TRAILab News

Ligament Image

Calcium Phosphate Crystals

Richard's work recently featured on the front cover of the Journal of Materials Chemistry (B). This work described how it was possible to modify the surface of calcium phosphate crystals, so that we could monitor what happens to them as they cross the cell membrane.

Ligament Image

In-vitro Tissue-Engineered Ligament

The collagen accumulation in fibrin-based tissue-engineered ligaments can be augmented using promoters of collagen synthesis. Our current work aims to optimise collagen production in vitro using AA+P and other collagen synthesis promoters

introduction

Mechanical Stimulation of Tissue-Engineered Ligaments

Mechanical stimulation imparts critical signals that influence musculoskeletal tissue development and biomechanical properties. A bioreactor can be used to load the ligament constructs in vitro. Our current work aims to optimise a mechanical stimulation regime to augment graft properties.

introduction

Collagen production in fibrin-based ligaments

The collagen accumulation in fibrin-based tissue-engineered ligaments can be augmented using promoters of collagen synthesis. Our current work aims to optimise collagen production in vitro using AA+P and other collagen synthesis promoters.

recruitment

Tissue Engineering

The collagen accumulation in fibrin-based tissue-engineered ligaments can be augmented using promoters of collagen synthesis. By supplementing the ligaments with ascorbic acid and proline, we can increase collagen deposition and mechanical properties of the grafts. Our current work aims to optimise collagen production in vitro using AA+P and other collagen synthesis promoters.

talent

Acicular Magnetite Nanoparticles via Biologically-controlled Precipitation

Biomineralisation is the ability of biological organisms to induce, control and/or inhibit the formation of a wide range of mineral forms: typically through protein-ion interaxtions. Many organisms exhibit highly specialised magnetic nanopartickes that have been replicated in vitro by coprecipitation in the prescence of recombinant protein. These acicular nanoparticles are formed when iron oxide is precipoitated in the presence of bovine serum albumin


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Grant from Orthopaedic Research UK

November 2015

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Neil Eisenstein has been awarded a significant grant from Orthopaedic Research UK for post-doctoral support to his project on developing a novel treatment for heterotopic ossification. In addition he has a review article on physicochemical analysis of mineralised tissue in press with Advanced Healthcare Materials. Finally, Neil organised a very successful symposium on Heterotopic Ossification with groups attending from all over the UK and even the United States.


Inaugural Lecture

21st October 2015

Liam, Sophie, and previous group member Parastoo attended the inaugural lecture of Professor Moataz Attallah on 21st October 2015. The talk entitled ‘To design, to weld, to 3D print, and not to σyield’ was a whistle stop tour of some of the work being done by Professor Attallah and his team in the School of Materials and Metallurgy. Congratulations to Moataz, who collaborators with Liam and Sophie on the EPSRC project, on his chair!


Lecture from Professor Justin Cooper-White

15th October 2015

TRAILab were out in force to attend a jaw dropping guest lecture from Professor Justin Cooper-White (University of Queensland). The talk was an inspiring example of the work Professor Cooper-White and his team do in the field of stem cells, microfluidics, and biomaterials science.


European Society of Biomaterials

30th August – 1st Sept 2015

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Niusha, Sophie, and Felicity of TRAILab attended the European Society of Biomaterials meeting in the beautiful city of Krakow, Poland. Sophie delivered a well-received talk concerning her work on the EPSRC funded NIDMET project discussing the concept of delivering therapeutics from orthopaedic implants to prevent infection. All three attendees also gave poster presentations which all sparked interests from other attending delegates.



Congratulations

May 2015

Big congratulations to Alistair for submitting his PhD thesis entitled "Imaging the development of a bone-bone ligament construct" on Friday 15th May. Best of luck for your viva!



Neil won the Philip Fulford prize for best overall presentation at the Combined Services Orthopaedic Society Meeting in May 2015.

He presented the preliminary results from his PhD project on novel methods to prevent and treat heterotopic ossification.



Congratulations to Erik on the publication of his paper titled "Inorganic cements for biomedical application: calcium phosphate, calcium sulphate and calcium silicate" in Advances in Applied Ceramics.

The paper reviews current calcium based cements employed in the clinical setting for both orthopaedic application and drug delivery. We also suggest ways in which cements can be improved for their current applications.

Take a read: - [Maney Online.com]


Society of Biomaterials conference

May 2015

Five members of TRAILab will be attending this year’s UK Society of Biomaterials conference in Belfast on 25-26th June.

The group will be giving talks in the following areas:

  • CHEMICALLY MODIFIED GELS FOR LOCALISED DELIVERY AND RETENTION OF DRUGS IN MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURY SITES – Dr Richard Williams
  • DEVELOPMENT OF INJECTABLE BIOMATERIALS FOR USE IN NOVEL ADDITIVE LAYER MANUFACTURED IMPLANTS – Dr Sophie Cox
  • FORMULATION OF CALCIUM PYROPHSPHATE – Erik Hughes

Neil and Hayley will also be presenting posters on heterotopic ossification and metallic implant debris, respectively.

Registration for the event is still open – we hope to see you there! - [UKSB.org]


Institute for Science and Technology

Feb 2015

On 25th Feb 2015, Richard gave a very well received invited talk to members of the Institute for Science and Technology in Medicine at the University of Keele. Dr Williams presented his research on “Designing materials to maximise regenerative potential” and collaborates with Keele on its regenerative medicine work.


Bioceramics 26, Barcelona

8th November 2014

Richard Williams presents at Bioceramics 26, Barcelona.

Richard gave a talk on chemical modification of ceramics and the latest applications developed within the group including antimicrobial peptide attachment and formation of structured materials.


Biomaterials (ESB) conference, Liverpool

3rd September 2014

TRAIlab out in force at the European Society for Biomaterials (ESB) conference in Liverpool.

Gurpreet and Ali gave well received talks on the role of silicon on collagen mineralisation and Raman mapping of phase changes in cements, respectively.

TRAILAb group photo

Picture of the group at the Gala dinner


Smart Materials and Surfaces, Bangkok

28th August 2014

Erik Hughes presents at SETCOR International Conference on Smart Materials and Surfaces, Bangkok.

Erik gave a talk on his work on chemical modification and formation of composite materials.


European Orthopaedics Research Society (EORS) conference, Nantes

July 2014

Richard Williams and Erik Hughes presented talks at the European Orthopaedics Research Society (EORS) conference in Nantes.

Erik presented his work on crosslinked composite materials for load bearing implants, while Richard presented his work on tracking and quantifying cellular uptake of calcium phosphate particles.

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Pictures of both Richard and Erik.