NOMAD

The control of infection and rising prevalence of non-communicable disease are major global healthcare challenges for the 21st Century. Within this global healthcare context a consortium of material, biomedical and environmental scientists at the University of Brighton (UK), Drexel University (USA) and Northwestern Polytechnical University (China), have launched a knowledge transfer scheme to develop a range of nanostructured smart materials. Graphene nanoparticles, aerogels, carbide derived carbons, soft polymer and carbon composites will be developed with the potential to control biological toxins, microbial contaminants and persistent organic pollutants.

NOMAD - Nanostructured materials for the control of contaminants detrimental to Health - has successfully gained funding through the Global Innovation Initiative fund. NOMAD will manage a series of knowledge transfer visits between partners in the USA, UK and China to push forward technology around nanostructured materials for biomedical and environmental applications. The funding is for two years and includes three symposium events in each of the different partner countries to disseminate the findings of the project.

Project aims

The goal of the project is to utilise the combined expertise of the partners to progress technology around newly emerging nanostructured materials, establishing a global centre of excellence and a training environment for researchers developing further applications related to healthcare.

The first symposium was held in June 2014 in Brighton, UK to establish state of the art and innovative ways forward in the development of nanostructured biomaterials using the expertise of the group and other clinical, academic and industrial partners. The project will particularly target nanomaterial solutions to infection, chronic inflammation and environmental pollution. There will be two more events in China and the USA over the two years of the project and many more research exchange visits ahead.

Project findings and impact

To be available at the end of the project.

Research team

University of Brighton

  • Dr Susan Sandeman, Lead
  • Professor Sergey Mikhalovsky (Professor of Materials Chemistry)
  • Dr Irina Savina (cryogelation, water remediation)
  • Dr Carol Howell (antimicrobial and biological properties of activated carbons)
  • Dr Yishan Zheng (biological properties of carbon composites
  • Dr Ganesh Ingalve (polymer chemistry)
  • Dr Iain Allan (quorum sensing, antimicrobial loading strategies)
  • Dr Matt Illsley (sorbent dressings and tissue constructs)
  • Dr Cressida Bowyer (cellular and microbial models)
  • Dr Peter Fearon (polymer chemistry, international business innovation)
  • Professor Andy Cundy (nanomaterials in soil and water remediation)

The Drexel Nanomaterials research group (USA)

  • Professor Yury Gogotsi (Distinguished University Professor and Trustee Chair of Materials Science and Engineering; Director of the A.J. Drexel Nanotechnology Institute – expertise in carbon materials)
  • Dr Vadym Mochalin (surface chemistry and modelling of carbon nanostructures, adsorption and drug delivery)
  • Amanda Pentecost (sorption of biomolecules on carbon)

The NWPU team (China)

  • Professor Li Hejun, Lead
  • Zhang Lei Lei (carbon foams, carbon nanotubes, cell interactions with coated C/C composites)
  • Zheng Shougyang (carbon/carbon composite fabrication by chemical vapour infiltration)
  • Xiao Hui Guo (graphene based materials, novel nanostructured catalysts for environmental treatment)
  • Qian-GangFu (coating technology for C/C composites)

Outputs

To follow on completion of the project.

Partners

University of Brighton Biomaterials and Medical Devices (BioMed) Research project team led by Dr Susan Sandeman

The Drexel Nanomaterials research group (USA) led by Professor Yury Gogotsi

The NWPU team (China) led by Prof Li Hejun