Abstract:
It is generally believed that all living systems require certain forces for growth and maintenance of their physiological functions, and this is especially true for soft biological tissues. Although people normally tend to consider large forces which may affect their bodies, recently scientist found that very small (nanoscale) force may have profound influences on human tissue regeneration or deterioration and may consequently enhance their healing process. Hence, mechanical stimuli to enhance cell/tissue regeneration have become a new paradigm for the next-generation therapies such as tissue engineering, regenerative medicine and stem cell therapy. In an ageing population, common diseases such as osteodeterioration, cardiovascular and neurological problems often require tissue replacement/regeneration. Such new self-repairing therapies become increasingly demanding. In this talk, we will report state-of-the-art nanomechanical techniques for stimulating tissue growth and the corresponding physiological responses of the tissues. The applications of these new techniques which are essential for the advancement of the engineered-tissue based therapeutic products for the next-generation of healthcare will also be highlighted in the talk.

Brief Biography of the Speaker:
Dr. Isaac Kuo-Kang Liu is a Reader (Associate Professor) in Nanotechnology at School of Engineering, the University of Warwick, UK. Before joining Warwick in 2009, he was a Reader in Biomedical and Cell Engineering at the Institute of Science and Technology in Medicine, School of Medicine, Keele University, UK and an Associate Professor in the Mechanical and Production School of Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. He completed his PhD study at the Chemical Engineering Department of Imperial College London, UK in 1995. His research interests include Cellular Bioengineering, Biomechanics, Nanomedicine, Tissue Engineering, and Biomedical Devices. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine, a fellow of Nanotechnology Institute, and a senior member of American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). He is an editor of several prestigious journals (e.g. the Open J. Nanomedicine). He has published more than 40 high-impact journal papers in Bioengineering and Biophysical areas and 30 other publications, including 2 US patents.