At Swansea University we aim to create a place and culture where all levels of medical engineering students can collaborate and grow as a community. Within the society all members of the team strive to offer the best service to each participate. We intend to aid in professional development, peer support schemes and networking.
The Medical Engineering Society was founded on the basis of three principles; Professional Development, Networking and Peer support.
The main focus of the society was to employ extracurricular events in order for university students to gain a greater understanding and knowledge of what it takes to be a good Medical Engineer. This includes, but is not limited to, seminars, site visits and placement opportunities. All events are completed in the hope that members will be more employable and capable in the workplace for having attended such occasions.
Image Analysis of Human Embryos – Megan Lloyd
Imaging is a vitally important sector of the biomedical engineering industry. My research focuses on the automatic analysis within the cleavage stage of the development of a human embryo, using the ImageJ image analysis program. The purpose of this is to determine the viability of an embryo for use in IVF treatment, so single egg transfer is possible, and to reduce the risk of having multiple births after the treatment. I chose this research project as I can see the direct impact of my research on people's lives.
Cell Nanoparticles Uptake Studied by SEM/EDS – Ivy Mumuni
Drug delivery and targeted therapies rely heavily on nanoparticles. It is therefore crucial to understand the process of nanoparticle uptake by mammalian cells. In my project I image cells exposed to varying doses of silver and zinc oxide nanowires by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray energy dispersion spectroscopy (EDS) to see the interaction between both the cells and nanowires.
Tracking Recovery from Musculoskeletal Injury – Ella Greeven
In my research project I have attached an accelerometer to the ankle of a few volunteers, and made them walk with it for a few minutes while doing a few cognitive exercises. The total test is around 8 minutes long and consists of 7 one-minute tasks such as reading, conversing, listening to music and remembering. The main idea behind this project is that the difficulty of the task should have an impact on the way the volunteer walks, and that this impact would increase as a result of age or a cognitive impairment. The accelerometers allow us to analyse the movements closely and accurately. The work involves the use of MATLAB and uses signal processing approaches to look for differences in walking motion between the tasks.
Investigation into the Mechanical and Structural Properties of Lymphatic Valves using Computational Methods – Huw Ellis
To date very little is known about the properties of lymphatic valves despite their significance in the inner works of the lymphatic system and their relation to such medical conditions as lymphedema. This is due to their small and delicate nature, which makes repeated laboratory experimentation impossible. It was therefore the purpose of this project develop a computational model of a lymphatic valve for testing. This was achieved through the following steps. Firstly, lymphatic vessels were isolated from the mesenteric lymphatic bed of a rat. The vessels where then stained so that they would fluoresce under confocal microscopy. The valves were then cannulated and subsequently pressurised. The valves were then imaged using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). CLSM specifically is used for its depth specific imaging qualities. The next step in the process was to segment the valve this required the two leaflets that comprised the valve to be mapped by hand. The data produced from the segmentation was then compiled to generate a finite element mesh of the valve leaflets. Through the use of a finite element solver it was then possible create a computational model of the valve upon which the user could then set the mechanical properties and the loading pressure on the valve. Finite element analysis can then be performed.
3D Printing for Emergency Medicine Tools in Secluded Areas – Bethany Allen, BEng
3D printing is a revolutionary fabrication method used in many areas of engineering, including the biomedical industry. 3D printing technology allows pre-designed medical tools to be fabricated using only software and the printer itself. The aim of this project is to create a lightweight and portable Android app able to identify melanoma signs and help doctors in isolated areas, with no access to sophisticated equipment, to diagnose this disease. An initial software version of the app has been developed in the Java programming language, however there are many possible improvements on the software to provide accurate diagnosis.
MEng Research Projects
Jellyfish Collagen for the Fabrication of Tissue Engineering Scaffolds – Benjamin Clarke
Nanofibre scaffolds, fabricated by electrospinning, can be used for the seeding of cells and thus the growth of new tissues onto the surface of the nanofibres. These scaffolds can be highly and diversely functionalised with coatings and nanoparticles, and show promise for future medical treatment. The aim of this research is to contribute to the overall progress of these unique materials and eventually bring them to medical use. This research project studies the use of jellyfish collagen as a tissue engineering scaffold material. With massive overpopulation problems along the world’s coastlines, jellyfish may be a new, alternative source of inherently antimicrobial collagen. This collagen can be electrospun, and can therefore be used to produce tissue engineering scaffolds. The nanofibres will then be enhanced further with other antimicrobial agents, and the formation of biofilms on the nanofibres will also be studied using confocal microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to analyse their antimicrobial effectiveness.
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