Surface Engineered Titanium Implants

首席研究员将与具有互补背景的同事一起研究金属植入物的表面工程。工作的重点是在这些植入物的表面涂覆缺钙羟基磷灰石（CDHA）。这是矿物羟基磷灰石（HA）的生物对应物。CDHA存在于哺乳动物的牙齿或骨骼中，有助于骨骼与植入物的直接结合。该工艺使用模拟体液（SBFs）作为涂层介质。制备表面和涂层表面都使用许多不同的技术进行表征。测定了牛成骨细胞对涂层表面的体外反应。正在确定加工参数、表面特征和成骨细胞反应之间的相关性。该项目将发挥重要的社会作用。在接下来的几十年里，绝大多数“婴儿潮”出生的人将在臀部、膝盖、牙齿、颌面重建和其他应用中使用某种植入物。本研究利用新发展的“材料与制造”和“生物技术”概念来制造可靠性更高、感染风险更低的改良植入物。另一项任务是在“生物材料”领域对不同层次的学生进行培训和指导。不同层次的学生（K-12, 2年制大学）应该通过正式和非正式的教学途径从这个项目中受益。从这个角度来看，该团队正在与当地的HBCU、两年制技术学院、初中和高中合作。

The principal investigator and his colleagues with complementary backgrounds will study surface engineering of metallic implants. The focus of the work is to coat surfaces of these implants with calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite (CDHA). This is the biological counterpart of the mineral hydroxyapatite (HA). CDHA occurs in mammalian teeth or bone and helps in direct bonding of bone to the implant. The process uses simulated body fluids (SBFs) as the coating medium. Both as-prepared and as-coated surfaces are characterized using many different techniques. The in vitro response of bovine osteoblasts on the coated surfaces is determined. Correlation between processing parameters, surface characteristics, and osteoblast response is being determined. The project has vital societal roles to play. Over the next several decades, the vast majority of the "Baby Boomer" population will use some kind of implant in hips, knees, teeth, maxillofacial reconstruction, and other applications. This research utilizes the newly developed concepts of "Materials and Manufacturing" and "Biotechnology" to fabricate improved implants with greater reliability and less risk of infection. Another mission is to train and mentor students at various levels in the area of "Biomaterials". Students of several levels (K-12, 2-year colleges) should benefit from this project via formal and informal teaching paths. From that viewpoint, the team is working with local HBCU, two-year technical colleges, middle and high schools.