Isobel Rees Within OncoEng, the team at UCL aims to develop state-of-the-art imaging and computational tools to predict the growth of metastatic lesions and how these can result in fractures in the spine. This involves a variety of teams with different goals. All of them require a computational mesh that will allow a number of models to … Read more
This June, Ryan and I had the privilege of attending the UK Metamaterials Network conference at the scenic Wotton House. Over three insightful days, we delved deep into the diverse world of metamaterials, exploring their applications in health, space, and sustainability. Although our prior experience leaned heavily on structural metamaterials, the conference broadened our horizons, … Read more
As a mechanical engineer looking to develop methodologies to characterise spinal biomechanics and its perturbation due to metastatic bone disease (MBD), attending the OncoEng Patient Day was an eye-opening experience. This event provided an invaluable opportunity to directly interact with individuals grappling with the realities of MBD, offering me a perspective into their journey through … Read more
Blog written by Yash Karade and Aamena Lakdawala We bid farewell to Leeds on the morning of 7th June 2023 as we started our journey to the MedTech Expo in Birmingham. It was surely a day of exploration and adventure for us. With a lot of anticipation of what’s about to happen in the next … Read more
Research challenge 2 (RC2) is centred around the need for the development of an advanced spinal rigid-body modelling technique. This is required to determine the expected vertebral loads and motion across a range of daily activities. Additionally, the model should be able to judge the impact of tumour progression and pain on the spinal biomechanics. … Read more
3D printing revolutionises medical device technology by allowing personalised devices to be created within a short period of time, and at lower costs than traditional manufacturing methods. OncoEng aims to utilise 3D printing to create minimally invasive implants (MII) out of metamaterials. These are materials created from an array of lattices, that change the nature … Read more
Today I visited the #DarkerPink exhibition at the Danum Gallery and Museum in Doncaster. The presence of dark pink figures, listening to their stories as I stood in front of them, really brought home the impact of metastatic breast cancer. I thank the women involved in this project for sharing their reality and was delighted … Read more
The 10th of June marked the beginning of OncoEng, in which academics, early-stage researchers, patient advocates, and representatives from invested companies met in Weetwood Hall, Leeds for the kick-off meeting. The day began with a welcome and overview of the £7 million project, by Prof. Richard Hall, before Prof. David Sebag-Montefiore, the director of Leeds … Read more
OncoEng is looking for its first PhD candidate, based at UCL! The student will join the research groups of both Rebecca Shipley (computational modelling in medicine and biology; UCL Mechanical Engineering) and Simon Walker-Samuel (biophysics and imaging; UCL Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging), collaborating closely with colleagues in UCL Mathematics (Nick Ovenden). The project will … Read more
Metamaterials are architected materials designed to exhibit properties superior to their constituent material. Metamaterial structures are well established in optics, acoustics, and thermodynamics. Additive Manufacturing has enabled the expansion of metamaterial application space into mechanical mechanisms. These architected materials exploit structural deformations and mechanical energies to exhibit unique phenomena that are used to build functional … Read more