The DNA team

A group of researchers is using polymers to try and build a better human biological system

UQ Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology scientists developing nano-level polymer structures suitable for use in artificial organs and tissues and new methods of drug delivery are literally a team.

Headed by Associate Professor Justin Cooper-White, research interests at the Tissue Engineering and Microfluidics (TEAM) laboratory span biomaterials processing, tissue engineering, non-Newtonian fluid (fluids without a well-defined viscosity) mechanics, rheology and microfluidics.

A common focus of the TEAM team is providing a fundamental insight into complex polymer-based structures and systems, with the aim of ultimately tailoring and controlling their interactions with human biological systems.

Their research areas are rapidly emerging and exciting fields.Microfluidics are central to the development of DNA microarray technology; a crucial tool in many areas of biological and medical research investigating human development disease and treatment.

Dr Cooper-White said tissue engineering was best defined as the use of a combination of cells, engineering materials, and suitable biochemical factors to improve or replace biological functions.

He said tissue engineering was a revolutionary strategy to treat patients requiring organ or tissue replacement as a result of accidents or disease.

“We are investigating novel methods of manufacturing polymeric scaffolds and methods of surface engineering these scaffolds for drug delivery and tissue-engineering applications,” he said.

“We are also focusing on enhancing cell-specific adhesion and maximising tissue growth throughout three-dimensional scaffolds, which will ultimately find uses in the controlled growth and expansion of stem cells and the generation of vascularised soft tissues within in vitro and in vivo environs.”

Dr Cooper-White’s interest in microfluidics has led to extensive collaborations with groups at UQ, the University of Melbourne and Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US.

He said exciting new avenues for treating and tailoring new biotechnology and nanotechnology products would result from understanding the flow behaviour of non-Newtonian fluids within micrometre-to-nanometre-flow conduits.

“The most mature application of microfluidics is ink-jet printing and DNA microarray technology; however, other potential applications include pharmaceutical, biotechnology and public health areas,” Dr Cooper-White said.

“Because fluids behave differently at the nanoscale, microfluidic devices require different methods of construction and design. It is therefore imperative we understand this behaviour so we can maximise the opportunities of this enabling technology.”

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