RCSI Tissue Engineering Research Group

13/05/2026

Great to have 'PolyGraph – Flexible, Biocompatible & Electrically Optimized Graphene-Polymer Composites for Next-Generation Neural Interfaces' published in Advanced Healthcare Materials! Congratulations to Jack Maughan and all involved on the study! Read the article here:

PolyGraph, a flexible graphene-polycaprolactone nanocomposite, unites conductivity, biocompatibility, and processability for next-generation neural interfaces. Fabricated into microneedle arrays with...

03/03/2026

Congratulations to Giulio Brunetti on being awarded an Invention Disclosure award as part of the Vice Chancellor Innovation Awards at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Research Day 2026!

03/03/2026

Louise Hosty presenting her research on developing a pro-angiogenic hyaluronic acid hydrogel decorated with vascular cell-derived extracellular matrix at Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Research Day 2026!

03/03/2026

Juan Carlos Palomeque presenting his research entitled 'On-demand and scaffold-based delivery of miRNAs to enhance regenerative outcomes in chronic wound healing' as part of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Research Day 2026!

03/03/2026

Hadeel Abu Shaqrah presenting at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Research Day on her work to date on the development of a zonal composite scaffold for load-bearing and cell-derived regeneration of articular cartilage!

18/02/2026

Congratulations to Tara McGuire and everyone involved on the article 'Development of a PTEN-siRNA activated scaffold to promote axonal regrowth following spinal cord injury' recently published in Bioactive Materials! This study demonstrates that functionalising a collagen scaffold with PTEN-siRNA enhances the biomaterial's ability to promote neurite outgrowth.

Read the article here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2452199X2600023X?via%3Dihub

Read the RCSI press release here: https://www.rcsi.com/dublin/news-and-events/news/news-article/2026/02/rcsi-researchers-develop-rna-activated-implant-to-stimulate-nerve-regrowth-after-spinal-cord-injury

This study was conducted in collaboration with the AMBER Centre and the IRFU Charitable Trust.

26/01/2026

Another year, another BinI! Wonderful for so many TERG researchers to have the opportunity to attend and speak at the annual Bioengineering in Ireland conference hosted by the University of Limerick over the weekend. Congratulations to all involved, but particular congratulations to our TERG winners:
● Aamena Mejevdiwala for winning the best early career researcher talk in the Reproduction and Nervous track
●Eavan Pakenham for being awarded the best PhD researcher talk in the Muscle, Tendon and Bone track
●Joshua Pepper for being awarded the best postdoctoral researcher talk in the Muscle, Tendon and Bone track

21/01/2026

We are delighted to have the article 'Laser patterning of ECM-derived biomaterials to direct degradation, site-specific resorption, controlled vascularization and functional repair of large nerve defects' published in Acta Biomaterialia! The study details the development of a next generation biomaterial for nerve repair, using tailored laser patterning treatment on a collagen-based biomaterial which may promote early vascularisation and subsequent tissue regeneration. Restoration of peak nerve action potential was restored, with improved muscle preservation shown.
This work was led by Zuzana Kočí and carried out in collaboration with the Research Ireland AMBER Centre, and Integra LifeSciences.
Read the paper here:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1742706126000395?via%3Dihub
Research Ireland

15/01/2026

Congratulations to Juan Carlos Palomeque whose recently published paper 'Development of a VEGF-activated scaffold with enhanced angiogenic and neurogenic properties for chronic wound healing applications' was included in the Biomaterials Science Most Popular 2025 Articles!

View it here:

Theranostic hydrogels represent a groundbreaking approach for integrating therapeutic and diagnostic capabilities within a single platform, enabling real-time monitoring of wounds and precise treatment applications.

15/01/2026

Congratulations to Head of TERG Fergal O'Brien and Dr Claudio Intini on the publication of their Nature Nanotechnology article 'Lesion-targeted, severity-responsive nanoparticle delivery for RNA therapy in osteoarthritis'!
Read it here:

Matrix-INverse Targeting (MINT) nanoparticles harness cartilage changes to deliver RNA therapies, reducing degeneration and pain in osteoarthritis.