How can we create better alternatives to animal testing while improving our ability to predict human responses to new products? This project explores the development of next-generation screening platforms that mimic the glycocalyx, the sugar-rich outermost layer of the cell surface that forms the first point of contact between human cells and their environment. In this project, you will work alongside an industry partner utilising their advanced plasma-based surface engineering technologies to immobilise macromolecular sugars onto material surfaces to create human-relevant and animal-free testing platforms for cosmetic, healthcare, and biotechnology applications. In this project, you will develop hands-on experience in biomaterials, surface modification, and biological characterisation techniques while contributing to research that aims to make product testing faster, reproducible, and ethical. This project is most suitable for students interested in: Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Biotechnology, Nanotechnology, Chemistry, or related disciplines.
School
Biomedical Engineering
Research Area
Materials and cell technologies | Biomedical engineering
Suitable for recognition of Work Integrated Learning (industrial training)?
Yes
- Research environment
- Expected outcomes
- Supervisory team
- Reference material/links
You will work within a highly multidisciplinary cross-institute team of academics, industry collaborators, postdocs and research students spanning expertise across material science, cell biology, physics and biomedical engineering
- Protocols for the high throughput immobilisation and characterisation of macromolecular sugars on surfaces.
- Validation of sugar-immobilised surfaces to mimic the native cellular glycocalyx in binding and mediate biomolecular processes relevant to cosmetic, healthcare, and biotechnology applications.
