Dr Peter Childs
Senior Lecturer
Biomedical Engineering
Personal statement
I am a Chancellors Fellow within the Department of Biomedical Engineering. My research interests include the control of cell function/fate through applied mechanical stimulation and development of materials for tissue regeneration (cellular and acellular). Since 2012 I have been involved with a multidisciplinary collaboration using nano amplitude vibration to stimulate stem cell osteogenesis ('nanokicking'). This technology is now being translated towards clinic as an osteogenic cell therapy for orthopaedic repair. I have also been involved in the translation of implantable bioactive polymers for growth factor delivery ('HealiOst'). Previously I was awarded a Royal Society of Edinburgh Enterprise Fellowship and have a keen interest in the clinical/commercial translation of cell engineering technologies.
Publications
- Vibration-based cell engineering
- Johnson-Love Olivia, Salmeron-Sanchez Manuel, Reid Stuart, Childs Peter G, Dalby Matthew
- Nature Reviews Bioengineering Vol 3, pp. 408-429 (2025)
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s44222-025-00273-x
- Exploiting kHz vibration frequencies for orthopaedic therapy development
- Childs Peter
- Sonomechanobiology: Understanding High Frequency Mechanostimulation (2025)
- Upscaling manufacture of osteogenically differentiated mesenchymal stem cells using nanoscale vibration and microcarrier suspension culture
- Williams Jonathan, Dalby Matthew J, Salmerón-Sánchez Manuel, Childs Peter, Reid Stuart
- 7th Termis World Congress (2024)
- https://doi.org/10.1089/ten.tea.2024.06979.abs
- Developing and investigating a nanovibration intervention for the prevention/reversal of bone loss following spinal cord injury
- Williams Jonathan A, Campsie Paul, Gibson Richard, Johnson-Love Olivia, Werner Anna, Sprott Mark, Meechan Ryan, Huesa Carmen, Windmill James FC, Purcell Mariel, Coupaud Sylvie, Dalby Matthew J, Childs Peter, Riddell John S, Reid Stuart
- ACS Nano Vol 18, pp. 17630-17641 (2024)
- https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.4c02104
- Engineered surfaces that promote capture of latent proteins to facilitate integrin-mediated mechanical activation of growth factors
- Dhawan Udesh, Williams Jonathan A, Windmill James F C, Childs Peter, Gonzalez-Garcia Cristina, Dalby Matthew J, Salmeron-Sanchez Manuel
- Advanced Materials Vol 36 (2024)
- https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202310789
- High throughput deformability for the mechanical fingerprinting of adherent cells
- Pereira Sousa Rui Pedro, Reid Stuart, Childs Peter, Jimenez Melanie
- CYTO 2024 (2024)
Professional Activities
- PhD Examination
- Examiner
- 28/7/2025
- Tenovus/Strathclyde Ambassador Programme
- Host
- 10/6/2025
- SmartSTEMs school outreach
- Host
- 29/5/2025
- LifEtime CDT Science Den
- Organiser
- 23/4/2025
- Vibration as a tool for tissue engineering and therapy
- Speaker
- 28/3/2025
- IBioIC Annual Conference
- Invited speaker
- 12/3/2025
Projects
- EPSRC DTP - The impact of spinner flask culture on extra cellular vesicle production
- Jimenez, Melanie (Principal Investigator) Reid, Stuart (Co-investigator) Childs, Peter (Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2025
- MAINSTREAM: EPSRC research and partnership hub for health technologies in manufacturing stem cells
- Childs, Peter (Principal Investigator) Jimenez, Melanie (Co-investigator) Reid, Stuart (Co-investigator)
- 13-Jan-2025 - 12-Jan-2031
- Mechanobiology-based medicine / Mechanomeds
- Zagnoni, Michele (Principal Investigator) Childs, Peter (Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2023 - 30-Jan-2028
- Nanovibrational control of chondrogenic differentiation
- Childs, Peter (Principal Investigator) Reid, Stuart (Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2023 - 31-Jan-2026
- DTP 2224 University of Strathclyde | Pereira Sousa, Rui Pedro
- Childs, Peter (Principal Investigator) Jimenez, Melanie (Co-investigator) Pereira Sousa, Rui Pedro (Research Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2022 - 01-Jan-2026
- EPSRC REA - Mechanosensitivity of osteoporotic stem cells for diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis
- Childs, Peter (Principal Investigator) Jimenez, Melanie (Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2022 - 31-Jan-2026
Contact
Dr
Peter
Childs
Senior Lecturer
Biomedical Engineering
Email: peter.childs@strath.ac.uk
Tel: 548 3026