Dr Timothy Douglas

Lecturer in Bio-Chemical Engineering

Research Overview

I work on two areas of interdisciplinary research, which complement each other:

1) Biomaterials for biomedical applications

The aging populations in industrialised countries necessitate the development of new biomaterials to regenerate damaged tissues and deliver drugs and other biological therapeutic substances. This involves collaboration with colleagues from many disciplines, especially biology, and often from other countries.

2) Promotion of Languages in Science

Science and Engineering are highly international and hence offer excellent opportunities to learn languages. In turn, language learning is good for Science and Engineering by facilitating networking and collaboration. Languages and Sciences are however often perceived as separate; I am determined to show that they are interwined and complementary

Research Interests

Biomaterials for biomedical applications

I work on the development of biomaterials to support tissue regeneration, in particular hard tissue regeneration (bone). Such biomaterials are implanted into tissue defects, which can occur as a result of injury or tumor resection.

In particular, I focus on composite biomaterials, namely mineralized hydrogels, in order to combine the positive characteristics of the mineral phase (mechanical strength, ability to support bone regeneration) with the positive characteristics of the hydrogel phase (ease of incorporation of biologically active substances, such as enzymes and antibacterial agents).

I am interested in endowing biomaterials with antibacterial activity to prevent infection during implantation, which is becoming increasingly important given the increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

I am also interested in biomaterial coatings and the use of substances from the food industry in biomaterial development.

I have published 100 A1 publications relating to biomaterials for bone contact with an extensive network of international collaborators, including many in Germany, Belgium, Russia and Poland in particular. I regularly host visiting researchers from these countries and others.

I am passionate about international collaboration and have organized several UK-Russia conferences on biomaterials-related topics at Lancaster, which were funded by the British Council and intended to stimulate cooperation. I have also organized an UK-Poland online conference on Bio-Inspired Materials, funded by the British Embassy in Warsaw and the UK Science and Innovation Network.

Languages in Science

I am a firm believer in the benefits of language learning and I am a member of the International Association of Hyperpolyglots (HYPIA):

Timothy Douglas | HYPIA | Polyglots (polyglotassociation.org)

I consider myself very lucky to work in a profession which allows me to combine my interests in science and other countries and languages. I use German, Dutch, Russian and Polish regularly in my work and have reached a conversational level in several other languages, including Ukrainian, which I started learning on 24th February 2022.

I am very keen to promote multilingualism and language learning in science. International collaboration and mobility are encouraged, but there is very little discussion about the role of languages in communicating with others and, more importantly, in building relationships with speakers of other languages. In order to start this discussion, with colleagues from Department of Languages and Cultures (DeLC) and Institute for Social Futures (ISF), I organised the first "Languages in Science" conference at Lancaster University in November 2021.

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbk_Z5ga0ayHDvatroMZZ9mk8jR2kbHsR&si=LrRRKk1pwvxRdtDK

We have organized further conferences, including 'Creative Fusion of Languages and Science in Teaching' at Lancaster University, May 25th 2022.

and the SciLang conference on Holistic Integration of Languages into Science and Science into Languages at Lancaster University and on MS Teams on Friday 8th July 2022.

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbk_Z5ga0ayE0VkWsCZ3ZHakHpcFNXre-&si=BLnh-Iy8Krd4iiXL

We also organized the hybrid Languages in Science GLOBAL conference on 27th-28th July 2023 in the framework of a Cross-Faculty Grant.

I am very keen to hear from those who have enhanced their scientific career through languages.

Additional Information

I have been promoting Ukrainian language learning to help Ukrainians at this difficult time. With the support of the Department of Languages and Cultures (DeLC) I have organized 4 "LUkrainian" conferences at Lancaster University and online:

1st conference: July 2022

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbk_Z5ga0ayFdwHpNkdIW5rti17Nf3B4G&si=kgP_ye_V1l45Ijvx

2nd conference: August 2022

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbk_Z5ga0ayFA8PEXi0fm9hR4zaBwhMc1&si=CcSirV-hDog8sonv

3rd conference: December 2022

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbk_Z5ga0ayFYwgjSlSehk6jEZfhCmUAA&si=zBIfzsGYBPRMQYQL