Hybrid Biomaterials for Orthopedic and Craniofacial Applications

发达国家预期寿命的提高导致骨关节炎、骨质疏松症和牙周炎等与年龄相关的骨骼疾病增加，对能够替代并与骨结合的材料的需求也相应增加。此外，全世界每年有超过220万名患者因骨骼创伤或肿瘤切除而接受手术。骨修复的黄金标准是自体移植。然而，有限的组织可获得性和供体部位的发病率导致了人工材料的使用。尽管在陶瓷、金属和聚合物领域进行了密集的研究，但理想的材料离临床应用还有很长的路要走。在未来5年，拟议的研究计划将集中于开发：1)用于生物活性和抗菌分子控制释放的混合支架和载体；2)生物活性和抗菌杂化涂层，以增强功能化3-D打印钛合金的界面结合；以及3)新型、快速固化和可注射的生物活性和可生物降解的骨水泥。拟议的工作将提高我们对共价结合II类杂化生物材料的基本理解和技术突破，这些材料用于骨科、颅面和牙周应用的支架、植入物涂层和粘固剂。此外，我还将在骨组织工程和再生医学领域培养全面发展的研究生和本科生。整个计划将为三名博士、两名硕士和六名本科生提供培训，让他们接触到杂交生物材料合成和表征方面的尖端研究和开发。毕业后，这些学生将在将生物技术和医疗设备从实验室带入市场和诊所方面发挥领导作用。**

The rise in life expectancy in developed countries has led to an increase in age-related skeletal diseases such as osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and periodontitis with corresponding increase in demand for materials that can replace and integrate with bone. In addition, over 2.2 million patients per year worldwide undergo surgery for skeletal trauma or tumor resection. The gold standard for bone repair is the autograft. However, limited tissue availability and donor-site morbidity has led to the use of artificial materials. Despite intensive research efforts in the fields of ceramics, metals and polymers, the ideal material is still far from clinical practice. Over the next 5 years, the proposed research program will focus on developing: 1) hybrid scaffolds and vehicles for the controlled release of bioactive and antibacterial molecules; 2) bioactive and antimicrobial hybrid coatings on functionalized 3-D-printed titanium alloys to enhance the interfacial bond with bone; and 3) novel, fast setting and injectable bone cements, which are bioactive and biodegradable. The proposed work will improve our fundamental understanding of and lead to technological breakthroughs in covalently bonded class II hybrid biomaterials for scaffolds, implant coatings, and cements for use in orthopedic, craniofacial and periodontal applications. In addition, I will train well-rounded graduate and undergraduate students in the field of bone tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The overall program will provide training for three PhD, two Masters and six undergraduate students, exposing them to cutting edge research and development in the synthesis and characterization of hybrid biomaterials. Upon graduation, these students will take leadership roles in bringing biotechnology and medical devices from the laboratory to the marketplace and clinic.**