News – UKSB

UKSB2026 Travel Bursaries NOW OPEN

Are you a UKSB student member and current PhD researcher with an accepted abstract for this year’s conference? If so, you’re invited to apply for a UKSB Travel Award. This are a prestigious and competitive awards designed to support your attendance at the Annual Conference in Birmingham on 9–10 July.

These awards not only help with the cost of attending, but also offer fantastic recognition for your CV and professional development. They’re a great opportunity to showcase your research, connect with fellow biomaterials researchers, and be part of a vibrant and supportive community.

To apply, please visit the UKSB Awards page and download the application form under the UKSB Annual Conference Travel Award section. Be sure to check that you meet the eligibility criteria and conditions for the 2026 awards before submitting your application.

We strongly encourage eligible students to apply and make the most of this opportunity. We look forward to meeting you at the conference!

NTPMI Workshop: Emerging Technologies for Technicians in Biomaterials – 14th May

This one-day workshop aims to highlight emerging technologies within biomaterials and how Research Technical Professionals (RTPs) can champion these within their institutions.

RTPs attending the workshop will learn about a wide range of techniques and technologies applicable to biomaterials, as well as having the opportunity to discuss best practice for biomaterials laboratory management, the upkeep of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and how best to share knowledge across the biomaterials RTP community.

This event is open to RTPs and travel can be subsidised for those coming from out of the Greater Manchester area by NTPMI.

Find out more and register here.

Metabiomaterials Symposium at the European Society for Biomaterials

Is your research in the space where metamaterials meet biomaterials? Would you like to visit Antwerp in September? If so, submit a research abstract to the Metabiomaterials symposium at the European Society for Biomaterials Conference!

Abstract submission deadline is 31^st of March 2026, submit your abstract here: https://esb2026.org/abstracts/.

The session will be chaired by Dr Elise Pegg (Newcastle University) and Dr Caroline Taylor (University of Sheffield), with a keynote talk from Dr Sophie Cox (Birmingham University).

Larry Hench Award 2026 nominations open

The UKSB is delighted to invite applications for this year’s Larry Hench Young Investigators Award.

The Larry Hench Young Investigators Prize is a £500 prize to a promising young research scientist in recognition of outstanding and innovative contributions in a selected field of biomaterials research, and in remembrance of such a key figure in this field – Prof Larry Hench (1938-2015).

Application forms and details on the criteria and eligibility are all provided on the UKSB website (www.uksb.org.uk/uksb-prizes/). The closing date for applications is Friday the 27th of February 2026 at midday.

Ulster PDRA and PhD opportunities

Dr Adrian Boyd (Senior Lecturer in Biomaterials, Ulster University) has a range of exciting PDRA and PhD opportunities available based at the Belfast and Derry/Londonderry campuses as part of the North West Centre for Advanced Manufacturing 2 (NWCAM2) project. Click on the links at the end of this post for further details and how to apply.

As key members of the NWCAM2 team, the PhDs and PDRAs will support and deliver research and innovation projects with industrial partners across key themes such as additive manufacturing; digital manufacturing; and future materials. Cross-border collaboration is crucial due to the shared challenges in the region’s Health and Life Sciences sector, particularly around sustainability, technological adoption, productivity, and market competitiveness. These research projects will be conducted across a wide geographical area of Northern Ireland and Ireland where the companies are located and therefore, the postholder would be expected to undertake the necessary travel to fulfill the requirements of the role.

The NWCAM2 project, which is supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), is led by Catalyst, in partnership with Atlantic Technology University (ATU), North West Regional College, Ulster University, Trinity College Dublin and Irish Manufacturing Research Centre. NWCAM2 is a cross border innovation initiative seeking to help 30 small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the health and life sciences sector to embed and accelerate sustainable manufacturing in their businesses.

