The Centre for Advanced Materials and Biomaterials Research

The Centre for Advanced Materials and Biomaterials Research (CAMBR) brings together more than 50 research groups to tackle key materials challenges. From determining how to provide energy to a growing global population in an environmentally sustainable manner to ways to enhance health and quality of life using materials-based approaches to medicine, CAMBR research teams engage in cutting-edge and multidisciplinary research with colleagues across the institution and in collaboration with external partners to move the bar forward in the development of new devices and products with novel materials.

Priority Project Areas

Magnified cells. Link to research area for health

Materials for Health

Solar Cells. Link to research area for environment

Materials for Energy and the Environment

Research Expertise

CAMBR affiliated faculty members share several common research techniques. A common core of approaches facilitates an environment of collaboration on a number of our themes using a variety of methodologies and unique perspectives. We promote five (5) core areas of research expertise:

Materials synthesis and processing

CAMBR has extensive expertise and facilities for the synthesis and processing of materials including polymers, composites, and nanomaterials.

Computation

Our researchers use computational modeling approaches including density functional theory, molecular dynamics, and Monte Carlo methods to aid in our understanding of the relationship between macroscopic materials properties and their atomic-scale structure.

Characterization of structure and properties

Materials characterization is a long-standing strength at Western, with strong expertise in synchrotron radiation research, mass spectrometry, NMR spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, Raman, infrared, and non-linear spectroscopic methods, x-ray diffraction, the study of electronic and optical nano-devices, rheology, and mechanical properties measurements.

Surface Science and Engineering

Surface science is a core strength at Western, with expertise in electrochemistry, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, secondary ion mass spectrometry, scanning Auger microscopy, ion beam analysis and ion implantation, and nanofabrication techniques.

Biological evaluation

CAMBR researchers are studying the interactions between materials and biological systems using in vitro and in vivo models, as well as a range of different medical imaging methods and contrast agents.

By the numbers

Faculty Fact: 50+ Faculty
Fact: 3 Faculties Involved
Fact: 10 Affiliated Departments
Fact: 400+ Co-Authored Research Papers