
Overview
Background
Professor Justin Cooper-White is a global leader in using engineering to solve problems in biology. In addition to holding the position of Head of School and Professor of Bioengineering in the School of Chemical Engineering, he is Affiliate Professor in the AIBN, Director of the Australian National Fabrication Facility-Queensland Node, Research Director of the Herston Biofabrication Institute (a partnership between UQ and MNHHS) and co-Director of the Australian Organoid Facility at UQ. Professor Cooper-White is a past President of both the Australasian Society for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering and the Australian Society of Rheology and held the position of CSIRO Office of the Chief Executive (OCE) Science Leader. He has previously held a Visiting Professor Fellowships at ETH Zurich (2007) and Politecnico di Milano (2012-2013). Professor Cooper-White is the Australian representative and Past President of the Asian Biomaterials Federation; an elected Fellow of and Australian representative on the International Union of Societies for Biomaterials Science and Engineering (IUSBE), and an elected Fellow and past vice President of the Queensland Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Professor Cooper-White has many past and currently active international collaborations with world leading research groups at MIT (US); Stanford (USA); ETH (Switzerland); EPFL (Switzerland); SNU (Korea); University Of Grenoble (France); Politecnico di Milano (Italy); UCL (UK); and the Max Planck Institute (Germany). He has performed contract research and consultancy work for many multinational companies, including Unilever in the UK; Nestle International, Switzerland; Rhodia, US; Inion, Finland, Syngenta, UK; and NuFarm, AU since 2001.
He is the Editor-in-Chief of APL Bioengineering (American Institute of Physics Publishing); serves or has served on the editorial boards of Rheological Acta, Soft Materials, Biomicrofluidics and the Open Biomedical Engineering Journal; and is a reviewer of major international journals, including Nature Materials, Nature Methods, Advanced Materials, Lab on a Chip, Stem Cells, Stem Cells and Development, Biomacromolecules, Tissue Engineering, Langmuir, Biomaterials and Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics.
Availability
- Professor Justin Cooper-White is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Research impacts
Research
Areas of focus: Smart surfaces, hydrogels, scaffolds and diagnostic microdevices for gene therapy, tissue engineering, stem cell therapy, and early disease detection. Materials and systems for understanding/probing mechanotransduction signalling and impacts on stem cell fate choices.
Recognition of Professor Cooper-White’s standing in the research field is reflected in the more than 20 plenary and 50 keynote presentations he has been invited to give at national and international conferences since 2001. He has served on the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) review panels for Centres of Research Excellence (2011) and Project Grants (2012-2014), the Health Research Council of New Zealand Assessment Committee (Biomedical) (2015-2016), and most recently the Singapore Ministry of Education Expert Panel for Life Sciences and Biomedical Engineering (2022, 2023). He has produced 6 Worldwide patents that have reached National Phase Entry in USA, Europe and Australia in the areas of formulation design for agriproducts, microbioreactor arrays (MBAs) and tissue engineering scaffolds. Technologies developed in his laboratory has been commercialised by an Australian SME and a USA-based start-up company. Professor Cooper-White has received more than $57 million in competitive grant funding.
His research focuses on understanding the role of microenvironmental cues on stem cell commitment and tissue genesis, and the critical roles that stem cells and their niches play in systemic losses of tissue and organ function as we age. His team applies this understanding to develop biomicrodevices, engineered surfaces and advanced scaffolds for cell therapy manufacturing and engineering tissue replacement or repair, and more recently, nanoparticles for targeted rejuvenation of our aged tissues.
One of the research group's projects involves developing bioengineered systems and device platforms that allow them to dissect the microenvironment in which stem cells ‘live’ during early tissue development. Variations in the microenvironment lead to the generation of different tissues.Using Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Project funding, Professor Justin Cooper-White’s research group has determined the importance of spacing of adhesion peptides presented to mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in influencing morphology, migration and differentiation. MSCs presented with closely-spaced peptides are predisposed to form bone, while those on widely-spaced peptides are more likely to differentiate into fat cells. The research is showing, for the first time, that nanoscale spacing of adhesion peptides influences stem cell differentiation and adds to the understanding of how MSCs interact with their surroundings.
Professor Cooper-White’s research group has developed a microbioreactor array technology platform that permits cells to be cultured under hundreds to thousands of different conditions, to work out the best conditions for growing them or differentiating them into target cell lineages - all in a device the size of a credit card. The technology has been patented and the Cooper-White research group is seeking to develop it in new applications with collaborators, with the aim of proving the value of data the technology can provide with industrial partners. Ultimately, the technology will accelerate research in stem cell development and regenerative medicine, drug screening, and bioprocess engineering, so the researchers want to take it to the world.
