Periodic Reporting for period 2 - BIOREMIA (BIOfilm-REsistant Materials for hard tissue Implant Applications)
Reporting period: 2022-01-01 to 2024-06-30
BIOREMIA reached the main project goal in establishing a joint research-training programme by an interdisciplinary and intersectoral network for training the next generation of highly qualified researchers and entrepreneurs in the emerging field of biofilm-resistant biomaterials for implant applications.
BIOREMIA aims to improve the patient quality of life by minimizing infection rates of medical implants. Implant-related infections caused by bacterial biofilms are a major cause of implant rejection, with high economic and social associated costs. Since antibiotic treatments are controversially and ineffective for bacterial biofilm, the best infection control approach is to develop novel preventive measures which specifically focus on the inhibition of both bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation, for instance by acting on the implant material itself. BIOREMIA tackled this problem by developing and testing innovative materials with enhanced antimicrobial device functionality that will result in improved biological acceptance of implants for bone-related applications.
Fifteen Early-Stage Researchers (ESRs) were trained through an innovative training programme based on individual research projects focused on designing, synthesising, characterising, and testing various antibacterial and anti-biofouling materials and coatings.
During the local training and Network-wide training events the ESRs received a broad knowledge spectrum on innovative biomaterials, surface engineering, material characterisation techniques, computational materials science, electrochemistry, antibacterial technologies, biological and microbiological testing and medical device manufacturing technologies. Beside the top-class scientific training, they also received training in transferable soft skills in dedicated training events.
All ESRs have successfully completed their respective research projects. They gained international and intersectoral experience through cross-institutional and industrial secondments for enhancing their employability both inside and outside academia.
BIOREMIA aims to improve the patient quality of life by minimizing infection rates of medical implants. Implant-related infections caused by bacterial biofilms are a major cause of implant rejection, with high economic and social associated costs. Since antibiotic treatments are controversially and ineffective for bacterial biofilm, the best infection control approach is to develop novel preventive measures which specifically focus on the inhibition of both bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation, for instance by acting on the implant material itself. BIOREMIA tackled this problem by developing and testing innovative materials with enhanced antimicrobial device functionality that will result in improved biological acceptance of implants for bone-related applications.
Fifteen Early-Stage Researchers (ESRs) were trained through an innovative training programme based on individual research projects focused on designing, synthesising, characterising, and testing various antibacterial and anti-biofouling materials and coatings.
During the local training and Network-wide training events the ESRs received a broad knowledge spectrum on innovative biomaterials, surface engineering, material characterisation techniques, computational materials science, electrochemistry, antibacterial technologies, biological and microbiological testing and medical device manufacturing technologies. Beside the top-class scientific training, they also received training in transferable soft skills in dedicated training events.
All ESRs have successfully completed their respective research projects. They gained international and intersectoral experience through cross-institutional and industrial secondments for enhancing their employability both inside and outside academia.
We achieved all our goals. All the deliverables have been submitted, the milestones and tasks have been accomplished.
Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the 15 ESRs have been recruited in the first year of the project (2020). They attended many courses at the host institutions and Network-wide training meetings organized by BIOREMIA Consortium. We organized numerous training events where not only our ESRs but researchers from other institutions and countries were attending: 8 workshops, 1 summer school, 1 winter school, 1 satellite event joint to an international conference and 6 e-Seminars; they included both advanced scientific courses and transferable/complementary skills trainings sessions. All ESRs completed secondments in addition to their research stay at the host institutions. The private/industrial sector was closely involved in the training and research activities.
The project has delivered a wide range of antibacterial materials & coatings with enhanced properties compared to the state-of-the-art materials for biomedical implant applications. Novel materials, from hierarchical nanopatterned and/or nanoporous surfaces through antimicrobial bioactive composites with controlled resorbability and anti-fouling bioresorbable PEG-polymer coatings to complex antibacterial metallic glasses and beta-type low-rigidity Ti-alloys, were developed. All the research results have been achieved through a sustained and enthusiastic activity of the 15 BIOREMIA fellows.
While in the first part of the project we mainly dealt with design, production and processing optimisation of novel materials/surfaces, in the last reporting period the focus was on finalizing the materials property characterization (e.g. mechanical, physical, corrosion- & tribo-corrosion, biodegradability, ion release, etc) and, especially, on biological and microbiological testing as well as on industrial aspects.
A number of ESRs have used in-vitro testing (antimicrobial and host cell interactions) as a characterisation tool for the novel materials, while others have developed state-of-the art in-vitro testing methods. Our ESRs were able to create reproducible screening protocols to assess the bactericidal properties of materials using viable colony counting, microtiter-plate reading, and confocal-laser scanning microscopy.
Regarding industrial aspects, the evaluation of scaling-up and implementing the various materials (metallic, polymers, composites) and technologies developed through the project was undertaken, especially by ‘industrial’ ESRs. They were capable to explore the effects of several scalable approaches such as industrial injection or machining on the performance of specimen that were of representative sizes for dental implants. Pragmatic approaches to circumvent corrosion risks were implemented. Considerable activities towards the micro-patterning of metallic glasses surface were performed and demonstrated the feasibility of contact killing on micropillars. A promising manufacturing technique of studied metallic materials is 3D-printing that can be implemented by industrial partners for some small medical devices. Encouraging and promising experimental results in polymer syntheses, coating procedures and biofilm characterization, have facilitated a broadening of the application for PEGylated bioresorbable polymers and future commercialization will include anti-fouling and anti-bacterial global markets.
