Collagen calcium phosphate composite devices for bone augmentation

University of Glasgow

Active award

Student: Stylianos Sarrigiannidis

Year Award Started: 2017

Above a certain (critical) size bone defects are difficult to treat, leading to failure of fractures to heal and failiure of the patients to return to full activity. Bone defect filling materials need to be bioactive to encourage bone healing, degradable as bone is one of only two body tissues that can repair with itself and finally have appropriate mechanical properties. Too stiff materials will remove loading from the bone and thus slow healing, while insufficient strength will lead to premature failure of the reparing tissue and thus lead to failure of the repair process. Collagen reinforced with bone mineral composites, by modelling the components and structure of bone, can provide the required biological and mechancial properties.
This project will develop composite devices using collagen supplied by the industrial partner and will reinforce this with calcium phosphates, thus modelling the collagen reinforced with bone mineral structure of bone. The applications of the material will be as porous scaffolds to fill three dimensional defects and as sheets of material able to bridge defects or to provide space for bone healing. The material will be produced, optimised and tested from mechanical properties through to bone cell culture to ensure biocompatibility and bone bioactivity.
Research area: Musculoskeletal conditions

Supervisors:

Professor Elizabeth Tanner
School of Engineering
Professor Matthew Dalby
Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology

Collagen Solutions plc