ISTM staff

Professor Jon Dobson

Jon Dobson

Professor of Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering
Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Fellow
B.Sc. and M.Sc. - University of Florida, PhD - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH-Zurich


a Institute of Science & Technology in Medicine Keele University Thornburrow Drive, Hartshill
Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 7QB United Kingdom
Group Website : http://www.keele.ac.uk/research/istm/magnetic/
a +44 (0)1782 554 047
s +44 (0)1782 717 079
a bea22@keele.ac.uk


aCurrent Research

The main focus of Professor Dobson's research falls into four broad categories (i) nanomagnetic actuation for mechanical conditioning and control of cellular functions for regenerative medicine and stem cell research, (ii) enhanced in vitro and in vivo gene delivery and expression, (iii) magetic nanoparticle-loaded cellular carriers for tumor targeting and tissue repair and (iv) magnetic nanoparticle synthesis and characterization. The underlying theme of all this work is the novel use of magnetic nanoparticles to develop technologies for bionanotechnology and nanomedicine applications in fields as diverse as gene therapy, stem cell therapy, tumour targeting and regenerative medicine. In addition, Professor Dobson also co-ordinates a large, multi-national research programme (funded by the EPSRC, RCUK, US National Institute of Health and the US National High Magnetic Field Laboratory) developing imaging and characterization techniques for iron compounds in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, to inform the development of MRI-based early diagnostic techniques and to guide the development of chelation therapies.

aSelected Publications

  • Dobson, J (2008) Nanomagnetic actuation: remote control of cells. Nature Nanotechnology 3:  139-143.
  • Dobson, J (2006) Magnetic nanoparticle-based, non-viral gene delivery. Gene Therapy 13: 283-287.
  • Dobson, J, SH Cartmell, A Keramane, AJ El Haj (2006) A magnetic force mechanical conditioning bioreactor for tissue engineering, stem cell conditioning and dynamic in vitro screening. IEEE Transactions on NanoBioscience 5: 173-177.
  • Collingwood, JF, A Mikhailova, M Davidson, C Batich, WJ Streit, J Terry, J Dobson (2005) In-situ characterization and mapping of iron compounds in Alzheimer’s tissue. Journal of Alzhiemer’s Disease 7: 267-272.
  • Pankhurst, QA, J Connoly, SK Jones, J Dobson (2003) The underlying physics of biomedical applications of magnetic nanoparticles. Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics 36: 167-181.

aMore information is available on the Group Website: http://www.keele.ac.uk/research/istm/magnetic/