The project results are incorporated in ESRs’ PhD theses and have been presented in more than 50 prestigious international conferences. Our ESRs wrote more than 30 peer-reviewed articles in high-impact scientific journals.
BIOREMIA website and social media channels significantly contributed for the spreading of project news.
Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the 15 ESRs have been recruited in the first year of the project (2020). They attended many courses at the host institutions and Network-wide training meetings organized by BIOREMIA Consortium. We organized numerous training events where not only our ESRs but researchers from other institutions and countries were attending: 8 workshops, 1 summer school, 1 winter school, 1 satellite event joint to an international conference and 6 e-Seminars; they included both advanced scientific courses and transferable/complementary skills trainings sessions. All ESRs completed secondments in addition to their research stay at the host institutions. The private/industrial sector was closely involved in the training and research activities.
The project has delivered a wide range of antibacterial materials & coatings with enhanced properties compared to the state-of-the-art materials for biomedical implant applications. Novel materials, from hierarchical nanopatterned and/or nanoporous surfaces through antimicrobial bioactive composites with controlled resorbability and anti-fouling bioresorbable PEG-polymer coatings to complex antibacterial metallic glasses and beta-type low-rigidity Ti-alloys, were developed. All the research results have been achieved through a sustained and enthusiastic activity of the 15 BIOREMIA fellows.
While in the first part of the project we mainly dealt with design, production and processing optimisation of novel materials/surfaces, in the last reporting period the focus was on finalizing the materials property characterization (e.g. mechanical, physical, corrosion- & tribo-corrosion, biodegradability, ion release, etc) and, especially, on biological and microbiological testing as well as on industrial aspects.
A number of ESRs have used in-vitro testing (antimicrobial and host cell interactions) as a characterisation tool for the novel materials, while others have developed state-of-the art in-vitro testing methods. Our ESRs were able to create reproducible screening protocols to assess the bactericidal properties of materials using viable colony counting, microtiter-plate reading, and confocal-laser scanning microscopy.
Regarding industrial aspects, the evaluation of scaling-up and implementing the various materials (metallic, polymers, composites) and technologies developed through the project was undertaken, especially by ‘industrial’ ESRs. They were capable to explore the effects of several scalable approaches such as industrial injection or machining on the performance of specimen that were of representative sizes for dental implants. Pragmatic approaches to circumvent corrosion risks were implemented. Considerable activities towards the micro-patterning of metallic glasses surface were performed and demonstrated the feasibility of contact killing on micropillars. A promising manufacturing technique of studied metallic materials is 3D-printing that can be implemented by industrial partners for some small medical devices. Encouraging and promising experimental results in polymer syntheses, coating procedures and biofilm characterization, have facilitated a broadening of the application for PEGylated bioresorbable polymers and future commercialization will include anti-fouling and anti-bacterial global markets.
The project results are incorporated in ESRs’ PhD theses and have been presented in more than 50 prestigious international conferences. Our ESRs wrote more than 30 peer-reviewed articles in high-impact scientific journals.
BIOREMIA website and social media channels significantly contributed for the spreading of project news.
Our research results strongly extend and push the state-of-the-art.
BIOREMIA proved to significantly advance the fundamental understanding of biofilm-resistant materials/surfaces and their in vitro biological response and antimicrobial/antibiofilm mode of action. An important aspect was to create biomaterials that are able to oppose bacterial colonization and, at the same time, to support tissue repair.
The research results were published in numerous scientific papers. The quantity and quality of the publications resulted from BIOREMIA studies represent a clear evidence of the impact of the project in the scientific community.
The most important achievement of the project is that we managed to train a group of talented, highly skilled young researchers who have a deep understanding of antibacterial materials, their fabrication and properties, and possess the necessary skills to convert knowledge and ideas into better medical devices that are expected to increase the life quality of patients and mitigate the economic burden to health systems.
By producing and testing novel antibacterial materials that can lead to ‘anti-infective’ medical devices, BIOREMIA has a significant societal impact in the longer term. It can contribute to improve the patient quality of life by minimizing infection rates of medical implants.
Through its intersectoral activities, BIOREMIA contributes in establishing a durable public-private partnership and long-term collaborations, useful in optimizing the research programs of ERA as well as in improving the competitiveness of European MedTech industry and healthcare system.
BIOREMIA proved to significantly advance the fundamental understanding of biofilm-resistant materials/surfaces and their in vitro biological response and antimicrobial/antibiofilm mode of action. An important aspect was to create biomaterials that are able to oppose bacterial colonization and, at the same time, to support tissue repair.
The research results were published in numerous scientific papers. The quantity and quality of the publications resulted from BIOREMIA studies represent a clear evidence of the impact of the project in the scientific community.
The most important achievement of the project is that we managed to train a group of talented, highly skilled young researchers who have a deep understanding of antibacterial materials, their fabrication and properties, and possess the necessary skills to convert knowledge and ideas into better medical devices that are expected to increase the life quality of patients and mitigate the economic burden to health systems.
By producing and testing novel antibacterial materials that can lead to ‘anti-infective’ medical devices, BIOREMIA has a significant societal impact in the longer term. It can contribute to improve the patient quality of life by minimizing infection rates of medical implants.
Through its intersectoral activities, BIOREMIA contributes in establishing a durable public-private partnership and long-term collaborations, useful in optimizing the research programs of ERA as well as in improving the competitiveness of European MedTech industry and healthcare system.