£1m funding boost for ultrasonic needle research

A University of Glasgow-led project which is developing a new form of surgical needle is one of 15 engineering projects to share in £12.2m of new funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). Margaret Lucas, Professor of Ultrasonics at the University's School of Engineering, and her partner researchers at the Universities of Dundee and Edinburgh have received £982,000 to support three years of work to develop a needle which vibrates at ultrasonic frequencies. The technology would allow doctors to penetrate bone with needles with much less force than is currently required, improving the effectiveness of biopsies and allowing a more effective delivery of drugs to parts of the body obscured by bone. Ultrasonic needles could also make it easier for doctors to penetrate areas of hard tissue without affecting the surrounding soft tissue. Previous research carried out by Lucas has led to the development of ultrasonic cutting tools precise enough to remove sections from the shell of an egg without breaking the membrane underneath. Lucas said: "We've been working for several years to explore the applications of ultrasonic vibrations to allow surgeons to cut through bone more quickly and easily, and we're excited about the potential of applying similar technology to needles. "We're grateful to EPSRC for their support and we're looking forward to developing this technology further.