MRC DiMeN Doctoral Training Partnership: Development of a biocompatible and bioabsorbable mechanical metamaterial for bone fixation

Description

Orthopaedic screws are essential for treating injuries such as fractures, tendon and ligament injuries, and limb alignment. Therefore, screw failure can significantly impact injury healing. The pullout strength of a screw plays a crucial role in determining the likelihood of screw failure. The decrease in pullout strength is linked to screw loosening, with over-tightening being the primary cause of screw loosening. It is estimated that over 10% of implants fail due to screw loosening and pullout. Screws without a locking system are 25% more likely to be overtightened, leading to implant failures, so an alternative fixation method is needed to overcome this limitation. Simultaneously, there is growing importance placed on bioabsorbable screws for the fixation of peri-articular and intra-articular fractures, eliminating the need for implant removal. These new bioabsorbable screws can lead to loosening after partial degradation. Therefore, this study aims to use experimental and computational methods in designing, manufacturing, and testing biocompatible mechanical metamaterials as an alternative fixation technology to standard bone screws.

The student will be supervised and trained collaboratively by two experts in orthopaedic engineering (Dr Rosti Readioff from the University of Liverpool: https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/people/rosti-readioff ), mechanical metamaterials and reconfigurable structures (Dr Pooya Sareh from Newcastle University: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/engineering/staff/profile/pooyasareh.html ).

We will offer weekly supervisory support and frequent team meetings as part of our commitment to providing a supportive learning environment. These will align with the DiMeN DTP ethos and ensure that the student receives the guidance and feedback they need to excel in their research. The student will benefit from engagement with orthopaedic surgeons and biomechanists through the supervisors’ network, ongoing funded projects, and workshop activities. This exposure will enrich the student's learning experience and help them build valuable connections in the field. The student will be trained in experimental design and statistics to ensure the validity of future research data, focusing on generating reproducible results and identifying external factors influencing the variabilities of data (for example, the student will be encouraged to attend the R for Data Science course provided by the University of Liverpool). The student will be encouraged to participate in the University’s communication training to effectively disseminate their results at scientific conferences and publish results in relevant medical and bioengineering journals.

Benefits of being in the DiMeN DTP:

This project is part of the Discovery Medicine North Doctoral Training Partnership (DiMeN DTP), a diverse community of PhD students across the North of England researching the major health problems facing the world today. Our partner institutions (Universities of Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, York and Sheffield) are internationally recognised as centres of research excellence and can offer you access to state-of-the-art facilities to deliver high impact research.

We are very proud of our student-centred ethos and committed to supporting you throughout your PhD. As part of the DTP, we offer bespoke training in key skills sought after in early career researchers, as well as opportunities to broaden your career horizons in a range of non-academic sectors.

Being funded by the MRC means you can access additional funding for research placements, training opportunities or internships in science policy, science communication and beyond. Further information on the programme and how to apply can be found on our website:

https://www.dimen.org.uk/