J. G. Hardy Lab Group

07/12/2025

Antimicrobial Biomaterials Based on Composites of Metal Nanoparticles and Plant Extracts.
The global challenge of antimicrobial resistance, as well as the need to develop safe and environmentally sustainable materials, has served to stimulate research interest in antimicrobial technologies. The abundance, degradability and environmental friendliness of biopolymers means that they are widely used in medicine, pharmacy, and cosmetology. The focus of this mini review is the development of biopolymer matrices with antimicrobial properties imparted via the inclusion of metal nanoparticles and plant extracts. The review also examines innovative technologies, including photocatalytic systems and intelligent coatings with mechanisms for the controlled release of active substances that can be used to combat microbial infections. We believe that such materials have significant potential for eventual translation to products in the real world.

The global challenge of antimicrobial resistance, as well as the need to develop safe and environmentally sustainable materials, has served to stimulate research interest in antimicrobial technologies. The abundance, degradability and environmental friendliness of biopolymers means that they are wid...

03/10/2025

We welcome our students to Lancaster (weather = 💩).

30/09/2025

Adaptive Materials and The Role of Design[ers] (Research[ers]) in Shaping Transformative Futures.
Imagine if our structures (buildings, cities) or objects (medical prosthetics, clothes) could be grown, self-healed and have multiple properties (shape, textures, composition etc) tuned or adapted to meet fluctuating demands. This could significantly enhance how designs can be made increasingly bespoke, reduce associated waste (financial, pollution, resources) and could begin to enable materials to be shared or flexibly utilised. The research presented in this paper aims to develop multi-adaptive materials/structures and discusses the considerable role design research can play in this developing area of research. We present our pilot project, which aims to develop adaptive material samples for medical prosthetics applications. The project involved two main research activities, material prototyping and collaborative industry workshops. We focus on the workshop findings and present a framework for determining interrelationships between material properties, responses, user demands and implications as this is key to understanding how to develop transformative material systems and how to determine what constitutes as desirable material responses/associations. From this we then reflect on our research to date to open up key questions on the role design[ers] and design research[ers] play in maximising the potential of adaptive materials and aspirations within this field.

30/09/2025

Review of Injectable Hydrogel Technologies for Bone Disease Treatment in ACS Applied Bio Materials.
Injectable hydrogels represent a highly promising approach for localized drug delivery systems (DDSs) in the management of bone-related conditions such as osteoporosis, osteonecrosis, osteoarthritis, osteomyelitis, and osteosarcoma. Their appeal lies in their biocompatibility, adjustable mechanical properties, and capacity to respond to external stimuli, including pH, temperature, light, redox potential, ionic strength, and enzymatic activity. These features enable enhanced targeted delivery of bioactive agents. This mini-review evaluates the synthesis of injectable hydrogels as well as recent advancements for treating a range of bone disorders, focusing on their mechanisms as localized and sustained DDSs for delivering drugs, nanoparticles, growth factors, and cells (e.g., stem cells). Moreover, it highlights their clinical studies for bone disease treatment. Additionally, it emphasizes the potential synergy between injectable hydrogels and hydrogel-based point-of-care technologies, which are anticipated to play a pivotal role in the future of bone disease therapies. Injectable hydrogels have the potential to transform bone disease treatment by facilitating precise, sustained, and minimally invasive therapeutic delivery. Nevertheless, significant challenges, including long-term biocompatibility, scalability, reproducibility, and precise regulation of drug release kinetics, must be addressed to unlock their clinical potential fully. Addressing these challenges will not only advance bone disease therapy but also open new avenues in regenerative medicine and personalized healthcare.

Injectable hydrogels represent a highly promising approach for localized drug delivery systems (DDSs) in the management of bone-related conditions such as osteoporosis, osteonecrosis, osteoarthritis, osteomyelitis, and osteosarcoma. Their appeal lies in their biocompatibility, adjustable mechanical....

