New research could revolutionize orthopedic care

Aug 5, 2010 15:23 GMT  ·  By

A team of experts funded by the US National Science Foundation (NSF) is currently working on developing a revolutionary “bottom-up” approach to healing complex fractures. The goal of the study is to develop methods of reconstructing intricate bone tissue, which may later grow to form hierarchical cortical bone. The work is being conducted at the Stevens Institute of Technology (SIT), by a team led by expert Dr. Hongjun Wang. He is based at the Institute's Department of Chemistry, Chemical Biology and Biomedical Engineering.

Finding a way to amend broken bones is an absolute necessity, given the fact that 6.2 million bone fractures occur annually, in the United States alone. At this point, repairing bones is done by promoting the fusion process between the two broken ends of bone tissue. But this method only recovered structural integrity, without restoring the bone with its former mechanical capabilities. In other words, the healed structure will never be as strong as before it broke.

This difference in strength is caused by a lack of cortical bone tissue at the repaired site. The SIT team is trying to develop a new type of medical technology that would address this shortcoming directly, potentially restoring full mobility to millions. The research initiative, called “Biomimetic Creation of Cortical-like Bone with Hierarchical Structure,” aims to produce platforms that would enable the creation of bone tissues with complex and hierarchical structure. Potential applications include both reconstructive and transplant surgery, as well as advancements in biomimetics technology.

“The results of Dr. Wang's research will have a far‐reaching impact on tissue engineering. The wealth of basic and applied knowledge learned at Stevens will lay the foundation for our long‐term research efforts and the development of real-world applications,” says the Dean of the Schaefer School of Engineering and Science, Dr Michael Bruno, adding that the research effort will take at least three years. “The intellectually rich environment established by Dr. Wang and his team is inspiring to our graduate and undergraduate students who are participating in the transformative benefits of cutting-edge research and its profound application,” concludes the director of the Department of Chemistry, Chemical Biology and Biomedical Engineering, Dr. Philip Leopold.