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December 2017

• Meeting of the European Society for Biomaterials (ESB) Council in Strassburg

  The last meeting in 2017 of the Council of the European Society for Biomaterials (ESB) was held on 18th December 2017 in Strassburg, France. In the photo: Prof. Marc Bohner (RMS Foundation, Switzerland), Prof. Silvia Fare (Polytechnic of Milan, Italy), Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini (University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany), Prof. Ana Paula Pêgo (INEB – Instituto de Engenharia Biomédica, Portugal), Prof. Pamela Habibovic (ESB president, Maastricht University, Netherlands) and Prof. Carlos Rodríguez-Cabello (University of Valladolid, Spain). The next ESB 2018 conference will take place in Maastricht, chaired by Prof. Habibovic. The Online abstract submission opens: December 31st, 2017 and submission deadline is January 31st, 2018.

  
  

• Prof. Boccaccini: invited speaker at Embassy of Argentina in London

  Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini attended as invited speaker the launch of the Network of Argentinean Scientists in the United Kingdom which took place at a reception at the Embassy of Argentina in London on 14th December 2017, hosted by Ambassador R. Carlos Sersale di Cerisano and with the presence of scientific authorities of UK. Numerous Argentinean researchers living in UK attended the event, including both established and early career researchers. Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini (Member of the Board of the Network of Argentinean Scientists in Germany, RCAA) was one of the invited speakers. He gave an introduction on the formation of Networks of Argentinean Scientists in different countries in the framework of the RAICES program of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovative Production of Argentina, in particular he summarized the experience with the launch of the Network of Argentinean Scientists in Germany, which was established in 2009. In the picture Prof. Robin Grimes (Imperial College London, UK), Ambassador R. Carlos Sersale di Cerisano, Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini and Prof. Fernando Audebert (Univ. of Buenos Aires).

  
  

• End of the Year Meeting at the Institute of Biomaterials

  The end-of-the-year meeting at the Institute of Biomaterials took place on 11th December 2017 in our new building in Erlangen-West. Professor Boccaccini summarized the achievements of our Institute in the year 2017, including 5 doctoral theses, more than 40 Master, Bachelor and Project students, and more than 20 international visitors, including Erasmus exchange students. We gave more than 30 presentations at conferences around the world, many of them invited or keynote presentations. Our publication activity was excellent, members of the Institute published more than 70 papers in scientific journals during 2017. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year !

  
  

• Prof. Boccaccini: invited speaker at BETSE 2017 in Leeds, UK

  Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini was one of the invited speakers at the Bone and Enamel Tissue Science and Engineering 2017 (BETSE 2017) One-Day Meeting held on 13 December 2017 in Leeds, United Kingdom (chair: Prof. Animesh Jha, University of Leeds, pictured with Prof. Boccaccini). Prof. Boccaccini presented the lecture: "Bioactive glasses with therapeutic ion release for bone regeneration: progress and challenges". Our Institute was also represented by Ms Seray Kaya and Mr Lukas Gritsch, PhD students in the Horizon 2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie European Training Network "Drug-Free Antibacterial Hybrid Biopolymers for Medical Applications" (HyMedPoly) project, who presented oral contributions. A poster in collaboration with the group of Prof. Dimitris Bikiaris (School of Chemistry, University of Thessaloniki, Greece) entitled: "Bulk modification and surface micropatterning of poly(lactic acid): a synergistic strategy to enhance cell adhesion and proliferation" was also presented. Prof. Boccaccini met with colleagues and former collaborators Prof. Xuebin Yang, Dr. Reem El-Gendy (University of Leeds) [1].
  
  [1] El-Gendy R; et al., Investigating the Vascularization of Tissue-Engineered Bone Constructs Using Dental Pulp Cells and 45S5 Bioglass® Scaffolds. Tissue Engineering - Part A, 21 (2015) 2034-2043.

  
  

• Doctoral thesis success: Micael Alonso Frank

  On 11th December 2017 Micael Alonso Frank successfully defended his doctoral thesis in the field of development and characterisation of superhydrophobic surfaces, which was carried out under the supervision of Professor Sanna Virtanen at the Institute of Surface Science and Corrosion and co-supervised by Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini. In addition to Profs. Virtanen and Boccaccini, Prof. Kyle Webber (FAU Institute for Glass and Ceramics) and Prof. Nicolas Vogel (Department of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, FAU), were the members of the doctoral defense committee (pictured with M. Alonso Frank). A recent paper resulting from Micael's doctoral thesis has been published [1]. We congratulate Micael on achieving his doctoral degree and wish him all the best in his future career.
  
  [1] M. Alonso Frank, et al., Functionalization of steel surfaces with organic acids: Influence on wetting and corrosion behavior, Appl. Surf. Sci. Applied Surface 404, (2017) 326-333.

  
  

• Visit from Poland

  Prof. Mirka El Fray, Head of the Division of Biomaterials and Microbiological Technologies, Polymer Institute, at West Pomeranian University of Technology (ZUT), Szczecin, Poland, is visiting our Institute. We collaborate with Prof. El Fray's research group in the framework of the DAAD PPP funded project "Fabrication and mechanical characterization of electrospun mats for cardiac tissue engineering". On 11th December 2017, Prof. El Fray presented the seminar "Recent advances on biodegradable copolyesters engineered by enzymatic catalysis". Our collaboration has led to several joint publications, including our paper in European Polymer Journal [1].
  
  [1] L. Liverani, et al., Electrospun fibers of poly(butylene succinate–co–dilinoleic succinate) and its blend with poly(glycerol sebacate) for soft tissue engineering applications, European Polymer Journal 81 (2016) 295-306.
  
  

  
  

• Visit from the Netherlands

  On 8th December we received the visit of Monica Echeverry-Rendon, PhD student from University of Antioquia (Medellin-Colombia) and University of Groningen, The Netherlands. She presented the seminar: "Development of Biodegradable Magnesium-Based Supports for Stem Cell Therapy of Vascular Disease". Research on biodegradable Mg alloys is also important in our institute, in the framework of a DFG funded project, however focusing on bone tissue engineering and bioactive coatings.
  
  

  
  

• Visit from Argentina

  We received the visit of Prof. Silvia Simison and Prof. Maria Andrea Camerucci (INTEMA, University of Mar del Plata), who are partners in the project I.DEAR (Ingenieure Deutschland-Argentinien), the exchange program in materials science and engineering funded by the German-Argentinean University Centre (DAHZ). The program enables Master students of Materials Science and Engineering and Nanotechnology from the participating German universities (FAU and Saarland Univ.) to spend one year in Argentina with a full scholarship. In the framework of this program, also Master students from University of Mar del Plata spend 1 year at FAU. The program has been recently approved for the second period of funding for the next 3 years. FAU Master students willing to apply for a scholarship for spendin 1 year in Argentina should contact Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini.
  
  

  
  

• Our review paper on oxidized alginate hydrogels published in Biomacromolecules

  Supachai Reakasame (PhD student, DAAD fellow) and Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini have co-authored a comprehensive review paper entitled "Oxidized alginate based hydrogels for tissue engineering applications: A review ", published in Biomacromolecules (2017) [1]. The review paper covers research publications reporting the development of Oxidized Alginate based hydrogels for tissue engineering applications including bone, cartilage, blood vessel, cornea and other soft tissues. Our Institute has considerable research activities in the field of biofabrication utilizing oxidized alginate based hydrogels combined with gelatine, as introduced in 2014 by our group [2].
  
  [1] S. Reakasame, A. R. Boccaccini, Oxidized alginate based hydrogels for tissue engineering applications: A review, Biomacromolecules (2017) in press
  
  [2] B. Sarker, et al., Fabrication of alginate–gelatin crosslinked hydrogel microcapsules and evaluation of the microstructure and physico-chemical properties, J. Mater. Chem. B 2 (2014) 1470-1482.
  
  

• International Workshop "Drug-Free Antibacterial Hybrid Biopolymers for Medical Applications" held in Erlangen

  Chaired by Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini, the International Workshop "Drug-Free Antibacterial Hybrid Biopolymers for Medical Applications: Developing new anti-bacterial therapies based on biomedical polymers and inorganic materials" was held at the Institute of Biomaterials, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, on 5th December 2017. This open workshop was organized in the framework of the EU Horizon 2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie European Training Network "Drug-Free Antibacterial Hybrid Biopolymers for Medical Applications" (HyMedPoly) and attracted more than 80 participants. The invited speakers were Dr. Mark Cresswell and Dr. Xiang Zhang (Lucideon Ltd, UK), Dr. Ulrike Deisinger (CeramTec, Germany), Prof. Klaus Jandt (University of Jena), Dr. Jochen Salber (University Hospital Knappschaftskrankenhaus, Bochum), Dr. Liliana Liverani (Institute of Biomaterials, FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg) (pictured with Prof. Boccaccini).
  
  

  
  

• Prof. Boccaccini at Kick-Off meetings of new I.DEAR projects in Dresden

  Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini attended the kick-off meeting of the new I.DEAR projects, held at TU Dresden on 30 Nov. - 1st December 2017. I.DEAR (Ingenieur Deutschland-Argentina) is a program funded by the German-Argentinean University Centre (CUAA-DAHZ) to support the exchange of students, researchers and professors in the engineering field between Universities in Germany and Argentina. Under coordination of Prof. Boccaccini, the Department of Materials Science and Engineering of the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg participates since 2014 in an I.DEAR program in materials engineering together with University of Saarland and National University of Mar del Plata, Argentina. In the photos Prof. Silvia Simison (Mar del Plata), Prof. Maria Andrea Camerucci (Mar del Plata), Dr. Flavio Soldera (Saarbruecken), Dr. Daniel Zimmerman, Director of CUAA-DAHZ-Germany, Dr. Graciela Humbert-Lan, Director of CUAA-DAHZ-Argentina, Dr. Silvia Kroyer, Coordinator Network of Argentinean Scientists in Germany, Prof. Hugo Martinez, University of Cuyo, Argentina.
  
