Latest news with #EPSRC
Business News Wales
21-05-2025
- Health
- Business News Wales
Swansea-Led Project 'Could Transform Clot Treatment'
Researchers are developing a cutting-edge blood test that measures clot formation and breakdown from a single sample, which has the potential to improve patient treatment and reduce pressure on the NHS. Led by Professor Karl Hawkins, alongside colleagues from Swansea University and NHS clinicians, the £1.2 million project is being funded by the UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). Using rheology—the study of how materials flow and deform—the team is investigating how blood clots respond to stress, an innovative approach that led to the discovery of a key biomarker, paving the way for a next-generation blood test. The test measures the changes in rheology during the clotting process to accurately track a clot's lifespan—from formation to breakdown—at a level of insight that current methods cannot achieve. Professor Hawkins, Swansea University Medical School, said: 'By developing advanced rheometric techniques to analyse blood clot behaviour, we can now help create and assess new treatments in a way no other test can, opening the door to better treatment strategies.' By applying microfluidic technology, researchers can track clot breakdown in real time across vessels of different sizes, offering critical insights for safer, more effective treatments. Dr Francesco Del Giudice, Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Head of the Rheological Microfluidic Laboratory, part of the Complex Fluids Research Group at Swansea University, said: 'Microfluidics provide unparalleled insights into clot breakdown processes, offering a comprehensive analysis with real-world clinical applications.' Dr Daniel Curtis, Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Lead of the Advanced Rheometry Laboratory, part of the Complex Fluids Research Group at Swansea University, added: 'This project is a really exciting opportunity to develop new rheometric techniques that will not only support healthcare research but also change the way we study other materials that evolve over time. 'It's also fantastic to be collaborating with the team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) once again, who will be working with us to refine techniques for monitoring how blood clots and other time-dependent materials form and break down.' The project is part of a £80 million UKRI (EPSRC) initiative, aimed at boosting fundamental research and discovery science, paving the way for clinical applications that could directly improve patient care. Blood clot-related conditions, including strokes, heart attacks, and deep vein thrombosis, are a major cause of death and disability worldwide, with thousands of hospital admissions each year. Dr Suresh Pillai, Senior Lecturer in Emergency Medicine at Swansea University and Honorary Consultant in Emergency Medicine and Intensive Care Medicine at Morriston Hospital, Swansea Bay University Health Board, said: 'Blood clot-associated diseases are causing an increasingly significant burden on the NHS. Treatments for these conditions are evolving, but some current treatments carry a risk of complications, such as bleeding. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop accurate tests to assess patient responses to new therapeutic interventions.' Professor Owen Guy, Head of Swansea University's Department of Chemistry, added: 'This is a fantastic example of how Swansea's multidisciplinary and internationally collaborative research approach is contributing to novel clot-related technology. The project is targeted towards providing future health impact for NHS patients.'
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
UK universities launch 4D medical device manufacturing project
Researchers from the UK's University of Birmingham and Imperial College London have launched a new 4D medical device manufacturing project. The 4D Health Tech initiative seeks to fill a crucial gap in traditional medical device manufacturing design processes by incorporating factors such as growth, movement, and tissue regeneration or degeneration, which are often overlooked. The project will promote the use of materials that degrade predictably and promote faster healing, and combine this ethos with automated design, advanced manufacturing processes, and patient specific pre-clinical testing – which is expected to result in 'better' medical devices that cater to more diverse patient populations. Backed by £1.2m in funding from the UK Research and Innovation's (UKRI) Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the three-year project will create Network Plus, an initiative intended to connect academics, businesses, clinicians, patients, and policymakers, serving as a conduit towards the creation of bigger, longer-term research projects in the field. The project funding is part of a broader £10m package allocated by EPSRC across the UK's manufacturing sector to respond to Tomorrow's Engineering Research Challenges, a paper the UKRI published in 2022. Concerning medical device and equipment manufacturing, the paper highlights the importance of a re-manufacturing and re-use approach to ensure sustainability in manufacturing for the sector to support a move towards the principles of a circular economy. According to Dr Sophie Cox, associate professor in healthcare technologies at Birmingham University's School of Chemical Engineering, medical devices designed to replace or repair our bodies typically neglect the dimension of time, a reality that compromises their function and lifespan. 'Our vision is to transform the way we engineer medical devices,' said Dr Cox. 'Fostering connections across the supply chain will create a new culture of 4D Health Tech embedding innovative thinking, patient perspective and diversity – ensuring this new age of medical devices offers improved healthcare outcomes for everyone.' In related manufacturing developments in the medical device sector, companies are ramping up their investment in 3D printing for the creation of custom prosthetics, implants and surgical tools that meet the individual needs of patients. According to GlobalData analysis, the medical 3D printing market is growing at a CAGR of 21% and forecast to reach a valuation of $4bn in 2026, up from $2bn in 2022. "UK universities launch 4D medical device manufacturing project" was originally created and published by Medical Device Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
UK's sustainable packaging project secures EPSRC grant
SustaPack, a multimillion-pound research initiative, has received a £1m ($1.2m) grant from the UK's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) to enhance the production of sustainable, paper-based packaging. Pulpex, a packaging technology company, has partnered with the University of Surrey to advance its manufacturing processes for creating environmentally friendly bottles from natural wood fibres. Pulpex CEO Scott Winston said: 'We're excited to strengthen our existing collaboration with the University of Surrey to enhance our technologies and processes. 'Our SustaPack partnership will help us advance safe, sustainable packaging solutions, enabling brand owners to meet net-zero targets. 'It gives consumers sustainable choices, delivers answers for brand owners and enables supply chains and retailers to deliver their carbon footprint reduction goals - a priority for all.' The collaboration is part of a broader effort to address the manufacturing challenges associated with next-generation sustainable packaging for liquids. The project, supported by the UK Research and Innovation co-investing programme, will focus on refining Pulpex's patented technology. This technology has already indicated degradable bottles that can be recycled within existing paper waste streams, offering an alternative to conventional plastic materials. A critical aspect of this research is to improve the multilayered barrier coating of the packaging. This coating is essential to prevent leaks and protect the quality of the contents by preventing oxygen permeation. The team aims to develop more energy- and water-efficient processes for applying these coatings, which could also extend the shelf life of packaged goods. The University of Surrey's multidisciplinary team will investigate the use of thermal imaging and AI to detect and immediately correct defects in wet coatings. This approach could lead to significant advancements in product quality by identifying and eliminating sources of imperfections. By leveraging AI-driven computer vision techniques, the project aspires to achieve a 100% reliability rate in the production of sustainable packaging. The potential outcomes of SustaPack could redefine industry standards for eco-friendly packaging, aiding brand owners in meeting stringent environmental regulations and offering consumers alternatives that combat plastic pollution. "UK's sustainable packaging project secures EPSRC grant" was originally created and published by Packaging Gateway, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
