Our research

A central pillar of our research programme is the use and development of novel advanced biomaterials. Design and fabrication of natural polymer (e.g. collagen) scaffolds, which can then be augmented with other synthetic or biological components (depending on application), have proven to have excellent potential in regenerative medicine.

Hydrogels form another key class of biomaterials in our work. Their inherent versatility and adaptability make them particularly valuable, especially as their integration into emerging technologies like 3D printing continues to expand their potential.

Among these, nanoengineered instructive hydrogels are smart biomaterials with temperature-sensitive properties, ideal for biomedical applications. They undergo reversible sol-gel transitions, enabling controlled drug delivery for tissue engineering. Incorporating nanoparticles enhances their mechanical strength, responsiveness, and biocompatibility. Our research focuses on optimising these hydrogels to advance regenerative medicine, drug delivery, and next-generation biomedical devices.

We also utilise a wide range of advanced nanomaterials such as nanohydroxyapatite, laponite, graphene and to design and develop nanoengineered biomaterials with improved mechanical and therapeutic properties. These multifunctional biomaterials are not only structurally robust, but also capable of promoting tissue regeneration, combating oxidative stress, and delivering therapeutic agents in a controlled manner.

Our drug delivery work aims to develop tools and technologies that will be of use to the broader scientific community – both in industry and academia.

This work includes the development of specialised drug delivery platforms for therapeutic drug molecules, with a particular focus on three areas:

• Delivery of biotherapeutics including proteins, genes and cells.
• Respiratory drug delivery.
• Bioengineering of advanced medical materials and integration with medical devices.

These drug delivery platforms are being developed for application in tuberculosis, cystic fibrosis and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, as well as in regenerative medicine including respiratory, orthopaedic and cardiovascular applications.

Using natural polymer scaffolds and biomaterials (e.g. collagen, hyaluronic acid) that mimic native extracellular matrix, we have developed biomaterial systems to direct bone and cartilage regeneration both in vitro and in vivo.

Advanced scaffolds, with multiple layers or drug-elution capacities have also been developed and assessed for their capacity to regenerate musculoskeletal tissues.

These projects have also reached the stage of clinical translation to human patients for bone and cartilage applications.

We also have significant ongoing work in the area of antimicrobial biomaterials to counter infection.

Specific factors such as elastin has been incorporated into our collagen-based scaffolds (which exhibit high tensile properties) to develop small diameter vascular grafts with compliance similar to native vessels, which are currently being optimised to promote tissue formation in vitro and facilitate healing in vivo.

In collaboration with Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin), we are utilising novel engineering methods to create fibrin-infused collagen-based scaffolds to create 3D heart valve-shaped scaffolds.

By developing state-of-the-art models – both physical and virtual – we are advancing medical device design, exploring disease spaces for testing, as well as spinning out companies producing medical devices for clinical use.

In the structural heart domain, advanced minimally invasive left-ventricular pumps are being developed.

Our study of heart valve disease is creating virtual patient libraries to enable virtual heart valve interventions – optimising medical device selection for a given patient anatomy.

In collaboration with the RCSI School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Beaumont Hospital and NUIM's Department of Biology, we are designing growth factor-enhanced collagen-GAG scaffolds for applications in respiratory drug development, disease modelling and airway regeneration.

Our Living Lung Lab, led by Professor Kilian Hurley, investigates how genetic mutations drive interstitial lung disease, with a focus on creating more accurate disease models.

Using patient-derived iPSCs, they have developed alveolar spheroid 'lung-in-a-dish' systems that allows study of disease mechanisms in a controlled environment. This project generated promising insights into cellular pathways and therapeutic targets, paving the way for expanded studies and collaborative research aimed at developing precision treatments.

We operate at the cutting-edge of peripheral nerve-repair with a wide array of therapeutic platforms including bioactive scaffolds, gene therapeutics and electroconductive biomaterials.

In collaboration with our partners at AMBER, as well as our progressive collaboration with the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU), we are developing multifunctional implants for spinal cord injury repair that combine patient-specific medicine, gene therapeutics, biomimetic design and electroactive biomaterials.

At TERG, we are developing advanced biomaterial solutions for the treatment of chronic wounds and other debilitating skin conditions.

This ranges from injectable hydrogels to multilayered constructs, which can be functionalised with a range of moeities (peptides, ECM molecules, growth factors, genes, stem cells, etc.) to add additional bioactivity (e.g. pro-angiogenic, anti-inflammatory as well as antimicrobial).

Working with industry collaborators, as well as charitable partners, we are developing novel ways to enhance wound healing as well as improve other skin pathologies.

Along with our collaborators, we are developing collagen-based carriers for corneal limbal stem cell transplantation.

Also – based on research led by Dr Alan Hibbitts – in situ, biodegradable drug eluting technologies are being developed to better manage inflammation and ensure successful surgeries and patient quality of life.

Failure in glaucoma drainage surgeries can be as high as 46% by year one post-operation due to inflammation and fibrosis. These issues are compounded by poor patient compliance in anti-inflammatory drops as well as the logistical challenges of repeat checkups.

In collaboration with our partners in the new RCSI School of Dentistry, our Faculty of Dentistry and the Dublin Dental University Hospital (DDUH) at TCD, we are developing a portfolio of solutions in the oral biology/dental space to enhance treatment of dental conditions, as well as more complex oral surgery.

Our scaffolds are also being developed as targeted drug delivery platforms through the incorporation of drugs, proteins, peptides, bioinorganic ions and nucleic acids, thereby significantly accelerating the healing capacity of these constructs.

Furthermore, we are pursuing the development of novel non-viral delivery vectors such as nanohydroxyapatite, chitosan, PEI and cell penetrating peptides that can be used in conjunction with the collagen-based scaffolds to enhance gene or nucleic acid delivery to cells.

This approach aims to overcome current transfection limitations and unlock new therapeutic potential within tissue-engineered platforms.

Biomaterials offer a powerful platform for developing reliable in vitro model systems that mimic specific disease states, enabling mechanistic studies and therapeutic screening in a physiologically relevant context.

For instance, collagen-based scaffolds can be engineered to recapitulate the dynamic interactions between bacteria and bone cells, serving as simplified yet functional models of bone infection. Similarly, these scaffolds can be modified to mimic the altered microenvironment observed in osteoporotic bone, such as reduced mineral content, altered stiffness, and disrupted cellular signalling, providing a system for studying disease mechanisms and evaluating regenerative or anti-resorptive therapies.

In the context of cancer, collagen-based scaffolds can simulate both unmineralised and mineralised (incorporating nanohydroxyapatite) tissue environments, enabling the investigation of primary tumour behaviour (e.g. breast, prostate or neuroblastoma) and the mechanisms driving cancer cell adaptation, dormancy, and proliferation in the bone metastatic niche.

These engineered models allow for controlled interrogation of cell-matrix interactions, matrix remodelling, and the influence of biomechanical cues, ultimately offering a platform to identify targets and test treatments in a setting that closely mimics in vivo conditions.

We have extensive experience in the development of electroconductive biomaterials for neural engineering applications and our principal investigators have experience with a wide range of cutting-edge bioelectronic platforms, including graphene and MXene nanocomposites, conductive polymers and 3D-printed scaffolds.

This work is carried out in conjunction with collaborators in the Research Ireland AMBER Centre and FutureNeuro.

We are also developing implant-based therapeutics for neurological disease indications (e.g. epilepsy).