World-Class Research
The Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 ranked Heriot-Watt 9th university in the UK for impact, with 82% of research ranked world-class, up 33 places from 2008. Over 80% of academic staff are currently engaged in research at internationally recognised levels delivering research impact as diverse as providing greater equality for deaf people, helping to manage risk in the insurance industry and enhancing oil extraction from the North Sea.
BREAKTHROUGH IN PRINTING ARTIFICIAL ORGANS
Two major breakthroughs have taken Heriot-Watt inventors of a 3D bio printer a step closer to printing organs for transplant. Working in collaboration with colleagues in China and Roslin Cellab, a stem cell technology company, the team have tested a new gel and pioneered 3D stem cell printing, advances which will help them make miniature 3D human tissues for general testing of pharmaceutical drugs and bring them closer to printing complete artificial 3D organs.
The research team used a new two-part water-based gel made of synthetic DNA developed by colleagues at Tsinghua University in China, a leading global institution ranked fourth in Asia and second in China by US News Education. Led by Dr Will Shu of Heriot-Watt’s Institute of Biological Chemistry, Biophysics and Bioengineering (IB3), the researchers have demonstrated it is possible to produce a three dimensional matrix which can support live cells. Specialised imaging tests have proven that cells remain alive and functioning at sub-cellular level after being mixed with the new gel. In addition, its attributes are allowing the scientists to manipulate its exact rigidity and the resulting printed object. Using the gel in combination with Heriot- Watt’s 3D printing system means that it may now be possible to create a consistent product which would not be rejected by transplant recipients.
The breakthrough is a showcase for the benefits of international collaboration. Working across disciplines and across geographical boundaries, chemists, engineers and biologists have come together from Scotland and China, to produce, test and demonstrate the potential of the gel.
The team have also completed a study demonstrating that stem cells derived from an adult patient’s own cells can be bio-printed without adversely affecting their biological functions. The 3D printing process pioneered at the University is proving gentle enough to achieve this outcome and through the study the team showed that after printing they could turn the stem cells into liver cells.
Dr Will Shu in the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences based on the Edinburgh Campus is pioneering 3D Stem Cell medical advances
www.hw.ac.uk
19
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36