Research - Nanomedicine Lab

Our research portfolio includes the discovery and preclinical development of nanomedicine constructs based on novel, advanced nanomaterials of synthetic and biological nature

Great emphasis is placed at the interplay between in vitro and in vivo studies and how rationally-designed and engineered nanoscale platforms can be safely translated into clinically effective therapeutics, diagnostics and neural interface devices.

ACTIVE PROJECTS

The Nanomedicine Lab is currently leading or participating in the following collaborative projects:

MiniGraph

The MINIGRAPH project aims to develop a ground-breaking brain implants with closed-loop capabilities, enabled by a skull implanted flexible electronics unit and high-density arrays of graphene microelectrodes. Our implant will feature high miniaturization, large spatial resolution and optimal biocompatibility with brain tissue.

ROSETREES

In collaboration with the NanoTherapeutics Lab led by Dr Tom Kisby at the Centre for Nanotechnology in Medicine, University of Manchester, this project will be exploring the nanoscale technologies in an attempt to prevent brain cancer recurrence.

NIHR MANCHESTER BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH CENTRE

The Nanomedicine Lab contributes to the Manchester BRC via its Next Generation Therapeutics Theme, with a bespoke research component on nanoscale-based technologies. Along with our clinical partners such the North West Clinical Research Facility Alliance and NIH Salford Royal we attempt to embed experimental medicine trials.

INBRAIN

INBRAIN Neuroelectronics is a start-up founded on the science and technology developed in the Nanomedicine Lab in collaboration with colleagues from the Graphene Flagship project. We have an ongoing research programme and collaboration with INBRAIN on engineering the next generation flexible, high-precision and minimally-invasive neural interfaces and their clinical investigation.

HYBRID MINDS: Experiential, Ethical and Legal Investigation of Intelligent Neuroprostheses

The Hybrid Minds project aims to lay the foundation for a unified theoretical approach to the ethical-legal assessment of intelligent neuroprostheses. The approach is informed by the experiences and perspectives of users as well as dialogue within the neuroengineering community and other key stakeholders.

COMPLETED PROJECTS

Two seminal research programmes with significant investments by the European Commission and the UKRI were completed at the end of 2023. The Nanomedicine Lab played a leading role in both of these programmes that translated graphene materials to the clinic for the first time world-wide.

2D MATERIALS FOR NEXT GENERATION HEALTHCARE TECHNOLOGIES

2D-Health was completed in July 2023 after a 6-year cross-faculty research effort based at the University of Manchester and under the guidance of Smith & Nephew and AstraZeneca, inspired and coordinated by the Nanomedicine Lab. 2D-Health delivered the first-in-human clinical investigation study around the exposure of humans to graphene oxide materials in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh.

Graphene Flagship

The Graphene Flagship, completed in December 2023, was one of the largest research projects ever funded by the European Commission. The Nanomedicine Lab had leading contributions in the area of Health, Medicine and Sensors since 2013. Generations of researchers from the Nanomedicine Lab helped shape the knowledge generated around the safety and risk of graphene and 2D materials, and reveal some of their most promising biomedical uses.

OUR PARTNERS

The Nanomedicine Lab works together with many other laboratories across Europe, the US and Corporate partners in various projects. Our partners include:

Europe

USA

ASIA

Rest of World

INDUSTRY