Prof Gavin Jell

Research summary

My research is focused on understanding how materials interact within biological environments, in order to create "better" biomaterials; materials that have reduced failure rates and have increased functionality (e.g. promote regeneration). Current areas of research include:

1. Nanomedicine. Understanding how nanoparticle physicochemical properties change biological interactions in different biological environments. 

2. Bone tissue engineering. Over 20 high impact publication including Nature Materials.

3. Bioactive glass. Understanding how ions released from bioactive glasses affect bone formation and remodelling, to creating new bioactive glasses with therapeutic ion release

4. Materials for Diabetic and Chronic wound healing.

5. The role of hypoxia and HIF in tissue regeneration and cell survival. 

6. Understanding why biomaterials fail

I’ve published ~50 papers on these topics in leading international journals (e.g. Nature Materials) with an average citation/article of 40. My success has been recognised globally with international research collaborations (I was appointed Associate Prof. Biomaterials at Nagoya Institute of Technology (NIT) in 2015),  invited talks/keynote at international conferences (Hosted/Chaired BSNM 2018). My views on medical research have been solicited and reported in national newspapers/broadcasters (e.g. Daily Mail, Crowd science).

Teaching summary

• Programme lead for the MSc in Nanotechnology & Regenerative Medicine (~250 graduates). 

• Course founder and Director for the BSc/MSci in Medical Innovation & Enterprise

• Course Director for the iBSc in Surgical Science

• Education Lead (Division of Surgery)

• Module Lead 1) Applied Tissue engineering (PG), 2) Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine, 3) MSc Research Projects, 4) Medical Innovation & enterprise.

• Lecture topics include; Nanotechnology, nanotoxicity, stem cells, bioceramics, bone tissue engineering, tissue scaffold design, tissue engineering, biomaterial failure, cell culture, cell-material interactions, angiogenesis, hypoxia, medical innovations, critical analysis of research and growing whole organs.

• Module Development: Created modules in Applied Biomaterials, Transplantation Science, Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Medical Innovation and Enterprise (level I,II & II), Materials in Science

• Course Development: As Divisional Graduate tutor I oversaw the creation and development of 8 new courses (4 MSc’s, 3 BSc’s, 1 intercalated BSc) and relaunched the iBSc in Surgical Science.  I helped create an innovate cross Medical Faculty MSc/MRes programme (Human Tissue Repair) and enabled the integration of Division of Surgery teaching with Faculty UG courses.

• Divisional Post Graduate Teaching Assistant (PGTA) Coordinator. 

Education

Queen Mary College, University of London

Doctorate, Doctor of Philosophy | 2004

University of Wales, Bangor

Other higher degree, Master of Science | 1998

Publications

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