• Question: When did you decide to become an engineer who looks at fixing damaged hearts by making bandages out of plants?

    Asked by bambiecat to Marcus, Alex, Claire on 19 Jun 2014. This question was also asked by yundih.
    • Photo: Marcus Johns

      Marcus Johns answered on 19 Jun 2014:


      About a year ago! Before then I was interested in using plants to make other materials – specifically carbon that could be used in batteries or fuel cells. However, I decided that I wanted to get into tissue engineering as I think that it’ll be a very important area in the future so found a PhD that combined tissue engineering with using cellulose (a material that is obtained from plants).

    • Photo: Alex Lyness

      Alex Lyness answered on 20 Jun 2014:


      Hey bambicat,

      I didn’t decide to be an engineer who looks at that. My area of expertise is designing devices, injectors and inhalers that deliver cells to the parts in the body that need repairing.

      Marcus’ stuff sound pretty cool though. One day we might be able to fix different parts of the body by using bits of seaweed! http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071109191538.htm

    • Photo: Claire Brockett

      Claire Brockett answered on 23 Jun 2014:


      Hi bambiecat,
      Like Alex, my research isn’t in that area, but it looks fascinating!
      I’m looking at repairing or replacing the surfaces of the bones in the ankle joint but I’m always looking at other research areas to see whether we can apply their work to our problems.
      I got interested in that area when I was on placement in industry during my undergraduate de
      gree.

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