Grant: Alliance Grants

Growing geriatric patient populations around the globe are leading to increased osteoporosis-related fractures. In North America one in two over age 50 is anticipated to be at risk of developing hip osteoporosis mostly due to aging and the prevalence of osteoporosis, which will likely accelerate demand for bone implants. Although research progress has been made in recent times, orthopedic implants have a limited lifespan and often fail due to low osseointegration. Hence it is essential to facilitate osseointegration in implants by enhancing the ability of osteogenesis. It is believed that nanostructures have the breakthrough potential to propel the field of bone regeneration. The applicant's research team specializes in developing nanomaterial fabrication using high repetition rate femtosecond lasers. The team has successfully synthesized three-dimensional nanostructure from rice husk/straw and eggshells. In this project, they will collaborate with faculty from University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee (UWM) to explore the feasibility of applying the nanostructure as medicine for bone regeneration. While the team at Ryerson develops the fabrication strategy to tune the physiochemical and biological properties of the nanostructure, the team at UWM will study the biocompatibility of the innovative nanomaterial, their interaction strategies with mesenchymal cells, and immune response to the nanomaterial when implanted in body. The long-term goal of this collaboration is to develop a technique to convert agricultural waste to a highly beneficial medical invention. This research is beneficial to Canada in health care, environmental, economic, and social contexts.