The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University

Lead Research Organisation: Swansea University
Department Name: College of Science

Abstract

With its Centre for NanoHealth, Swansea University leads Europe in NanoHealth and Medical Technologies, underpinned by existing and emergent international collaborations.

Swansea University's Centre for NanoHealth (CNH) is a £30M investment, state of the art facility conducting research and development in medical technology and nanotechnology for healthcare. The scope and breadth of the facility is unique in Europe allowing the design, fabrication, characterization, scale up in a cleanroom, embedded in a Category 2 biological environment; CNH covers translation through a clinical research unit. CNH opened in 2009 and has been the catalyst for interdisciplinary projects spanning Engineering, Medicine, Science and hospitals, internationally and nationally.

Much international collaboration has been forged through CNH's activity, particularly with leading international institutions in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth. The majority of CNH projects have direct clinical support through the University Hospital, which is co-located on campus and shares facilities. The current portfolio of externally funded projects supports over 25 RA/PDRFs and 40 PhD researchers with the involvement of circa 40 academics and clinicians, all having access to over £20M of state of the art equipment. Successful inward (interdisciplinary) and outward-reaching collaboration by CNH has attracted in excess of £16M from EPSRC, EU, MRC, TSB, the Royal Society, and industrial partners, who have a strong foothold in CNH as partners or spin-out companies.

This Global Hub will go beyond the limitations of standard operational practice: time constraints, single ad hoc staff exchanges, access to facilities and budget availability tend to stifle outputs and frustrate academic vitality and pace. The Hub will lead to increased productivity from existing international links with the US and rapidly build on the early stage collaboration with France and China. The objective is to create a high-profile Global Hub centered at Swansea University.

The Global Hub's programme of collaborative activity in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth focuses on four primary research clusters to intensify capacity and capability: Technology Development, Safety Assessment, Therapeutics, and Human Factors Engineering.

Planned Impact

The EPSRC Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth will facilitate a series of research exchanges that will enhance existing collaborations and develop new joint ventures. The objective is to develop new technologies and expand our understanding on the health and environmental safety of nanomaterials used as diagnostics or therapies, combined with their safe and effective clinical use. These are issues of national importance, whether considered from health, social or economic perspectives. Swansea University's Global Hub will have significant impact internationally, creating a powerful heritage of high quality work into the future for our key partners in the US, China and France. The Global Hub will draw in many participants, obviously from Swansea University, but also from different countries and at different career stages. We therefore have a variety of pathways to impact, ensuring that each of the participants succeed in different ways. The pathways lead to tangible outputs of note from research projects, as well as international collaborative research itself. These include:
>We will run workshops, in China, France and the US.
>Publish joint papers at international conferences, such as ICR, International Fibrinogen Workshop, International Congress of Biorheology, Conference on Clinical Haemorheology, ACM CHI, EICS, MRS, and so on.
>"Normal" workshops, as part of refereed conferences will be organized, e.g., in the Environmental Mutagen Society conference, which is in Swansea in 2012. Other conferences we will target include the International Conference on Nanotoxicology, Beijing, and MRS Boston, etc.
>The co-sponsorship of some of activities with the EPSRC BTG grant will extend the impact of the Global Hub into other disciplines, and in turn, allow social and other critiques to enhance the quality and breadth of our technical research.
>Some workshops will include public engagement events (e.g., a lecture in Science Café format, a programme currently sponsored by the College of Science at Swansea). We will use interactive media to maximise public engagement with the research.
>Swansea has an unusually high proportion of ECRs, who will be especially impacted by this Global Hub, producing a much-needed supply of creative researchers capable of, and empowered and enthusiastic about, international collaboration.
>The Global Hub activities have significant impacts related to the translation of basic research into economic and societal value, some mature examples are: Translation to clinic, Reduced use of animals in research and Point of care diagnostics.
>Swansea allows IP to be explored in new ways, and CNH has developed an IP assets management awareness plan, including open innovation. Our engagement with leading international groups, involving excellent clinical researchers and access to their facilities (especially in the US) will be a significant game-changer to the development of robust IPR and to establishing pathways to regulatory approvals for rapid exploitation
>Swansea University is in an EU-Convergence region, which allows us to apply for ERDF and ESF funds; the former are specifically targeted at developing research linkages with businesses and companies in Wales.
 
Description BGER was an enabling project designed to foster collaborations between more than 20 institutions across Europe, the USA and Far East. The project enabled Swansea University to create a Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth. The project provided support across four themes: Technology Development; Safety Assessment; Therapeutics, and Human Factors Engineering. It also supported the professional development of Early Career Researchers by providing opportunities to co-locate with researchers from participating institutions for prolonged periods of time to maximise impact and outputs.
Exploitation Route The project supported approximately 50 exchanges and visits, enabling the development of an extensive research network with broad but complementary interests. There will be many applications of the research outputs arising from this network, with examples including:
• definition of a nanomaterial testing strategy to inform international regulatory bodies;
• work with hospitals on improving procurement of safer systems and equipment;
• new biomarkers for early detection of blood clots;
• application of molecular, cellular and nanobiology approaches to early identification and treatment of disease.
Sectors Aerospace

Defence and Marine

Agriculture

Food and Drink

Chemicals

Creative Economy

Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software)

