Project areas
- Functional nano-cement scaffolds for bone repair
Osteoporosis affects 1.2 million Australians and will cost $33.6 billion by 2022. This study aims to develop a novel nano-cement platform for custom-designed bone repair in osteoporosis, by using purpose-designed nanomaterials and advanced 3D printing technique. The research findings will lead to the development of a new bone repair strategy, expand knowledge on both biomaterials engineering and osteoporosis treatment, and improve the quality of life of Australians.
- Smart Nanomachine for drug delivery
Nanoparticles possess unique physical, chemical and biological properties due to the nanosize effects and offer various advantages for biomedical applications such as drug delivery and tissue engineering. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) are of special interest due to their good biocompatibility, high stability, rigid framework, well-defined pore structure, easily controllable morphology and tuneable surface chemistry. MSNs based delivery systems offer a promising strategy to improve the drawbacks of traditional therapeutic drugs such as low stability and difficulty of crossing the cell membranes. In this project we will develop novel smart MSNs which enable the loading and delivery of large therapeutic molecules including proteins and genes.
- Bioceramics for Craniofacial and dental tissue Regeneration
Bioceramics scaffold is one of the promising candidates for bone repair and regeneration. This project aims to develop a multifunctional mesoporous bioceramics scaffold with antibiotic/growth factor to repair craniofacial bone defects. The advanced 3D printing technique will be employed to precisely fabricate tissues with designed structures and functions while providing biomimetic microenvironments. The unique design and functionality will improve the life quality of patients with bone defects.
Contact: Dr Chun Xu, chun.xu@uq.edu.au
Learn more about the Nanomaterials for biomedical applications group.
