Bodies, Biomaterials & Biology’s Underdogs

Can newly developed drugs can defy therapy resistance in breast cancer? My 3D models will better represent tumor surroundings and therapy resistance to test new drugs.

The Human Engine: how much (or little?) mechanical power we, as humans, can generate, how much energy we require, and how we keep cool - and how this helps us to understand large-scale energy usage.

The classic story tells us it’s a race to the finish, with one sperm winning and fertilising the egg, leading to an embryo. But what about the millions that don’t “win”? Our group at the University of Limerick has found evidence that these millions of ‘leftover’ sperm play a role in helping prepare the female reproductive tract to become a more welcoming environment for the embryo. So maybe fertility isn’t just about “one in a million”, maybe teamwork makes the dreamwork. Can we change how we understand reproduction by rethinking the sperm’s role?

From seaweed to medicine: how soft, jelly-like materials made from algae are engineered for medical devices.