C-MIU Dugald Cameron lecture , by Prof Eleanor Stride

C-MIU annual Dugald Cameron lecture 2026 - Engineering Bubbles: Stimuli-Responsive Systems for Targeted Therapy
by Prof Eleanor Stride
Please join us for the annual Centre for Medical & Industrial Ultrasonics (C-MIU) Dugald Cameron lecture, delivered this year by Professor Eleanor Stride OBE FREng, from the Institute of Biomedical Engineering Science, University of Oxford. The lecture will take place at the Advanced Research Centre (ARC), University of Glasgow, on Thursday April 16th, from 3.30 pm.
Abstract: Despite extraordinary advances
In the development of new drugs and biotechnology, the rates of mortality due
To diseases such as cancer, stroke and drug-resistant infections continue to
rise. In many cases the problem lies not with the drugs but rather the
difficulty in successfully delivering them to the target site. In healthy tissue there is a regular structure of
Blood vessels supplying oxygen and nutrients to cells, which divide and grow at
a steady rate. In diseases such as cancer, however, cell division and growth is
Unregulated, leading to a chaotic vessel structure and regions of tissue with
little or no blood supply. Consequently, when drugs are ingested or injected
Into the blood stream not all parts of the tumour are treated and there is a
high risk of recurrence. Compounding this, in many instances there is a
Pressure gradient that resists uptake of drugs from the blood vessels so that
only a very small fraction is actually delivered. The rest of the drug
Circulates and is eventually absorbed by healthy tissue, often leading to
intolerable side effects. The goal of my research is to develop new methods for
Delivering both small molecule and advance therapeutics that overcome these
barriers. In particular physical stimuli such as ultrasound and magnetic fields
Are being used to localise the release and improve the distribution of drugs
Within tissue using micro and nanoscopic bubbles as delivery vehicles.
Speaker Biography: Eleanor Stride is the Statutory Professor of Biomaterials in the Departments of
Engineering Science and the Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology
and Musculoskeletal Sciences. She specialises in the fabrication of nano and
microscale devices for targeted drug delivery. She obtained her BEng and
PhD in Mechanical Engineering from UCL where she subsequently appointed to a
lectureship and a Royal Academy of Engineering and Engineering and Physical
Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Research Fellowship. In 2011 she was awarded
an EPSRC Challenging Engineering grant and joined the Biomedical Ultrasonics
Biotherapy and Biopharmaceutical Laboratory (BUBBL) in the Oxford Institute of
Biomedical Engineering, where she became a full Professor in 2014.
Her work has been
recognized through the award of a Philip Leverhulme prize, The Royal Society
Interface Award, Engineering Medal at the Parliamentary Science, Engineering
& Technology for Britain awards, Acoustical Society of America Bruce
Lindsay Award (2013), IET AF Harvey prize (2015), Blavatnik Awards for Young
Scientists (2020). She was also made a fellow of the ERA foundation for her
contributions to public engagement and promotion of Engineering, for example
through the Born to Engineer series and documentaries for the BBC. She was
nominated as one of the top 100 most influential Women in Engineering in 2016
and 2019, was made a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2017, of the
Acoustical Society of America in 2018, an honorary fellow of the IET in 2020
an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2021 and a Freeman of the
Worshipful Company of Armourers and Brasiers in 2026. She has published over
240 academic papers, 16 patents and is a director/advisor for 4 spin out
Companies set up to translate her research into clinical practice.
Agenda:
3.30-4.00 pm Assembly, registration and networking
4.00-4.10 pm Welcome and Introduction by Prof Margaret Lucas (C-MIU director)
4.10-5.30 pm Prof Eleanor Stride delivers the Dugald Cameron Lecture, followed by Q&A
5.30-7.00 pm Exhibition and posters, drinks and canapés