Crossing Soft Robotics and Biomedical Engineering.
We explore the interface between soft robotics, biomaterials, and medical engineering to create adaptive systems for healthcare.
SoftBioX Lab is dedicated to advancing soft robotic systems and bio-materials for clinical translation. We develop adaptive material–structure platforms using novel fabrication techniques such as hydrogel entanglement, 3D inverse printing, and photoresponsive elastomers.
Soft actuators & GI tract phantoms.
Light-driven contractile systems.
Paediatric airway stents & EB wound dressings.
Materials–tissue interaction platforms.
Wu L.*, Song W. et al. A bespoke interpenetrating elastomer network composite laryngeal stent for expedited paediatric laryngotracheal reconstruction. Adv. Funct. Mater., 2025. DOI
Wu L.* et al. Photoresponsive polyurethane nanofiber scaffolds for dynamic muscle-on-chip. Royal Society Interface Focus, 2025. DOI
Wu L., Song W.* et al. Tunable Light-Responsive Polyurethane-urea Elastomer Driven by Photochemical and Photothermal Coupling Mechanism. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2024. DOI
Zhao, Shudong; Lei Wu; Tayari, Sara; Li, … A digitally programmable 3D microenvironment directs satellite cell …. Biomaterials, 2025, 305: 123701. DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2025.123701.
Chang, Jinke; Maltby, Thomas; Moineddini, Amirbahador; Shi, Daqian; Lei Wu; Chen, Jishizhan; Yu, Jianshu; Hung, Jeffrey; Viola, Giuseppe; Vilches, Antonio; Song, Wenhui; et al. Piezoelectric nanofiber–based intelligent hearing system. Science Advances, 2025, 11(19): eadl2741. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adl2741.
Lei Wu; Huang, Xia; Wang, Meng; Chen, Jishizhan; Chang, Jinke; Zhang, Han; Zhang, Xuetong; Conn, Andrew; Rossiter, Jonathan; Birchall, Martin; Song, Wenhui. Tunable Light-Responsive Polyurethane-urea Elastomer Driven by Photochemical and Photothermal Coupling Mechanism. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2024. DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c00486. Corresponding: Wenhui Song.
Cheesbrough, Aimee; Harley, Peter; Riccio, Federica; Lei Wu; Song, Wenhui; Lieberam, Ivo. A scalable human iPSC-based neuromuscular disease model on suspended biobased elastomer nanofiber scaffolds. Biofabrication, 2023, 15: 045020. DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/acf39e. Corresponding: Wenhui Song; Ivo Lieberam.
Shigeta, Yusuke; Saleh, Tarek; Benedetti, Giada; Caciolli, Lorenzo; Khalaf, Sahira; Giobbe, Giovanni G.; De Coppi, Paolo; Chang, Jinke; Zambaiti, Elisa; Lei Wu; Khalaf, Sahira; Song, Wulei; et al. Stomach engineering: region-specific characterization of the decellularized porcine stomach. Pediatric Surgery International, 2023, 40: 13. DOI: 10.1007/s00383-023-05591-y. Corresponding: Giovanni G. Giobbe; Paolo De Coppi.
Zhao, Shudong; Chen, Jishizhan; Lei Wu; Tao, Xin; Yaqub, Naheem; Chang, Jinke. Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells for Tissue-Engineered Skeletal Muscles. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2023, 24(14): 11520. DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411520.
Hu, Xiaocheng; Nian, Guodong; Liang, Xueya; Lei Wu; Yin, Tenghao; Lu, Haotian; Qu, Shaoxing; Yang, Wei. Adhesive Tough Magnetic Hydrogels with High Fe3O4 Content. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2019, 11(10): 10292-10300. DOI: 10.1021/acsami.8b20937.
Yin, Tenghao; Lei Wu; Wu, Tonghao; Mao, Guoyong; Nian, Guodong; Chen, Zheng; Hu, Xiaocheng; Wang, Peng; Xiang, Yong; Yu, Hu; Qu, Shaoxing; Yang, Wei. Ultrastretchable and conductive core/sheath hydrogel fibers with multifunctionality. Journal of Polymer Science Part B: Polymer Physics, 2019, 57(5): 272-280. DOI: 10.1002/polb.24781. Corresponding: Shaoxing Qu.
Lei Wu; Mao, Guoyong; Nian, Guodong; Xiang, Yong; Qian, Jin; Qu, Shaoxing. Mechanical characterization and modeling of sponge-reinforced hydrogels. Soft Matter, 2018, 14: 5531-5541. DOI: 10.1039/C8SM00678D. Corresponding: Jin Qian; Shaoxing Qu.
Mao, Guoyong; Lei Wu; Fu, Yimou; Liu, Jun; Qu, Shaoxing. Design and Characterization of a Soft Dielectric Elastomer Peristaltic Pump. IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, 2018, 23(6): 2699-2709. DOI: 10.1109/TMECH.2018.2864252.
Mao, Guoyong; Lei Wu; Fu, Yimou; Liu, Jun; Qu, Shaoxing. Voltage-controlled radial wrinkles of a trumpet-like dielectric elastomer. AIP Advances, 2018, 8: 015118. DOI: 10.1063/1.5021028.
Mao, Guoyong; Lei Wu; Liang, Xueya; Qu, Xueya?; et al. Morphology of voltage-triggered ordered wrinkles of a dielectric elastomer. Journal of Applied Mechanics, 2017, 84(12): 121008. DOI: 10.1115/1.4037833.
Email: lei.wu@bristol.ac.uk
Website: www.softbiox.org