Facilities

A laboratory technician working with engineering equipment

We are proud of our investment in high-class research facilities and laboratories to support our mission to help solve the world’s most pressing health challenges. These facilities span a breadth of research areas from advanced imaging and biosensing to innovative technologies for medical and surgical robots.

  • At UNSW Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, our biological laboratories are designed with multidisciplinary research in mind. They allow the full development of biomedical technologies from fundamental research to product design and testing. 

    Our labs house extensive facilities for: 

    • Biochemistry and molecular biology 
    • Polymer synthesis and processing 
    • Biomaterials development and characterisation 
    • Cell culture (PC2) 
    • Imaging (light, fluorescence & confocal) patch clamp and multichannel in vitro and in vivo electrophysiology 
    • Animal housing/surgical facilities 

    For more information, contact Lynn Ferris. 

  • Our Electronics and Manufacturing laboratories contain highly specialised equipment for prototyping, characterisation and validation of a range of implantable and non-implantable devices, prior to preclinical and biological testing.  

    Some of our facilities include:  

    • Laser welding and cutting 
    • Flip-chip bonding 
    • ASIC design and testing 
    • General dry electronics (PCB manufacture, soldering etc) 
    • Specialised oscilloscopes 
    • Climate chamber testing 
    • Hermeticity testing 
    • Mini lathes 
    • Various microscopes and tools for manufacturing 
    • Certified clean room 

    For more information, contact Lynn Ferris. 

  • Our cancer nanotechnology laboratories develop bespoke pharmacological agents and therapies. The fully equipped chemistry facilities allow us to synthesise tailored nanomaterials which are then characterised on-site. They are then tested in vitro in conventional and three-dimensional cell cultures (on-site) by using confocal imaging and other methods. Any animal testing takes place at the animal facility in UNSW. 

    Our tissue engineering laboratory produces engineered tissue-derived biomaterials for applications in the life sciences and medicine. We decellularize tissue which is then modified and repopulated with the cells of choice or used as is for implantation. The lab houses specialised equipment such as optical microscopes, tissue culture and biomaterials engineering facilities. We also have capabilities for basic histopathological analysis. 

    Our advanced imaging laboratory develops new methods of biomolecular analysis at a single cell level that is quick, sensitive and accurate using customised fluorescence microscopy systems. We are applying this approach to understand biological systems, detect disease and monitor therapies in clinical settings. We characterise native colours and shapes of individual cells and tissues including in their most authentic in vivo setting. High content image analysis provides a metabolic “fingerprint” allowing to distinguish healthy from diseased cells. This approach has been applied to several health conditions including in ophthalmology, kidney disease and neurodegenerative diseases. We also work closely with medical partners in Australia and overseas to translate this technology to the clinic. 

    A similar approach is currently extended to medical images obtained in other modalities such as computed tomography (CT) and PET imaging. 

    For more information, contact Ewa Goldys.

  • Our multidisciplinary approach to research means we collaborate with teams in other faculties. Our researchers have access to several other laboratories including:  

    1. Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA)
    2. Surgical & Orthopaedic Research Laboratories (Prince of Wales) 
    3. Molecular Surface Interaction Laboratory