Sculpting polymer environments for nerve regeneration.

Prof. Martin Birchall (primary)
UCL Ear Institute
University College London
Dr. Zoe Mann (secondary)
Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences
King's College London

Abstract

Central and peripheral nervous system trauma lead to severe loss of function and long-term disabilities. Tissue engineering offers a way to recreate the native, healthy environment in which new cells are grown and introduced to the injury site. This project aims to generate a functional neural response in a chemically and physically controlled environment.

The interdisciplinary team combine clinical expertise with fundamental biology, chemistry, and engineering. The student will develop skills in cell culture, materials science, cell metabolism, and membrane physiology, offering unique insights into neural cell differentiation for clinically relevant regenerative applications.


References

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3- Mehrban, N.; Zhu, B.; Tamagnini, F.; Young, F.I.; Wasmuth, A.; Hudson, K.L.; Thomson, A.R.; Birchall, M.A.; Randall, A.D.; Song, B.; Woolfson, D.N. Functionalised α-helical peptide hydrogels for neural tissue engineering. ACS Biomater. Sci. Eng. 2015, 6, 431-439.

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BBSRC Area
Molecules, cells and industrial biotechnology
Area of Biology
BiotechnologyPhysiology
Techniques & Approaches
ChemistryEngineeringMathematics / StatisticsMicroscopy / Electrophysiology