  

  
  

• European Training Network "HyMedPoly" meeting in Erlangen

  The scientific meeting and workshop of the Horizon 2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie European Training Network "Drug-Free Antibacterial Hybrid Biopolymers for Medical Applications" (HyMedPoly) was held on 4-6 December 2017 at University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, hosted by Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini, Head of the Institute of Biomaterials. HyMedPoly is developing new anti-bacterial therapies based on biomedical polymers and inorganic materials. PhD students on this project, Agata Lapa, Binh Phan, Lukas Gritsch, Seray Kaya and Muhammad Maqbool, attended the meeting and presented the latest results of their projects. In the photo with Prof. Boccaccini, Dr. Stuart McLachlan, Dr. Mark Cresswell and Dr. Xiang Zhang, representatives of Lucideon (UK), the industrial partner of our Institute for supervision of the PhD students in this project.
  
  

  
  

• Prof. Boccaccini invited speaker at Berlin-Brandenburg School of Regenerative Therapies symposium in Berlin

  Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini was an invited speaker at the 8th Berlin-Brandenburg School of Regenerative Therapies (BSRT) symposium, which was held on 29th November to 1st December 2017 in Berlin. The symposium has been bestowed a superhero theme with the intention to unite scientists under the motto: RECOGNIZE, REPAIR, REGROW and PERSONALIZED BIOMEDICINE RISES. In the framework of this theme Boccaccini was Iron Man and he presented the talk: "Biomaterials to Support Regeneration". Our Institute was also represented by Lukas Gritsch, Agata Lapa and Binh (Hana) Phan (pictured with Prof. Boccaccini), who presented results of their PhD projects being carried out in the framework of the EU Horizon 2020 funded ETN project HyMedPoly ("Drug-Free Antibacterial Hybrid Biopolymers for Medical Applications"). In the picture also Dr. Taimoor Qazi, former Master student of our Institute, currently at Charite Universitätsmedizin Berlin.
  
  

  
  

• New Collaborative Research Centre "Biofabrication"

  The German Science Foundation (DFG) has approved the establishment of the new Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) ("Transregio TR-Sonderforschungsbereich"): "From the fundamentals of biofabrication to functional tissue models". This is a large scale, highly interdisciplinary research effort involving principal investigators from different disciplines and faculties fom three universities, namely University of Würzburg, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU) and University of Bayreuth with a funding volume of about 10 Million Euro for initially 4 years. The coordinator of the new CRC is Prof. Juergen Groll from University of Würzburg. Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini is the spokesperson for Erlangen (FAU) and Prof. Thomas Scheibel is the spokesperson for Univ. of Bayreuth. Together with Prof. Boccaccini, also Dr. Rainer Detsch is involved in this CRC, in addition to principal investigators from the FAU Faculties of Engineering, Natural Sciences and Medicine. Biofabrication, the core scientific discipline in this CRC, involves the application of 3D printing techniques to process living cells and biomaterials (hydrogels) simultaneously in order to obtain complex, tissue and organ mimicking 3D structures. Collaborative Research Centres are long-term university-based research institutions, established for up to 12 years, in which researchers work together within a multidisciplinary research programme. The press release of FAU can be read here (In German). The activities of the CRC will start in January 2018.

November 2017

• Visit to Fraunhofer IMWS in Halle

  On 28th November 2017 Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini and Qaisar Nawaz (PhD student) visited the Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems (IMWS) in Halle, Germany, specifically they visited the research group Nanomaterials and Nanoanalytics (GNN) (Head: Prof. Dr. Thomas Höche) and were hosted by Dr. Araceli de Pablos-Martín. During the visit, research collaboration in the field of advanced microstructural characterisation of bioactive glasses and glass-ceramics was discussed. The specific collaborative project is funded by the German Science Foundation (DFG) with participation also of Prof. Delia Brauer, University of Jena.

  
  

• Meeting of the Network of Argentinian Scientists (RCAA) in Germany

  Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini attended the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Network of Argentinian Scientists in Germany (Red de Cientificos Argentinos en Alemania, RCAA), which was held on 24th November 2017 at the Embassy of Argentina in Berlin. Prof. Boccaccini represents the area "Agricultural Sciences, Engineering and Materials Science" at the Advisory Committee of RCAA. The RCAA was established in Nov. 2009. Prof. Boccaccini has been a member of the Advisory Committee since then. The network focuses on research collaborations and interactions between Germany and Argentina and is part of the RAICES program of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovative Production of Argentina. In the photo, Dr. Flavio Soldera (University of Saarland) and Prof. Andres Lasagni (TU Dresden) with Prof. Boccaccini.

  
  

• Visit of Dr. Sahar Salehi, Univ. of Bayreuth

  On 21 November 2017 we received the visit of Dr. Sahar Salehi, Chair of Biomaterials, University of Bayreuth. She presented the invited seminar: "Biomaterials Based Approaches for Skeletal Muscle Tissue Regeneration". We plan research collaboration with Dr. Salehi in the field of biopolymer composites for biofabrication and tissue engineering. Dr. Salehi visited our new laboratories in Erlangen-West. She is pictured with Dr. Judith A. Roether, Dr. Liliana Liverani and Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini

  
  

• European Training Network "CoACH" meeting in Rennes, France

  The Third CoACH Workshop and the academic board meeting of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie European Training Network "Advanced glasses, Composites And Ceramics for High growth industries" (CoACH) was held on 13-17 November 2017 at Université de Rennes 1 (UR1) (a partner university of FAU), Rennes, France. PhD students Nicoletta Toniolo, Francesca Ciraldo and Rocio Tejido-Rastrilla (pictured with Prof. Boccaccini) attended the meeting and presented the latest results of their projects. Prof. Boccaccini chaired the session "WP1: Glasses, and composites for HEALTH care industries" and presented an overview of the progress of the research activities of the project at the Institute of Biomaterials. A recent paper co-authored by Ms Nicoletta Toniolo and Prof. Boccaccini has been published [1]. Prof. Boccaccini is pictured also with Prof. Federico Smeacetto, Department of Applied Science and Technology, Polytechnic of Turin, Italy. We collaborate with Prof. Smeacetto within the CoACH consortium in the field of electrophoretic deposition for SOFCs.
  
  [1] N. Toniolo, A. R. Boccaccini, Fly ash-based geopolymers containing added silicate waste. A review, Ceram. Int. 43 (2017) 14545-14551.

  
  

• Visit from Poland

  We are hosting the visit of two scientists from West Pomeranian University of Technology (ZUT), Polymer Institute, Biomaterials and Microbiological Technologies (Head: Prof. Mirka El Fray), Szczecin, Poland: Dr. Agnieszka Piegat and Ms. Agata Niemczyk, MEng (pictured with Ms Lena Vogt, PhD student, Dr. Liliana Liverani and Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini). We collaborate with the Division of Biomaterials and Microbiological Technologies at ZUT in the framework of the DAAD PPP funded project "Fabrication and mechanical characterization of electrospun mats for cardiac tissue engineering". Dr. Piegat presented the seminar "Biopolymer Research at ZUT Division of Biomaterials and Microbiological Technologies". Our collaboration has led to several joint publications, including our paper in European Polymer Journal [1].
  
  [1] L. Liverani, et al., Electrospun fibers of poly(butylene succinate–co–dilinoleic succinate) and its blend with poly(glycerol sebacate) for soft tissue engineering applications, European Polymer Journal 81 (2016) 295-306.

  
  

• Prof. Boccaccini to lead Expert Group "Environment and Healthcare" of the German Ceramics Society (DKG)

  Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini will serve as chair of the Expert Group "Environment and Health" of the German Ceramics Society (DKG). This Expert Group offers a forum for the exchange of information between universities, research institutes and industry, in the general field of ceramics in environment and healthcare technologies.

• Annual Meeting of the German Biomaterials Society in Würzburg

  Our Institute was prominently represented at the Annual Meeting of the German Biomaterials Society (DGBM) held in Würzburg on 9-11 November 2017. Prof. Boccaccini presented the lecture "Bioactive glasses as ideal biomaterial vehicles for biologically active ion release in tissue engineering and wound healing applications" in the special session "Glass – An Innovative Biomaterial", which he chaired with Dr. M. Kilo (Fraunhofer ISC, Würzburg). Prof. Boccaccini highlighted that this was the first session dedicated exclusively to bioactive glasses in the history of the DGBM. Prof. Boccaccini also chaired the session "New Strategies in Biomaterials I" together with Prof. U. Gbureck (University of Würzburg). Dr. Rainer Detsch and Dr. Aldo Leal-Egana presented the following oral contributions: "Electrical conductive hydrogel bioink composed of Alginate di-aldehyde gelatin (ADA-GEL) and Polypyrrole (PPy)" and "Determining the metastatic potential of cancer cells in vitro: the relevance of performing dynamic single-cell analysis on soft patterned hydrogels ", respectively. The following PhD students attended and presented Posters: Vera Bednarzig, Francesca Ciraldo, Qaisar Nawaz, Lena Vogt and Dirk Dippold (doctoral student based at the FAU Institute of Polymer Materials). Dr. Raminder Singh from Nanomedicin, University Hospital Erlangen, who is collaborating with our Institute in the field of magnetic cell seeding techniques, also presented a poster contribution (pictured with Prof. A. R. Boccaccini).

