NSERC grants at Laurentian University Subventions du CRSNG `a l ...

52Joy Gray-MunroSurface Modification of Novel Medical Implant MaterialsA grant of $27,000 per year.Une subvention de 27 000 $ par année.Discovery Grant – Subvention à la découverteWith our aging population in North America it isbecoming increasingly important to develop better,less expensive implants and devices. An understandingof the chemistry that takes place at the surfaceof a biomaterial is essential to improving medicalimplants. We can use this understanding to changethe surface chemistry of the material to eliminateany adverse reactions that can result when a foreignsubstance is introduced into the human body.Permanent metallic implants (stainless steel or titanium)are commonly used in orthopaedics to fix broken bones or to stabilizethem after surgery. In many instances these implants serve no purpose afterhealing has occurred. In these cases a biodegradable implant that would providethe necessary stability in the initial stages of healing and would graduallydissolve over time and be replaced by bone would be advantageous.Magnesium alloys are an excellent material for this purpose because theyhave mechanical properties that are similar to bone, have been shown todissolve in biological fluids and are non-toxic.This research program will focus on understanding the behaviour of magnesiumalloys in the human body and developing ways to change their surfacechemistry to improve their biocompatibility and control their dissolutionrates.