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Intermittent Release Device for Bone Regeneration
| CO-PI(s): | M. Chris Langub |
| Mark V. Thomas |
University of Kentucky
Bone loss as a result of degenerative disease or trauma is a significant health problem in the United States, and with an aging population, tremendous societal impact will occur over the next 10-30 years. Bone grafting often is used to fill defects in cases involving more extensive damage. Because of the potential morbidity associated with auto- and allograft bone, attention has turned to “bone graft substitutes”, which are a growing part of an estimated >$500M bone graft market in the U.S. alone. Although synthetic biomaterials allow bone to grow around them, they largely are unable to proactively stimulate bone formation. To enhance bone repair, a more biologically inspired approach is needed. To this end, the future of bone regeneration will involve delivery systems for timed release of essential factors that lead to growth of bone having quality microarchitecture. At the University of Kentucky, we are developing versatile systems that enable controlled release of osteotropic biomolecules from bioerodible polymers. Various release profiles can be obtained, ranging from burst to continuous to intermittent/pulsatile. In the proposed work, a multidisciplinary team comprising a biomedical engineer, life scientist, and clinician will refine a novel intermittent delivery system for use in stimulating bone repair. The ultimate objective of this project is to demonstrate feasibility of using the release system in realistic implantation sites. Overall, the people of the Commonwealth of Kentucky will benefit from the success of this endeavor.
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