Professor Paul Roach is Professor of Biomaterials and Interface Science, Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor at Loughborough University and Director of the Institute for Healthy Living.
He has a PhD in Chemistry and has developed an interdisciplinary research career spanning chemistry, surface and interface science, biomaterials, micro- and nanofabrication, tissue engineering and neural engineering. His research journey has been driven by a simple question: how can we understand and engineer the interfaces between materials and biological systems to control biological function?
His early research was rooted in chemistry and surface science, developing an understanding of how the physical and chemical properties of surfaces influence their interactions with biological molecules and cells. This led naturally into biomaterials and the development of engineered surfaces and materials designed to control cellular behaviour. Increasingly, his research has combined these approaches with micro- and nanofabrication to create structured environments in which cells and tissues can be organised and studied.
This progression has taken his research from surface engineering and biomaterials into tissue engineering, neural engineering and brain-on-a-chip technologies, where engineered material interfaces and microfabricated platforms are used to create more sophisticated and biologically relevant models of human systems. More recently, this work has extended into biological and neuromorphic computing, exploring how living neuronal networks and bio-inspired materials can contribute to new approaches to computation.
Professor Roach is a Co-Investigator in NeuroSYNC – the UK Multidisciplinary Centre for Neuromorphic Systems and Computing, and was a Work Package Lead in the EU-funded H2020 NEU-ChiP project. His research therefore sits at an unusual intersection of chemistry, engineering, materials science and biology, with a particular interest in using the control of material–biological interfaces to create new technologies for healthcare and next-generation computing.
Alongside his research, Professor Roach is Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor and Director of the Institute for Healthy Living, a University-wide initiative bringing together researchers from across disciplines to address the major challenges that will shape healthy living in the future.
My research focuses on the engineering of surfaces, interfaces and biomaterials to control interactions with biological systems. I use approaches spanning chemistry, surface science, materials science, micro- and nanofabrication and biology to understand how the physical and chemical properties of materials influence cellular behaviour and function.
A central theme of my work is the development of engineered biointerfaces – controlling surface chemistry, topography, architecture and material properties to create environments in which cells can be organised, differentiated and function in predictable ways. This provides a common foundation across my research, from biomaterials and tissue engineering through to neural systems and biological computing.
My research has increasingly focused on neural engineering and brain-on-a-chip technologies, where microfabricated platforms and engineered biomaterial interfaces are used to organise neuronal networks and develop more representative models of human neural systems. This work brings together materials engineering, cell biology, microfabrication, sensing and computational approaches.
Building on this foundation, I am now exploring the interface between biological systems and neuromorphic computing. Living neuronal networks provide an opportunity to investigate fundamentally different approaches to information processing, while bio-inspired materials and engineered interfaces offer routes towards adaptive and energy-efficient computing systems.
My research also applies advanced analytical approaches, including FTIR microspectroscopy and vibrational spectroscopy, to investigate biological systems and develop new approaches to cellular and cancer diagnostics. Alongside this, I have research interests in the interaction of environmental materials, including microplastics, with biological systems.
Across these areas, the underlying objective is consistent: to understand and engineer material–biological interfaces in order to create new capabilities in healthcare, biotechnology and computing.
Research areas
Surface and Interface Engineering
Engineering the chemistry, topography and physical properties of material interfaces to control interactions with proteins, cells and tissues.
Biomaterials and Biointerfaces
Development of functional biomaterials and engineered interfaces for controlling biological responses, with applications in regenerative medicine and healthcare.
Micro- and Nanofabrication
Development of micro-/nano-structured platforms and devices for manipulating and studying biological systems, including advanced cellular models.
Neural Engineering and Brain-on-a-Chip
Engineering biomaterial interfaces and microfabricated architectures to control neuronal organisation and develop human-relevant models of neural circuitry.
Biological and Neuromorphic Computing
Development of living neuronal networks and bioengineered platforms that explore how biological systems can be integrated with next-generation neuromorphic computing technologies.
Vibrational Spectroscopy and Cellular Diagnostics
Application of FTIR microspectroscopy and related analytical approaches to characterise biological systems and develop new approaches to cancer diagnostics.
Microplastics and Cellular Health
Investigating the interactions between environmental particles, biological systems and cellular health.
Professor Roach is actively involved in the biomaterials, surface science, neural engineering and neuromorphic computing communities.
He has served as President of the UK Society for Biomaterials (UKSB) and remains actively involved in the UK biomaterials community. He has also contributed to the activities of the Royal Society of Chemistry Biomaterials Chemistry Group, supporting the development of biomaterials chemistry as an interdisciplinary research field.
