Medical engineering in MRI

The Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC) houses world-class brain imaging facilities including 4 MRI scanners. The main focus of the group's research has been the development of methods for tracking and correcting for motion of the subject being scanned. This is particularly relevant for scans of subjects more likely to have difficulty remaining still during the MR scan, such as children or patients with neurodegenerative disease.

Motion-correction techniques can also be critical for high-resolution research scans where even healthy volunteers are likely to move by a millimetre or two during extended acquisition times - enough to seriously impact image quality when resolutions much less than a millimetre are targeted.

One exciting new approach available for tracking motion is the device from our industrial partners TracInnovations (Denmark) which uses a structured-light camera (similar technology to a Microsoft Kinect but adapted for use in an MRI scanner) to obtain a 3D surface image of part of the subject’s head while they are lying in the scanner. This allows real-time tracking of head-motion without the need to attach any kind of additional marker to the head.

Please contact Dr Daniel Gallichan for more information.

Cancer diagnosis

Another focus for our group is improved cancer diagnosis. Various techniques have been explored to detect and isolate circulating tumour cells (CTCs), in which microfluidic devices provide a unique opportunity for cell sorting and detection. They have been applied for flow cytometry, as well as size- and adhesion-based separation requiring less cumbersome instrumentation.

Prospectively, aptamers integrating with other techniques have been demonstrated as good candidates for the analysis of the single CTC in parallel with capture, ultrasonic and microfluidic technologies in the characterisation and sorting of single CTCs for real-time applications. This project aims to develop a hybrid lab-on-a-chip embracing the three techniques, to characterise single CTCs, with the following objectives:

• Integrating characterisation and isolation in a single lab-on-a-chip, to facilitate real-time and label-free investigation of single CTCs;
• Establishing the initial dielectric signature and model of CTCs, to approach the application of molecular identifications to cancer early detection and personalized cancer therapy;
• Applying the sensor to measure cancer cell samples, to register the dielectric characterisation and understand the cancer biology and metastasis.

Please contact Dr Chris Yang for more information.

Orthopaedic engineering

Current work in this area involves the design development and testing of orthopaedic implants and how they affect the patient. Analysing how the body moves before and after an implant helps us to ensure that the correct implants are used and the correct patient care is given.

One of our main focuses is on exploring the biomechanics of human movement and its biomedical applications to osteoarthritis, joint re-alignment, and joint replacement surgery. We use 3D motion analysis, alongside mathematical models, to quantify the amount of lower limb function restored following total knee replacement surgery

We are part of the multidisciplinary Arthritis Research UK Biomechanics and Bioengineering Centre, which is carrying out research into the causes, effects and treatment of osteoarthritis using the above techniques.

Our fellow researchers are drawn from a wide range of areas, including paediatrics, orthopaedics, pathology, biochemistry and clinical science.

Please contact Professor Cathy Holt or Dr Gemma Whatling for more information.

Forensic engineering

Current research includes the biomechanics of head injuries, shaken baby syndrome, falls and limb fractures, knife wounds, blunt impact trauma and the kinematics of assaults.

Head injuries to children can be caused by falls to playground surfaces, cycling accidents, shaken baby syndrome and other traumas. Through understanding the nature of the injuries and how they occur, it’s possible for us to engineer solutions that can help prevent future injuries.

Research projects include the use of industry leading Solid Body and Finite Element Analysis software to develop a computational model to anatomically and biomechanically represent an infant through key developmental stages, which enables the group to investigate injuries from accidental and non-accidental scenarios.

Other projects involve collaborations with the University Hospital of Wales to investigate the performance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and the efficacy of child safety equipment.

Please contact Dr Mike Jones for more information.

Healthcare technology

We also work closely with Cedar, a healthcare technology research centre which specialises in medical device evaluation and brings together Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and the School of Engineering.

Since 2010, Cedar’s main activity has been evaluating medical devices for the NHS National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE). The staff at Cedar are also involved in facilitating clinical trials, the development of patient reported outcome measures (PROMs), providing evidence reviews for health, government and industry organisations, and research collaborations with academics and clinicians in Cardiff and beyond. The researchers at Cedar come from a variety of scientific and health professional backgrounds, and as a team they have expertise in:

• evidence review (systematic reviewing, rapid reviewing, critical appraisal)
• health economics (modelling for decision-making)
• standards and regulation of medical devices
• qualitative research methods (interviewing, surveys)
• medical statistics
• clinical research (interventional trials, registry and data linkage)
• adoption of medical technologies.