Energy

Environment

Healthcare

Manufacturing

including Industrial Biotechology

Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology

Other

URL http://www.swansea.ac.uk/bger/
 
Description The project's primary outcome has been the establishment of an international research network in medical technologies and nanohealth. The strategic alliances fostered have enabled researchers to pursue new collaborations aligned to the project's four core themes, and to attract additional research funding to support initiatives that will yield impact in areas such as medical devices, cancer treatments, safer healthcare, nanotoxicology, rheology, and therapeutics. Notable impacts: • Strategic partnership with Université de Grenoble • Joint PhD programme with institutions in Texas and Grenoble • Collaboration with National Institute of Science and Technology USA on joint publications, research projects plus opportunities for equipment sharing • Five fellowships awarded to overseas collaborators to research with Swansea • Secondment of Professor Paul Rees to the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Boston, Massachusetts • A Memorandum of Intent to collaborate in the field of nanotechnology between BioBay • (a local Nanotech commercial hub) • Soochow University and Swansea University • The launch of a joint research centre with Soochow University • The creation of a Swansea University office facility at Soochow University The project achieved its aim to develop a Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth. Swansea continues to strengthen the interactions with Texas and Grenoble particularly, but also other European and Far Eastern partners. These relationships would not have been facilitated to the same extent without BGER, with the attendant benefits not accruing to Swansea and the UK. It is hard to gauge the reach of all the engagement, training and enablement activities, given the numbers of staff involved, the international focus of the project, and the range of disciplines supported. However, we estimate that these activities will have reached in excess of 5,000 people.
First Year Of Impact 2012
Sector Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Agriculture, Food and Drink,Chemicals,Creative Economy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Energy,Environment,Healthcare,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology,Other
Impact Types Societal

Economic

Policy & public services

 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Baylor College of Medicine
Country United States 
Sector Hospitals 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Baylor College of Medicine
Country United States 
Sector Hospitals 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Bielefeld University
Country Germany 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Dublin City University
Country Ireland 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Fraunhofer Society
Country Germany 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Georgia Institute of Technology
Country United States 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Georgia Institute of Technology
Country United States 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Georgia Institute of Technology
Country United States 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Harvard University
Country United States 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Harvard University
Country United States 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Department International Design Centre
Country Hong Kong 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Country China 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA)
Department Centre for Energy Research
Country Hungary 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Joseph Fourier University
Country France 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Joseph Fourier University
Country France 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Joseph Fourier University
Country France 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Joseph Fourier University
Country France 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Laboratoire d'Informatique de Grenoble 
Country France 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Country United States 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Country United States 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Medical University of Graz
Country Austria 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST)
Country United States 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation New University of Lisbon
Department António Xavier Institute of Chemical and Biological Technology
Country Portugal 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation New University of Lisbon
Department António Xavier Institute of Chemical and Biological Technology
Country Portugal 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation New University of Lisbon
Department António Xavier Institute of Chemical and Biological Technology
Country Portugal 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Philipp University of Marburg
Country Germany 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Rice University
Country United States 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Rice University
Country United States 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Rice University
Country United States 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Soochow University
Country Taiwan, Province of China 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Soochow University
Country Taiwan, Province of China 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Soochow University
Country Taiwan, Province of China 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Soochow University
Country Taiwan, Province of China 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Soochow University
Country Taiwan, Province of China 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Texas A&M University
Country United States 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Texas A&M University
Country United States 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation The Methodist Hospital, Houston
Country United States 
Sector Hospitals 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation The Methodist Hospital, Houston
Country United States 
Sector Hospitals 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation The Methodist Hospital, Houston
Country United States 
Sector Hospitals 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation The Methodist Hospital, Houston
Country United States 
Sector Hospitals 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation The Methodist Hospital, Houston
Country United States 
Sector Hospitals 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation The Methodist Hospital, Houston
Country United States 
Sector Hospitals 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation The Methodist Hospital, Houston
Country United States 
Sector Hospitals 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation The Methodist Hospital, Houston
Country United States 
Sector Hospitals 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Trinity College Dublin
Country Ireland 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Tsinghua University China
Country China 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation University College Dublin
Country Ireland 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation University College Dublin
Country Ireland 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation University College Dublin
Country Ireland 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation University of Ghent
Country Belgium 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation University of Ghent
Country Belgium 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation University of Ghent
Country Belgium 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation University of Kentucky
Country United States 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation University of Malta
Country Malta 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation University of Maryland
Country United States 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation University of Maryland
Country United States 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation University of Maryland
Country United States 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation University of Pennsylvania
Country United States 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation University of Pennsylvania
Country United States 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation University of Pennsylvania
Country United States 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation University of Pennsylvania
Country United States 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation University of Pennsylvania
Country United States 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation University of Pennsylvania
Country United States 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Xi'an Jiaotong Liverpool University 
Country China 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Xi'an Jiaotong University
Country China 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012
 
Description The Global Hub in Medical Technologies and NanoHealth at Swansea University 
Organisation Xi'an Jiaotong University
Country China 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Research grant to further collaboration in Nanohealth and medical technologies
Start Year 2012