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Materials have been used in the body for centuries now. But with so much new knowledge at our fingertips, how can we use them in a smarter way? This event will explore how new materials and 3D printing have the potential to influence the body’s ability to heal following injury or illness and revolutionise medicine.
How interactions between materials and the body can be used for good
Professor Liam Grover
(Professor in Biomaterials Science at the University of Birmingham)
Up until relatively recently, materials have been used medically because of their perceived inert nature and their ability to fulfil a structural role. We now know that no material is inert in the body and even metal implants can influence how a tissue can heal. We are now trying to exploit these interactions to try and modify the healing process to enable better tissue regeneration. This talk will discuss how we are using new materials to repair the skeleton, the skin and the surface of the eye.
3D Printing: not a press play technology
Dr Sophie Cox
(Lecturer in Chemical Engineering at the University of Birmingham)
3D printing, or more formally additive manufacture, has attracted significant attention in mainstream media. It is often presented as a technology that is capable of solving many industrial problems at the simple push of a button. In this talk, Dr Cox will explore some of the key fundamentals involved in metal 3D printing. She will share how this manufacturing approach may be exploited to engineer bespoke medical implants, which may play more than just a mechanical role in the body.
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