Novel multilayered synthetic structural bone graft materials which combine biocompatibility, biodegradability and high toughness

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Due to the ageing world population, techniques to replace, restore, or regenerate bone have**become a major clinical need in the fields of orthopaedic, spinal, dental, cranial, and**maxillofacial surgery. For these patients that suffer from bone loss and bone defects, surgical**treatment remains a major challenge. Traditional bone grafting techniques have performance**limitations including donor site morbidity, viral transmission, immunologic incompatibility, long**rehabilitation time and structural failure. The need for new strategies for the treatment of bone**defects is therefore urgent. The ideal bone graft material must: (i) match the mechanical**properties of healthy bone; (ii) be biocompatible and promote healing and (iii) must degrade**over time to be replaced by healthy bone. To this day, there is no synthetic material that can**fulfill these three requirements simultaneously. In this project we will develop a new structural**bone graft made from calcium sulfate, collagen and gelatin. All components of this material**are fully biocompatible and FDA-approved for use as biomaterials. The mineral content**provides stiffness, while the weaker protein layers can deflect incoming cracks to generate**toughness. The implication is that this material can be used to fabricate load-carrying grafts,**as opposed to traditional calcium phosphates/sulfates which are too brittle. The structural**bone graft can be of varying sizes and dimensions. In-vivo performance will be evaluated with**an animal study. In addition, bone grafts with complex patient-specific shapes will be**developed using 3D printed polymeric templates. This new medical technology will have a**significant impact on restoring functionality and quality of life in patients requiring**reconstruction of structural bone defects secondary to trauma, failed arthroplasties, bone**tumors, maxillofacial surgery or other bone diseases.