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Overview

Professor Jun Jie Wu

Chair in Engineering Science and Deputy Executive Dean (Postgraduate)

MS (Oxon) DPhil (Oxon)


Affiliations
AffiliationRoom numberTelephone
Chair in Engineering Science and Deputy Executive Dean (Postgraduate) in the Faculty of Science +44 (0) 191 33 42440
Professor in the Department of EngineeringE212 (Christopherson)+44 (0) 191 33 42440
Member of the Centre for Molecular and Nanoscale Electronics  
Fellow of the Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing  

Biography

Professor Wu is a Chair in Engineering Science. She received her PhD in Engineering Science from University of Oxford. Her background and current research is multidisciplinary. She was awarded both a DPhil (Biomaterials) and a Master in Computer Science (Parallel Computing) by the University of Oxford before becoming became a Career Development Fellow in the Department of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford. 

Since joining Durham, she has held and is currently holding various research fundings and awards as Principal Investigator (e.g. Rosetrees Interdisciplinary Award and a Royal Academy of Engineering Global Research Award) in Biomaterials, Mathematical Modelling, Tissue engineering, Biomechaincs and Biotribology. Her main research interest is in structure, function, process and modelling of natural, synthetic and biomimetic materials for biomedical and environmental applications. 

She firmly believes in promoting a research-led interdisciplinary learning environment and is keen in designing education programme that integrates education, research and enterprise. 

Research Projects

Rosetrees Interdisciplinary Award (runner-up) for Bioengineered Lenses

EPSRC Funding on Novel Diagnostic Tool for Tissue Damage (total £1.28 million)

Leverhulme Grant on Lens Modelling

National Osteoporosis Society Funding on Hip Fracture

Medical Research Council Strategic Award on Biomaterials

Royal Academy of Engineering Funding on Tissue Engineering

EPSRC Funding on Novel Approaches for Improving UHMWPE Wear and Fatigue Properties in Knee Joints

EPSRC Funding on Adsorption and Adhesion on Semi-Crystalline Polymers

Technology Strategy Board Funding on Novel Hip 

Biomet Funding on Next Generation Joints

Morgan Advanced Ceramics Funding on Orthopaedic Arthroplasty

Biomet Funding on Structural and Biotribological Investigations of Ceramic-on-Ceramic Hip Joints

EPSRC and Biomet Funding on Structural and Biotribological Investigations of Ceramic-on-Metal Hip Joints

PhD Projects available

Project 1 A Fully Funded PhD Scholarship in Bioengineering

Fully funded PhD scholarship (UKRC Home rate) is available as part of an exciting multidisciplinary project embracing biosciences, physics and engineering and aiming to combat blindness and human ocular diseases. 

The human eye is a complex organ of vital importance for everyday life. A wide range of biomaterials are used to fabricate ocular devices to correct functional deficiencies caused by disease and ageing. The exciting project will build upon Rosetrees Trust Interdisciplinary award. Rosetrees Trust supports the highest level of biomedical research. This is an excellent opportunity to work with highly interdisciplinary team to advance biomedical research.

The fully funded scholarship is available immediately. Applications from existing graduates and those graduating this summer are welcome.

Project 2 Electrospinning and Electrospun Nanofibres

Publications on electrospinning and electrospun fibrous structures have been on the exponential increase since two decades ago, which testifies the worldwide interest in this "new" technology. Electrospun nanofibers have diverse applications such as filtration, sensors, cosmetics. There has been a great interest in electrospun fibrous structures for biomedical applications, which stems primarily from the distinctive advantages of using nanofibrous structures in tissue engineering and controlled release of bioagents. The project will combine electrospinning and nanotechnology to form innovative device for combating complex medical problems.

Project 3 Improving Energy Efficiency in a Modern Water Factory

The combination of a water reclamation plant (such as NEW Water plants) with seawater desalination are being considered in many large developing mega cities around the world. Away from coasts water recycle will become even more important. We have developed a novel hybrid process that needs to be evaluated alongside other process schemes for various water usage scenarios. The process design algorithms available include our recently published methodology for the sizing of forward osmosis plants. This project has international and industrial technical support.