  
  

• Meeting of H2020 EU project "MOZART" in Erlangen

  Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini chaired the 24 Month Meeting of the H2020 EU project "MOZART" (MesopOrous matrices for localiZed pH-triggered releAse of theRapeuTic ions and drugs), which was held at the Institute of Biomaterials, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, on 7-8 November 2017. Project partners from Spain, Italy, Ireland, Finland, UK, Greece, Sweden and Germany attended this meeting. The project is developing a library of inorganic nanomaterials to be used as smart platforms for effective, non-invasive and highly targeted therapies to treat delayed bone healing and non-healing chronic skin wounds, which are both characterized by an inflammation and often infection.

  

October 2017

• Prof. Boccaccini: visiting professor at University Paris Diderot (Paris VII)

  On Oct. 30 - Nov. 3, 2017, Professor Aldo R. Boccaccini visited the Laboratory ITODYS ("Interface Treatment Organisation and Dynamic of Systems"), at University Paris Diderot (Paris VII), hosted by Dr. Fayna Mammeri. Professor Boccaccini met several researchers to discuss collaboration between ITODYS Laboratory and the FAU Institute of Biomaterials in the fields of nanotechnology and biomaterials, including meetings with Prof. Souad Ammar (Head of group) and Prof. Alan Ponton (Senior researcher CNRS). Prof. Boccaccini delivered the lecture "Bioactive materials and biofabrication for superior tissue engineering scaffolds" to academic staff, researchers and students. He also met PhD students and young researchers in the Chemistry Department and he visited the Laboratory MSC, Physics Department, and the Engineering School at University Paris Diderot.

  

• Prof. Boccaccini: Plenary speaker at Bioceramics 29 conference in Toulouse, France

  Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini was one of the six plenary speakers at the 29th Symposium and Annual Meeting of the International Society for Ceramics in Medicine, ISCM, (Bioceramics 29), held in Toulouse, France, on 25-27 October 2017. He presented the plenary lecture: "Bioactive glasses in soft tissue repair: emerging evidence and research needs" discussing exciting new opportunities for applications of bioactive glasses in soft tissue repair and wound healing. Our Institute was also represented by Ms Abirami Sengottuvelan (PhD student), she presented the oral contribution: "Preparation and characterisation of titanium dioxide scaffolds developed via replication of natural marine sponge with PHBV-Chitosan and 1393 bioactive glass coatings for bone tissue engineering". Prof. Boccaccini was also session chair at the conference and he met several colleagues (pictured with Prof. Boccaccini), including Prof. Toshiiro Kasuga (Nagoya Institute of Technology, Japan), Prof. Delia Brauer (University of Jena, Germany), Prof. Susmita Bose (Washington State University, USA), Prof. Julian R. Jones (Imperial College London, UK), Dr. Karolina Schickle (RWTH Aachen, Germany). Professor Boccaccini also discussed with Prof. Janis Locs (Riga Technical University, Latvia) the progress of the Horizon 2020 project "Baltic Biomaterials Centre of Excellence (BBCE)" in which our Institute is participating as international partner.

  

• Visit from Thailand

  On 20-22 October 207 we received the visit of Dr. Patcharakamon Nooeaid, Faculty of Agricultural Product Innovation and Technology, Srinakharinwirot University (Ongkarak) Ongkarak, Thailand. Dr. Nooeaid was the first PhD (Dr.-Ing.) student who graduated from the Institute of Biomaterials under supervision of Prof. A. R. Boccaccini, in 2014, with a doctoral thesis entitled: "Multilayered Scaffolds for Osteochondral Tissue Engineering Based on Bioactive Glasses and Biodegradable Polymers" [1]. We are planning collaboration with Dr. Nooeaid in the field of biodegradable polymer scaffolds.
  
  

  [1] Nooeaid, P., Li, W., Roether, J. A., Mouriño, V., Goudouri, O.-M., Schubert, D. W., Boccaccini, A. R., Development of bioactive glass based scaffolds for controlled antibiotic release in bone tissue engineering via biodegradable polymer layered coating, Biointerphases 9 (2014) 041001.

  

• Meeting with Toyohashi Univ. of Technology colleagues

  Prof. A. R. Boccaccini met Prof. A. Matsuda, Prof. G. Kawamura and Ass. Prof. Tan Wai Kian of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Information Engineering, Toyohashi University of Technology, TUT, Japan, during the last EPD conference in S. Korea in October 2017. We are currently collaborating with TUT in an international program funded by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS): Program for Advancing Strategic International Networks to Accelerate the Circulation of Talented Researchers. The program aims to build up and expand strong international collaborative research networks through the circulation of young researchers among research institutes in Germany, Japan, and USA. The poster entitled: "Preparation of BaTiO3 nanotube arrays, CoFe2O4 nanoparticles and their composite", first output of this collaborative project was presented at the conference EPD 2017.

   

  

• Prof. Boccaccini invited speaker in Genoa, Italy

  Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini was the co-president of the International Concerence "Tissue Regeneration: Advanced Ceramics and Composites" (TRACE) held in Genoa (Genova), Italy, on October 18-20, 2017. He also delivered the invited lecture entitled: "Bioactive glasses for the controlled delivery of therapeutic ions for regeneration and antibacterial effects: progress and challenges". In the pictures Prof. Boccaccini, Prof. Richard W. Siegel, RPI, USA, and Prof. Antonio Ravaglioli, University of Genoa, Italy, co-chair of the conference. Also pictured Prof. Francesco Baino, Department of Applied Science and Technology, Polytechnic of Turin, Italy.

   

  

• New EU Horizon 2020 project at the Institute of Biomaterials

  The project proposal "Baltic Biomaterials Centre of Excellence (BBCE)" has been approved for funding by the European Commission under the scheme H2020-WIDESPREAD-04-2017-Teaming Phase1. BBCE project´s main objective is to establish a joint Baltic Biomaterials Centre of Excellence for advanced biomaterials development based on a long-term strategic cooperation between AO Forschungsinstitut Davos, Switzerland, and the FAU Institute of Biomaterials on one hand and several Latvian institutions led by the Rudolfs Cimdins Riga Biomaterials Innovations and Development Centre (RBIDC) as part of Riga Technical University (Coordinator: Prof. Janis Locs) on the other hand. The kick-off meeting of the project took place on 25th September 2017 in Riga. Dr Julia Will represented our Institute at the meeting.

  

• Van der Biest symposium at EPD 2017

  Organised by Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini, an international symposium dedicated to honor the contributions of Prof. Omer van der Biest (KU Leuven; Belgium) to the electrophoretic deposition (EPD) field was organised on 3rd October 2017 in the framework of the 6th Int. Conference on Electrophoretic Deposition (EPD 2017) held in Gyeongju, South Korea. Prof. O. van der Biest, one of the pioneers of the applications of EPD in materials science, has co-chaired with Prof. Boccaccini all conferences of the international conferences series on EPD, which started in 2002. Speakers from different countries who have collaborated with Prof. van der Biest in different stages of their careers gave lectures at the symposium, which finalized with a special lecture by Prof. van der Biest entitled: "Research on Electrophoretic Deposition in hindsight and foresight".

  

• Successful 6th International Conference on Electrophoretic Deposition (EPD 2017)

  The 6th International Conference on Electrophoretic Deposition (EPD 2017) was held on 1-6 October 2017 in Gyeongju, South Korea. Researchers from academia and industry coming from more than 15 counties attended the conference, including 6 Keynote speakers, presenting in oral and poster contributions their latest results and discussing the basics and fundamentals of EPD and its applications in a wide range of technology fields, including energy and functional materials, nanomaterials, ceramic composites, biomaterials and functional coatings. The final program of the conference can be seen here. This 6th edition of the EPD conferences series sponsored by Engineering Conferences International was endorsed by the American Ceramic Society, the Electrochemical Society, the European Ceramic Society, the German Ceramics Society and the Spanish Society for Ceramics and Glasses. A student contest took place sponsored by the Journal of the European Ceramic Society Trust in which PhD students from different countries participated. The conference chairman was Prof. A. R. Boccaccini (University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany), conference co-chairs were Prof. J. Dickerson (Brookhaven National Laboratory, USA), Prof. O. van der Biest (Kath. University of Leuven, Belgium) and Dr. T. Uchikoshi (National Institute for Materials Science, Japan) (in the photograph below). During the conference, also a symposium to honor co-chair Prof. O. van der Biest was held. The next conference in the series, EPD 2020, will be held in USA. In addition to Prof. A. R. Boccaccini, our Institute was represented at this conference by Ms Svenja Heise, Ms Laura Ramos and Mr Muhammad Atiq Ur Rehman (PhD students), who presented poster and oral contributions. Moreover Mr Muhammad Atiq Ur Rehman obtained the second prize in the student contest while Svenja Heise received an award as the PhD student with the most active participation at the conference.

  

• Int. Symposium “When Biomaterials Meet Biophysics: Innovation without Borders” organised at the Institute of Biomaterials

  On 29th September 2017, our Institute organized the International Symposium “When Biomaterials Meet Biophysics: Innovation without Borders”, chaired by Dr. Aldo Leal-Egana and Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini (pictured). The meeting covered recent advances in biofabrication, cell-matrix interaction, high-throughput screening tests and mathematical modeling for cell migration, among other related topics. Invited speakers arrived from France, United Kingdom, Chile and Germany. The symposium was supported by the German Science Foundation (DFG) and the program is available.