PhD DLD (x1): Laser Path Strategies in Metal Additive Manufacturing – North West Centre for Advanced Manufacturing 2 (NWCAM2) (Closing date – 27^th February 2026)
PhDs Belfast (x2): PhD Projects (x2) – North West Centre for Advanced Manufacturing 2 (NWCAM2) (Closing date – 27^th February 2026)
PDRA DLD (x1): Research Associate – North West Centre for · Ulster University (closing date 16^th February 2026)
PDRAs (x2) Belfast: Research Associate – North West Centre for · Ulster University (closing date 23rd February 2026)

Save The Date! #UKSB2026

Understanding Replacement of Animal Research

Replacing Animal Research is a UK-based charity dedicated to replacing the use of animals in medical research. Formerly known as the Fund for the Replacement of Animals in Medical Experiments (FRAME), the organisation has been active for over 50 years. It champions the development and use of human-relevant, non-animal research methods to advance scientific knowledge and improve human health.

Support for Researchers

Replacing Animal Research supports the scientific community by:

Funding Innovative Research: They provide grants for projects that develop and validate non-animal methodologies, such as organ-on-chip technologies and human tissue or computer-based models.
Scientific Journal: In partnership with Sage the charity publishes ATLA (Alternatives to Laboratory Animals), a peer-reviewed journal that publishes research on alternative methodologies and 3Rs developments.
Education and Training: They offer training and resources to help researchers and students learn about how to search for and adopt non-animal methods.
Support the implementation of replacement to help meet the requirements of current animal research legislation, such as the Replacement Checklist for researchers and research reviewers.

Are you a Peer reviewer? The charity run free webinars for grant reviewers on using the Replacement Checklist to support the assessment of grant applications where animal use is proposed.

You can also sign up to receive regular updates on their work.

ESB 2025 Travel Awards

This year we funded several travel awards allowing members to travel and present at ESB in Torino, Italy.

It was great to see Zarin Moghaddam (University of Surrey) present her oral presentation during the meeting.

#UKSB2025 Travel Bursary Winner Ellamay McIlhatton

By Ellamay McIlhatton, University of Ulster

Thanks to the generous support of the UKSB Travel Award, I had the opportunity to attend and present at this year’s UK Society for Biomaterials (UKSB) conference. The event brought together a diverse community of researchers and industry professionals, all working at the forefront of biomaterials science.

I was fortunate to both give an oral presentation and present a poster on my PhD research, which focuses on enhancing the corrosion resistance of magnesium alloys through calcium phosphate coatings for orthopaedic applications. It was a rewarding experience to share my work with others in the field and to receive insightful feedback and questions.

The conference also offered a valuable platform to engage with new ideas, covering topics such as regenerative medicine, next-generation implant materials, biofabrication techniques, and translational biomaterials research. These presentations provided valuable perspectives on current challenges and innovations in the field.

I’m sincerely grateful to UKSB for funding my attendance. The experience not only deepened my understanding of current trends in biomaterials research but also helped build connections that will benefit my future work.

UKSB2025 Travel Bursary Winner Frances Hasson

By Frances Hasson, University of Ulster

I had the privilege of attending the UK Society for Biomaterials (UKSB) 2025 Conference hosted by Lancaster University, thanks to the support of a Travel Award from the UKSB. I had the opportunity to present both a flash presentation and a poster on my recent work involving semi-crystalline polymer composites for biomedical applications, which sparked engaging questions and thoughtful feedback. A standout moment was being awarded the ‘Material Horizons’ poster prize by the Royal Society of Chemistry – a huge honour that affirmed the impact and relevance of my project.

Many of the conference sessions were closely aligned with my interests, particularly those focused on calcium phosphates and bioactivity in bone-interfacing materials. I found the talks on in vivo translation and replacing animal research especially insightful. Conversations with industry representatives, early career researchers, and fellow PhD students gave me valuable insights into current challenges in biomaterials development, particularly in the areas of polymer processing, bioactivity enhancement, and translational considerations for clinical use.

I’m incredibly grateful to the UKSB 2025 organising committee for a wonderful conference, and to the UKSB for the opportunity to attend through receipt of the Travel Award. I look forward to building on this experience and continuing to contribute to the biomaterials research.