Quartz Crystal Microbalance System

Descriptions

Cardiff University are purchasing a quartz crystal microbalance system. The system is aimed at increasing collaboration across the university, improve outputs (publications, further grants) and encourage a step change in science. The users will be spread across the three colleges of the University (Colleges of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Physical Sciences and Engineering and Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences) so applications will include but will not be restricted to:•Optimising surface coatings and topographies for orthopaedic and dental implants and studying their interaction with blood proteins, cells and bacteria•Investigating setting, rigidity and water absorption of novel hydrogels for drug delivery•Optimising and investigating cell delivery and drug release mechanisms from biodegradable and coated microneedle devices•Understanding cell membrane/receptor interactions with drugs and proteins in terms of function and channel/pore formation•Viscosity, mass & thickness measurements of lipid bilayers and hydrogels•Cell adhesion/desorption/spreading•Biofilm studies.•Binding, dissociation and degradation kinetic studies•Protein/drug affinity and interaction studies•Polymer film formation/deposition•Corrosion studies of metals