Research

I offer organisations scientific expertise that transforms complex data into meaningful insights, supporting the development of innovative, safe, and effective medical technologies.

Diabetes and Non-Invasive Diagnostics

My research in diabetes focuses on the development of non-invasive screening technologies, with particular expertise in the use of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and chemometrics. At Glyconics Limited, I have designed and validated predictive models for the early identification of diabetes mellitus risk, integrating biostatistics and advanced data analytics to improve accuracy. I have also contributed to the development of device testing protocols, quality control systems, and sample assessment frameworks, ensuring reliable and reproducible results. My work bridges fundamental science with practical applications, supporting the creation of accessible and patient-friendly screening tools that can improve early detection and monitoring of metabolic disorders.

Check out the related publications

Oncology and Spectroscopic Analysis

My PhD research at the University of Sheffield centred on spectroscopic analysis of biochemical changes in triple-negative breast cancer. Using vibrational spectroscopy, I investigated tumour tissue microarrays, identifying spectral biomarkers associated with disease progression. This research provided new insights into the molecular signatures of breast cancer and demonstrated the potential of spectroscopy as a complementary diagnostic tool in oncology. Building on this foundation, I have continued to explore the integration of molecular diagnostics with engineering approaches to improve disease detection, with an emphasis on translational impact. My oncology research reflects a commitment to advancing technologies that allow for earlier, more precise, cancer diagnostics.

Check out the related publications

Spine Biomechanics and In Vitro Modelling

As a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Exeter, along Professor Tim Holsgrove I led the development of a multi-axis bioreactor designed to simulate spinal movement under physiological conditions. This work involved designing a biomechanical spine simulator, control systems, and cell viability protocols, enabling the study of mechanical loading on spinal tissues and devices. The project provided a platform for testing implants, biomaterials, and therapeutic interventions in a controlled in vitro environment, bridging the gap between laboratory research and clinical translation. By integrating engineering design with biological evaluation, I contributed to the development of tools that enhance our understanding of spinal biomechanics and support the safe and effective design of orthopaedic and regenerative technologies.

Back and neck pain are extremely common conditions globally, and the degeneration of the intervertebral disc is commonly associated with this pain, or is a contributor to the degenerative cascade leading to pain in other structures of the spine. The intervertebral disc is a complex structure, and both the mechanical and biological environment play an important role in the health and maintenance of the disc. However, the effect of complex physiological loading on the cellular behaviour in the disc is unknown, and this limits our understanding of disc degeneration, and our ability to adequately develop and evaluate regenerative treatments for disc degeneration. This EPSRC funded project develop and implemented a six-axis bioreactor, capable of applying the complex loads and movements of daily activities to whole intervertebral disc. This offers opportunities to study the interplay between mechanical and biological factors in disc degeneration and to advance regenerative treatments for the intervertebral disc.

This outlines the development and first study of using the Exeter six-axis bioreactor, which we have used for research using whole-organ intervertebral disc cultures. The unique test system allows us to apply activity profiles that replicate the complex and dynamic loads and kinematics of activities of daily living to understand more about intervertebral disc mechanobiology. It has taken quite a few years to design and build the bioreactor, along with the development of the control system and test protocols to allow us to complete the tests using population-based activity profiles

The way we currently create our multi-day activity profiles for testing specimens in the bioreactor uses load data from the Orthoload database (https://orthoload.com/database/), but we have developed an alternative pipeline that will allow us to create activity profiles for a wider range of populations.

A key aspect to the six-axis bioreactor at the University of Exeter is that as well as simple biomechanical tests such as stiffness matrix and pure moment tests, we can also complete more complex tests that more closely replicate activities of daily living. This can be really useful in getting a better idea of how the spine functions, but also in testing devices and therapies under the sorts of movements and loads that they would be subjected to in the body.

The advanced testing capabilities of the six-axis bioreactor means that it allows us to understand more about the biomechanics of the spine, and also how that affects the biology of in the intervertebral disc. This is important in understanding more about how injury and degeneration occur and progress, but also in evaluating treatments such as regenerative therapies.

In order to use realistic activity profiles that represent the sorts of movements and loads that the spine is subjected to in real life, we have developed a method to create multi-day profiles using the Harmonised European Time of Use Survey (https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/tim...) and the Orthoload database (https://orthoload.com/database/).

In order to create a suitable environment for intervertebral disc culture tests, the six-axis bioreactor includes a custom biochamber where we can control temperature, carbon dioxide concentration, and ensure the flow of culture through the chamber.

Check out the related publications

Follow my latest research updates on LinkedIn

〰️

Follow my latest research updates on LinkedIn 〰️