Works
Search Professor Justin Cooper-White’s works on UQ eSpace
2012
Journal Article
The impact of saliva collection and processing methods on CRP, IgE, and Myoglobin immunoassays
Mohamed, Roslinda, Campbell, Jennifer-Leigh, Cooper-White, Justin, Dimeski, Goce and Punyadeera, Chamindie (2012). The impact of saliva collection and processing methods on CRP, IgE, and Myoglobin immunoassays. Clinical and Translational Medicine, 1 (1), 19.1-19.7. doi: 10.1186/2001-1326-1-19
2012
Journal Article
Microbioreactor arrays for full factorial screening of exogenous and paracrine factors in human embryonic stem cell differentiation
Titmarsh, Drew M., Hudson, James E., Hidalgo, Alejandro, Elefanty, Andrew G., Stanley, Edouard G., Wolvetang, Ernst J. and Cooper-White, Justin J. (2012). Microbioreactor arrays for full factorial screening of exogenous and paracrine factors in human embryonic stem cell differentiation. PLoS One, 7 (12) e52405, e52405.1-e52405.12. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0052405
2012
Journal Article
Analysis of the extreme diversity of salivary alpha-amylase isoforms generated by physiological proteolysis using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry
Bailey, Ulla-Maja, Punyadeera, Chamindie, Cooper-White, Justin J. and Schulz, Benjamin L. (2012). Analysis of the extreme diversity of salivary alpha-amylase isoforms generated by physiological proteolysis using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Journal of Chromatography B-Analytical Technologies in the Biomedical and Life Sciences, 911, 21-26. doi: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2012.10.023
2012
Journal Article
NT-ProBNP Levels in Saliva and Its Clinical Relevance to Heart Failure
Foo, Jared Yong Yang, Wan, Yunxia, Kostner, Karam, Arivalagan, Alicia, Atherton, John, Cooper-White, Justin, Dimeski, Goce and Punyadeera, Chamindie (2012). NT-ProBNP Levels in Saliva and Its Clinical Relevance to Heart Failure. PLoS One, 7 (10) e48452, e48452-1-e48452-6. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0048452
2012
Journal Article
Tumor-suppressor gene promoter hypermethylation in saliva of head and neck cancer patients
Ovchinnikov, Dmitry A., Cooper, Matthew A., Pandit, Pratibala, Coman, William B., Cooper-White, Justin J., Keith, Patricia, Wolvetang, Ernst J., Slowey, Paul D. and Punyadeera, Chamindie (2012). Tumor-suppressor gene promoter hypermethylation in saliva of head and neck cancer patients. Translational Oncology, 5 (5), 321-326. doi: 10.1593/tlo.12232
2012
Journal Article
Differential mesengenic potential and expression of stem cell-fate modulators in mesenchymal stromal cells from human-term placenta and bone marrow
Jaramillo-Ferrada, Pamela A., Wolvetang, Ernst J. and Cooper-White, Justin J. (2012). Differential mesengenic potential and expression of stem cell-fate modulators in mesenchymal stromal cells from human-term placenta and bone marrow. Journal of Cellular Physiology, 227 (9), 3234-3242. doi: 10.1002/jcp.24014
2012
Journal Article
Tailored integrin-extracellular matrix interactions to direct human mesenchymal stem cell differentiation
Frith, Jessica E., Mills, Richard J., Hudson, James E. and Cooper-White, Justin J. (2012). Tailored integrin-extracellular matrix interactions to direct human mesenchymal stem cell differentiation. Stem Cells and Development, 21 (13), 2442-2456. doi: 10.1089/scd.2011.0615
2012
Journal Article
Evaluation of saliva collection devices for the analysis of proteins
Topkas, Eleni, Keith, Patricia, Dimeski, Goce, Cooper-White, Justin and Punyadeera, Chamindie (2012). Evaluation of saliva collection devices for the analysis of proteins. Clinica Chimica Acta, 413 (13-14), 1066-1070. doi: 10.1016/j.cca.2012.02.020
2012
Journal Article
Generation of a human embryonic stem cell line stably expressing high levels of the fluorescent protein mCherry
Ovchinnikov, Dmitry A., Turner, Jennifer P., Titmarsh, Drew M., Thakar, Nilay Y., Sin, Dong Choon, Cooper-White, Justin J. and Wolvetang, Ernst J. (2012). Generation of a human embryonic stem cell line stably expressing high levels of the fluorescent protein mCherry. World Journal of Stem Cells, 4 (7), 71-9. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.v4.i7.71
2012
Journal Article
Diagnostic potential of saliva: State of the art and future applications Potenziale diagnostico della saliva: Stato dell'arte e applicazioni future
Pfaffe, Tina, Cooper-White, Justin, Beyerlein, Peter, Kostner, Karam and Punyadeera, Chamindie (2012). Diagnostic potential of saliva: State of the art and future applications Potenziale diagnostico della saliva: Stato dell'arte e applicazioni future. Biochimica Clinica, 36 (2), 126-138.
