In this regard, an important strength of the group is expertise in state-of-the-art surface analysis techniques (XPS, ToF-SIMS, AFM, etc.) as applied to biomaterials research. Direct assessment of the bio-functionality is facilitated via dedicated in-house cell culture facilities. Institutional support for the area has been forthcoming in the period with the appointment of two new blood lecturers (Dixon and Boyd), one as a replacement for Stamboulis. These additional posts have enabled a significant increase in international outreach with active collaborative interactions in Denmark, Italy, India, China, Cuba and the US supported by relevant travel awards (DTI-British-Council-INI-RDT). Significant industrial support for research (grant and/or consultancy) has been obtained from Unilever, Medtronic, Boston Scientific and EnBIO. Core funded projects include: the use of RF sputter-deposited hydroxyapatite bioceramic coatings to provide bioactive cues that promote important cellular responses in vivo (£56K-Meenan-GR/MR51666), thin film processing of advanced ceramics (£40K-Meenan-DEL-CAST), regulation of oral protein interactions on calcium phosphate surfaces for dental applications (£40K-Meenan-DEL-CAST with Unilever Research), surface modification of biopolymers via atmospheric dielectric barrier (DBD) plasma processing (£334-Meenan/N.Brown-COLAPE-CEC-FPV-R and £129K-Meenan-RDA-Proof-of-Concept-INI-POC01) and the real time characterisation of cells in a dynamic cell-culture/bioreactor environment (£325K-Meenan-Boyd-EPSRC-IMRC Grand Challenge REMEDI-Project-EP/C534247/1 in collaboration with the universities of Loughborough, Nottingham, Cambridge, Birmingham and Liverpool).

The group is a core partner (with Brunel, Nottingham and Birmingham universities) in the EPSRC-MATCH Innovative Manufacturing Research Centre (IMRC) for the assessment of healthcare technologies (£1.4M-Meenan-Dixon-GR/S29874/01). The success of the MATCH-IMRC in its first three years has lead to its funding being extended by EPSRC to 2013.