Biomedical nanoengineEring laboratory

Revolutionising medical device technology.

The Biomedical Nanoengineering Laboratory (BNL) at Flinders University is a concentration of leading experts in biomaterials and biomedical engineering.

Our mission is to create the next generation of medical devices and technologies via bridging the clinical needs with the latest advances in materials and engineering.

We aim to benefit as many people as possible through providing clinicians with game-changing technologies that improve their capacity to diagnose and cure diseases, enabling medical researchers with the tools to interrogate unanswered medical problems, and furnishing industry with the knowhow to manufacture urgently needed medical devices that lead to significant improvement of human health, and the associated societal and economic benefits.

OUR RESEARCH

The BNL is a cutting-edge research platform that specializes in the development and application of nanotechnology in medicine and healthcare. Its research areas include drug delivery, diagnostics, tissue engineering, and medical devices.

The BNL boasts an extensive collaborative network both nationally and internationally, partnering with academic institutions and industry leaders to foster innovation and accelerate the translation of research findings into practical applications.

Some key aspects of the BNL's collaborative efforts include:

Joint research projects

The BNL collaborates with various academic institutions and industries on interdisciplinary research projects. These partnerships often involve sharing resources, expertise, and facilities, which help to advance the field of biomedical nanoengineering.

Workshops

The BNL organises regular workshops with other experts in the field. This engagement helps to create a global community of researchers and practitioners, driving innovation in biomedical nanoengineering.

Training and education

The BNL also plays a significant role in training the next generation of researchers and professionals in biomedical nanoengineering. Through collaborations with other colleges, and universities, the lab offers internships, research training, and exchange programs for students and researchers to gain hands-on experience in the field.

The Master of Biotechnology Program

The BNL is closely associated with the Master of Biotechnology Program run by the CMPH of Flinders University. In addition to providing interesting and challenging research projects to the Master of Biotechnology Students, an ambition of the Laboratory is to contribute to the substantial growth of the Master of Biotechnology Program by being a focal point of innovation in medical technology and in this way being a magnet for international and domestic students to do their degrees in The College of Medicine and Flinders University.

BNL conducts interdisciplinary research in materials science, engineering, biology, and medicine. By engineering materials at the molecular level, BNL researchers precisely control interactions between biological entities, biomaterials, and devices. This enables deeper understanding of physiological processes and development of practical applications for patients, clinicians, and researchers. BNL's expertise advances personalized medicine, creating customized devices for individual patients, resulting in improved medical outcomes and enhanced patient experiences.

BNL research has been crucial in driving breakthroughs across various fields, leading to the development of innovative technologies, devices, and research tools that address pressing medical and biological challenges. Some notable examples include:

Coatings that control infection and/or inflammation: Specially designed antibacterial coatings for medical devices and implants can help minimize the risk of infection and inflammation, improving patient outcomes and overall device performance.
Precision diagnostic devices: The advanced diagnostic devices can enable early detection of diseases and medical conditions, allowing for more effective treatment and improved patient outcomes.
Drug delivery vehicles: Innovative drug delivery systems that allow for targeted, controlled release of therapeutic agents, improving treatment efficacy and reducing potential side effects.
Biomaterial surfaces for tissue engineering and cell therapies: BNL has developed materials that can direct cellular responses, which are essential for successful tissue engineering and cell therapy applications. These materials can promote cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation, resulting in successful tissue regeneration.

The key to our continuing success has been building close working relationships with experts from a variety of fields and we enjoy productive cross-disciplinary collaborations, both nationally and internationally, with many leading physicians, surgeons, and biologists. This cooperative approach enables the validation of the medical challenges addressed in our research and charts a path for the translation of research outputs to significantly improve medical outcomes.

Research Projects

Current and recent research projects include:

ARC Discovery DP220103543 "Nanoengineering of Biomaterial Surfaces to Tailor Innate Immune Responses" (CI Vasilev)
ARC Discovery DP250101028 “Advanced Glycated End Products in Immune Responses to Biomaterials.” (CIs Vasilev, Bright)
ARC Discovery DP250101028 “Unravelling the bactericidal biomechanics of nanoengineered surfaces.” (CIs Vasilev, Brown)
Channel 7 Children's Research Foundation “Plasma-enhanced bioactive wound dressings for treating paediatric Epidermolysis bullosa” (CIs Hayles, Vasilev)
Channel 7 Children’s Research Foundation “Gallium-Silver Nanoparticle Formulations as A Novel Therapeutic Strategy for Treating Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media in Pediatric Patients” (CI Truong)
Flinders Foundation Health Seed Grant “Flinders Foundation Health Seed Grant Elucidating the Role of Biomaterial Surface Charge in Antibiotic Tolerance of Adhered Pathogens” (CI Hayles)
Flinders Foundation Health Seed Grant “Prolonged antimicrobial gallium liquid droplet coatings for tackling urinary catheter infections” (CI Truong)
Flinders Foundation Health Seed Grant “Innovative Non-Thermal Plasma-Assisted Synthesis of Phloroglucinol Derivatives to Tackle Antibiotic Resistance” (CI Li)
Diabetes Australia, “Improving Outcomes with Ankle Fracture Fixation Devices in T2DM Patients (CI Bright)
MTP Connect “A nano-optimised surface to prevent orthopaedic and dental implant infections”. (CI Vasilev)
IMCRC “Antimicrobial technology for hip and knee implants”. (CI Vasilev)