  

• Visit from Portugal

  In the framework of our DAAD funded project on borosilicate sol-gel derived biomaterials with University of Aveiro, Portugal, Prof. Maria Helena Fernandes and Prof. J. Carlos Almeida, Department Materials & Ceramic Engineering and CICECO – Aveiro Institute of Materials, Centre for Research in Ceramics and Composite Materials visited the Institute of Biomaterials (27-29 September 2017). They visited our building in Erlangen-West and discussed the progress of our collaborative research project. Before the end of the year researchers from our Institute will visit the partner institute in Portugal. The project is developing a new family of borosilicate bioactive glasses for a variety of biomedical applications.

  

• Prof. Boccaccini: New Chair of the FAU Department of Materials Science and Engineering

  Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini has been elected the new Chair/Spokesperson of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at University of Erlangen-Nuremberg for a period of two years. The Department of Materials Science and Engineering at FAU is one of the largest of its type in Germany. It comprises 9 Institutes with 18 full-time professors and approximately 170 research staff. The Department covers comprehensively the field of materials science and engineering in both research and teaching, including general materials science, metals, glass and ceramics, surface science and corrosion, polymer materials, materials for electronics and energy technology, biomaterials, materials simulation, as well as micro- and nanostructure research. The Department performs continuously very well in several national and international rankings. For example: “U.S. News & World Report’s Best Global Universities Rankings“, subject: Materials Science.

  

• International Workshop: "Biomaterials: Key Technologies for Better Healthcare” held in Erlangen

  The 7th Industrial Workshop of the "European Virtual Institute on Knowledge‐Based Multifunctional Materials (KMM‐VIN AISBL)" “Biomaterials: Key Technologies for Better Healthcare” was held on 27th‐28th September 2017, in Erlangen, Germany. The workshop was chaired by Professor Aldo R. Boccaccini (Institute of Biomaterials, FAU) and co-chaired by Prof. Stefan Sesselmann (InnoPlant/Medical Valley Centre) and Prof. Heike Walles (University of Würzburg ). The workshop brought together experts working in the broad area of biomedical materials both in industry and academia, covering topics related to design, fabrication, characterisation and applications of a wide variety of biomaterials. The program included a combination of keynote, contributed and poster presentations and attracted a broad audience of researchers from industry and academia. In one of the pictures: keynote speakers Profs. C. Hellmich (TU Vienna), R. Horch (University Hospital Erlangen), H. Walles (Univ. of Würzburg, Co-chair), S. Jockenhövel (RWTH Aachen) with Prof. Boccaccini.

  

• German Glass Society (DGG) Technical Committee meeting in Erlangen

  Dr. Kai Zheng and Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini were speakers at the meeting of the Technical Committee I (FA-I) "Physics and Chemistry of Glasses" of the German Glass Society. The meeting was chaired by Prof. C. Rüssel, University of Jena, and it was held in Erlangen on 26th September 2017. The titles of the talks by Dr. Zheng and Prof. Boccaccini were, respectively,: "Synthesis of bioactive glass nanoparticles using sol-gel approaches" and "Bioactive glasses for hard and soft tissue repair: new developments and opportunities".

  

September 2017

• Doctoral thesis success: Samira Tansaz

  On 25th September 2017 Samira Tansaz successfully defended her doctoral thesis in the field of soy protein based biomaterials, which was carried out under the supervision of Professor Aldo R. Boccaccini at the Institute of Biomaterials. In addition to Prof. Boccaccini, Prof. Dirk Schubert (FAU Institute for Polymer Materials), Prof. Andreas Wierschem (Chair for Fluids Mechanics, FAU), and Prof. Dominique De Ligny (Chair for Glass and Ceramics, FAU), were the members of the doctoral defense committee (pictured with S. Tansaz). Prof. Boccaccini highlighted Samiras' innovative contribution to the establishment of a research activity in the field of plant derived proteins in our laboratory, noting that this is the first doctoral thesis in our Institute focusing on soy protein as suitable biomaterial for a variety of applications. He also acknowledged Samira's extensive contributions to several other projects during her research activities in our Institute (e.g. [1]). Research papers resulting directly from Samira's doctoral thesis have been published [2-3]. We congratulate Samira on achieving her doctoral degree and wish her all the best in her future career.
  
  [1] L. Niklaus, S. Tansaz, et al., Micropatterned Down-Converting Coating for White Bio-Hybrid Light-Emitting Diodes, Adv. Funct. Mater. 27 (2017) 1601792.
  
  [2] S. Tansaz, et al., Soy protein meets bioactive glass: Electrospun composite fibers for tissue engineering applications, Mater. Lett. 199 (2017) 143-146.
  
  [3] S. Tansaz, et al., Hydrogel films and microcapsules based on soy protein isolate combined with alginate, J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 134 (2017) 44358.
  
  
  

  

• Prof. Boccaccini interviewed by FAU Press Office

  Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini, Head of the Institute of Biomaterials, was interview by the FAU press office to mark his activity as chairman of the _7th KMM VIN International Workshop "Biomaterials: Key Technologies for Better Healthcare", which is taking place in Erlangen at Medical Valley Centre on 27-28 September. The International Workshop is organised in the framework of the European Virtual Institute on Knowledge-based Multifunctional Materials (AISBL) (KMM-VIN) of which Prof. Boccaccini is a member of the Executive Board. Co-chairs of the workshop are Prof. S. Sesselmann (Manager InnoPlanT.NET) and Prof. Heike Walles, Translation Centre Würzburg. The full interview with Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini (in German language) is available here.
  
  
  

• FEMS Executive Committee Meeting in Thessaloniki

  Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini attended the meetings of the Executive Committee of the Federation of European Materials Societies (FEMS) that took place in the framework of the EUROMAT 2017 conference in Thessaloniki, Greece, on 17-22 September 2017. Prof. Boccaccini represents the German Materials Society (DGM) in the FEMS EC. In the photo, Prof. Boccaccini with the current FEMS president, Dr. Brett Suddell (UK) and the incoming president Prof. Paloma Fernández Sánchez (Spain). The next EUROMAT conference (EUROMAT 2019) will take place in Stockholm, Sweden, on 1-6 September 2019.
  
  
  

  

• EUROMAT 2017 conference in Thessaloniki

  Our Institute had a visible participation at the European Congress and Exhibition on Advanced Materials and Processes, EUROMAT 2017, held in Thessaloniki, Greece, on 17-22 September 2017. Prof. Boccaccini co-organised two symposia in Topic Area F "Biomaterials and Healthcare", namely symposium F1 "Biomaterials for Tissue Engineering" and F4 "The Next Generation of Implants with Multi-Functional Properties". The oral presentations from our Institute were given by Dr. Kai Zheng [1,2], Ms Francesca Ciraldo [3] and Ms Seray Kaya [4] (pictured with Prof. Boccaccini). In addition, the following poster and oral presentations involved co-authorship from members of our Institute [5-9]. Prof. Boccaccini is pictured with colleagues, including Prof. Enrique Sanchez, Univ. of Castellon, Spain, Prof. Antonio Salinas, UCM, Madrid, Spain, co-organiser of symposium F1, Dr. Sophia Tsipas, Univ. Carlos III, Madrid, Spain, Prof. Andres Lasagni, TU Dresden, Germany, Prof. E. Aifantis, Univ. of Thessaloniki, Greece, Dr. Katalin Balázsi and Prof. Csaba Balazsi, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Hungary.
  
  [1] P. Balasubramanian, et al., Li-CONTAINING MESOPOROUS BIOACTIVE GLASS NANOPARTICLES FOR BONE REGENERATION
  
  [2] K. Zheng, et al., HOLLOW MESOPOROUS BIOACTIVE GLASS NANOPARTICLES FOR DUAL RELEASE OF BIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE IONS AND BIOMOLECULES
  
  [3] F. Ciraldo, et al., DEVELOPMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MESOPOROUS GLASS COATINGS WITH ANTIBACTERIAL ION RELEASE CAPABILITY
  
  [4] S. Kaya, et al., PROCESSING AND ANTIBACTERIAL CHARACTERIZATION OF THERAPEUTIC ION-DOPED MESOPOROUS BIOACTIVE SILICATE GLASSES (MBGS)
  
  [5] E. Canas, et al.: COMPARISON OF PLASMA-SPRAYED BIOACTIVE COATINGS DEPOSITED FROM DIFFERENT FEEDSTOCKS
  
  [6] J. Urena, et al.: IN-VITRO STUDY OF THE BIOACTIVITY AND BIOLOGICAL RESPONSE OF POWDER METALLURGY MODIFIED Ti SURFACES
  
  [7] J. Mesquita Guimaraes, et al.: STRENGTHENING OF ZIRCONIA SCAFFOLDS WITH INFILTRATED 58S BIOACTIVE GLASS
  
  [8] G. Guerrero, et al.: NANOCOMPOSITE BIOACTIVE SCAFFOLDS WITH MULTIPLE DELIVERY CAPABILITIES FOR BONE TISSUE REGENERATION
  
  [9] M. I. Idris, et al.: MAGNETIC POLYMER MICROSPHERES OF PHBV WITH SURFACE MODIFIED SPIONS FOR BIOMEDICAL APPLICATION

  

• Poster presentation award in Argentina

  Matthaus Popov, who graduated from the MAP Master program at FAU and is currently carrying out his PhD thesis at INTEMA, National University of Mar del Plata, Argentina, under supervision of Prof. Gustavo Abraham, Division of Biomedical Polymers, obtained special mention for his poster presentation entitled "Electrospun soy protein/gelatin matrices for soft tissue engineering applications" at the "Encuentro de Jovenes Investigadores de Materiales JIM2017", held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 17-18 August 2017. Dr Liliana Liverani and Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini are named co-authors of this work. We currently collaborate with the group of Prof. Abraham in the framework of the I.DEAR ("Ingeniueur Deutschland-Argentina") program.

