Pressurised gyration processes, which are the focus of this grant application is an emerging technique that utilises centrifugal force and the dynamic fluid flow to jet out advanced functional materials consistently. This technique has shown great potential in overcoming the limitations of the existing techniques to manufacture functional materials and structures that can safely, consistently and cost-effectively be up-scaled. Thus in the past 5 years pressurised gyration, and several sister-processes (infusion gyration, melt pressurised gyration, pressure-coupled infusion gyration) have been developed and applied to prepare functional materials for different applications. The overall motivation of this research is to manufacture a wide variety of "core-sheath" structures, that are not fully exploited commercially in functional applications (e.g. healthcare) simply because of lack of innovative manufacturing. The overall aim of the project is to develop pressurised gyration as a novel means of effective manufacturing of multi-material core-sheath structures. Therefore, a very significant aspect of this project is to develop a pressurised gyration technique based on exploratory experimental evidence, to generate core-sheath structures on a large scale. A newly created exploratory device containing two chambers has been used to manufacture a wide range of polymer nanofibres with different polymers in both aqueous and non-aqueous solutions as core and sheath components at various concentrations, pressures and rotating speeds. In addition antibacterial metallic nanoparticles loaded nanofibres were also produced using this device. The manufacturing of core-sheath structure has been demonstrated by using a high speed camera and microscopy. Thus, the proposed research pays attention on developing a new high yield device for manufacturing layered core-sheath structures based on our existing preliminary device. Also a considerable effort will be devoted to analyse the new process to make quantitative assessment in order to understand the theoretical issues. It will focus on investigating the forming of core-sheath fibres and core-shell capsules from micro-nanoscale. Functionalising those core-sheath structures produced with additions of other, organic, inorganic and particulate materials will be an important feature. The processed core-sheath structures will be characterised with advanced tools to explore their unique physical, chemical and biological properties.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament injuries are often in the news as they are potentially career ending for footballers and athletes. One of the well-known incidents was seen during 2006 World Cup match between England and Sweden, where Michael Owen ruptured his ACL. This is not just a problem for elite athletes. Approximately 20,000 people in the UK need ACL repair every year and the National Health Service (NHS) performs about 11,000 ACL reconstruction surgeries per year. Reconstructive surgery of the ACL usually involves harvesting replacement ACL graft from the patient's own hamstring tendons. The damaged ACL is removed through arthroscopy (keyhole surgery), then tunnels are drilled in femur (thigh bone) and tibia (shin bone) in the knee joint area. The replacement graft is aligned/positioned through the tunnels, and opposite ends are fixated in the tibial bone tunnel by interference screws. Our clinicians and our medical device partner Xiros have identified an unmet clinical need for new screws and ACL reconstruction devices. Current metallic screws will be eventually rejected by the body as they are bioinert and will undergo fibrous encapsulation, but they can also tear the graft. The aim here is to develop an ideal screw that would be bioactive, to stimulate bonding to bone and regeneration of the connective tissue/ bone interface and biodegradable integrating the graft into the bone. The screw must also be strong, tough and a certain stiffness. Biodegradable polymer/bioactive ceramic composite screws exist, but they often fail and need replacing. This is because the bioactive component is buried in the polymer and the degradation rate of the polymer is uncontrolled and can be catastrophic or cause cysts. Our hybrid screws will overcome those problems, giving strength and a specifically designed biodegradation rate to match the rate of restoration of the bone/connective tissue interface. In some cases, it is not the screw that fails, but the tendon graft, therefore we will also develop a new totally synthetic device that eliminates the need for harvesting from the hamstring and provides more reliable long term performance, while integrating with the host bone.

Carbon fibre reinforced polymers (CFRP), with their superior combination of stiffness, strength, thermal stability, light weight and corrosion resistance have been leading contenders in various applications, ranging from aerospace to ground transportation, construction industries to sporting goods. The global transition of aircraft with composite architecture is estimated to contribute 15%-20% of industry CO2 reduction targets by 2050, due to the lightweight design. Strengthening of structural members using CFRP is one of the most commonly used methods in the construction industry to prolong the life of existing structures. An increasingly significant amount of CFRP composite waste is being generated as large quantities of such materials starting life in the 1970's applications reach their 50-year service life. As these materials are thermoset, their decomposition and recycling are an urgent worldwide challenge. The existing recycling techniques generally require complicated processes, expensive facilities or toxic chemicals. Because the existing recycling methods need shredding or milling of the CFRP composite before recycling, the recycled carbon fibres have low commercial values. Moreover, the existing recycling methods focus on recovering fibres and the resin remains waste. This project will develop international leading technologies of recovering carbon fibres from end-of-service-life (EOSL) carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites. The recovering process will be operated under ambient temperature and pressure. It will be zero waste and the recovered fibres will maintain the original dimensions and strengths. The transformative recycling methodology of this project will be based on the award-winning technology, the Electrically driven Hetero-catalytic Decomposition (EHD) method, patented by the applicants. The reclaimed fibres will be fabricated into continuous fibre yarns. Potential cost savings of more than 20%-83% and energy savings of 82%-98% have been predicted for using recycling technologies. In addition to using recycled fibres, this project will incorporate low environmental impact bio-resins in CFRP composites and demonstrate their applications in aviation and construction industries through thorough testing and modelling. A cradle to grave Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) will be carried out to provide data for optimisation of resources and minimisation of environmental impacts. This collaborative project will take advantage of supplementary international leading expertise from the UK and Chinese partners to deliver transformative technologies to harness the full value of end of service life CFRP composites for a circular economy. The project team will use their wide networks of contacts to actively engage with key stakeholders in the entire supply chain of the composite industry in both the UK and China to ensure the widest interest in and take up of the outcome of the project.

