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Biography
Nottingham Research Fellow 2023 - my fellowship 'Harnessing Geometry', will research how we can incorporate our ability to control cell behaviour using the shape of their environment within clinically translatable medical devices manufactured by additive manufacturing, focussing initially on bone repair.
Prior to this I was a research Fellow in Biomaterials Development and Additive Manufacturing within the United Kingdom Regenerative Medicine 2 (UKRMP2) platform. My research involved the fabrication of defined-geometry microparticles using multi-photon polymerisation to explore the roles of pore architecture on mesenchymal stem cell differentiation. I was also involved in the 'Next Generation Biomaterials Discovery' programme grant incorporating machine learning tools to enhance image analysis of high-throughput screening biomaterial discovery platforms such as the TopoChip and polymer microarrays.
Additionally, I was involved in the design and delivery of the 'Additive Biofabrication' Laboratory at the University of Nottingham, purpose built for bioprinting.
Before joining the University of Nottingham, I was an EPSRC Doctoral Prize Fellow 2018 within the INSIGNEO Institute for in silico Medicine at the University of Sheffield having received a Master's degree in Biomaterial Science and Tissue Engineering in 2014 and a PhD in 2017 under the supervision of Dr. Gwendolen C Reilly and Dr. Frederik Claeyssens.
Expertise Summary
Bone tissue engineering and in vitro modelling of bone.
- Polymer synthesis, in particular for modification of materials for use in microstereolithography (MSL).
- Materials characterisation, including SEM, micro-computed tomography, FTIR and contact angle assessment.
- Advanced mechanical characterisation of synthetic and biological materials.
- Range of polymeric scaffold manufacture techniques, including single and two-photon stereolithorgaphy.
- Extensive cell culture experience in 2D and 3D, including mesenchymal progenitor (MP)/osteoblast-lineage cell lines, primary MP culture and their differentiation into osteoblastic and chondrogenic lineages, and culture of primary monocytes and their differentiation into osteoclasts.
- Cell culture assay techniques including viability and cell number, differentiation by enzyme upregulation, histological staining, immunohistochemistry, fluorescence and confocal microscopy, ELISA, and qPCR.
- High-throughput image analysis using machine learing and artificial intelligence.
- Competent user of statistical analysis software such as GraphPad Prism, as well office IT applications.
Teaching Summary
I attained AFHEA status in February 2021 in recognition of my contribution to teaching.
Recent Publications
BORG, STEPHANIE A, BUCKLEY, HARRIET, OWEN, ROBERT, MARIN, ANA CAMPOS, LU, YONGTAU, EYLES, DARRYL, LACROIX, DAMIEN, REILLY, GWENDOLEN C, SKERRY, TIM M and BISHOP, NICK J, 2018. Early life vitamin D depletion alters the postnatal response to skeletal loading in growing and mature bone PloS one. 13(1), e0190675 BHASKAR, BIRRU, OWEN, ROBERT, BAHMAEE, HOSSEIN, RAO, PARCHA SREENIVASA and REILLY, GWENDOLEN C, 2018. Design and Assessment of a Dynamic Perfusion Bioreactor for Large Bone Tissue Engineering Scaffolds Applied biochemistry and biotechnology. 1-9 OWEN, ROBERT and REILLY, GWENDOLEN C, 2018. In vitro Models of Bone Remodelling and Associated Disorders Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology. 6, PASHNEH-TALA, SAMAND, OWEN, ROBERT, BAHMAEE, HOSSEIN, REKVSTYTE, S, MALINAUSKAS, MANGIRDAS and CLAEYSSENS, FREDERIK, 2018. Synthesis, characterization and 3D micro-structuring via 2-photon polymerization of poly (glycerol sebacate)-methacrylate-an elastomeric degradable polymer Frontiers in Physics. 6,