University Lecturer, Department of Engineering;
Materials Engineering & Material-Tissue Interactions Group

Email: am253@cam.ac.uk

Website: Materials engineering and Material-Tissue Interactions

Research interests

Our research is centred on highly porous “fibre network materials” (bonded assemblies of fibres) and open-cell scaffolds. Fibre network materials have the potential for actuation in vivo, since they can exhibit controlled reversible shape changes. A central feature of our research is the study of the various inter-relationships between architecture, mechanical properties, and cell responses. Architecture is most effectively quantified by computed X-ray tomography and such data can be used in conjunction with models for property prediction.

Controlling mass transport and building a fully functional vasculature are vital for producing tissue in clinically relevant dimensions. To address these, the group is working on 3D printing, and the design of bioreactors using open-source technologies.

Key publications

Spear RL, Srigengan B, Neelakantan S, Bosbach W, Brooks RA, Markaki AE. (2014) Physical and Biological Characterisation of Ferromagnetic Fibre Networks: Effect of Fibrin Deposition on Short-term In Vitro Responses of Human Osteoblasts. Tissue Engineering Part A,Feb 21 (3-4);463-74.

Malheiro VN, Spear RL, Brooks RA,  Markaki AE.(2011) Osteoblast and Monocyte Responses to 444 Ferritic Stainless Steel intended for a Magneto-Mechanically Actuated Fibrous Scaffold. Biomaterials. 32(29); 6883-6892.

Tsarouchas D and Markaki AE.(2011) Extraction of Fibre Network Architecture by X-ray Tomography and Prediction of Elastic Properties using an Affine Analytical Model. Acta Materialia. 59(18); 6989-7002.

Griffiths HJ,  Markaki AE, Collier CA, Clyne TW. (2011) Cell Adhesion to Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation (PEO) Titania Coatings, Assessed using a Centrifuging Technique. Journal of the Mechanical Behaviour of Biomedical Materials. 8(4); 2103-2112.

Markaki AE and Clyne TW. (2004) Magneto-Mechanical Stimulation of Bone Growth in A Bonded Array of Ferromagnetic Fibres. Biomaterials. 25(19); 4805-4815.

Areas of expertise

Porous materials, collagen scaffolds, fibre networks, metal fibres, porosity, 3D printing, cell-material interactions, X-ray tomography, elastic properties, mechanics, permeability, vascularisation