2012
Journal Article
Formation of multilayered biopolymer microcapsules and microparticles in a multiphase microfluidic flow
Rondeau, Elisabeth and Cooper-White, Justin J. (2012). Formation of multilayered biopolymer microcapsules and microparticles in a multiphase microfluidic flow. Biomicrofluidics, 6 (2) 024125, 024125.1-024125.16. doi: 10.1063/1.4722296
2012
Journal Article
Primitive cardiac cells from human embryonic stem cells
Hudson, James, Titmarsh, Drew, Hidalgo, Alejandro, Wolvetang, Ernst and Cooper-White, Justin (2012). Primitive cardiac cells from human embryonic stem cells. Stem Cells and Development, 21 (9), 1513-1523. doi: 10.1089/scd.2011.0254
2012
Journal Article
Geometrical effects in microfluidic-based microarrays for rapid, efficient single-cell capture of mammalian stem cells and plant cells
Lawrenz, Anthony, Nason, Francesca and Cooper-White, Justin J. (2012). Geometrical effects in microfluidic-based microarrays for rapid, efficient single-cell capture of mammalian stem cells and plant cells. Biomicrofluidics, 6 (2) 024112, 024112.1-024112.17. doi: 10.1063/1.4704521
2012
Journal Article
The use of an electrostatic lens to enhance the efficiency of the electrospinning process
Vaquette, Cédryck and Cooper-White, Justin (2012). The use of an electrostatic lens to enhance the efficiency of the electrospinning process. Cell and Tissue Research, 347 (3), 815-826. doi: 10.1007/s00441-011-1318-z
2012
Journal Article
Microfluidic elucidation of the effects of interfacial rheology on droplet deformation
Zhao, Chun-Xia, Rondeau, Elisabeth, Cooper-White, Justin J. and Middelberg, Anton P. J. (2012). Microfluidic elucidation of the effects of interfacial rheology on droplet deformation. Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, 51 (4), 2021-2029. doi: 10.1021/ie200631m
2012
Journal Article
Lateral spacing of adhesion peptides influences human mesenchymal stem cell behaviour
Frith, Jessica E., Mills, Richard J. and Cooper-White, Justin J. (2012). Lateral spacing of adhesion peptides influences human mesenchymal stem cell behaviour. Journal of Cell Science, 125 (2), 317-327. doi: 10.1242/jcs.087916
2012
Conference Publication
Micropillar-integrated device for monitoring dynamic regulation of traction forces during cell migration
Maeda, Eijiro, Sugawara, Akito, Cooper-White, Justin J. and Ohashi, Toshiro (2012). Micropillar-integrated device for monitoring dynamic regulation of traction forces during cell migration. 2011 International Symposium on Micro-NanoMechatronics and Human Science (MHS), Nagoya Japan, 6-9 November 2011. Piscataway, NJ, United States: IEEE. doi: 10.1109/MHS.2011.6102149
2012
Conference Publication
Enzyme mediated, oxidative crosslinking of multifunctional, branched PEG: Characterization, particle formation and stem cell encapsulation
Menzies, D. J., Cameron, A., Maisonneuve, B. G. C., Grondahl, L., Wolvetang, E. and Cooper-White, J. (2012). Enzyme mediated, oxidative crosslinking of multifunctional, branched PEG: Characterization, particle formation and stem cell encapsulation. 3rd TERMIS World Congress 2012, Vienna, Austria, 5-8 September 2012. Hoboken, NJ, United States: John Wiley & Sons. doi: 10.1002/term.1586
2012
Book Chapter
Development of defined culture conditions for expansion of human mesenchymal stromal cells for clinical applications
Frith, Jessica E., Jaramillo-Ferrada, Pamela, Mills, Richard J., Cameron, Andrew R., Titmarsh, Drew M., Wolvetang, Ernst J. and Cooper-White, Justin J. (2012). Development of defined culture conditions for expansion of human mesenchymal stromal cells for clinical applications. Stem cells and cancer stem cells: therapeutic applications in disease and injury. (pp. 13-26) edited by M. A. Hayat. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer Netherlands. doi: 10.1007/978-94-007-4798-2_2
2012
Journal Article
Palladium nanoparticles decorated carbon nanotubes: facile synthesis and their applications as highly efficient catalysts for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol
Li, Haiqing, Han, Lina, Cooper-White, Justin and Kim, Il (2012). Palladium nanoparticles decorated carbon nanotubes: facile synthesis and their applications as highly efficient catalysts for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol. Green Chemistry, 14 (3), 586-591. doi: 10.1039/c2gc16359d
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Justin Cooper-White is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
An In Vitro Human iPSC-Based Model for Understanding the Roles of Ageing & Mechanotransduction in Rotator Cuff Tendon Healing
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Lisbeth Grondahl
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Doctor Philosophy
Droplet Impaction Dynamics on Superhydrophobic Leaves and Their Mimics
Principal Advisor
-
Doctor Philosophy
Regenerative engineering solutions for rotator cuff repair using stem cells and bioactives
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Simon Cool, Professor Lisbeth Grondahl
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Doctor Philosophy
Understanding the role of electrical fields on cell fates
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Simon Cool
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Doctor Philosophy
Enhancing recovery post traumatic brain injury with reparative hydrogels
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Ernst Wolvetang
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Doctor Philosophy
Droplet Impaction Dynamics on Superhydrophobic Leaves and Their Mimics
