Salmeron Sanchez, Manuel
ICREA Research Professor
Engineering Sciences
Short biography
Research interests
I have established myself as a world leader in engineering material-based cell microenvironments for in vitromodelling and regenerative medicine (>180 papers, h-index 45). I founded and am currently co-director (with Prof Matt Dalby) of the Centre for the Cellular Microenvironment at the University of Glasgow. I lead a multidisciplinary group with 12 PhD students and 8 postdocs. I was based in Valencia (Spain) until 2013 where I pioneered novel materials that triggered protein organisation (Science Advances 2016). I was awarded and ERC (Consolidator) Grant in 2012 to investigate materials that promote growth factor binding and their use in regenerative medicine. I moved to Glasgow in 2013 where I have assembled a multidisciplinary team that have generated internationally leading outcomes and radical new concepts: the use of viscosity to control cell behaviour (PNAS 2018); living biomaterials (bacteria-based materials) for stem cell engineering (Advanced Materials 2018); the low dose use of BMP-2 for bone regeneration (Advanced Science 2019) and the relationship between material mechanics and metabolism (Nature Metabolism 2020). I develop basic concepts that are pushed all the way to translation. I received two ERC-PoC awards used to further develop material-based bone regeneration technologies that are now being used, funded by the Sir Bobby Charlton Foundation, to help landmine survivors. I have filed 3 patents (1 granted) and lead a novel clinical trial using materials for bone regeneration to be delivered in 2023. In 2017, in collaboration with vets from the small animal hospital at the University of Glasgow, he developed the technology that saved from amputation the leg of Eva –a Munsterlander run over by a car who developed an infected bone critical size defect (see https://goo.gl/1Z3r8t ). I was awarded an ERC AdG in 2022 to investigate the role of viscoelasticity in regenerative medicine. I am also a keen science communicator and have participated in public engagement events (e.g. Science in the Café in Singapore, Spain and UK) and led a team of 20 PhD students and early career researchers with an exhibit at the Science Summer Exhibition of the Royal Society (material matters – biomaterials for bone repair https://goo.gl/uG2mCg). I have had my research broadcasted in national and international papers, TV (UK BBC, BBC World, Channel 4 and internationally) and Radio.