Binbin shares passion for puzzles

Whether reading detective fiction or working on her PhD, Binbin Zhang loves puzzle solving.

“I was always interested in science,” she said.

“I always want to know how things work; what’s the mechanism behind it.”

The ACES staff member hopes to one day see patients fitted with personalised biomedical implants through her biofabrication work.

“My research is to use techniques such as 3D printing to produce biomedical electronic devices like the cochlear implant, to make them fit for individual patients’ organ shape,” she said.

Binbin said ACES had given her a great opportunity to further her career.

“ACES has established world class facilities featuring a wide range of fabrication techniques towards biofabrication, providing me the elevation on my career path,” she said.

Binbin draws inspiration from cochlear implant pioneer Professor Graeme Clark and hopes to emulate him by helping many thousands of people.

“The size or shape of organs or body parts in each person varies, therefore the mass manufactured one-size-fits-all implants won’t provide individual patients with best outcome,” she said.

“With the success of my research, in the future, each patient will have their own customised biomedical implants.”

Post PhD, BinBin hopes people will be reading about her own problem solving ability.

“I hope I can build a career in academia; within five years of graduating I hope I could get a success – publications and grant applications,” she said.

“Ideally I should have my own grant to support myself.”