Principal Advisor
-
Doctor Philosophy
Design, optimisation, and fabrication of patient-specific multi-phasic total disc replacements to address accelerated degenerative disc disease
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Ali Shokoohmand
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Doctor Philosophy
Intervertebral disc regeneration using human nucleus pulposus cells encapsulated in HA/PEG hydrogel in a rat model
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Joan Li
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Master Philosophy
Synthesis and characterisation of hyaluronic acid mimetic polymers
Principal Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
Dynamics of drop impact on leaves and microfabricated mimics thereof.
Principal Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
Overcoming roadblocks in mammalian cell biomanufacturing
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Christopher Leonardi
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Doctor Philosophy
An In Vitro Human iPSC-Based Model for Understanding the Roles of Ageing & Mechanotransduction in Rotator Cuff Tendon Healing
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Lisbeth Grondahl
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Doctor Philosophy
Intervertebral disc-on-a-chip
Principal Advisor
-
Doctor Philosophy
Engineering tissue organisation using intelligent additive biomanufacturing
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Mark Allenby
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Doctor Philosophy
Development of 3D printed Metal Scaffold to enhance bone in-growth
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Mingxing Zhang
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Doctor Philosophy
A multi-scale simulation approach for high-throughput screening of polymer blend nanocomposite formulations
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Suresh Bhatia
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Doctor Philosophy
Optimization of engineered scaffolds for improved scaffold integration, tissue growth, repair and functional regeneration
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Lisbeth Grondahl, Dr Ali Shokoohmand
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Doctor Philosophy
A multi-scale simulation approach for high-throughput screening of polymer blend nanocomposite formulations
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Suresh Bhatia
Completed supervision
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
Intervertebral disc regeneration using human nucleus pulposus cells encapsulated in HA/PEG hydrogel in a rat model
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Joan Li
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2024
Master Philosophy
Synthesis and characterisation of hyaluronic acid mimetic polymers
Principal Advisor
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
An in vitro human iPSC-based model to decipher cellular contributions to age-related heart failure
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Joan Li, Professor Ernst Wolvetang
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
Addressing delivery limitations for cardiac cell reprogramming
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Joan Li
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
A versatile microfluidic platform for vector free intracellular delivery
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Ernst Wolvetang
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Biomimetic Multilayered Nano-Fibrous Scaffolds for Guided Bone Regeneration
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Allison Pettit
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
In vitro optimization of osteogenic differentiation outcomes from human mesenchymal stem cells
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Ernst Wolvetang
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2017
Doctor Philosophy
In-vitro Studies of the Effects of Applied Electrical Fields on Various Mammalian Cell Types
Principal Advisor
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2017
Doctor Philosophy
Selective Capture of Native Extracellular Matrix by Protein Binding Peptides for Directed Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Principal Advisor
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2017
Doctor Philosophy
A microfluidic device for co-culture: investigating the role of cell-cell interactions in Mesenchymal Stem Cell behaviour
Principal Advisor
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
Effect of spray liquid physical properties and dynamics of fluids on atomization and spray drift
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Andrew Hewitt
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
A Self-Assembling, Targeted Biomaterial Delivery System for Cardiac Regeneration
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Ernst Wolvetang
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2015
Master Philosophy
Effects of hyaluronan-pentosan polysulfate and bone morphogenetic protein-6 on human mesenchymal stem cells
Principal Advisor
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2015
Doctor Philosophy
In Vitro Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury Model for Pharmacological Post Conditioning of Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Ernst Wolvetang
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2015
Doctor Philosophy
Development of self-assembled hydrogels for stem cell based tissue engineering applications
