Research by a University of Ulster PhD student has highlighted how bone tissue engineering could encourage the body to regenerate rather than rely on permanent implants.

Belfast man Peter O’Hare, who graduates today with a PhD in Bone Tissue Engineering at the winter graduations ceremonies in Jordanstown, investigated the use of temporary bone implants.

“Temporary bone implants can be resorbed by the body over time and encourage new bone to re-form which does away with the need for a permanent implant - for example a artificial hip replacement, - to remain in the body,” says Peter.

“Specifically I looked at how artificial bone implants made from hydroxyapatite - a mineral chemically similar to natural hard bone – could be optimised using nano-scale features to efficiently encourage the regrowth of bone.”

The field of bone tissue engineering is emerging as a route to new commercial technologies within biomedical engineering.  In particular, the design and manufacture of a temporary bone replacement scaffold presents an opportunity to merge advances in the nanotechnology with those in the medical engineering field to get desirable responses from the body. 

“The incorporation of nanoscale cues onto such medical devices as hip replacements can be used to control cellular responses that will eventually cause the formation of new tissues.  Similarly, these implant materials can be used to suppress growth of certain tissues,” explains Peter. 

“Bioceramic scaffolds are constantly being redesigned to provide adequate strength and optimal bone forming capabilities while being resorbed by the body at a controlled rate, so the new bone is formed at the same rate as the scaffold dissolves.

“Medicine today is geared towards encouraging the body to regenerate. Bone tissue engineering has the potential to achieve this goal doing away with the need to rely on permanent implants such as common hip replacements which have a limited lifetime or be prone to failure,

In 2004 Peter and another UU postgraduate student Gillian McCullough won the top prize in the prestigious £25K Awards for new entrepreneurs with their ‘Smart bandage’ technology which provides instant, accurate feedback on the condition of wounds without actually removing the dressing.

Having completed his doctorate research, Peter plans to take some time out to travel ‘Down Under’ before seeking employment in the biomedical field. 

For further information, please contact:

David Young
Telephone: 028 90366074
Email: David Young