His research collaborations and activities span chemistry, materials science, engineering, biology and neuroscience, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of his research. He has contributed to major UK and European research programmes in biomaterials, tissue engineering, neural engineering and neuromorphic computing.
Professor Roach is a Co-Investigator in NeuroSYNC – the UK Multidisciplinary Centre for Neuromorphic Systems and Computing, a national research centre exploring new approaches to computing based on principles derived from biological neural systems. He was previously a Work Package Lead in the European Commission H2020 Future and Emerging Technologies project NEU-ChiP, which investigated the development of neural networks on microfabricated platforms.
He is also involved in the development of interdisciplinary research and researcher communities, with a particular interest in creating connections between traditionally separate disciplines and translating fundamental research into new technologies and applications.
Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor, Loughborough University
As Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor, Professor Roach contributes to the University's strategic development, with a particular focus on research, innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration and the development of Loughborough's research strengths.
Director, Institute for Healthy Living
Professor Roach is the founding Director of the Institute for Healthy Living, a University-wide interdisciplinary research institute bringing together expertise from across Loughborough University.
The Institute aims to support research excellence, innovation, knowledge exchange and researcher development while creating new opportunities for collaboration across disciplinary boundaries. It brings together researchers working across areas including health, rehabilitation, biomaterials, engineering, psychology, business and the built environment to address major global challenges and help shape the future of healthy living.
Professor of Biomaterials and Interface Science
Professor Roach leads an interdisciplinary research programme spanning surface and interface science, biomaterials, micro- and nanofabrication, tissue engineering, neural engineering, brain-on-a-chip technologies and neuromorphic computing.
Research leadership
Professor Roach has held a number of research leadership roles at Loughborough, including leadership within major interdisciplinary and externally funded research programmes. He has contributed to the development of research centres, doctoral training programmes and collaborative research programmes spanning multiple disciplines and institutions.
NeuroSYNC – UK Multidisciplinary Centre for Neuromorphic Systems and Computing
Professor Roach is a Co-Investigator in NeuroSYNC, a UK multidisciplinary research centre developing new approaches to neuromorphic computing inspired by biological neural systems. His research contributes expertise in biomaterials, surface engineering, microfabrication and the development of engineered neuronal systems.
NEU-ChiP – Neural Networks on Chip
Professor Roach was a Work Package Lead in the European Commission H2020 Future and Emerging Technologies project NEU-ChiP. The project explored the development of living neural networks on microfabricated platforms and their potential for novel approaches to information processing and computing.
Lab2Fab
Professor Roach is a member of the Lab2Fab research community at Loughborough University, supporting the development of interdisciplinary approaches that connect laboratory-based science with advanced fabrication and translation.
Institute for Healthy Living
As Director of the Institute for Healthy Living, Professor Roach leads a University-wide interdisciplinary initiative bringing together research expertise to address major challenges in healthy living and to shape future approaches to health, wellbeing and sustainable living.
Research funding
Professor Roach has been involved in securing and delivering major UK and European research programmes spanning surface and interface science, biomaterials, tissue engineering, microfabrication, neural engineering and neuromorphic computing.
Major research programmes
- NeuroSYNC – UK Multidisciplinary Centre for Neuromorphic Systems and Computing – Co-Investigator in this major UK research programme developing new approaches to neuromorphic computing inspired by biological neural systems, with contributions spanning biomaterials, microfabrication and engineered neuronal systems.
- NEU-ChiP – Neural Networks on Chip – Work Package Lead in the €3.5 million European Commission H2020 Future and Emerging Technologies project, developing microfabricated platforms for living neural networks and exploring their potential for biological information processing.
- EPSRC-MRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Regenerative Medicine and Devices – Co-Investigator in the £3.5 million interdisciplinary doctoral training programme bringing together engineering, materials science, medicine and biological sciences to develop new approaches to regenerative medicine and medical devices.
Current and previously funded projects
Professor Roach has also led and contributed to a range of competitively funded research projects, including NERC, EPSRC, MRC, and Charity funded research, spanning environmental impacts on biological systems, biomaterials, surface engineering, micro- and nanofabrication, tissue engineering and biological interfaces.
These projects have included research into microplastics and cellular health, the development of engineered biomaterial interfaces, and the application of advanced fabrication and analytical technologies to biological systems.
Across these programmes, Professor Roach's funding activity reflects a consistent interdisciplinary research strategy: using chemistry, surface engineering and biomaterials as a foundation for developing new technologies at the interface with biology, and extending these approaches into tissue engineering, neural systems, brain-on-a-chip technologies and neuromorphic computing