Featured publications

Staphylococcus aureus Surface Attachment Selectively Influences Tolerance Against Charged Antibiotics, A. Hayles, R. Bright, N.H. Nguyen, V.K. Truong, J. Vongsvivut, J. Wood, S.P. Kidd, K. Vasilev, Acta Biomaterialia 175, (2024)
Non‐Thermal Plasma‐Induced Selective Glycosidic Cleavage in Chitosan Produces Multifunctional Antibacterial Wound Care Biomaterials, W. Li, H. Zhang, Z. Wang, N.H. Nguyen, J. Duan, Q.T. Luu, T. Pham, R. Bright, A. Hayles, T.H. Nguyen, L. Yu, J. Vongsvivut, Y. Gao, V.K. Truong, R. Zhou, K. Vasilev, Advanced Functional Materials 36(33) 2025
A Multifunctional Bioactive Nanoscale Coating Deposited by Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Polymerization of Peppermint Essential Oil, T.Q. Luu, X.D. Do, T. Pham, N.H. Nguyen, R. Bright, W. Li, X. Guo, V.K. Truong, A. Hayles, K. Vasilev, Small, 22(17)
Plasma-bubble engineered cobalt oxide catalyst for efficient and sustainable removal of antibiotics from water, W. Li, X. Wang, A.S. Pannu, H, Yin, N.H. Nguyen, V.K. Truong, K. Vasilev, P.J. Cullen, A, Du., R.E. Speight, K.K. Ostrikov, R. Zhou, Separation and Purification Technology, 379(1)
Surfaces Containing Sharp Nanostructures Enhance Antibiotic Efficacy R. Bright, A. Hayles, J. Wood, D. Palms, T. Brown, D. Barker, K. Vasilev. Nano Letters 22(16) (2022) 6724-6731.
Nanotopography‐Induced Unfolding of Fibrinogen Modulates Leukocyte Binding and Activation RM Visalakshan, A A. Cavallaro, M N. MacGregor, E P. Lawrence, K Koynov, J D. Hayball and K. Vasilev Advanced Functional Materials 29 (14), 1970088 (2019)
Tough and stretchable ionogels by in situ phase separation. M. Wang, P. Zhang, M. Shamsi, J.L. Thelen, W. Qian, V.K. Truong, J. Ma, J. Hu, M.D. Dickey. Nature Materials 21(3) (2022) 359-365.
Tuning chemistry and topography of nanoengineered surfaces to manipulate immune response for bone regeneration applications Z. Chen, A. Bachhuka, S. Han, S. Lu, R. Visalakshan, K. Vasilev, Y. Xiao ACS Nano 11 (5), 4494-4506 (2017)
Tunable Antibacterial Coatings That Support Mammalian Cell Growth. K. Vasilev, V. Sah, K. Anselme, C. Ndi, M. Mateescu, B. Dollmann, P. Martinek, H. Ys, L. Ploux, H.J. Griesser. Nano Letters 10(1) (2010) 202-207
Substrate independent silver nanoparticle based antibacterial coatings S. Taheri, A. Cavallaro, S.N. Christo, L.E. Smith, P. Majewski, M. Barton, J.D. Hayball, K. Vasilev. Biomaterials 35(16) (2014) 4601-4609. K. Vasilev, Z. Poh, K. Kant, J. Chan, A. Michelmore and D. Losic. Biomaterials 31(3): 532-540.
The Influence of Nanoparticle Shape on Protein Corona Formation, RM Visalakshan, A Ghazaryan, LE. Gonzalez Garcia, MR. Benzigar, J Simon, A Mierczynska, TD. Michl, A Vinu, V Mailänder, S Morsbach, K Landfester and K Vasilev Small 2000285 (2020)
Antibacterial Longevity of a Novel Gallium Liquid Metal/Hydroxyapatite Composite Coating Fabricated by Plasma Spray D.Q. Pham, S. Gangadoo, C.C. Berndt, J. Chapman, J. Zhai, K. Vasilev, V.K. Truong, A.S.M. Ang. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 14(16) (2022) 18974-18988.
Spiked Nanostructures Disrupt Fungal Biofilm and Impart Increased Sensitivity to Antifungal Treatment. Hayles, A., Bright, R., Wood, J., Palms, D., Zilm, P., Brown, T., Barker, D., Vasilev, K. Advanced Materials Interfaces 9(12) (2022) 2102353.
Interactions between Liquid Metal Droplets and Bacterial, Fungal, and Mammalian Cells S. Cheeseman, A. Elbourne, S. Gangadoo, Z.L. Shaw, S.J. Bryant, N. Syed, M.D. Dickey, M.J. Higgins, K. Vasilev, C.F. McConville, A.J. Christofferson, R.J. Crawford, T. Daeneke, J. Chapman, V.K. Truong. Advanced Materials Interfaces 9(7) (2022) 2102113.
Ultrasmall AgNP-Impregnated Biocompatible Hydrogel with Highly Effective Biofilm Elimination Properties H. Haidari, Z. Kopecki, R. Bright, A.J. Cowin, S. Garg, N. Goswami, K. Vasilev. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 12(37) (2020) 41011-41025.
A Liquid Metal Mediated Metallic Coating for Antimicrobial and Antiviral FabricsK.Y. Kwon, S. Cheeseman, A. Frias-De-Diego, H. Hong, J. Yang, W. Jung, H. Yin, B.J. Murdoch, F. Scholle, N. Crook, E. Crisci, M.D. Dickey, V.K. Truong, T.-i. Kim. Advanced Materials 33(45) (2021) 2104298.
The multi-faceted mechano-bactericidal mechanism of nanostructured surfaces E.P. Ivanova, D.P. Linklater, M. Werner, V.A. Baulin, X. Xu, N. Vrancken, S. Rubanov, E. Hanssen, J. Wandiyanto, V.K. Truong, A. Elbourne, S. Maclaughlin, S. Juodkazis, R.J. Crawford. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 117(23) (2020) 12598-12605.
Combining Chemometrics and Sensors: Toward New Applications in Monitoring and Environmental Analysis J. Chapman, V.K. Truong, A. Elbourne, S. Gangadoo, S. Cheeseman, P. Rajapaksha, K. Latham, R.J. Crawford, D. Cozzolino. Chemical Reviews 120(13) (2020) 6048-6069.
Antimicrobial Metal Nanomaterials: From Passive to Stimuli-Activated Applications S. Cheeseman, A.J. Christofferson, R. Kariuki, D. Cozzolino, T. Daeneke, R.J. Crawford, V.K. Truong, J. Chapman, A. Elbourne. Advanced Science 7(10) (2020) 1902913.
Antibacterial Liquid Metals: Biofilm Treatment via Magnetic Activation. A. Elbourne, S. Cheeseman, P. Atkin, N.P. Truong, N. Syed, A. Zavabeti, M. Mohiuddin, D. Esrafilzadeh, D. Cozzolino, C.F. McConville, M.D. Dickey, R.J. Crawford, K. Kalantar-Zadeh, J. Chapman, T. Daeneke, V.K. Truong, ACS Nano 14(1) (2020) 802-817.

