Brian Derby


Brian Derby FIMMM is professor of materials science at Manchester University. He has been at the forefront of research into inkjet printing and 3D bioprinting, winning the Edward de Bono Medal for Original Thinking in 2007 for his work on Printing Skin and Bones: using inkjet printing technology to fabricate complex tissue scaffolds on which cells can be grown.

Early life

Derby was born in 1957 and educated at Bedford Modern School. He graduated with first class honours from Jesus College, Cambridge in 1978. Derby then studied at Wolfson College, Cambridge where he obtained his doctorate.

Career

Derby spent one year working at the Centre d'Etudes Nucleaire de Grenoble as an ESA Fellow before spending two years in the Engineering Department of Cambridge University as a research fellow. He worked at the Department of Materials at the University of Oxford as a research fellow, became lecturer and reader in materials engineering at Oxford and later director of the Oxford Centre for Advanced Materials and Composites.
Derby was appointed professor in materials science at the Materials Science Centre of Manchester University in 1999. He was elected a member of the World Academy of Ceramics in 2004.
Derby's research interests span a wide range with a focus on the processing, structure and mechanical properties in relation to ceramics, glasses, biomaterials, nanostructured materials and implants. He has been at the forefront of research into the development of inkjet printing as a manufacturing tool. He has particular interest in developing methods of characterising materials and processes in conjunction with industry and research groups across the world.
Derby won the Edward de Bono Medal for Original Thinking in 2007 for his Printing Skin and Bones project: using inkjet printing technology to fabricate complex tissue scaffolds on which cells can be grown. The objective is to 'use inkjet printing to build 3-D structures that contain both the living cells and the scaffold materials: the ability to print skin and bone and, ultimately, whole artificial organs is a possibility'.

Honours

2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005