Associate Professor Dr Jaydee Cabral established her laboratory in 2021 in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Otago, and in 2025 in the Department of Oral Rehabilitation, Faculty of Dentistry, in Dunedin, New Zealand.
Discover our research and learn about our current projects
Associate Professor Jaydee Cabral
Professor Peter Thorne
Professor John Fisher
Dr Adel Mekhail, Associate Professor Jaydee Cabral and Dr Noelyn Hung
We have a particular interest in the development of biomaterials, medical hydrogels, tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and medical devices.
The Cabral laboratory has the only GeSiM 3.1 Bioscaffolder in New Zealand, a 4-axis, interchangeable, 3D bioprinter equipped with melt electrowriting, cold plasma, co-axial bioprinting, and piezoelectric capability.
View cold plasma-enhanced bioactivity of 3D-printed PCL scaffolds
Current research
Current projects include medical device development to treat hearing loss in collaboration with Professor Peter Thorne, Department of Physiology, University of Auckland and Callaghan Innovation funded via a 2024 MBIE Research Programme grant ($8.3 mil).
Other projects include development of 3D printed nipple areolar complex (NAC) implants for breast cancer patients and to 3D print a medical device to treat precancerous cervical lesions. The NAC project is in collaboration with the University of Maryland, USA, Professor John Fisher, Department Chair, Fischell Department of Bioengineering, Director of the Center of Complex Tissues, and funded via a Catalyst Seed grant. The precancerous cervical lesions medical device project is in collaboration with Dr Noelyn Hung (Department of Pathology) and Dr Adel Mekhail (gynaecologist, SDHB), and funded by a Translation Research Grant.
Previous research
Previous funding includes a Health Research Council Explorer Grant and a Lottery Health Research Grant to 3D bioprint vascularised, regenerative living dressings for the treatment of chronic wounds. As a key researcher in a multi-million-dollar Ministry of Business, Innovation, & Employment Funded project entitled “Smart gels for Commercialisation” Dr Cabral’s contribution in biomaterial development and characterisation resulted in an FDA approved and now commercialised surgical gel, Chitogel®.
Teaching
Associate Professor Cabral lectures in postgraduate Bioengineering courses.
- BIOE 403 Bioengineering Design
- BIOE 404 Medical Devices and Technology
- BIOE 405 Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells
Find out more about Otago University’s Centre of Bioengineering and Nanomedicine
Current group members
Jaydee Cabral
Research Associate Professor
Email jaydee.cabral@otago.ac.nz
View Associate Professor Jaydee Cabral's profile
Staff
Dr Judy Ann Cocadiz
Postdoctoral Fellow
Dr Mina Rajabi
Postdoctoral Fellow
Postgraduate Students
Alexandria Leonard
PhD Student
Emma Managh
MSc Student
Caitlin O'Donnell
MSc Student
Teo De Rezende McGuinness
Honours Student
Opportunities
MSc scholarships are available for capable students interested in studying bioengineering at Otago.
The MSc position requires the applicant to be eligible for admission to the thesis-based Master’s Bioengineering Programme and for a Master’s Research Scholarship
- Find out more about studying bioengineering at Otago
- Find out more about the Master's Research Scholarship
For inquiries about MSc Bioengineering admission, please contact, Professor Azam Ali, Director, Bioengineering Academic Program, University of Otago.
Email azam.ali@otago.ac.nz
Mob +64 211 397 912
News
- Bioengineering symposium and 3D Biofabrication workshop, 6–7 November 2025
- Restoring a part of me: 3D bioprinted nipples for breast cancer survivors
- Paykel Trust awarded A/P Cabral a $10,000 grant-in-aid towards the purchase of a plasma pen attachment for her lab's 3D Bioscaffolder in order to activate scaffold surfaces for bioactive molecule attachment.
- A/P Cabral featured in the Otago News Bulletin as an assistant coach for the NZ Women's Under 18 Ice Hockey team who won gold in Bulgaria, link: https://www.otago.ac.nz/news/newsroom/off-campus-from-laboratories-to-the-ice-rink
- Register today for the Bioengineering Symposium (free) & 3D Biofabrication Workshop ($50 fee) 22-23 Feb 2024, Hunter Centre, 279 Great King Street, Dunedin. Information and complete schedule can be found here.pdf
- Newly funded research to develop a medical device to treat precancerous cervical lesions featured in the ODT, Grant funds cervical cancer research team | Otago Daily Times Online News (odt.co.nz)
- Listen in on Dr. Cabral's Radio NZ interview about her 3D printed nipple project in collaboration with the University of Maryland, Printing nipples with a 3D printer | RNZ
- 2023 Translational Award recipient announced here, Translational Research Grant 2023 winners developing intervention for pre-stage cervical cancer | University of Otago
- Research featured in the Otago Daily Times, 27 April 2023, 3D printing for mastectomy | Otago Daily Times Online News (odt.co.nz), Top News Story in The South Today
- Register for the 11 November 2022 3D Biofabrication workshop here: 3D Biofabrication Workshop (otago.ac.nz)
- Read about Dr. Cabral's student who won the premier award at StartUp Dunedin's Audacious showcase: https://www.odt.co.nz/business/tech-start-life-calling-award-winner
- Read all about Dr. Cabral's latest research which was featured on the cover of Biopolymers here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/10970282/2022/113/4
- Learn more about bioengineering in healthcare in this RNZ interview with Dr. Cabral and her PhD student here: https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ourchangingworld/audio/2018814441/using-bioengineering-to-enhance-healthcare ; https://gesim-bioinstruments-microfluidics.com/bioengineering-ordering-up-organs/
- Dr. Cabral’s publications are featured on the GeSiM webpage for Melt Electrowriting: https://gesim-bioinstruments-microfluidics.com/melt-electro-writing-scaffolds-seeded-with-stem-cells/; and Co-axial or Core/shell 3D bioprinting: https://gesim-bioinstruments-microfluidics.com/peptide-chitosan-dextran-core-shell-vascularized-3d-constructs-for-wound-healing/
- ODT article: https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/campus/university-of-otago/prize-money-help-inner-ear-research
- HRC website: https://www.hrc.govt.nz/resources/research-repository/developing-holy-grail-bioprinting-vascularisation
Previous lab members
MSc Bioengineering
Emily Crosse
Product Development Engineer, AVASA
View Emily Crosse's Bioengineering profile (PDF)
Minami Yoshida
Quality Assurance Scientist, Zenith Technology Corporation