Postcard: Research Inspired by Nature
I have recently travelled to Jilin University in Northern China to strengthen an existing research collaborations in bionic engineering. Jilin University is one of the most prestigious research universities in China and one of their strengths is bionic engineering. Bionic engineering is an exciting field which encompasses fundamental understanding of the natural world and application of such knowledge for engineering applications and processes. The Key Lab of Bionic Engineering at Jilin University, who were hosting my visit, are world-renowned for their research in this area. Jilin University is also the home of the Journal of Bionic Engineering and the International Society of Bionic Engineering.
Jilin is one of the three provinces of Northeast China and Jilin University is based in Changchun, the capital of Jilin province. Changchun is an industrial city particularly very well known for the automobile industry. But it is also one of China’s "National Garden Cities" and is home of the largest man-made forest in Asia, the Jingyuetan National Forest Park.
My research focusses on understanding structure-property relationships in biological tissues. Biological tissues have fascinating, multi-layered structures which give rise to unique mechanical properties. We are planning a number of highly interesting projects in this area of biological materials science. Using advanced characterisation techniques, we will aim to understand the origins of the unique properties of some materials that are found in nature. Ultimately, this research will aid in the development of new materials. My current visit was hosted by Dr Zhihui Qian, and marked the start of a more substantive collaboration between Jilin University and Liverpool.
Prior to arriving at Jilin University I attended the 5th International Conference in Bionic Engineering (ICBE2016) at University of Nottingham Ningbo Campus, China. World leaders in the the field of bionic engineering, many from Jilin University, presented their research on a wide range of topics from multiscale design of materials inspired by nature to developing human infrastructure by analyzing ecosystems. It was fantastic to see the interface between nature and engineering, and the inspiration and ideas that can be gleaned from the natural world for the betterment of humanity.
Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering, Jilin University
Dr Zhihui Qian, Dr Lei Ren (University of Manchester), Dr Riaz Akhtar (University of Liverpool), Prof. Zhiwu Han and Dr Zhihui Zhang.
Dr Riaz Akhtar
Lecturer in Biomedical Engineering