Dr Frederik ClaeyssensDr Fred Claeyssens

Licentiate, PhD
Reader in Biomaterials

Telephone: +44 (0) 114 222 5513
Fax: +44 (0) 114 222 5943
Email: f.claeyssens@sheffield.ac.uk

Address: The Kroto Research Institute, North Campus, University of Sheffield, Broad Lane, Sheffield, S3 7HQ

Frederik Claeyssens is a Reader in Biomaterials at the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. He joined the department in 2008 from the Chemistry Department at the University of Bristol where he was a Research Fellow at the Life Sciences Interface. He obtained his first degree in Chemistry at Ghent University (Belgium) and his PhD in Chemistry at the University of Bristol and he was a PDRA at the University of Birmingham and the University of Bristol. His research group is based in the Kroto Research Institute (www.shef.ac.uk/northcampus).

Research interests

Frederik´s research expertise focuses mainly on laser processing of biomaterials, and its applications. This research portfolio can be divided into three projects:

  1. Coatings for biology: Biocompatible coatings of semiconductors to be integrated into cell-silicon interfaces for biosensors. These coatings are currently investigated for in vivo/in vitro recording devices of electroactive cells (heart/brain cells).
  2. Bioprinting: Laser based techniques for printing biomolecules/cells for producing biomolecule arrays and biosensors. I have further developed this technique as a parallel direct-write technique, able to print 1000 pixels in one single laser shot. This technique is able to print viscous fluids containing DNA, proteins and even living cell.
  3. Biomaterials manufacture via microstereolithography: Using top down approaches to controllable (via CAD/CAM) produce 3D biocompatible/degradable polymer structures with micrometer resolution. Combination of this technique with bottom-up approaches to achieve hybrid biomaterials as 3D scaffolds for implants, tissue engineering and pharmaceutical testing.

Additionally, Frederik has also a keen research interest in computational solid state and biological chemistry. His previous work in this area includes predicting the stabilisation mechanism for the growth of polar wurtzite surfaces based on the existence of a low energy graphite-like structure (or h-BN) for ultra-thin wurtzite films. This model has recently been confirmed experimentally and forms the basis for understanding growth of polar surfaces in a large number of key technological materials (e.g. ZnO, GaN, CdSe and SiC). Additionally, Frederik has studied enzyme reactions on an unprecedented high level of theory, providing powerful new tools for modelling enzyme reactions, and enabling for the first time the study of enzyme reactions computationally with chemical accuracy.

A highlight of our recent work in nerve regeneration is given here.

Key projects

  • Laser based bioprinting (EPSRC funded)
  • 3D microstructure fabrication of biomaterials for tissue engineering

Research themes/centres

Centre for Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering

Research group

Postdoctoral Researchers

  • Dr. Adam Glen (Neurimp-FP7)
  • Dr. Jim Dugan (EPSRC)
  • Dr. Richard Plenderleith (TSB)

Former group members

  • Dr. Ilida Ortega (Lecturer in School of Clinical Dentistry, Sheffield)
  • Dr. Ivana Barbaric (Lecturer in Biomadical Sciences, Sheffield)
  • Dr. Andrew Gill (KTP Associate, Sheffield)

Research Impact

I’ve had a few opportunities to highlight my work to a broader audience, and my work has been publicised on various different media websites, amongst them:

I have also been interviewed on live radio by BBC Sheffield during the evening drive-time program, and I have been interviewed together with my colleague Prof. J.W. Haycock by the BBC world news for one of their Horizons which will be aired shortly.

Professional activities and recognition

  • Member of the Materials Research Society
  • Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry
  • Member of the scientific editorial board for ‘The Open Materials Science Journal’ (Bentham Science)

Key publications

  • “Ultra-Flexible Boron-Oxygen 3D Solid-State Networks” F Claeyssens, JN Hart, NC Norman, NL Allan, Advanced Functional Materials, 5887 (2013)
  • “Macrostructuring of Emulsion-templated Porous Polymers by 3D Laser Patterning” DW Johnson, C Sherborne, MP Didsbury, C Pateman, NR Cameron, F Claeyssens, Advanced Materials, 25, 3178 (2013)
  • “Simplifying corneal surface regeneration using a biodegradable synthetic membrane and limbal tissue explants” P Deshpande, C Ramachandran, F Sefat, I Mariappan, C Johnson, R McKean, M. Hannah, V. S Sangwan, F. Claeyssens, A. J Ryan, S. MacNeil, Biomaterials, 34, 5088 (2013)
  • “Combined microfabrication and electrospinning to produce 3D architectures for corneal repair” Í Ortega, AJ Ryan, P Deshpande, S MacNeil, F Claeyssens, Acta Biomaterialia, 9, 5511 (2013)
  • “Development of a microfabricated artificial limbus with micropockets for cell delivery to the cornea”,Í Ortega, P Deshpande, AA Gill, S MacNeil, F Claeyssens, Biofabrication, 5, 025008 (2012)
  • “An aligned 3D neuronal-glial co-culture model for peripheral nerve studies”, M.F.B. Daud, K.C. Pawar, F. Claeyssens, A.J. Ryan and J.W. Haycock, Biomaterials, 33, 5901 (2012)
  • “Two-photon polymerization-generated and micromolding-replicated 3D scaffolds for peripheral neural tissue engineering applications” A. Koroleva, A.A. Gill, I. Ortega, J.W. Haycock, S. Schlie, S.D. Gittard, B.N. Chichkov and F. Claeyssens,Biofabrication, 4, 025005 (2012)
  • “Direct laser writing of 3D scaffolds for neural tissue engineering applications” V. Melissinaki, A.A. Gill, I. Ortega, M. Vamvakaki, A. Ranella, J.W. Haycock, C. Fotakis, M. Farsari and F. Claeyssens, Biofabrication, 3, 045005 (2011)
  • “Differential patterning of neuronal, glial and neuronal progenitor cells on phosphorus doped and UV irradiated diamond like carbon”, E.M. Regan, F. Claeyssens, J.B. Uney, A.D. Dick, J.P. McGeehan, and S. Kelly, Biomaterials, 31, 207-215 (2010)
  • “Three-dimensional biodegradable structures fabricated by two-photon polymerization” F. Claeyssens, E.A. Hasan, A. Gaidukeviciute, D. Achilles, A. Ranella, C. Reinhardt, A. Ovsianikov, C. Fotakis, B.N. Chichkov, M. Farsari, Langmuir, 25, 3219 (2009)
  • “Growth of neuronal cells on modified diamond-like carbon substrates”, S. Kelly, E.M. Regan, J.B. Uney, A.D. Dick, J.P. McGeehan, E.M. Mayer and F. Claeyssens, Biomaterials, 29, 2573 (2008)
  • “The influence of organic dyes on the open circuit voltage of dye sensitized solar cells”, W.H. Howie, F. Claeyssens, H. Miura and L.M. Peter, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 130, 1367 (2008)