News from the Institute - Latest

New Diabetes Lab opened by BBC broadcaster Justin Webb

A new laboratory targeting the development of an artificial pancreas for people with type 1 diabetes has been opened at the IBME. The Metabolic Technology Lab was officially opened on 25th March 2010 by BBC broadcaster and journalist Justin Webb, presenter of the ‘Today’ programme on BBC Radio 4. The lab is located within the Winston Wong Centre for Bioinspired Technology, part of the Institute of Biomedical Engineering.

Scientists working in the lab are developing technology to help people with a range of metabolic and chronic diseases. The opening of the lab also represents a significant step towards the development of a ground-breaking innovation: the world's first bio-inspired artificial pancreas. The new facility provides researchers with a dedicated space in which to carry out their work. The team are developing a microchip device that takes glucose readings from a monitor and continuously infuses insulin into the body so that people with Type 1 diabetes can do away with regular insulin injections.

In 2009, Justin Webb produced a radio documentary (“Diabetes – The Silent Killer”) which explored his family’s experience of Type 1 diabetes following his young son Sam’s diagnosis.

For more information and for a video of researchers talking about the development of the bio-inspired silicon pancreas, please click here.

IBME hosts UK/Japan Brain-Machine Interface delegation

The Institute of Biomedical Engineering recently hosted a visit by an overseas delegation from the 2nd UK/Japan Workshop in Brain-Machine Interfaces. The delegation visited the IBE in February as part of the two-day UK leg of the workshop, hosted by Newcastle University.

The annual workshop, which is free and open to all interested pre- and post-doctoral researchers, is part of a UK government-led initiative to boost scientific collaboration between the UK and Japan. During the half-day visit to Imperial College London, the Japanese delegation met with three groups, the Advanced Neural Interfaces group (located within the IBE’s new ‘Centre for Bio-Inspired Technology’), and two groups in the Department of Bioengineering (led by Dr Holger Krapp and Dr Etienne Burdet). The visit included a networking session for delegates.

Professor Molly Stevens Wins Award for Creativity in Polymer Technology

The prize, now in its second year, was awarded by the Executive Editorial Board of Polymer International and the IUPAC Polymer Division in recognition of Professor Stevens novel approaches to tissue engineering that are likely to prove very powerful in the engineering of large quantities of human mature bone as well as other vital organs.

Professor Stevens is actively involved in translation of the technologies to the clinic. She is working on novel polymer composites and nanomaterials, and is currently involved in setting up human clinical studies for bone regeneration.

Professor Stevens multidisciplinary group conducts research into the directed differentiation of stem cells, the design of novel bioactive scaffolds and new approaches towards tissue regeneration and biosensing. Her work has been recognized by a number of awards including the Jean Leray Award from the European Society for Biomaterials (2009), the TR100 (Top 100 Young Innovators in 2004) by Technology Review and the Ronald Belcher Memorial Lecture Award from the Royal Society of Chemistry (2000).

For further information about MACRO2010, please click here.