30/09/2025

Light-responsive coumarin-functionalised nanogels for metformin delivery in the International Journal of Pharmaceutics.
Corneal neovascularization is one of the most severe ocular diseases. Current therapy is limited to repeated subconjunctival injections of antiangiogenic drugs, associated with significant side effects including infection, bleeding and erosive changes in the conjunctiva and sclera. Here, we describe the design of light-responsive nanogel-based drug delivery system using photocleavable coumarin-metformin conjugates. 18 different nanogel formulations were produced and triaged to 2 “optimal” formulations (CM9 and CM15) with sizes of ≈ 197–226 nm; the zeta potentials of CM9 and CM15 were –33.9 or −25.4 mV, respectively (i.e., electrically stabilized), and they were isolated in yields of 81 or 69 %, respectively. The drug loading in CM9 and CM15 nanogels was ≈ 71 or 78 µg/mg, respectively; and it was possible to deliver up to ≈ 92 % of the loaded metformin on demand with 6 rounds of light stimulation over 24 h. The metformin released in response to light exposure can suppress new blood vessel growth in vitro (using a HUVEC model). This study advances the development of minimally invasive photocleavable drug release systems for the treatment of ocular diseases.

30/09/2025

There are many benefits of engagement in collaborative research with industry partners, and it is great to see some of our collaborative research projects highlighted as Case studies on the Knowledge Exchange Framework at Lancaster University Blog.
https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/business-and-innovation/case-studies/stimuli-responsive-biomaterials-for-wound-management
https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/business-and-innovation/case-studies/fibre-optic-coating-processes
https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/business-and-innovation/case-studies/chemical-analysis-of-materials-1

Information relating to Chemical analysis of materials

30/09/2025

Bridging the skills gap in chemical sciences to train the next generation workforce.
Chemistry is an inherently vocational discipline that sits at the interface of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) subjects (and those aligned with or informed by STEMM subjects). This article probes the perceptions of leadership in industry and higher education institutions (HEIs) in the UK and Ireland of the skills necessary for the next generation workforce, drawing conclusions regarding curriculum design and beyond.

Bridging the skills gap in chemical sciences to train the next generation workforce Authors Chrystelle Egger Keele University https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4625-2871 John Hardy Lancaster University https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0655-2167 Tim Doggett Chemical Business Association https://orcid.org/0009-0...

16/04/2025

Analysis of Interactions Between Pyomelanin and the Extracellular Matrix in an Ex Vivo Turkey Tendon Model. Polymerization of homogentisic acid in the presence of extracellular matrix (ECM) components (an ex vivo turkey tendon model) yields simplified versions of biologically generated melanins in the ECM, facilitating studies of melanin–ECM interactions. A variety of techniques (X-ray diffraction, microscopy, and spectroscopy) were employed to understand the potential influence of the ECM in the deposition of melanins in biological tissues.

Polymerization of homogentisic acid in the presence of extracellular matrix (ECM) components (an ex vivo turkey tendon model) yields simplified versions of biologically generated melanins in the ECM,...

19/02/2025

Review on "In-situ microscopy and digital image correlation to study the mechanical characteristics of polymer-based materials."
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 focuses on combining microscopy and DIC to study the properties of materials (including natural/synthetic biomaterials, biological samples and their composites) in academic, public and industry settings, including exciting examples of bioimaging.

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 o...

16/11/2024

Little Book of Plastics in Everyday Life.
The purpose of this Little Book is to provide a holistic but condensed overview of the key aspects of plastics as they are produced, con- sumed and disposed of in contemporary consumer culture. We centre attention not just on the materiality of plastics but also on their meanings and how they come to be experienced and lived with in daily life.
https://wp.lancs.ac.uk/environmental-solutions/little-books/

16/11/2024

Plastic Packaging in People's Lives - Waste (Resource) Matters.
White paper reports. These reports outline our findings from the PPiPL project and offer recommendations to help reduce the UK’s plastic usage and contribute towards the UK’s Plastics Pact goals. A total of 552 people and 91 organisations were involved in the research via interviews with consumers and households, workshops, supply chain companies and waste management facility visits.
https://zenodo.org/records/10839761

16/11/2024

Plastic Packaging in People's Lives - Cartoon depiction: Moral Subordination of plastic waste to food waste.
White paper reports. These reports outline our findings from the PPiPL project and offer recommendations to help reduce the UK’s plastic usage and contribute towards the UK’s Plastics Pact goals. A total of 552 people and 91 organisations were involved in the research via interviews with consumers and households, workshops, supply chain companies and waste management facility visits.