Hybrid Biomaterials for Orthopedic and Craniofacial Applications

发达国家预期寿命的增加导致与年龄有关的骨骼疾病增加，如骨关节炎、骨质疏松症和牙周炎，对替代骨和与骨结合的材料的需求也相应增加。此外，全球每年有超过220万患者接受骨骼创伤或肿瘤切除手术。自体骨移植是骨修复的金标准。然而，有限的组织可用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、金属和聚合物等领域进行了大量的研究，但理想的材料离临床实践还很遥远。在接下来的5年里，计划的研究项目将集中在开发：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)在功能化3d打印钛合金表面制备生物活性和抗菌复合涂层，增强与骨的界面结合；3)具有生物活性和可生物降解的新型、快速定型和可注射的骨水泥。所提出的工作将提高我们对共价键合II类杂化生物材料的基本理解，并导致技术突破，这些材料用于骨科、颅面和牙周应用的支架、种植涂层和水泥。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。整个项目将为三名博士、两名硕士和六名本科生提供培训，使他们接触到混合生物材料合成和表征方面的前沿研究和发展。毕业后，这些学生将在将生物技术和医疗设备从实验室推向市场和临床方面发挥领导作用

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.**