  

• We welcome visiting researchers and students

  We met for "coffee and cakes" to welcome the new group of visiting researchers and students who have arrived in Erlangen to spend research internships and study stays in our Institute, including Dr. Agustina Aldana, INTEMA Mar del Plata, Argentina, Cintia Perez, University of Mar del Plata, Argentina, Eslam Ashour Ibrahim, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy, Exequiel Gutierrez, University of Mar del Plata, Argentina, Marta Braida, Polytechnic of Milan, Italy, Karol Golasiński, IPPT, Warsaw, Poland, Merve Gecgin, Anadolu University, Turkey and Özge Çelik, Kastamonu University, Turkey.

  

• Our review on in-vivo assessment of bioactive glass scaffolds published

  Our review paper entitled "Regenerating bone with bioactive glass scaffolds: A review of in vivo studies in bone defect models" has been just published in Acta Biomaterialia [1]. The review covers comprehensively previous investigations reporting the performance of bioactive glass scaffolds in bone defect animal models providing a broad body of information for researchers interested in bioactive glasses in general and specifically in the outcomes of in vivo models.
  
  [1] A. A. El-Rashid, J. A. Roether, L. Harhaus, U. Kneser, A. R.Boccaccini, Regenerating bone with bioactive glass scaffolds: A review of in vivo studies in bone defect models
  Acta Biomaterialia (2017) in press.

• Visiting students from Argentina: I.DEAR program

  We welcome Exequiel Gutierrez and Cintia Perez, students from National University of Mar del Plata, Argentina, who will spend the next 2 academic terms in Germany in the framework of the exchange program in materials science and engineering I.DEAR (Ingenieure Deutschland-Argentinien), funded by the German-Argentinean University Centre (DAHZ). The program enables also Master students of Materials Science and Engineering and Nanotechnology from the participating German universities (FAU and Saarland Univ.) to spend one year in Argentina.

  

• 28th Annual Conference of the European Society for Biomaterials (ESB 2017) in Athens

  Our Institute was strongly represented at the 28th Annual Conference of the European Society for Biomaterials (ESB), held in Athens, Greece, on 4 - 8 September 2017, chaired by Prof. Maria Chatzinikolaidou, University of Crete. Prof. Boccaccini was a member of the International Advisory Committee of the conference and he was involved as co-organizer and co-chair of two special scientific sessions, namely "Biomaterials for Biofabrication" together with Dr. Ferry Melchels, Heriot-Watt University, UK, representative of the International Society for Biofabrication and "Biomaterials for implantable Medical Device Development" with Dr. Xiang Zhang (Lucideon, UK) (pictured with Prof. Boccaccini) and Prof. Ipsita Roy (University of Westminster, UK).
  Prof. Boccaccini presented the lectures entitled "Alginate Di-Aldehyde-Gelatine Crosslinked Hydrogel (ADA-GEL) for Biofabrication: Tailoring Stiffness for Improved Cell Response" and "Mesoporous Bioactive Glasses: Attractive Drug and Ion Delivery Vehicles for Medical Devices" in the mentioned special sessions.
  Prof. Boccaccini also chaired the session "Biomaterials and Medical Device Fabrication" together with Prof. D. Hutmacher, Queensland Univ. of Technology (Australia) and Ms Lida Vagiaki (YSF) (pictured).
  Dr. Liliana Liverani presented the lecture: "Multilayered, Stratified Scaffolds for Osteochondral Tissue Engineering Applications Obtained by Electrospinning Combined with Other Scaffold Fabrication Techniques" in the session "Biomaterials for Cartilage/Bone".
  Moreover five PhD students of the Institute of Biomaterials, namely Lukas Gritsch, Agata Lapa, Maqbool Muhammad, Binh Phan (Hana) and Rocio Tejido Rastrilla (pictured with Prof. Boccaccini and Dr. Liverani) presented posters [1-5]. Prof. Boccaccini also contributed to the poster presentation of the project "Baltic Biomaterials Centre of Excellence", which has received funding from the European Commission (Horizon 2020), led by Dr. Jānis Ločs, Institute of General Chemical Engineering, Riga Technical University, Latvia (pictured with Dr. Arita Dubņika, Dr. L. Liverani and Prof. Boccaccini). Professor Boccaccini is a member of the Council of the ESB.
  As ESB liaison for the J. Mater. Sci. Mater. Med., Prof. Boccaccini visited the booth of the journal (Springer) (pictured with Dr. Maria Bellantone, journal editor, and Prof. Antonio Merolli, The State University of New Jersey, USA, Clinical Editor). Prof. Boccaccini is also pictured with Prof. Sandra Van Vlierberghe, spokesperson of the ESB Young Scientists Forum (YSF) and with Dr. Ana Paula Pêgo (former YSF liaison of the ESB council).
  Boccaccini is also pictured with Prof. James Kirkpatrick (Goethe University Frankfurt ), Prof. Julian Jones (Imperial College London) and Prof. Jiang Chang (Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai).
  
  [1] L. Gritsch, et al., "Fabrication and Characterization of a New Promising Biomaterial based on Chitosan Chelating Copper Ions"
  [2] A. Lapa, et al., "Phosphate Based Glasses and Phosphate Glass Fibres with Antimicrobial Properties for Medical Application"
  [3] M. Maqbool, et al., "Structural, Physiochemical and Antibacterial Evaluation of Cerium Substituted Hydroxyapatite (Ce-HA) Synthesized by Wet Precipitation Method"
  [4] B. T. T. Phan, et al., "Design of Poly ε-caprolactone /Zein Composites for Delivery of Essential Oils as Antimicrobial Biomaterials"
  [5] R. Tejido-Rastrilla, et al., "Development and Characterization of Polydopamine Coating on Novel Silicate Bioactive Glass"

  

August 2017

• Prof. Boccaccini at BIOMAAP conference in London

  Prof. Boccaccini attended the First International Conference on Advances in Biomaterials and Applications (BIOMAAP), held in Croydon, London, UK, on 31 August - 1 September, 2017. Prof. Boccaccini was a member of the International Advisory Committee of the conference, he chaired one of the scientific sessions and presented the talk: "BIOFABRICATION OF CONSTRUCTS FOR BONE REGENERATION USING AN ALGINATE DI-ALDEYHDE (ADA) GELATIN (GEL) CROSSLINKED HYDROGEL (ADA-GEL)", presented the latest developments in our Institute in the field of biofabrication using alginate based bioinks.

  
  
  

• Prof. Boccaccini: guest speaker at Symposium of Biofabrication in Hannover

  Prof. Boccaccini attended the 2nd International Symposium on Biofabrication for NIFE, in cooperation with the International Interdisciplinary Alliance against Implant-related Infections (I4A), held at Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany, on 31 August - 1st September, 2017. Prof. Boccaccini presented the guest lecture: "Enhancing the properties of alginate-based bioinks for biofabrication of tissue scaffolds", giving an overview of the recent research activities in the field of biofabrication at the Institute of Biomaterials. In the photo, Prof. Boccaccini with Prof. Cornelia Kasper (Institute of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Science, Vienna, Austria, who presented the guest lecture: “Strategies for Stem Cell Expansion and Differentiation for Tissue Engineering and Cell based Therapies”. We are collaborating with the group of Prof. Kasper in the field of cell biology characterisation of bioactive scaffolds [1].
  
  [1] Detsch, R; et al., Osteogenic differentiation of umbilical cord and adipose derived stem cells onto highly porous 45S5 Bioglass(®) -based scaffolds, J Biomed Mater Res A. 2015; 103(3):1029-1037.

  
  
  

• Our last paper on oxidized alginate-gelatin hydrogel published

  Our paper entitled: "Oxidized Alginate-Gelatin Hydrogel: A Favorable Matrix for Growth and Osteogenic Differentiation of Adipose-Derived StemvCells in 3D", co-authors: B Sarker, T Zehnder, SN Rath, RE Horch, U Kneser, R Detsch, A. R. Boccaccini, has been publIshed in ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering (Sarker et al., ACS Biomater. Sci. Eng., 2017, 3 (8), pp 1730–1737). The study was carried out in collaboration with colleagues at the Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, the Department of Hand, Plastic, and Reconstructive Surgery, Burn Center, BG Trauma Center Ludwigshafen and the Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. In this paper [1] we continued our investigation of the oxidized alginate-gelatin hydrogel system, developed for the first time in the framework of B. Sarker's doctoral thesis in 2014 [2], demonstrating the application of covalently cross-linked oxidized alginate-gelatin hydrogels to encapsulate human adipose-derived stem cells. The effect of different hydrogel compositions on stem cell behavior in 3D was investigated. The favourable cell behaviour confirmed the suitability of the hydrogel system for cell encapsulation and bone tissue engineering applications.

  [1] B. Sarker, et al., Oxidized Alginate-Gelatin Hydrogel: A Favorable Matrix for Growth and Osteogenic Differentiation of Adipose-Derived Stem
  Cells in 3D, ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering, ACS Biomater. Sci. Eng., 2017, 3 (8), 1730–1737.

  [2] B. Sarker, et al., Fabrication of alginate–gelatin crosslinked hydrogel microcapsules and evaluation of the microstructure and physico-chemical properties,
  J. Mater. Chem. B 2014, 2, 1470-1482.

