Prof Constantin Coussios, OBE FREng FMedSci, will have served as IBME director for nearly a decade, between October 2016 and September 2025. Under his directorship, the Institute of Biomedical Engineering grew from 16 to 30 academics and from 200 to some 300 researchers, expanding from 4 to 8 strategic research areas to include biomaterials, bioelectronics, sports technologies and bionanotechnology over 4,500 m2 of space at Oxford's Old Road Campus. This includes the Marcela Botnar wing at NDORMS where researchers are focusing on bio-engineering solutions to improve the treatment of arthritis, osteoporosis and other bone and joint diseases.
'I am extremely grateful to all IBME faculty, staff and students for their support, passion and dedication over the last decade, and look forward to witnessing the next stage of biomedical growth and societal impact under Robin's inspired leadership,' said Prof Coussios.
Incoming IBME director, Robin Cleveland is a Professor of Engineering Science and a Tutorial Fellow at Magdalen College. He has been at Oxford for 14 years; previously he was on the Engineering faculty at Boston University in the USA and a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Washington, Seattle, USA. His research expertise is in biomedical ultrasound particularly with respect to therapeutic applications. Recent research areas include, low-intensity ultrasound for transcranial ultrasound neuro-stimulation (TUS), disrupting bacterial biofilms with shock waves, high-intensity ultrasound for thermal ablation, ultrasonic drug-delivery include delivery vehicles, and laser and shock wave lithotripsy for fragmenting kidney stones. He is a Fellow of the Acoustical Society of America.
Prof Cleveland said: 'I am excited to be stepping into a leadership role of the IBME which is a vibrant community of researchers that work at the interface of engineering and the medical sciences. I look forward to fostering more collaborations between engineering and the researchers and clinicians in the medical sciences both in Oxford and beyond. I am exceptionally grateful to Constantin's leadership over the past 9 years and the wonderful community of talented researchers he passes on to me.'
Read the full story on the IBME website.