Descripción del proyecto
Congenital anomalies, affecting 6% of all babies, are a major cause of infant mortality and childhood morbidity, of which craniomaxillofacial (CMF) anomalies are often a component part. CMF defects are severely debilitating, where the patient not only suffers physically but also psychologically. CMF implants are used to facilitate and accelerate the healing process upon which a second operation is routinely required to remove these devices as most implants comprise of non-resorbable materials (Titanium-Ti, PEEK), with limited patient-specific customisation, that may lead to stress-shielding, infection or lack of growth, particularly in vulnerable paediatric population. The AMBIT project aims to optimise and customise Bioresorbable Magnesium Implants (BMgI) for CMF applications, to overcome the limitations of current clinical gold-standard non-resorbable Ti-based implants. This action combines my expertise in metallurgy and alloy design with Dr. Eoin O'Cearbhaill’s (UCD Centre for Biomedical Engineering (CBE)) and Dr. Ted Vaughan’s (NUIG) expertise in medical device development, testing and translation. This highly interdisciplinary approach will make a significant contribution to the development of bioresorbable CMF implants that will not only improve the post-operation experiences and lives of CMF implant recipients but ultimately decrease the cost burden on national health systems. Through advanced and well-designed training in research (medical device design, cell-studies for biocompatibility, 3D-Printing) and transferable skills (project management, mentorship, entrepreneurship) that go beyond my current field of specialty, and through the networking opportunities that the host will offer, this action will facilitate my reintegration in Europe, while allowing me to become a research leader in biodegradable Mg alloy design & processing for medical device applications, translating alloy design concepts from ideation to clinical use.