  
  
  

• Visit from Argentina, I.DEAR program

  On 2nd August 2017 we received the visit of Prof. Silvia Simison, affiliated with the National Institute for Science and Technology of Materials (INTEMA), at National University of Mar del Plata, Argentina, and of Dr. Flavio Soldera, Chair of Functional Materials, Saarland University. Prof. Boccaccini together with Prof. Simison and Dr. Soldera (pictured) coordinate the Master students exchange program in materials science and engineering within I.DEAR (Ingenieure Deutschland-Argentinien), funded by the German-Argentinean University Centre (DAHZ). This program enables master students of Materials Science and Engineering and Nanotechnology from the German universities (FAU and Saarland Univ.) to spend one year in Argentina. Students from the FAU Department of Materials Science and Engineering are eligible to spend the first 6 months at National University of Mar del Plata taking courses, while in the last 6 months they carry out a research project in a research institute or in industry in Argentina. The same offer have Argentinian master students from Mar del Plata who can spend one year at FAU or Saarland Univ. The year abroad is completely funded by the program. The program also funds short stays of senior researchers from FAU in Mar del Plata and viceversa. During the visit, Profs. Simison, Boccaccini and Dr. Soldera discussed the progress of the program, which has been recently extended for another four years, and planned the future joint activities. For detailed information about the I.DEAR program please contact Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini at: aldo.boccaccini@fau.de

  
  
  

• Prof. Boccaccini at University of Westminster and Imperial College London (UK)
  

  On 24-26 July 2017 Prof. Boccaccini visited the Department of Life Sciences at University of Westminster, London, UK, where he met Prof. Ipsita Roy and (part of) her team. We have been collaborating with Prof. Roy's research group for more than 10 years in the field of biopolymer-inorganic filler composites for biomedical applications, including scaffolds for bone tissue engineering, wound healing materials, more recently on biodegradable stents (e.g. in project ReBioStent) and currently in the framework of the EU ETN training network HyMedPoly developing antibiotic free antibacterial materials. Our latest joint paper in collaboration with Prof Roy's group has been published earlier this year [1]. Prof. Boccaccini also visited the Department of Materials, Imperial College London, where he is currently visiting professor.

   

  [1] R. Rai, et al., Highly elastomeric poly (3-hydroxyoctanoate) based natural polymer composite for enhanced keratinocyte regeneration, International Journal of Polymeric Materials and Polymeric Biomaterials 66 (2017) 326-335.

   

  
  
  

• Visit from Japan
  Prof. Go Kawamura, Department of Electrical and Electronic Information Engineering, Toyohashi University of Technology, TUT, Japan, is currently academic visitor in the Institute of Biomaterials. This research program with TUT is funded by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), and is named: Program for Advancing Strategic International Networks to Accelerate the Circulation of Talented Researchers, also aiming to build up and expand strong international collaborative research networks through the circulation of young researchers among research institutes in Germany, Japan, and USA. The objective of this part of the project is to develop artificial magnetic lattices (AML) with innovative features, such as controlling optical and electromagnetic waves by designing nanostructures. One focus of this particular interaction between TUC and our Institute led by Prof. Kawamura is the fabrication of such nanostructures by electrophoretic deposition. Prof. Kawamura is visiting us for 2 months and other visits of researchers in both directions are planned for 2018.

   

  
  
  

• Visit from Heidelberg
  Dr. Fabian Westhauser, Heidelberg University Hospital, "Zentrum für Orthopädie, Unfallchirurgie und Paraplegiologie" visited the Institute of Biomaterials on 1st August 2017. He presented the seminar: "Development of the ideal bone substitute: the Holy Grail in modern musculoskeletal tissue engineering? Recent developments and approaches“. We are collaborating with the group of Dr. Westhauser in the field of bioactive glass scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. Our first joint paper was published in J. Mater. Sci. Mater. Med. [1] and we have currently expanded our research collaboration to consider novel bioactive glass compositions and architectures.
  
  [1] F. Westhauser, et al., Three-dimensional polymer coated 45S5-type bioactive glass scaffolds seeded with human mesenchymal stem cells show bone formation in vivo, J. Mater. Sci. Mater. Med. 27 (2016) 119.
  

   

  
  
  

July 2017

• Doctoral thesis success: Tobias Zehnder
  On 28th July 2017 Tobias Zehnder successfully defended his doctoral thesis in the field of biofabrication of bone tissue scaffolds using alginate based hydrogels, which was carried out under the supervision of Professor Aldo R. Boccaccini at the Institute of Biomaterials. In addition to Prof. Boccaccini, Prof. Juergen Stampfl (TU Vienna), Prof. Carolin Koerner (Chair of Materials Science and Engineering for Metals, FAU), and Prof. Bernhard Hensel (Max Schaldach-endowed Professorship for Biomedical Technology, FAU), were the members of the doctoral defense committee (pictured with T. Zehnder). Prof. Boccaccini highlighted Tobias' great contribution to the establishment of the biofabrication facilities in our laboratory, noting that his doctoral thesis is in fact the first comprehensive research effort in our Institute focused on biofabrication of cell loaded scaffolds, which involved the optimisation of the bio-ink, based on the alginate-gelatin system, and the establishment of the bioprinting process parameters. This is reflected in the fact that most of our biofabrication related papers include T. Zehnder as one of the co-authors. Publications resulting from Tobias' doctoral thesis include also two papers in the high IF journal Biofabrication [1-2]. We congratulate Tobias on achieving his doctoral degree and wish him all the best in his future career.
  
  [1] T. Zehnder, et al., Evaluation of an alginate-gelatine crosslinked hydrogel for bioplotting, Biofabrication 7 ( 2015): 025001.
  
  [2] T. Zehnder, et al., Biofabrication of a co-culture system in an osteoid-like hydrogel matrix, Biofabrication 9 (2017): 025016.
  

   

  
  
  

• Scientific Meeting of the North-Bavaria Biomaterials Alliance (NBBA) in Erlangen
  The last scientific meeting of the North-Bavaria Biomaterials Alliance (NBBA) in SS 2017 was hosted by Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini and held at the Institute of Biomaterials, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, with participation of 22 researchers from the partner universities Würzburg, Bayreuth and Erlangen-Nuremberg. The co-founders of NBBA together with Prof. A. R. Boccaccini, Prof. J. Groll (Univ. of Würzburg) and Prof. T. Scheibel (Univ. of Bayreuth) attended the meeting. This was the first meeting of the NBBA in the new premises (new building) of the Erlangen Institute of Biomaterials in Erlangen-West. Apart from the scientific presentations in the field of "Biofabrication" the researchers from Würzburg and Bayreuth had the opportunity to tour the new facilities for biomaterials processing and characterization, electrospinning technology, as well as the new biofabrication and cell culture laboratories of the Erlangen Institute of Biomaterials. The next scientific meeting of the NBBA will take place in the WS 2017/18 in Würzburg.
  

   

  
  
  

• End of Summer Term 2017
  The end of the summer term 2017 was marked by the traditional Summer BBQ of the Institute of Biomaterials which took place on 19th July. Prof. Boccaccini highlighted the continuous international character of our Institute: nineteen nationalities were represented at this meeting, including our visiting students and academic visitors. We received the special visit of Profs. Susmita Bose and Amit Bandyopadhyay (Washington State University, USA), who presented invited talks and attending our BBQ. (Click images to enlarge)

   

  
  
  

• Prof. Boccaccini at the Meeting of MSE Topic Coordinators at TU Darmstadt
  On 18th July 2017, Prof. Boccaccini attended the meeting of Topic Coordinators of the Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) conference, which was held at the Technical University of Darmstadt. The group is preparing the MSE 2018 Call for Abstracts. The submitted proposals for symposia were evaluated, the individual symposia were structured into a scientific concept that will define MSE 2018. Prof. Boccaccini is a member of the MSE 2018 scientific committee and he is coordinating the topic "Biomaterials" together with Prof. K. Jandt (University of Jena) and Prof. E. Verne (Polytechnic of Turin, Italy). Prof. Boccaccini is also leading the activities being organised, within MSE 2018, in relation to the partner country Argentina, in close collaboration with the Asociacion Argentina de Materiales (SAM) (LINK: http://www.materiales-sam.org.ar/), the partner association of MSE 2018 in Argentina. In the photo, Prof. Boccaccini (left) with MSE Topic coordinators (Photo from MSE Newsletter).
  
  
  
  

• We welcome our visiting students in the Summer of 2017
  Several students and researchers have chosen our Institute to carry out research during the next months. We welcome Ms M. Laura Dittler, visiting PhD student from Nat. University of La Plata, Argentina, Francesca Serio, visiting PhD Student, Università del Salento, Lecce, Italy, Dr. Go Kawamura, visiting researcher from Toyohashi University of Technology, Japan, Buşra Çinçin, visiting student from Yıldız Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey, Nasiye Yildirim, visiting student from Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey, Ana Ferrández Montero, visiting PhD student from CENIM-CSIC and ICV-CSIC, Madrid, Spain and Inês Barroso, visiting Master student, University of A Coruña, Spain. They are working on topics as varied as mesoporous bioactive glass nanoparticles, polymer coated bioactive glass scaffolds, electrophoretic deposition of nanomaterials, electrospinning of composite fibres and cell biology characterisation of Mg-polymer composites. Welcome to Erlangen !
  
  
  
  

• Professors Susmita Bose and Amit Bandyopadhyay (WSU, USA) visited the Institute of Biomaterials
  On 18-20 July 2017 we received the visit of Prof. Susmita Bose and Prof. Amit Bandyopadhyay of the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, W. M. Keck Biomedical Materials Research Lab Washington State University, Pullman, USA. Prof. Susmita Bose presented the invited lecture: "3D printing of biomaterials for bone tissue engineering and drug delivery" and Prof. Amit Bandyopadhyay, delivered the talk: "Additive manufacturing of multimaterial structures". We plan to collaborate with the research group of Profs. Bose and Bandyopadhyay in the field of additive manufacturing of bioactive ceramics and composites for bone regeneration considering the complementary expertise of our groups.
  