GROUP MEMBERS

Professor Krasimir Vasilev
Director

Krasimir Vasilev is a Matthew Flinders Professor and a Professor in Biomedical Nanotechnology, and a NHMRC Leadership Fellow. His work sits at the interphase between materials, biology and medicine, focussing on engineering and tailoring at a molecular level, where biological entities interact with biomaterials and devices. Having the capacity to control that interphase allows me not only to interrogate and understand important physiological processes, but also to translate these capabilities to applications, which benefits patients, clinicians and fellow researchers. Prof. Vasilev’s work has been instrumental in advancing cutting-edge research across a range of disciplines and has resulted in the creation of innovative technologies, devices and research tools that are being utilized to overcome many pressing medical and biological challenges.

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Dr Vi Khanh Truong
Deputy Director

Dr Vi-Khanh Truong is an ARC Future Fellow and Associate Professor at Flinders University, recognised for his contributions to biointerface engineering, liquid metal technologies, antimicrobial biomaterials, and functional food nanotechnology. His research develops adaptive biointerfaces and living biomaterials to address antibiotic resistance, implant failure, chronic disease, and age-related health challenges.

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Richard Bright, Research Fellow

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Dr Richard Bright is a Research Fellow in nanomedicine in the Biomedical Nanoengineering Laboratory within the College of Medicine and Public Health at Flinders University, and an affiliate of the Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI). He holds a PhD in Biomedical Science (Flinders University), a Master’s degree in Immunology (Charles Sturt University), and a Bachelor of Science (Honours) (University of Adelaide).