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Lisbeth Grondahl
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2014
Doctor Philosophy
Engineering cell/matrix and cell/cell interactions to control the flow behaviour of high volume fraction cell suspensions
Principal Advisor
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2013
Doctor Philosophy
Development of novel materials and scaffold fabrication methodologies for soft tissue engineering applications
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Idriss Blakey
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2013
Doctor Philosophy
Development of Methods for Plasma Polymerization of Surfaces in Two and Three Dimensions for Tissue Engineered Interfaces
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Lisbeth Grondahl
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2013
Doctor Philosophy
Cartilage tissue engineering using mesenchymal stromal cells
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Ernst Wolvetang
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2012
Doctor Philosophy
The influence of substrate creep on mesenchymal stem cell behaviour and phenotype
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Barbara Rolfe, Professor Darren Martin
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2011
Doctor Philosophy
Microbioreactor Arrays for Screening and Controlling Pluripotent Stem Cell Expansion, Maintenance and Differentiation
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Ernst Wolvetang
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2011
Doctor Philosophy
Development of Functional Myocardium for Regenerative Treatment of Heart Disease
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Ernst Wolvetang
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2011
Doctor Philosophy
Modulation of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Behaviour via Integrin- Extracellular Matrix Interactions
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Ernst Wolvetang
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2011
Doctor Philosophy
Development of a biomimetic scaffold for meniscal tissue engineering
Principal Advisor
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2010
Doctor Philosophy
Ex vivo tissue vascularisation
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Barbara Rolfe
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2010
Doctor Philosophy
Development of functionalized polymeric scaffolds for the long term propagation of human embryonic stem cells
Principal Advisor
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2010
Doctor Philosophy
A microfluidic platform for screening immobilised biomolecule mixtures
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Lars Nielsen
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2009
Doctor Philosophy
Modulation of Cell Behaviour Using Tailored Polymeric Substrates
Principal Advisor
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2009
Doctor Philosophy
The development of a continuous encapsulation method in a microfluidic device
Principal Advisor
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2008
Doctor Philosophy
Manufacture and Characterization of Alginate-PEG Hydrogel for Tissue Engineering Applications
Principal Advisor
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2008
Doctor Philosophy
Dynamics of Drop Formation in Microfluidic Devices
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Tony Howes
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2007
Master Philosophy
SURFACE MODIFICATION USING AMPHIPLILIC DIBLOCK COPOLYMERS FOR TISSUE ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Michael Monteiro
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2007
Doctor Philosophy
THERMODYNAMICS OF POLYMER SOLUTION AND ITS APPLICATION IN 3D SCAFFOLD MANUFACTURING FOR USE IN TISSUE ENGINEERING
Principal Advisor
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Design of microscale devices for the detection of melanocytic growths in the skin
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Alan Rowan
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2015
Doctor Philosophy
Degradable polyester carbonate biomaterials for application in vascular regeneration
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Andrew Whittaker, Professor Lisbeth Grondahl
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2014
Doctor Philosophy
An investigation into the surface modification of nanohydroxyapatite for the development of composite scaffolds
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Lisbeth Grondahl
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2013
Doctor Philosophy
Optimizing the surface properties of biodegradable scaffolds for bone tissue engineering
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Lisbeth Grondahl
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2013
Doctor Philosophy
Modulation of gap junction expression in injured equine superficial digital flexor tendon
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Paul Mills
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2009
Doctor Philosophy
Synthesis and characterisation of poly (glycerol-sebacate) bioelastomers for tissue engineering applications
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Peter Halley
Media
Enquiries
Contact Professor Justin Cooper-White directly for media enquiries about:
- Biomaterials
- Microdevices
- Regenerative medicine
- Stem cells
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