Trade.Information

Topic Name: Bone graft alternative

Category: Biomedical

Research persons: Dr Dickson

Location: Lanyon North ,Lanyon Building ,Queen's University Belfast ,Belfast BT7 1NN ,Northern Ireland, Ireland

Details

A novel bone graft substitute which will aim to help repair bone is being developed as part of a new cross border biomedical research project involving Queen's University students. Bone grafts are second only to blood tranfusions on the list of transplanted materials worldwide. Postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers will be working on this project in Belfast and Dublin. The funders Science Foundation Ireland are an agency run by a board appointed by the Irish Minister For Trade and Employment. Science Foundation Ireland have awarded funding for the research to Dr Glenn Dickson, Head of the Tissue Engineering Research Team, Orthopaedic Surgery, Queen’s University and Dr Fergal O Brien, Head of Tissue Engineering Research Group, Royal College of Surgeon’s in Ireland to help develop the graft. Speaking about the new research project Doctor Dickson said: “Every year up to four million bone replacement procedures are performed worldwide which require the use of a bone graft or bone graft substitute. “Our objective is that ideally the product would be one of the first fully functional, biocompatible, mechanically competent, bone promoting graft substitutes.” The joint project will aim to help repair damaged or diseased bone, by evaluating the physical characteristics and the ability of the implant graft to facilitate actual bone growth. Such bone scaffolds should be compatible with the patient, be mechanically sound and promote new bone formation while preventing infection or rejection. At present there are two forms of treatment namely an ‘autograft’ where the bone is taken from the patient’s own body and replanted and an ‘allograft’ where the option is to use bone from a donor. An ideal tissue engineered bone graft substitute would reduce the need for allografts or autografts. Doctor Dickson continued: “It is exciting that Science Foundation Ireland are actively supporting North South scientific collaboration in this area. “There is a global interest in regenerative medicine for the production of diverse replacement tissues and organs. An entire industry is being developed in this area with spin out company formation promoting economic and employment opportunities. Bone substitute materials are a major aspect of this. “It is important that Ireland North and South pool research resources ultimately for patient benefit and to support economic competitiveness in the global arena of regenerative medicine.” The new project is the latest stage in a continuing North South partnership. Both Dr Dickson and Dr O’ Brien have participated in the delivery of an All Ireland Masters Degree in Biomedical Engineering which has been running for a decade. North South collaborations in the area have been built up over a number of years and promoted through organisations such as The Northern Ireland BioMedical Engineering Society (Dr Dickson is a Past President) and the BioEngineering Section of the Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland. A number of joint cross border scientific meetings have been organised by these organisations over many years. Media Enquiries to: Eugene McCusker, Press and PR Unit, +44 (0) 2890 975320, mobile number: 07817 434 252. Research project funded to find new treatment From News A novel new treatment which could replace the need for bone grafting to help repair damaged or diseased bone is being developed as part of a cross-border research project involving students from Queen's University in Belfast. Bone grafts are second only to blood transfusions on the list of transplanted materials worldwide. At present there are two forms of treatment for bones in need of repair - an 'autograft' where the bone is taken from the patient's own body and replanted and an 'allograft' where the option is to use bone from a donor. But postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers from the Belfast university and counterparts in Dublin are working on a bone graft substitute which would reduce the need for allografts or autografts. Science Foundation Ireland, an agency run by a board appointed by the Republic's Department for Trade and Employment, have awarded funding for the research to Dr Glenn Dickson, head of the Tissue Engineering Research Team, Orthopaedic Surgery, at Queen's, and Dr Fergal O'Brien, Head of Tissue Engineering Research Group, Royal College of Surgeon's in Ireland to help develop the graft. Speaking about the new research project, Dr Dickson, who is based in the School of Medicine and Dentistry, said: "Every year up to four million bone replacement procedures are performed worldwide which require the use of a bone graft or bone graft substitute. "Our objective is that ideally the product would be one of the first fully functional, biocompatible, mechanically competent, bone promoting graft substitutes." The joint project will aim to help repair damaged or diseased bone, by " evaluating the physical characteristics and the ability of the implant graft to facilitate actual bone growth". Such bone scaffolds should be compatible with the patient, be mechanically sound and promote new bone formation while preventing infection or rejection, he added. Dr Dickson said there is a global interest in regenerative medicine. "It is important that Ireland, north and south, pool research resources ultimately for patient benefit and to support economic competitiveness in the global arena of regenerative medicine," he said. Contact Kevin Mulhern 028 9097 5323, k.mulhern@qub.ac.uk Anne Langford 028 9097 5310, a.langford@qub.ac.uk Lisa Mitchell 028 9097 5384, lisa.mitchell@qub.ac.uk Claire Patterson 028 9097 5355, c.l.patterson@qub.ac.uk Judith Rance 028 9097 5292, j.rance@qub.ac.uk The News, Events and Press Release sections are prepared by the University's Press and Public Relations Unit. General Inquiries & Comments Communications Office Lanyon North Lanyon Building Queen's University Belfast Belfast BT7 1NN Northern Ireland Tel: (028) 9097 3091 Fax: (028) 9097 3401 Email: comms.office@qub.ac.uk Web: http://www.qub.ac.uk/info/