Wednesday, August 6, 2025
Science
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • HOME
  • SCIENCE NEWS
  • CONTACT US
  • HOME
  • SCIENCE NEWS
  • CONTACT US
No Result
View All Result
Scienmag
No Result
View All Result
Home Science News Medicine

Building new bones with help from 3D printing

August 26, 2024
in Medicine
Reading Time: 2 mins read
0
Building new bones with help from 3D printing
66
SHARES
599
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
ADVERTISEMENT

A research team from the University of Waterloo has developed a new material that shares many of the same traits as bone tissue. Using it in 3D printers provides a new and innovative treatment option for patients undergoing major skeletal repair and reconstructive surgery.

Surgical reconstruction in these cases currently involves metal implants and donated bone. Surgeons request a specific size and type from tissue banks to best match their patient’s anatomy, but it’s rarely a perfect fit. A recipient’s body may also reject donated bone. 

To solve these problems, this new biopolymer nanocomposite material can be 3D-printed into a customized bone graft engineered to meet a patient’s unique needs. It may also eliminate the need for metal plates, reduce the risk of infection, and increase the chance that the patient’s body will successfully accept the graft. 

ADVERTISEMENT

The material is the latest innovation by Waterloo researchers who are disrupting health boundaries through various technologies. Waterloo aims to ensure everyone achieves optimal health and well-being through technological advances, virtual care and health data applications as part of the institution’s Health Futures initiative.

“We’ve created a material that is strong, 3D-printable and compatible with a potential to become new bone tissue.” said lead researcher Dr. Thomas Willett, a professor in the Department of Systems Design Engineering and director of the new biomedical engineering graduate program. “With this technology, we can achieve the patient-specific geometry needed to reconstruct bone defects with greater success.”

The material combines nanoparticles that mimic the composition of bone minerals and help strengthen the material. Ultimately, the team hopes bone cells will grow and replace biopolymer nanocomposite with new bone. The body will then excrete the biopolymer nanocomposite. 

“Our work is currently focused on advancing our biopolymer nanocomposite’s functional robustness as an implant and its ability to be replaced with living bone over time,” said Elizabeth Diederichs, Waterloo PhD candidate. “The goal is for this material to reduce a patient’s need for repeated operations after undergoing bone reconstruction surgery.”

The team performed successful tests on bone-cell compatibility in collaboration with Dr. Maud Gorbet, a professor in Waterloo Engineering and director of the biomedical engineering undergraduate program.

“Any material implanted in the body elicits a response,” Gorbet said. “Our tests show that the biological response of bone cells to our biopolymer nanocomposite outperforms traditional methods. They’re adhering, proliferating and retaining their behaviours, which is very exciting.”

The researchers are seeking funding for additional trials and regulatory approvals to develop the technology for clinical use. 

The paper, “In vitro evaluation of bone cell response to novel 3D-printable nanocomposite biomaterials for bone reconstruction, was published in the Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A. The Canadian Institutes for Health Research funded this research.

Share26Tweet17
Previous Post

People of lower socioeconomic status less likely to receive cataract surgery in private clinics

Next Post

Survey finds more than 3 in 4 Americans don’t feel they could help someone suffering an opioid overdose

Related Posts

blank
Medicine

IRX3 Drives SUMOylation Switch in Fat Cell Precursors

August 6, 2025
blank
Medicine

RNA Blocks Mitochondrial SHMT2, Halting Cancer Growth

August 6, 2025
blank
Medicine

Precision Neonatology Revolutionizes Retinopathy of Prematurity Care

August 6, 2025
blank
Medicine

Women’s Childhood Trauma Linked to Mental Health Risks

August 6, 2025
blank
Medicine

AI Predicts Adult Age from Canine X-Rays

August 6, 2025
blank
Medicine

Decoding Pediatric Behçet’s Disease Complexities

August 6, 2025
Next Post
Dr. Trent Hall Headshot

Survey finds more than 3 in 4 Americans don’t feel they could help someone suffering an opioid overdose

  • Mothers who receive childcare support from maternal grandparents show more parental warmth, finds NTU Singapore study

    Mothers who receive childcare support from maternal grandparents show more parental warmth, finds NTU Singapore study

    27530 shares
    Share 11009 Tweet 6881
  • University of Seville Breaks 120-Year-Old Mystery, Revises a Key Einstein Concept

    941 shares
    Share 376 Tweet 235
  • Bee body mass, pathogens and local climate influence heat tolerance

    641 shares
    Share 256 Tweet 160
  • Researchers record first-ever images and data of a shark experiencing a boat strike

    506 shares
    Share 202 Tweet 127
  • Warm seawater speeding up melting of ‘Doomsday Glacier,’ scientists warn

    310 shares
    Share 124 Tweet 78
Science

Embark on a thrilling journey of discovery with Scienmag.com—your ultimate source for cutting-edge breakthroughs. Immerse yourself in a world where curiosity knows no limits and tomorrow’s possibilities become today’s reality!

RECENT NEWS

  • Brain Changes Linked to Type 2 Diabetes Revealed
  • Economic Insecurity Boosts Risk Appetite of High Earners
  • Metal-Fueled Methane Oxidation Triggers Sturtian Deglaciation
  • IRX3 Drives SUMOylation Switch in Fat Cell Precursors

Categories

  • Agriculture
  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Athmospheric
  • Biology
  • Bussines
  • Cancer
  • Chemistry
  • Climate
  • Earth Science
  • Marine
  • Mathematics
  • Medicine
  • Pediatry
  • Policy
  • Psychology & Psychiatry
  • Science Education
  • Social Science
  • Space
  • Technology and Engineering

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 5,184 other subscribers

© 2025 Scienmag - Science Magazine

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • SCIENCE NEWS
  • CONTACT US

© 2025 Scienmag - Science Magazine

Discover more from Science

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading