How often is your blood pressure actually within a healthy range? It might seem like a simple question, but the answer is more complicated than many people realise.

In January 2013, Paul Hoogendoorn’s life changed drastically. From a demanding corporate job to recovering from a severe outcome of hypertension – a stroke.

PhD student Abel Aguilar Chávez represented the SMARTSHAPE project at the Annual Conference of the European Society for Biomaterials, presenting the mathematical model behind optimising the SMARTSHAPE sensor.

From bioactive cements to shape-shifting sensors, this year’s UK Society for Biomaterials (UKSB) conference was a showcase of biomaterials innovation – and the SMARTSHAPE team was right at the heart of it.

The SMARTSHAPE consortium gathered in Rome for its annual in-person consortium meeting, discussing the progress so far and next steps.

“My story begins 20 years ago during the Christmas holidays. I was visiting my parents in Kentucky. My mother remarked that my eyes looked funny and asked if I was feeling okay. I of course told her that I was fine and was looking forward to Christmas with the Family.” This is how Dina’s hypertension journey starts.