The Centre for Doctoral Training in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine will provide postgraduate research and training for 75 students, who will be able to research, develop and deliver regenerative therapies and devices, which can repair or replace diseased tissues and restore normal tissue function. By using novel scaffolds in conjunction with the patient`s own (autologous) cells, effective acellular regenerative therapies for tissue repair can be developed at a lower cost, reduced time and reduced risk, compared to alternative and more complex cell therapy approaches. Acellular therapies have the additional advantage as being regulated as a class three medical device, which reduces the cost and time of development and clinical evaluation. Acellular technologies, whether they be synthetic or biological, are of considerable interest to industry as commercial medical products and for NHS Blood and Transplant as enhanced bioprocesses for human transplant tissues. There are an increasing number of small to medium size companies in this emerging sector and in addition larger medical technology companies see opportunities for enhancing their medical product range and address unmet clinical needs through the development of regenerative devices. The UK Life Sciences Industry Strategy and the UK Strategy for Regenerative Medicine have identified this an opportunity to support wealth and health, and the government has recently identified Regenerative Medicine as one of UK`s Great Technologies. In one recent example, we have already demonstrated that this emergent technology be translated successfully into regenerative interventions, through acellular human tissue scaffolds for heart valve repair and chronic wound treatment, and be commercialised as demonstrated by our University spin out Tissue Regenix who have developed acellular scaffold from animal tissue, which has been commercialised as a dCEL scaffold for blood vessel repair. The concept can potentially be applied to the repair of all functional tissues in the body. The government has recognised that innovation and translation of technology across "the innovation valley of death" (Commons Science and Technology Select Committee March 2013), is challenging and needs additional investment in innovation. In addition, we have identified with our partners in industry and Health Service, a gap in high level skills and capability of postgraduates in this area, who have appropriate multidisciplinary training to address the challenges in applied research, innovation, evaluation, manufacturing, and translation of regenerative therapies and devices. This emerging sector needs a new type of multidisciplinary engineer with research and training in applied physical sciences and life sciences, advanced engineering methods and techniques, supported by training in innovation, regulation, health economics and business, and with research experience in the field of regenerative therapies and devices. CDT TERM will create an enhanced multidisciplinary research training environment, by bringing together academics, industry and healthcare professionals in a unique research and innovation eco system, to train and develop the medical and biological engineers for the future, in the emerging field of regenerative therapies and devices. The CDT TERM will be supported by our existing multidisciplinary research and innovation activities and assets, which includes over 150 multidisciplinary postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers, external research funding in excess of £60M and new facilities and laboratories. With our partners in industry and the health service we will train and develop the next generation of medical and biological engineers, who will be at the frontier in the UK in innovation and translation of regenerative therapies and devices, driving economic growth and delivering benefits to health and patients

Definition: A rapidly developing area at the interfaces of engineering/physical sciences, life sciences and medicine. Includes:- cell therapies (including stem cells), three dimensional cell/ matrix constructs, bioactive scaffolds, regenerative devices, in vitro tissue models for drug discovery and pre-clinical research.Social and economic needs include:Increased longevity of the ageing population with expectations of an active lifestyle and government requirements for a longer working life.Need to reduce healthcare costs, shorten hospital stays and achieve more rapid rehabilitationAn emergent disruptive industrial sector at the interface between pharmaceutical and medical devicesRequirement for relevant laboratory biological systems for screening and selection of drugs at theearly development stage, coupled with Reduction, Refinement, Replacement of in vivo testing. Translational barriers and industry needs: The tissue engineering/ regenerative medicine industry needs an increase in the number of trained multidisciplinary personnel to translate basic research, deliver new product developments, enhance manufacturing and processing capacity, to develop preclinical test methodologies and to develop standards and work within a dynamic regulatory environment. Evidence from N8 industry workshop on regenerative medicine.Academic needs: A rapidly emerging internationally competitive interdisciplinary area requiring new blood ---------------------