The advent of stem cell technology has stimulated an impetus in the development of suitable biomaterials and 'biomimetic' materials. The BRG designs new biomaterials and characterises their potential in supporting various adult stem and macrophage cell lines.

Surgical sutures, or "stitches" as they are commonly known, are still the gold-standard in wound-closure despite having changed little in over 4,000 years. However sutures have a number of problems including scarring, infection and inefficient wound-sealing that can necessitate surgical re-entry.

Neutron scattering is a powerful technique that has been used to elucidate structure and structure-function relationships for a variety of biological macromolecules. In contrast to many other analytical techniques, neutron scattering is non-destructive and can be used to analyse systems in their natural biological state.

Biomedical nanotechnology describes the application of nanotechnology to the design of biomedical systems and devices. It has enormous potential to improve current therapeutic and diagnostic strategies. Nano-scale systems and devices designed at molecular level have been developed for use in drug delivery, diagnostics, biosensors and imaging.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are a diverse family of biopolymers synthesized by a variety of microorganisms under conditions of excess carbon and nutrient or environmental stress. Manipulation of bioprocessing conditions has led to a spectrum of PHAs with over 105 different monomeric components.