment and an application to use the European Synchrotron (ESRF) as well as the possibility for one of Dr Cox's PhD student to visit BAM. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.bam.de/Navigation/EN/Home/home.html |
Description | Guest lecture at Alloys for Additive Manufacturing conference 2023 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Keynote lecture at the Alloys for Additive Manufacturing conference 2023 hosted in Madrid Spain. Talk delivered to approximately 100 people, which sparked conversations with a range of stakeholders including industry, academia and clinicians. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
URL | https://aams2023.com/ |
Description | Host invited speaker from industry |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Hosted three external speakers to discuss aspects relating to additive manufacturing in medicine. Speakers were from the MTC and a clinical reconstructive scientist from Bristol NHS Trust |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Hosting 4 students for In2Science placement |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Dr Cox's team hosted 4 A-level students for a week from 1/8-5/8/2022. The placement involved introducing the young people (who were from underprivileged backgrounds) to healthcare technology research along with supporting conversations about career progression. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://in2scienceuk.org/ |
Description | Invited talk Herriot Watt |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Dr Cox gave an invited talk to the Institute of Biological Chemistry, Biophysics and Bioengineering at Heriott Watt University concerning her research in additive manufacturing |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Invited talk OncoEng forum at Imperial College |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Dr Cox gave an invited talk about metal additive manufacturing at the OncoEng seminar series, a collaborative forum of academic colleges focused on spinal implants |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
URL | https://oncoeng.org/ |
Description | Invited talk University of Sheffield |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Invited talk as part of the EPSRC Future Manufacturing Hub MAPP hosted by Professor Iain Todd at the University of Sheffield. Researchers from the additive manufacturing community attended both in person and online reaching approximately 50 individuals. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Invited talk at Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (Stanmore) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Visit to the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital to share expertise in the additive manufacture of customised implants. Dr Cox gave a presentation to leading clinical experts and academic specialists in analysis of retrieved implants. Along with this we discussed synergistic activities and are in the process of formalising a collaboration agree such that we may move forward these discussions. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Invited talk at the Materials Research Exchange conference hosted by Henry Royce Institute (London) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Dr Sophie gave an invited talk at the Henry Royce symposium held during the Materials Research Exchange conference in London, which was attended in person by 100+ individuals. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.royce.ac.uk/events/materials-research-exchange-2022/ |
Description | Pint of science presentation |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | I gave a talk at one of the Birmingham pint of science events in which I talked about how materials could be used to replace parts of the body and how we can make better models of tissue formation. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://pintofscience.co.uk/event/healing-with-materials |
Description | Presentation to colleagues concerning research group activities (University of Birmingham) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Invited talk to share research activities with academic and professional service colleagues across the Engineering and Physical Science college at the University of Birmingham. Approximately 50 people attended the talk in person and further engagement online. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |