John George Hardy

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Verified

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• MSc, PGCert, PhD, FIMMM, FNAI, SFHEA
• Senior Lecturer at Lancaster University

Electrically conductive polypyrrole (PPy) is an intriguing biomaterial capable of efficient electrical interactions with biological systems. Especially, biomimetic PPy-based biomaterials incorporating biomolecules, such as hyaluronic acid (HA), can impart the characteristic biological interactions with living cells/tissues to the conductive biomate...

Electroactive hydrogels can be used to influence cell response and maturation by electrical stimulation. However, hydrogel formulations which are 3D printable, electroactive, cytocompatible, and allow cell adhesion, remain a challenge in the design of such stimuli‐responsive biomaterials for tissue engineering. Here, a combination of pyrrole with a...

Biomaterials capable of precisely controlling the delivery of agrochemicals/biologics/drugs/fragrances have significant markets in the agriscience/healthcare industries. Here, we report the development of degradable electroactive polymers and their application for the controlled delivery of a clinically relevant drug (the anti-inflammatory dexameth...

Aligned sub-micron fibres are an outstanding surface for orienting and promoting neurite outgrowth; therefore, attractive features to include in peripheral nerve tissue scaffolds. A new generation of peripheral nerve tissue scaffolds is under development incorporating electroactive materials and electrical regimes as instructive cues in order to fa...

3D objects with integrated electronics are produced using an additive manufacturing approach relying on multiphoton fabrication (direct laser writing, (DLW)). Conducting polymer‐based structures (with micrometer‐millimeter scale features) are printed within exemplar matrices, including an elastomer (polydimethylsiloxane, (PDMS)) have been widely in...

Melanins are conjugated biopolymers with varying compositions and functions, found in various tissues throughout the body. Here, the conjugated polymers derived from homogentisic acid (HGA), polyHGA (a simplified model of pyomelanin), formed in an ex vivo tendon model are examined with a view to understanding interactions between melanins and the e...

In-situ microscopic methods can help researchers to analyse microstructural changes of materials structures under different conditions (e.g., temperature and pressure) at various length scales. Digital Image Correlation (DIC) combines image registration and tracking to enable accurate measurements of changes in materials in 2D and 3D. This review f...

As a result of their hierarchical structure and biological processing, silk fibers rank among nature’s most remarkable materials. The biocompatibility of silk-based materials and the exceptional mechanical properties of certain fibers has inspired the use of silk in numerous technical and medical applications. In recent years, computational modelin...

Electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) have revolutionized our lives, however, their associated waste (WEEE) presents a global challenge because at this time EEE relies heavily on metals that are not commonly found in the living environment (Biosphere), which find their way into the environment during both production/disposal of EEE/WEEE. The us...

Injectable in situ-forming scaffolds that induce both angiogenesis and osteogenesis have been proven to be promising for bone healing applications. Here, we report the synthesis of an injectable hydrogel containing cobalt-doped bioactive glass (BG)-loaded microspheres. Silk fibroin (SF)/gelatin microspheres containing BG particles were fabricated t...

Microneedle arrays are minimally invasive devices that have been extensively investigated for the transdermal/intradermal delivery of drugs/bioactives. Here, we demonstrate the release of bioactive molecules (estradiol, melatonin and meropenem) from poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate), pHEMA, hydrogel-based microneedle patches in vitro. The pHEMA hyd...

A gel can be defined as a semi-solid structure that has mechanical properties ranging from tough to soft, depending on their constituents [...]

The development of electrochemical stimuli-responsive drug delivery systems is of both academic and industrial interest due to the ease with which it is possible to trigger payload release, providing drug delivery in a controllable manner. Herein, the preparation of in situ forming hydrogels including electroactive polypyrrole nanoparticles (PPy-NP...

Additive manufacturing, widely known as 3D printing, has revolutionized the production of biomaterials. While conventional 3D-printed structures are perceived as static, 4D printing introduces the ability to fabricate materials capable of self-transforming their configuration or function over time in response to external stimuli such as temperature...

“In Silico Dreams: How Artificial Intelligence and Biotechnology will Create the Medicines of the Future” is authored by Brian Hilbush whose education in biosciences and career in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors (developing and commercialising emerging and next-generation biotechnologies) offers significant insight into the application...

Biotechnology employs engineering approaches to the life sciences with global economic, environmental, health and societal impacts. Biotechnologies are classified in a colour coded fashion that encompasses their broad areas of use:

The release of metformin, a drug used in the treatment of cancer and diabetes, from poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate), pHEMA, hydrogel‐based microneedle patches is demonstrated in vitro. Tuning the composition of the pHEMA hydrogels enables preparation of robust microneedle patches with mechanical properties such that they would penetrate skin (ins...

Fourier domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT) is a well-established imaging technique that provides high-resolution internal structure images of an object at a fast speed. Modern FD-OCT systems typically operate at speeds of 40,000–100,000 A-scans/s, but are priced at least tens of thousands of pounds. In this study, we demonstrate a line-fi...

Melanins are a class of conjugated biopolymers with varying compositions and functions, which have a variety of potential medical and technical applications. Here, this work examines the conjugated polymers derived from a variety of phenolic monomers (catechol (CAT), levodopa (DOPA), and homogentisic acid (HGA)), using a selection of different anal...

Introduction The rapid development of wearable/implantable electronic devices for biomedical applications is exciting. Telemedicine methods of personal identification and/or patient medical information directly embedded within an individual may revolutionise civilian/military healthcare, motivating the development of minimally invasive methods to p...

Joint defects associated with a variety of etiologies often extend deep into the subchondral bone leading to functional impairment and joint immobility, and it is a very challenging task to regenerate the bone-cartilage interface offering significant opportunities for biomaterial-based interventions to improve the quality of life of patients. Herei...

Two dimensional (2D) nanomaterials display properties with significant biological utility (e.g., antimicrobial activity). In this study, MXene-functionalized graphene (FG) nanocomposites with Ti3C2T x in varying ratios (FG : Ti3C2T x , 25 : 75%, 50 : 50%, and 75 : 25%) were prepared and characterized via scanning electron microscopy, scanning elect...

Batteries are utilized in a multitude of devices encountered in our daily lives. Here we describe a comparative study of Magnesium-air and Zinc-air primary batteries using silk fibroin-ionic liquid polymer electrolytes (composed of Bombyx mori silk fibroin and choline nitrate). The ionic conductivity of the films was of the order of mS cm−1 which i...

Electroactive hydrogels based on derivatives of polyethyleneglycol (PEG), chitosan and polypyrrole were prepared via a combination of photopolymerization and oxidative chemical polymerization, and optionally doped with anions (e.g., lignin, drugs, etc.). The products were analyzed with a variety of techniques, including: FT-IR, UV-Vis, 1H NMR (solu...

This paper discusses an ongoing interdisciplinary research project that develops a design and fabrication approach termed; tunable environments. This is an explorative approach, which enables updates from a digital parametric interface to be 'pushed' into a 2D, 18x18 cm material sample, by modulating stimuli, so multi properties can be updated/tune...

Lithium (Li) is a metal with critical therapeutic properties ranging from the treatment of bipolar depression to antibacterial, anticancer, antiviral and pro-regenerative effects. This element can be incorporated into the structure of various biomaterials through the inclusion of Li chloride/carbonate into polymeric matrices or being doped in bioce...

Plants produce a variety of high-value chemicals (e.g., secondary metabolites) which have a plethora of biological activities, which may be utilised in many facets of industry (e.g., agrisciences, cosmetics, drugs, neutraceuticals, household products, etc.). Exposure to various different environments, as well as their treatment (e.g., exposure to c...

Precise regulation of DNA replication complex assembly requires cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) and Dbf4-dependent kinase (DDK) activities to activate the replicative helicase complex and initiate DNA replication. Chemical probes have been essential in the molecular analysis of DDK-mediated regulation of MCM2-7 activation and the initiation phase of...

Implantation of biomaterials capable of the controlled release of antibacterials during articular cartilage repair may prevent post‐operative infections. Herein, we prepared biomaterials with biomimetic architectures (non‐woven mats of fibers) via electrospinning that were composed of poly(ɛ‐caprolactone), poly(lactic acid) and Bombyx mori silk fib...

Light-responsive biomaterials can be used for the delivery of therapeutic drugs and nucleic acids, where the tunable/precise delivery of payload highlights the potential of such biomaterials for treating a variety of conditions. The translucency of eyes and advances of laser technology in ophthalmology make light-responsive delivery of drugs feasib...

Fibers and textiles are ubiquitous in our daily lives, with mechanical properties that match the design specifications for the task for which they are intended; the development of yarns with a negative Poisson’s ratio (NPR) is a hot topic of current research, owing to their potential for use in high-performance textiles (e.g., military, sports, etc...

Nanomaterials are capable of generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) due to defect-induced electronic interactions with oxygen and water stimulated by environmental and structural factors (e.g., photonic energy, band edge energy, and morphology) resulting in excellent pro-oxidant activity of nanomaterials. The pro-oxidant activities are demonstrat...

Plastic presents many problems in the many worlds - from litter on the street to unsustainable packaging. But Dr John Hardy and Dr Matteo Saltalippi explain how there is a big issue when it comes to tackling the environmental consequences - knowing just what a plastic is in the first place. https://doc.your-brochure-online.co.uk/Lancaster-Universit...

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a serious condition caused by damage to the spinal cord through trauma or disease, often with permanent debilitating effects. Globally, the prevalence of SCI is estimated between 40 to 80 cases per million people per year. Patients with SCI can experience devastating health and socioeconomic consequences from paralysis,...

Melanins are a class of biopolymers that are widespread in nature, with diverse origins, compositions and functions, and their chemical and optoelectronic properties renders them potentially useful for application in materials science for various biotechnological applications. For patients with alkaptonuria, the accumulation of homogentisic acid (H...

Bombyx mori silk fibroin (SF) is a biopolymer that can be processed into materials with attractive properties (e.g., biocompatibility and degradability) for use in a multitude of technical and medical applications (including textiles, sutures, drug delivery devices, tissue scaffolds, etc.). Utilizing the information from experimental and computatio...

Carbon-based conductive and electroactive materials (e.g., derivatives of graphene, fullerenes, polypyrrole, polythiophene, polyaniline) have been studied since the 1970s for use in a broad range of applications. These materials have electrical properties comparable to those of commonly used metals, while providing other benefits such as flexibilit...

Electrical stimulation (ES) can serve as a therapeutic modality accelerating the healing of wounds, particularly chronic wounds which have impaired healing due to complications from underlying pathology. This review explores how ES affects the cellular mechanisms of wound healing, and its effectiveness in treating acute and chronic wounds. Literatu...

Diabetes is a group of metabolic conditions resulting in high blood sugar levels over prolonged periods that affects hundreds of millions of patients worldwide. Measuring glucose concentration enables patient-specific insulin therapy, and is essential to reduce the severity of the disease, potential complications, and related mortalities. Recent ad...

Suitable immobilisation of microorganisms and single cells is key for high-resolution topographical imaging and study of mechanical properties with atomic force microscopy (AFM) under physiologically relevant conditions. Sample preparation techniques must be able to withstand the forces exerted by the Z range-limited cantilever tip, and not negativ...

Multielectrode arrays (MEAs) are electrical devices that transduce (record/deliver) cellular voltage signals.

The CRISPR-Cas9 system has facilitated the genetic modification of various model organisms and cell lines. The outcomes of any CRISPR-Cas9 assay should be investigated to ensure/improve the precision of genome engineering. In this study, carbon nanotube-modified disposable pencil graphite electrodes (CNT/PGEs) were used to develop a label-free elec...

A novel SARS-like coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus-2, SARS-CoV-2) outbreak has recently become a worldwide pandemic. Researchers from various disciplinary backgrounds (social to natural science, health and medicine, etc.) have studied different aspects of the pandemic. The current situation has revealed how the ong...

Melanins are a class of biopolymers that are widespread in nature and have diverse origins, chemical compositions, and functions. Their chemical, electrical, optical, and paramagnetic properties offer opportunities for applications in materials science, particularly for medical and technical uses. This review focuses on the application of analytica...

Peripheral nerve injury is a common consequence of trauma with low regenerative potential. Electroconductive scaffolds can provide appropriate cell growth microenvironments and synergistic cell guidance cues for nerve tissue engineering. In the present study, electrically conductive scaffolds were prepared by conjugating poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythio...

Diaphragmatic wall defects caused by congenital disorders or disease remain a major challenge for physicians worldwide. Polymeric patches have been extensively explored within research laboratories and the clinic for soft tissue and diaphragm reconstruction. However, patch usage is usually associated with allergic reaction, infection, granulation,...

Subtitle: A violet biotechnology understanding of organic electronics with a focus on display technology. In light of the continuing momentum behind the Circular Economy and Bio-economy agendas, organic electronics hold much promise in regards to future resource management. The materials used to create organic electronics could/can meet electrical...

The development of stimuli‐responsive drug delivery systems offers significant opportunities for innovations in industry. It is possible to produce polymer‐based drug delivery devices enabling spatiotemporal control of the release of the drug triggered by an electrical stimulus. Here we describe the development of a wireless controller for drug del...

Stimuli-responsive materials are very attractive candidates for on-demand drug delivery applications. Precise control over therapeutic agents in a local area is particularly enticing to regulate the biological repair process and promote tissue regeneration. Macromolecular therapeutics are difficult to embed for delivery, and achieving controlled re...

Objective Epidemiological data illustrates that there is a strong relationship between dietary intake of natural bioactive compounds and their beneficial properties against various diseases, and this stimulates academic and industrial interest in using plant-derived compounds for health and medicine. For this reason, recent health related studies i...

Smart or stimuli-responsive materials are an emerging class of materials used for tissue engineering and drug delivery. A variety of stimuli (including temperature, pH, redox-state, light, and magnet fields) are being investigated for their potential to change a material’s properties, interactions, structure, and/or dimensions. The specificity of s...

There are a variety of applications for electrochemistry (including synthetic, physical and analytical chemistry), and here we present an experimental protocol for the non-enzymatic electrochemical quantitation of glucose in liquids that can be used in teaching laboratories. This offers an interesting experiential learning experience that is contex...

Biomaterials capable of controlling the delivery of drugs have the potential to treat a variety of conditions. Herein, the preparation of electrically conductive silk fibroin film‐based drug delivery devices is described. Casting aqueous solutions of Bombyx mori silk fibroin, followed by drying and annealing to impart β‐sheets to the silk fibroin,...

Uptake and Release of Species from Carbohydrate Containing Organogels and Hydrogels Abhishek Pan , Saswati G. Roy , Ujjal Haldar , Rita D. Mahapatra , Garry R. Harper , Wan Li Low , Priyadarsi De and John G. Hardy. Abstract: Hydrogels are used for a variety of technical and medical applications capitalizing on their three-dimensional (3D) cross-l...

Materials capable of releasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) can display antibacterial and anticancer activity, and may also have antioxidant capacity if they suppress intracellular ROS ( e.g. nitric oxide, NO) resulting in anti-inflammatory activity.

The delivery of drugs is a topic of intense research activity in both academia and industry with potential for positive economic, health, and societal impacts. The selection of the appropriate formulation (carrier and drug) with optimal delivery is a challenge investigated by researchers in academia and industry, in which millions of dollars are in...

Bone tissue engineering involves the combined use of materials with functional properties to regenerate bone. Nanohydroxyapatite (nHA) can influence the behavior of cells. The functional and structural properties of nHA can be controlled during nanoparticle synthesis. This review defines the relationship between the attributes of nHA nanoparticles...

Hybrid organometallic polymers are a class of functional materials which can be used to produce structures with sub-micron features via laser two-photon polymerisation. Previous studies demonstrated the relative biocompatibility of Al and Zr containing hybrid organometallic polymers in vitro. However, a deeper understanding of their effects on intr...

In situ forming hydrogels are a class of biomaterials that can fulfil a variety of important biomedically relevant functions and hold promise for the emerging field of patient-specific treatments (e.g., cell therapy, drug delivery). Here we report the results of our investigations on the generation of in situ forming hydrogels with potential for wo...

Hydrogels are used for a variety of technical and medical applications capitalizing on their three-dimensional (3D) cross-linked polymeric structures and ability to act as a reservoir for encapsulated species (potentially encapsulating or releasing them in response to environmental stimuli). In this study, carbohydrate-based organogels were synthes...

Materials with microscale structures are gaining increasing interest due to their range of technical and medical applications. Additive manufacturing approaches to such objects via laser two‐photon polymerization, also known as multiphoton fabrication, enable the creation of new materials with diverse and tunable properties. Here, we investigate th...

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a complex, potentially life-threatening disease that is most effectively treated through the administration of antibiotics (e.g., colistimethate sodium). Chronic infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most significant events in the pathogenesis of cystic fibrosis, and tobramycin is the treatment of choice for th...

The formulation and delivery of the biologically active ingredients (AIs) (for example, agrochemicals and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs)) is an inherently interdisciplinary area of research and development. In this short review we discuss the evolution of AI and API delivery systems towards smart stimuli-responsive formulations with preci...

Tobramycin is a potent antimicrobial aminoglycoside and its effective delivery by encapsulation within nanoparticle carriers could increase its activity against infections through a combination of sustained release and enhanced uptake. Effective antimicrobial therapy against a clinically relevant model bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) requires suf...

Chartered Chemist Certificate

Shape-memory polymers (SMPs) enable the production of stimuli-responsive polymer-based materials with the ability to undergo a large recoverable deformation upon the application of an external stimulus. Academic and industrial research interest in the shape-memory effects (SMEs) of these SMP-based materials is growing for task-specific applications...

MgO nanoparticles act as the strongest O2•− scavenger at 40 μg/mL and as an •OH-mediated antibacterial material at 1600 μg/mL. MgO nanoplates reduce DPPH to a MgO⁺-DPPH⁻ complex by 100% due to their largest surface area and act as the strongest oxidizer to AA, forming an AA* radical at 700 μg/mL. MgO nanorods act as the highest dose-independent O2•...

Conductive polymers (CPs) such as polypyrrole (PPY) are emerging biomaterials for use as scaffolds and bioelectrodes which interact with biological systems electrically. Still, more electrically conductive and biologically interactive CPs are required to develop high performance biomaterials and medical devices. In this study, in situ electrochemic...

We report the development of dual stimuli-responsive nanoparticles with potential for anticancer therapy. The nanoparticles are composed of a conjugated polymer (polypyrrole, PPY) loaded with an anticancer drug (allicin), and were characterized by a variety of physicochemical techniques. The dual stimuli-responsive nature of the PPY nanoparticles w...

The delivery of drugs in a controllable fashion is a topic of intense research activity in both academia and industry because of its impact in healthcare. Implantable electronic interfaces for the body have great potential for positive economic, health, and societal impacts; however, the implantation of such interfaces results in inflammatory respo...

Burn injury has been reported to be an important cause of morbidity and mortality and it is still considered as unmet clinical need. Although there is a myriad of effective stem cells suggested for skin regeneration, there is no one ideal scaffold. The aim of this study was to develop a 3D bi-layer scaffold made of biological decellularized human a...

Severe burn injuries can lead to delay in healing and devastating scar formation. Attempts are made to develop a suitable skin substitute for scarless healing of such skin wounds. Currently, there is no effective strategy yet for a complete scarless healing after the thermal injuries. In our recent work we fabricate and evaluated a 3D protein-based...

Conductive polymers, including polypyrrole (PPy), have been extensively explored to fabricate electrically conductive biomaterials for bioelectrodes and tissue engineering scaffolds. For their in vivo uses, a sterilization method without severe impairment of original material properties and performance is necessary. Gamma-ray radiation has been com...

Medical device-associated infections present a leading global healthcare challenge, and effective strategies to prevent infections are urgently required. Herein, we present an innovative anti-adherent hydrogel copolymer as a candidate catheter coating with complementary hydrophobic drug-carrying and eluting capacities. The amphiphilic block copolym...

The efficient covalent functionalization of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), which is widely used in medical device manufacture, allows an array of potential property-enhancing surface modifications to be made. To demonstrate a general method of functionalization via substituted (functional) thiols, we describe a systematic approach to the optimization...

Gene therapy may be capable of treating a variety of diseases, a prerequisite of which is the successful delivery of polynucleic acids (e.g., DNA, RNA) to a patient's cells. Delivery can be achieved technologically (e.g., using electroporation), using viruses (natural gene delivery vectors) or non-viral vectors (e.g., lipids, nanoparticles, polymer...