Material matters: biomaterials for bone repair

Hands-on at the exhibit

• Get hands-on with examples of biomaterials
• Use a microscope to examine cells on biomaterials
• Learn how to build bone with our 3D biomaterial puzzle

Find out more

Combining 3D printing and the latest stem cell science to produce the next generation of bone grafts.

After blood, bone is the second most transplanted tissue and is used for the repair of injury. But there are limits on the volume of bone which can be donated and grafted. At this exhibit you’ll see how regenerative medicine is raising hope for the next generation of bone grafts using different biomaterials.

Bone can be lost in falls, accidents, and - in some war-torn countries – by landmines. Currently there is no good way to repair large volumes of missing bone. This team from the University of Glasgow is combining stem cell science with 3D printing to find a solution. A growth factor called BMP-2 instructs the body’s stem cells to become bone cells, but too much BMP-2 has side effects. The team are creating 3D printed biomaterials impregnated with the growth factor to deliver a safe and effective dose to the area of injury. The technique has helped its first veterinary case – a dog called Eva - and now they’re preparing to move towards their first human patient.

Find out more about the MiMe Research Group and the Centre for Cell Engineering.

Presented by the University of Glasgow and Find a Better Way.