Project 4 Sustainable energy: Potential in Osmotic Power

Just as the separation of salty water into fresh water and a brine requires energy so the mixing of a brine and fresh water can (if it is done in a controlled manner) produce energy. Originally proposed in a Science paper around 50 years ago, there has been much research into osmotic power (variously called pressure retarded osmosis or generically “Blue Energy”). Now that membranes have been tailored for this application and greatly improved the limits to performance are no longer governed by the membrane properties alone. The project will develop a performance envelope based upon various combinations of membrane properties and system hydrodynamics.

 Project 5 Improving Energy Efficiency of Aerobic Digestion

Successful operation of Aerobic Digestion in cold weather is challenging. We have discussed a novel approach with the water industry and the research question is: can our approach boost the growth rate of the microbial biomass? 

Project 6 Solar Driven, Gravity Driven and Other ‘Low Energy’ Potable Water Treatment Processes

Drinking water is scarce in many parts of the world were solar energy is plentiful. The project boundary is such as to exclude those processes with a relatively high demand of electrical power. Many processes have been labelled as “emerging processes” for the last decade. After an initial survey three processes from different areas will be evaluate to determine if any have break through potential.

Project 7 Potable Water Treatment Using Direct Flow Membrane Modules: Design of Hollow Fibre Modules

Membranes are now a huge part of the water market, especially since the advent of the Direct Flow modules that uses far less energy than crossflow modules. These are hollow fibre modules with about 10 000 fibres per module. We have developed a model for side take-off that successful captures industrial practice. Other variants are being developed. Now as non-uniform distribution of fibres is intrinsic to the manufacturing process research on the effect of non-uniformity should now be included. We are progressing this work with industrial technical support.

Project 8 Potable Water Treatment Using Direct Flow Membrane Modules: Influence of Cleaning Chemicals Upon Fibre Integrity.

Successful operation of the Direct Flow format is dependent upon the inclusion of periodic backwashes including chemically enhanced backwashes. As the latter may be a few times per day the membranes are exposed regularly to oxidising chemicals. We have piloted a technique for performing accelerated tests and obtained excellent preliminary results. This project has industrial technical support. 

Research interests

  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Advanced Materials for Bioengineering and Environmental Engineering
  • Mathematical Modeling

