Dr Joe Forth

Research Overview

We use 3D printing, microscopy, and image analysis to make fundamental findings in colloids, soft and active matter, and biophysics. We turn this knowledge into new technologies with applications in energy storage, drug delivery, and tissue engineering. Our work focusses on 4 key themes:

(1) Complex Liquid-Liquid Interfaces - We look at the assembly of material at liquid-liquid interfaces, most frequently Nanoparticle Surfactants and Polyelectrolyte-Polyelectrolyte Complexes, and investigate their potential as environmentally sustainable emulsifiers and their use in stabilising liquids and emulsions with complex structure.

(2) Soft Materials – We develop an open-source bioprinter and a novel slicing algorithm to produce gcode for non-planar fractal structures. We use these technologies to fabricate structures made entirely of liquid. Our work has been covered in Vice and Wired.

(3) Reconfigurable Liquid Devices – We develop liquid-based devices for chemical synthesis, chemical separations, and actuation.

(4) Organ-on-a-Chip - We use 3D-Printing and Tissue Engineering to develop alternatives to animal testing. We're currently working on a blood-brain-barrier-on-a-chip for drug development and human safety testing.