Dr Bright’s research focuses on diabetes and systemic disease, particularly how chronic metabolic dysregulation reshapes immune function and tissue repair, and how these changes influence the performance of implanted and wound-contacting biomaterials. His work spans microbiology, molecular and cell biology, biomaterials, and nanomedicine, with an emphasis on host–biomaterial interactions, antimicrobial surfaces, and immune modulation enabled by nanostructured coatings, aimed at improving outcomes in diabetes-associated complications, such as impaired healing and heightened infection risk.

He has secured competitive funding, including an ARC Discovery Project, a Flinders Foundation Seed Grant, and a Diabetes Australia Research Grant (2026). He has led collaborative projects with academic and industry partners. With more than 90 publications, Dr Bright has published on antimicrobial hydrogels, AGE-modified protein interactions relevant to diabetic pathology, and the development of advanced biomaterials for medical applications. He also contributes to mentoring and research leadership through grant development, project supervision, and postgraduate training.

Andrew Hayles, Research Associate

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Dr Andrew Hayles is an NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow (EL1, 2027–2031) with a research focus primarily centred on novel antimicrobial technologies for medical applications, such as implanted and indwelling devices. He has attracted >$1M in research funding as chief investigator, from competitive schemes including via National Health and Medical Research Institute, Channel 7 Children’s Research Foundation and Flinders Foundation. His work has extensively involved antimicrobial surface modifications, including mechanobactericidal nanostructures and plasma-driven modifications to surface-chemistry. Andrew is enthusiastic about understanding the dynamic interactions between pathogenic microorganisms and material interfaces, with the goal of identifying how these interactions can lead to emergent vulnerabilities that can be exploited by targeted treatment. By elucidating these interactions, Andrew aims to drive the development of transformative biomedical technologies that reduce the global burden of hospital-acquired infections, and circumvent the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance.

Dr Wenshao Li, Research Associate

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Dr Wenshao Li is an early-career researcher at Flinders University, specialising in non-thermal plasma engineering, polymer chemistry, and antibacterial biomaterials. His work focuses on developing sustainable plasma-enabled technologies for biomedical materials, wound care, antimicrobial systems, and environmental applications.

Dr Hanif Haidari, Senior Research Fellow

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Dr Hanif Haidari completed his PhD in 2021 and is currently a Senior Research Fellow at Flinders University and an NHMRC Investigator Fellow (EL1, 2025–2029). He leads a research group focused on the design of nanomaterials to combat bacterial infections.

As an early-career researcher, Dr Haidari has established strong international standing, with 27 peer-reviewed publications (1042 citations; H-index 15), the majority in Q1 high-impact journals. His work demonstrates significant global impact, including four first-author papers ranked in the top 2% worldwide and field-weighted citation impact values up to 11.46. His research excellence has been recognised through multiple awards, including the 2023 Publication Award for Scientific Innovation and Impact, the AWTRS International Young Investigator Award (2021), and the UniSA Future Industries Institute ECR Award (2022). He has secured over $4.53 million in competitive funding, including more than $1 million as sole Chief Investigator.

Dr Haidari’s research focuses on engineering nanoparticle-based therapies to address antibiotic-resistant infections. His work has led to antibacterial formulations with demonstrated safety and efficacy in pre-clinical wound models, supporting clinical translation. He has also pioneered ultrasmall silver nanoclusters that modulate bacterial resistance, advancing next-generation nano-antibiotics. His contributions include 20 first-author publications, invited articles, a book chapter, editorial roles, and invited presentations.

His leadership extends to editorial boards, Research & Education committee member, NHMRC grant review panels, and advisory roles for start-ups. He maintains strong collaborations with academia, industry, and organisations such as CSIRO, Polynovo, and DEBRA Australia. Dr Haidari is also committed to mentoring the next generation of researchers, with a strong focus on supervising HDR students and supporting early-career investigators.

PhD Candidates
(Current and recently completed)

Markos Alemie
Huu Ngoc Nguyen
Thien Ngoc Le
Tien Thanh Nguyen
Quan Trong Luu
Thi Giang Tuyet Pham
Xuan Duy Do
Yunn Yee Chan
Nicole Clark
Resmarani Sahu
Borislav Stoilov
Tan Phuoc Ton
Manh Tuong Nguyen
Ahmad Efendi
Jade Yu Xuan Fong
Vanessa Vanessa
Thai Duong Nguyen

WORK WITH US

We have strong collaborations with academic partners, government bodies and professional organisations. In addition, we work with a range of strategic industry partners to advance research in medical nanoengineering.