Publications

Conference Paper

  • Lal, S. & Wu, J. J. (2015), Effect of Knee, Ankle and Hip Joint Replacements on Vitamin E Infused Highly Crosslinked UHMWPE Wear Particles Size, Shape and Morphologies Using a New Modified Base Digestion Method, 7th International UHMWPE Meeting. Philadelphia, PA.
  • Quinlan, R.A., Wu, J.J., Wu, W., Saunter, C. & Girkin, J. (2015), A mathematical model of the eye lens epithelium of mammals that predicts cell density profiles in the ageing lens, ARVO 2015 Annual Meeting. Denver, Colorado, ARVO.
  • Wu, J.J., Andrews, R., Quinlan, R. & Tholozan, F. (2014), Do structural alterations mediated by enzymatic activities influence the mechanical properties of capsular biomembranes?, 10th International Congress on Membranes and Membrane Processes.
  • Giddings, D., Wu, J.J., Mak, S.Y. & Khan, I. (2011), Prosim Simulator Wear Study of 60mm Diameter Zirconia Toughened Alumina Composite Hip Bearings: The Effect of High Cup Inclination Angle and Microseparation, in Cann, P.M. & Dini, D. eds, International Conference on BioTribology. London.
  • Wang, Q., Wu, J. J., Simpson, D., Collins, S., Briscoe, B. & Jarman-Smith, M. (2011), Biotribology of 40mm Diameter MOTIS PEEK on Ceramic Hip Joints: A Detailed Simulator Study with Different Inclination Angles, 24th Annual Congress of ISTA. Bruges, International Society for Technology in Arthroplasty.
  • Giddings, D., Wu, J.J. & Khan, I. (2011), Excellent Performance of Novel Hip Bearings with Third Generation Superlattice Coating, Engineers and Surgeons: Joined at the Hip III. London.
  • Wu, J.J., Wang, Q., Simpson, D. & Collins, S. (2011), Biotribological and Structural Analyses of Large Diameter Ceramic on Carbon Fibre Reinforced PEEK Hip Joints with Different Inclination, in Cann, P.M. & Dini, D. eds, International Conference on BioTribology. London.
  • Wu, Jun Jie, Stanley, Martin & Khan, Imran (2009), Biotribological and Structural Characterisations of Total Knee Replacements: A Prosim Knee Simulator Study, Knee Arthroplasty 2009: From Early Intervention to Intervention. London, Institution of Mechanical Engineers, 89-94.
  • Wang, Q. Q. & Wu, J. J. (2009), Numerical Prediction on Mechanical Contacts Vanguard Knee Joint replacements Tested in the Displacement-Controlled Prosim Simulator, IMeChE Knee Arthroplasty: From Early Intervention to Revision. London, Institution of Mechanical Engineers, 289-292.
  • Williams, S., Wu, J. J., Unsworth, A. & Khan, I. (2008), Wear friction and surface analysis of 38mm ceramic-on-metal total hip replacements, 21st Annual Congress of the International Society of Technology in Arthroplasty. Seoul, South Korea, 91.
  • Tholozan, F., Goldberg, M., Przyborski, S., Wu, J. J. & Quinlan, R. (2008), Bovine Lens Capsule-derived 3D matrices: Significance to the Maintenance of Lens Epthelial Cell Phenotype in in vitro Culture Models, ARVO 2008 Annual Meeting Eyes on Innovation.
  • Wu, J.J. & Buckley, C.P. (2003), The role of molecular parameters in the plastic deformation of glassy polystyrene, 12th International Conference on Deformation Yield and Fracture of Polymers. Cambridge, UK, The Institute of Materials, London.
  • Buckley, C.P. & Wu, J.J. (2003), Anisotropic plastic deformation of glassy polymers with process-induced molecular orientation, 19th Annual Meeting of the Polymer Processing Society. Melbourne, Australia.
  • Wu, J.J. & Buckley, C.P. (2002), Deformation modelling of glassy polymers incorporating structural change, Annual Technical Conference of the Society of Plastics Engineers. San Fransisco, USA.
  • Wu, J.J., Buckley, C.P. & O'Connor, J.J. (2000), Interparticle Bonding in Ultra-high Molecular Weight Polyethylene and its Control via Process Parameters, in Duckett, A.R. eds, 11th International Conference on Deformation Yield and Fracture of Polymers. Cambridge, UK, IOM Communications, London.

Journal Article

Patent

  • Wu, JunJie;, Carnachan, Ross; & Przyborski, Stefan (2017). Tissue Structure Scaffolds. WO 2017/182676 A1. Application filed: 12 May 2017. Granted: 1 January 1970
  • O’Connor, J.J., Wu, J.J. & Buckley, C.P. (2006). Method of Compression Moulding of Polymer Powder. European Patent: Patent No. EP1165300. Application filed: 30 November -0001. Granted: 30 November 1999
  • Wu, J.J., Buckley, C.P. & O'Connor, J.J. (2004). Integrity of compression moulded UHMWPE components. US Patent: Patent No. US 6677415. Application filed: 30 November -0001. Granted: 30 November 1999
  • O’Connor, J.J., Wu, J.J. & Buckley, CP. (2004). Method of Compression Moulding of Polymer Powder and Product Produced. US Patent: Patent No. US 6677415. Application filed: 30 November -0001. Granted: 30 November 1999
  • Wu JJ, Buckley CP & O'Connor JJ (1999). Compression Moulding. UK9907843. Application filed: 1 January 1970. Granted: 1 January 1970

Supervision students