Opportunity Overview
Background
The University of Sheffield is seeking information from suppliers of advanced nano-mechanical characterisation systems capable of measuring the mechanical properties of biological and soft materials whilst simultaneously providing optical and fluorescence imaging capabilities.
This notice forms part of a pre-market engagement exercise and does not constitute a commitment to commence a procurement process. The University wishes to understand the range of technologies available within the marketplace, identify potential suppliers, and gather information on solutions capable of meeting the requirements outlined below.
Facility Context
The instrument will be housed within a multidisciplinary biological imaging facility that supports researchers from across the Faculties of Science, Engineering, and Health.
The facility provides access to advanced microscopy and image analysis technologies and supports a diverse user base including cell biologists, biomedical researchers, biomaterials scientists, tissue engineers, and translational medicine researchers.
The proposed system will form part of a broader suite of imaging technologies and will be made available to multiple research groups through a shared-access facility model.
Intended Applications
The University is interested in systems capable of supporting research in areas including:
●Cellular and sub-cellular biomechanics
●Mechanobiology
●Biomaterials characterisation
●Tissue engineering
●Cell-material interactions
●Cancer biology
●Developmental biology
●Regenerative medicine
Typical experiments may involve the measurement of mechanical properties of:
●Living cells
●Cell-derived matrices
●Biological tissues
●Engineered biomaterials
Researchers may also wish to correlate mechanical measurements with fluorescence-labelled cellular structures and biological processes.
Technical Requirements
The University is interested in solutions that provide:
Nano-mechanical Characterisation
●Quantitative measurement of...
The University of Sheffield is seeking information from suppliers of advanced nano-mechanical characterisation systems capable of measuring the mechanical properties of biological and soft materials whilst simultaneously providing optical and fluorescence imaging capabilities.
This notice forms part of a pre-market engagement exercise and does not constitute a commitment to commence a procurement process. The University wishes to understand the range of technologies available within the marketplace, identify potential suppliers, and gather information on solutions capable of meeting the requirements outlined below.
Facility Context
The instrument will be housed within a multidisciplinary biological imaging facility that supports researchers from across the Faculties of Science, Engineering, and Health.
The facility provides access to advanced microscopy and image analysis technologies and supports a diverse user base including cell biologists, biomedical researchers, biomaterials scientists, tissue engineers, and translational medicine researchers.
The proposed system will form part of a broader suite of imaging technologies and will be made available to multiple research groups through a shared-access facility model.
Intended Applications
The University is interested in systems capable of supporting research in areas including:
●Cellular and sub-cellular biomechanics
●Mechanobiology
●Biomaterials characterisation
●Tissue engineering
●Cell-material interactions
●Cancer biology
●Developmental biology
●Regenerative medicine
Typical experiments may involve the measurement of mechanical properties of:
●Living cells
●Cell-derived matrices
●Biological tissues
●Engineered biomaterials
Researchers may also wish to correlate mechanical measurements with fluorescence-labelled cellular structures and biological processes.
Technical Requirements
The University is interested in solutions that provide:
Nano-mechanical Characterisation
●Quantitative measurement of...
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Start FreeSolicitation Details
| Issuing agency | University of Sheffield |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Category | Government Procurement |
| Published | June 19, 2026 |
| Procurement stage | Request for Proposal (RFP) |
| Closed | Closing date not published |
| Status | Closed — no longer accepting responses |
| Official source | View original notice |
| Last verified | October 11, 2026 |
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: UK Government (Find a Tender).
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