Dr Sophie Cox PhD, BEng, FHEA

• Cert Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, University of Birmingham, 2018
• PhD in Biomedical Engineering, University of Warwick, 2013
• BEng Engineering, University of Warwick, 2010

Sophie graduated from the University of Warwick with a first class BEng (Hons) degree in 2010. Having ignited a passion for research, Sophie went on to study for a PhD in the Warwick Manufacturing Group under the supervision of Dr Kajal Mallick. Funded by a Chancellor’s scholarship, her research explored different calcium phosphate synthesis methods, and the development of a 3D ink-jet printing method to manufacture porous structures intended for use in bone tissue engineering. 

Following completion of her studies in 2013, Sophie was awarded an Early Career Fellowship and continued to work as a Project Engineer within the material’s research group at WMG. Sophie joined the Tissue Regeneration and Interface Lab (TRAILab) in 2014 as a Research Fellow under the supervision of Professor Liam Grover. During this time she worked on a project to design and additively manufacture novel implants with embedded therapeutics.

Sophie was appointed as a Lecturer in Healthcare Technologies (September 2016) at the University of Birmingham. She now leads a team focused on medical device innovation through advanced manufacturing and biomaterials.

Sophie teaches on the undergraduate and masters programmes in the School of Chemical Engineering.

Dr Cox supervises a number of undergraduate, masters and PhD research students within the School of Chemical Engineering.

We are always looking for highly motivated and hardworking people to join our team.

Postdoctoral Researchers

Opportunities that arise will be advertised through the group twitter account @htibham and in prominent advertisers such as the jobs website and through the University’s webpages.

PhD and MSc Research Students

Applications are welcomed from suitable candidates who wish to study for a PhD. Funded places for home/EU students are available and several opportunities to support study through scholarships are also possible for excellent candidates from all around the world. We are also pleased to support exchange of doctoral students nationally and internationally. Please contact Sophie to discuss possible PhD and MSc research opportunities. Funded positions will be advertised on findaphd.com.

Sophie's research is focused on chemically and physically manipulating biomaterials with the aim of creating technologies that instruct tissue regeneration or overcome clinical challenges. She pursues a multidisciplinary approach to medical device innovation with expertise in chemical synthesis, advanced manufacturing, and formulation engineering. Through working closely with healthcare professionals and industry, Sophie strives to drive our research towards application.

Our translational activities are underpinned by fundamental understanding of disease progression and natural regenerative processes. Employing a multi-modality approach to analyse the physicochemical properties of target tissues enables her team to better recapitulate key performance requirements.

Key current areas of research that Sophie leads, include:

• Additive manufacture of customised metallic implants
• Modification of medical devices to reduce infection risks
• Structuring biomaterials to controllably deliver novel therapeutics
• Manufacture, characterisation and use of cell-derived nanoparticles for musculoskeletal regeneration
• Multi-modality analysis of the bone – cartilage interface, including dynamic mechanical analysis and micro-computed tomography