Bioceramics
Biofibers, Scaffolds

Current Projects

Project Title: Ferroelectric Materials for Hyperthermia Cancer Treatment
In collaboration with Professor C. Batich
Funding Agency: Fundable Area
Contract Number:

Liver cancer remains a devastating disease with very poor outcomes unless it is localized enough to be surgically removed. Lipiodol is used as an x-ray contrast agent to identify metastases to the liver, since it localizes specifically to such lesions. This project evaluates the novel use of non-toxic ferroelectric (FE) particles for the selective destruction of hepatocellular carcinoma tissue through targeted hyperthermia using an externally applied field. Use of FE particles shows advantages over the more commonly researched ferromagnetic (FM) particles, and essentially nothing has been published attempting to use them in this way. However, several key aspects of FE particles for targeted hyperthermia remain to be addressed. Such as preparation methods and heating rates. This project uses a simple capacitive plate system to generate radiofrequency (RF) electric fields. It is very likely that FE's with lipiodol would exhibit good heat production and temperature-limiting behavior. The three goals include (1) synthesis and characterization (thermal and solubility) of GS ferroelectric crystals, (2) testing particles in an agar phantom within a capacitive hyperthermia system (CHT) that will selectively heat the ferroelectric particle systems developed in Aim 1 with lipiodol, and (3) preliminary delivery testing of satisfactory embolic compositions in a rat model of colorectal metastases to the liver.

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Project Title: Bioceramic Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering
Funding Agency: National Science Foundation CAREER
Contract Number: DMR-0449710

Bone diseases and injuries are serious conditions that have a significant impact on the quality of life of an individual. Allogenic and autogenous bone grafts both present nontrivial complications and are limited in their clinical use. While many bioactive ceramic glasses are in clinical use, they do not possess adequate tensile strength and toughness to be used in load bearing applications. Ceramics such as alumina and zirconia that do possess the necessary strength and toughness, do not display the bioactivity levels necessary for good adhesion between the bone and the ceramic implant. The objective of this proposal is to develop of a new class of bioactive ceramics with good mechanical properties by investigating the bioactivity and mechanical properties of selected pyrochlore compositions.

Although pyrochlores have received significant attention as dielectrics and nuclear materials, no study exists that assesses their bioactivity. There is also a lack of data in the literature on the mechanical properties of pyrochlores. The three pyrochlore compositions Y₂Ti₂O₇, Ca₂Nb₂O₇, and Ca₂Ta₂O₇ will be synthesized to investigate the bioactivity and mechanical properties of pyrochlores. The bulk bioactivity and biocompatibility of pyrochlores will be evaluated in this proposal. Selected pyrochlores will be synthesized using hydrothermal processing to produce powders that will be manufactured into pellets with grain sizes ranging from 30 nm to 200 nm. Surface characterization will be conducted on the pellets to determine the aqueous wettability and surface topography of the pellets. The bioactivity will be determined by assessing the ability of each composition to spontaneously nucleate apatite on the surface when the pyrochlore pellets are exposed to simulated body fluid (SBF). The flexural strength and fracture toughness of the pyrochlores will be determined using four point bending and Chevron notch testing.