  
  
  

• Prof. Boccaccini at 10 years celebration of BAYLAT
  The Bavarian University Centre for Latin America (BAYLAT) celebrated 10 years and the inauguration of new offices in Erlangen on 14th July 2017. Prof. Boccaccini is deputy member in the BAYLAT board. BAYLAT is currently funded one of our research projects with Argentina. In the photos Prof. Boccaccini with Prof. Andrea Pagni (FAU, Chairwoman, BAYLAT), Dr. Silvia Kroyer (Embassy of Argentina, Berlin), Prof. Roberto Cudmani (TU Munich), and with Dr. Irma de Melo-Reiners (Exec. director, BAYLAT) and Ms Luise Freitag (program advisor, BAYLAT).

   

  
  
  
  

• Visit from Australia
  On 14th July 2017 we received the visit of Prof. Dr. Thomas Fiedler, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, The University of Newcastle (UON), Australia. We have been collaborating with Prof. Fiedler for a number of years in the field of characterisation of bioactive glass scaffolds for bone regeneration. Our latest joint paper was published in the J. Mater. Sci. [1]. We are currently expanding our collaboration to consider scaffolds fabricated by using maritime sponges as template to create optimal porosity [2].
  
  [1] Sulong MA, Belova IV, Boccaccini AR, Murch GE, Fiedler T, 'A model of the mechanical degradation of foam replicated scaffolds', JOURNAL OF MATERIALS SCIENCE, 51 3824-3835 (2016).
  
  [2] Boccardi E, Belova IV, Murch GE, Boccaccini AR, Fiedler T, 'Oxygen diffusion in marine-derived tissue engineering scaffolds', Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine, 26 (2015).
  
  
  
  

• Visit from China
  During July-August 2017 we are hosting researchers from the School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China, in the framework of the DAAD/CSC funded project in the field of nanostructured bioactive coatings for orthopedic applications. Ms Hongfei Qi (PhD student) and Prof. Liting Lu are visiting the Institute of Biomaterials, pictured with Dr Yuyun Yang (FAU investigator in the project), and Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini. The project involves the development of novel organic-inorganic coatings by electrophoretic deposition and dip-coating methods, also in collaboration with the group of Prof. Virtanen in the FAU Chair for Surface Science and Corrosion.
  
  
  
  

• Prof. Boccaccini invited speaker at European Ceramic Society conference (ECerS 2017) in Budapest
  Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini was an invited speaker at the 15th Conference and Exhibition of the European Ceramic Society (ECerS), held on July 9-13, 2017, in Budapest, Hungary. Prof. Boccaccini presented the talk: "Expanding applications of bioactive glasses in tissue engineering and wound healing" in the symposium "Ceramics and glasses for healthcare". Our institute was also represented by Ms Nicoletta Toniolo, who presented the poster: "Geopolymers incorporating silicate waste" and Ms Rocio Tejido-Rastrilla, who presented the poster: "Surface functionalization of novel silicate bioactive glass by bioinspired coating", both PhD students (pictured with Prof. Boccaccini) in the ITN EU project "Advanced glasses, Composites And Ceramics for High growth Industries European Training Network (ETN) - CoACH". Prof. Boccaccini met numerous colleagues, including: Prof. Alicia Duran (Institute of Ceramics and Glasses, Madrid) and Dusan Galusek (Alexander Dubček University, Trenčín, Slovakia), collaborators in the project "Centre for functional and surface-functionalized glasses" (FunGlass). Prof. Boccaccini also pictured with Prof. Csaba Balázsi, Conference Chair, Centre for Energy Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Hungary, Prof. Begona Ferrari (Institute of Ceramics and Glass, Madrid), Prof. Paolo Colombo (University of Padova, Italy), Prof. Jerome Chevalier (INSA Lyon, France), Prof. Rodrigo Moreno (Institute of Ceramics and Glass, Madrid).
  
  
  
  

• Prof. Boccaccini will serve as president of 2nd BioMaH conference in Rome
  The 2nd "Biomaterials and Novel Technologies for Healthcare" (BioMaH) Conference will be held in Rome, Italy on October 8-11, 2018. Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini (Institute of Biomaterials, Erlangen, Germany) and Prof. Mauro Alini (Vice-Director AO Research Institute, Davos, Switzerland) will serve as presidents of the conference. The program chair will be Dr. Julietta V. Rau of ISM-CNR Rome, Italy. This conference follows from the success of the the 1st BioMaH conference held in Rome in 2016. The Call for Abstracts will be published later this year.
  
  
  
  

• Prof. Boccaccini invited speaker at Composites conference (Verbundwerkstoffe 2017) in Bremen
  Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini presented the invited lecture "Biodegradable and bioactive composite materials in tissue engineering" at the "21st Symposium on Composites - Verbundwersktoffe 2017" held on 5-7 July 2017 in Bremen, Germany. The presentation was in the framework of the special session "Recent research results in composite materials at the European Virtual Institute KMM-VIN", organised by the European Virtual Institute on Knowledge-based Multifunctional Materials AISBL (KMM-VIN) (Prof. M. Basista). Prof. Boccaccini also presented the lecture: "Fabrication of composite and hybrid scaffolds based on biopolymers and bioactive glass using a combination of electrospinning and sol-gel methods for tissue engineering applications". Prof. Boccaccini chaired the sessions "Polymer matrix composites-II" and "Renewable resources (biodegradable)". Prof. Boccaccini is a member of the organising committee of the series of symposia on Composites ("Verbundwerkstoffe") which was established in 1988 by the German Materials Society (DGM). In the picture Prof. Bocaccini with the KMM VIN delegates at the conference: Dr. Peter Hansen (UK), Dr. Pedro Egizabal (Spain), Prof. Monica Ferraris (Italy), and Prof. Michal Basista (Poland).
  
  
  
  

• Prof. Andres Lasagni (TU Dresden) visits the Institute of Biomaterials
  Prof. Andres F. Lasagni, affiliated with TU Dresden, Institute of Manufacturing Science and Engineering, and Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS Dresden, visited the Institute of Biomaterials on 4th July 2017. He presented the lecture "Direct Laser Interference Patterning: from fundamentals to industrial applications" at the Materials Science Colloquium of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering of FAU. We are collaborating with Prof. Lasagni in the field of bioactive coatings on structured metallic surfaces. Prof. Lasagni and Prof. Boccaccini are also collaborating with the organization of the Materials Science and Engineering (MSE 2018) congress, organised by the German Materials Society (DGM), to be held in Darmstadt on 25-27 September 2018. Prof. Boccaccini is member of the MSE scientific committee and Prof. Lasagni is symposiim co-organiser. The partner country of MSE2018 is Argentina, both Profs. Lasagni and Boccaccini were born in Argentina.
  
  
  
  

• Visit from Finland
  On 3-4 July 2017 we received the visit of Dr. Xiaoju Wang from the Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry of Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland, led by Prof. Leena Hupa. We have a long term collaboration with the group of Prof. Hupa in the field of bioactive glasses for bone tissue engineering. Dr. Wang presented the seminar: "Copper-containing bioactive glasses and application in biomedical devices".
  
  
  
  

June 2017

• EU project FUNGLASS meeting in Slovakia
  On occasion of the Slovak and Czech Glass Conference and Seminar on Defects in Glass held in Trenciaske Teplice, Slovakia, a meeting of coordinator, principal investigators and international partners of the Centre for Functional and Surface Functionalized Glasses (FunGlass) took place on 27th June 2017. The progress of the activities of the Centre was discussed, in particular the recruitment process for research personnel and the secondments at international partners. FunGlass is a newly created centre of excellene in the framework of a Teaming Horizon 2020 "Spreading Excellence and Widening Participation" project. In the picture: E. Bernardo (Univ. of Padova, Italy), L. Liverani (Univ. of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany), Prof. Alicia Duran (Institute of Ceramics and Glass, Madrid, Spain), Prof. D. Galusek (Alexander Dubček University, Trenčín, Slovakia, FunGlass coordinator), Prof. L. Wondraczek (Univ. of Jena, Germany), and Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini (University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany).
  
  
  
  

• Prof. Boccaccini: invited speaker in Slovakia
  Prof. Boccaccini was an invited speaker at the Slovak and Czech Glass Conference and Seminar on Defects in Glass that took place in Trenciaske Teplice, Slovakia, on June 28-30, 2017, chaired by Prof. Dusan Galusek, Alexander Dubček University,Trenčín, Slovakia. Prof. Boccaccini presented the lecture: "Bioactive Glasses for Hard and Soft Tissue Repair: New Developments and Opportunities”. The photo shows Prof. Boccaccini with Dr. Liliana Liverani (Institute of Biomaterials, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg) and Dr. Dana Rohanova, Department of Glass and Ceramics, University of Chemistry and Technology (UCT), Prague, Czech Republic, who has been collaborating with us in the field of bioactive glasses for many years (for example: ref. [1]).
  
  [1] Rohanova D., et al., Assessment of in vitro testing approaches for bioactive inorganic materials, J. Non-Cryst. Solids, 432 (2016) 53-59.
  
  
  
  

• Prof. Boccaccini celebrates 20 years of American Ceramic Society membership
  In April 1997, while being a post-doctoral researcher at the Institute of Mechanics and Materials, at University of California San Diego (UCSD), USA, Aldo R. Boccaccini became a member of the American Ceramic Society (ACerS). Prof Boccaccini says: "the American Ceramic Society has been a very important part of my career for the last 20 years, I have benefited enormously from my association with ACerS, in particular by being part of a distinguished international network of scientists, technologists and professionals in our field, being a member brings you in contact with the "premier league" of experts in ceramic and glass science and technology worldwide, participating at ACerS meetings continues to be among the most gratifying experiences both professionally and personally. I am proud of being a member (and Fellow) of the Society". Prof. Boccaccini was elevated to Fellow of ACerS in 2011. His first paper in the J. Am. Ceram. Soc. was published in 1994 (J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 77 (1994) 2779-2781). In 2016, Boccaccini received the Arthur L. Friedberg Ceramic Engineering Tutorial and Lecture Award. He was interviewed for the Ceramic Tech Today blog in 2009 to talk on the vitrification of hazardous wastes, bioactive glasses and electrophoretic deposition. Prof. Boccaccini was as member of the editorial advisory board of the ACerS Bulletin in 2008 and since 2013 he serves as Associate Editor of the ACerS journal International Journal of Applied Glass Science.
  
  
  
  

• Prof. Peter Pivonka, Queensland University of Technology, Australia, visits the Institute of Biomaterials
  In the framework of the collaborative project "Assessment of vascularisation potential of 3D Bioglass scaffolds for tissue engineering of large bone defects using a mechanobiological approach" between Queensland University of Technology, University of Melbourne, Australia, and our Institute, Prof. Peter Pivonka, Professor and Chair of Biomedical Engineering and Spinal Disorders at the School of Chemistry, Physics and Mechanical Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, visited the Institute of Biomaterials on 19-23 June 2017. The project is funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and "Universities Australia" and involves the exchange of early stage and senior researchers. We collaborate with the group of Prof. Pivonka in the field of bioactive glass scaffolds for regenerating large bone defects, in particular on the experimental and numerical characterization of scaffolds with different pore structures fabricated by the foam replica method, including maritime sponge derived scaffolds fabricated in our Institute [1]. Prof. Pivonka presented also the seminar: "Choosing optimal 3D ceramic scaffolds for large segmental bone defects based on mechanical and fluid dynamical characterization", which was also attended by researchers of other departments and faculties. In one of the photos. Prof. Boccaccini, Dr. Jasmin Hum (investigator in the project) and Prof. Pivonka.
  
  [1] Boccardi, E., et al., Characterisation of Bioglass based foams developed via replication of natural marine sponges, Adv. Appl. Ceram. 114:sup1 (2015) S56-S62.
  
  
  
  

• "HyMedPoly" EU ITN: collaboration between the Institute of Biomaterials and Lucideon Ltd (UK)
  In the framework of the European network (MSCA-ITN-2014-EID - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks) HyMedPoly – Drug-Free Antibacterial Hybrid Biopolymers for Medical Applications, our Institute is collaborating with Lucideon Ltd., Stoke-on-Trent, UK, in the field of organic and inorganic antibacterial materials. The PhD students carrying out research in this project: Muhammad Maqbool, Binh Thi Thanh Phan, Agata Lapa, Seray Kaya, Lukas Gritsch spend 50% of their time carrying out research in the industrial partner. In the photo, with Lucideon supervisors Dr. Phil Jackson, Dr. Chris Lovell and Dr. Mark Cresswell.
  
  
  
  

• I.DEAR - Cooperation with Argentina for Master Students
  I.DEAR - Cooperation with Argentina for Master Students in its Third Year. The cooperation program with National University of Mar del Plata in Argentina enters its third year. The program is supported by I.DEAR (Ingenieure Deutschland-Argentinien) and enables Master students of Materials Science and Engineering and Nanotechnology (WW Department) to spend one year in Argentina. Students from the FAU WW Department are eligible to spend the first 6 months at National University of Mar del Plata attending lectures, while in the last 6 months of the internship students carry out a research project in a research institute or in industry in Argentina. The same offer have Argentinian Master students from Mar del Plata who can spend one year in the WW Department at FAU. The year abroad is completely funded by the program. For detailed information and for applying to this program, please contact Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini.
  
  
  
  

• Supachai Reakasame received best poster presentation prize at Biofabrication conference in Austria
  Supachai Reakasame, PhD student in our Institute, was awarded the best poster presentation prize at the International Conference: "Biofabrication for Hierarchical in Vitro Tissue Models" held on June 5 - 9, 2017 in Hernstein, Austria. Supachai (Boo) (pictured) presented the poster entitled: "Fabrication and characterization of alginate-keratin based composite microspheres containing bioactive glass for tissue engineering applications" (co-authors: S. Reakasame, D. Trapani, R. Detsch, A. R. Boccaccini). Congratulations !
  
  
  
  

• Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini receives Diels-Planck-Lecture Award 2017
  Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini, Head of the Institute of Biomaterials, has been awarded the Diels-Planck-Lecture 2017. The Diels-Planck lecture is awarded annually by the Kiel Nano, Surface and Interface Science (KiNSIS) to an outstanding scientist and established leader in the field of nano and surface science. The Diels-Planck lectures are open to the public and hosted at the Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel. The lectures series honors the originators of the nanosciences in Kiel, the Nobel laureates Max Planck and Otto Diels. Prof. Boccaccini will deliver the lecture "Bioactive Materials and Biofabrication for Regenerating Tissues: Progress and Challenges" on 7th June 2017 in the framework of the 3rd European Symposium on Intelligent Materials in Kiel. The press release of University of Kiel is available. (Prof. Boccaccini with Prof. Ilka Parchmann, vice president of Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel, and Prof. Rainer Adelung, Prof. Eckhard Quand, and Prof. Christine Selhuber-Unkel, KiNSIS and Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel. Photos courtesy University of Kiel).

• International Conference "Biofabrication for Hierarchical in Vitro Tissue Models" in Hernstein, Austria
  Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini was an invited speaker at the international conference: "Biofabrication for Hierarchical in Vitro Tissue Models" held on June 5 - 9, 2017 in Hernstein, Austria. Prof. Boccaccini presented the lecture: "Biofabrication of 3D hard-soft and composite constructs for bone regeneration". In addition, Prof. Boccaccini acted as the technical liaison for the conference on behalf of Engineering Conferences International the institution sponsoring the conference. The Chairs of the conference were Prof. Juergen Groll (University of Würzburg, Germany) and Prof. Jos Malda (University Medical Centre Utrecht, The Netherlands) (pictured with Prof. Boccaccini). Our institute was also represented by Mr Supachai Reakasame (PhD student), who presented the poster entitled: "Fabrication and characterization of alginate-keratin based composite microspheres containing bioactive glass for tissue engineering applications".
  
  
  
  

May 2017

• 91st Annual Meeting of the German Glass Society (DGG) in Weimar
  Our Institute was represented at the 91st Annual Meeting of the German Glass Society (DGG), held in Weimar, Germany, on 29-31 May 2017. Professor Boccaccini co-organized the special session "Glasses in Healthcare" in collaboration with Prof. Delia Brauer, University of Jena, Germany. Keynote speakers in the session were Prof. Leena Hupa, Åbo Akademi Johan Gadolin Process Chemistry Centre, Finland, and Prof. Jonathan Massera, Tampere University of Technology, Finland (pictured with Prof. Boccaccini). Profs. Brauer, Hupa, Massera and Boccaccini are members of the Technical Committee 04 (TC04, "Bioglasses") of the International Commission on Glass. In the session "Glasses in Healthcare", Dr. Kai Zheng presented the oral contribution "Strategies for the Synthesis of Highly Dispersed Cu- and Zn-containing Bioactive Glass Nanoparticles" and Dr. Preethi Balasubramanian presented the oral contribution: "Surface Functionalization of Borosilicate Bioactive Glass Scaffolds". In addition, the poster entitled: "Development and Characterization of Ordered Mesoporous Bioactive Glasses with Antibacterial Properties (authors: F. Ciraldo and A. R. Boccaccini) was presented. Prof. Boccaccini announced also the recent success of the EU (Horizon 2020) project: "Centre for functional and surface-functionalized glasses (FunGlass)" aiming at establishing a new Centre of Excellence in Trencin, Slovakia on Advanced Glass Materials.
  
  
  
  

• Editors of "Bioactive Glasses: Fundamentals, Technology and Applications" met in Weimar
  Prof. Leena Hupa, Åbo Akademi Johan Gadolin Process Chemistry Centre, Finland, Prof. Delia Brauer, University of Jena, Germany, and Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini, Institute of Biomaterials, Erlangen, the editors of the volume "Bioactive Glasses: Fundamentals, Technology and Applications" published by Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) seized the occasion and met at the 91st Annual Meeting of the German Glass Society (DGG), held in Weimar, Germany, on 29-31 May 2017.
  
  
  
  

• New EU Horizon 2020 project at the Institute of Biomaterials
  The project AMITIE "Additive Manufacturing Initiative for Transnational Innovation in Europe" has been approved for funding by the EC under the Call "MSCA-RISE-2016 - Research and Innovation Staff Exchange". AMITIE will promote fast technology transfer and will enable training of additive manufacturing (AM) experts from upstream research down to more technical issues. AMITIE will reinforce European capacities in the AM field applied to ceramic-based products through its extensive programme of transnational and intersectoral secondments. The project is coordinated by University of Limoges and involves 17 industrial and academic partners from six EU countries. Our Institute is involved in the work package dealing with bioactive ceramics and glasses. "The webpage of the EU (H2020) project AMITIE is available."
  
  
  
  

• Prof. Boccaccini visits Wrocław University of Science and Technology
  Following an invitation of the "VISITING PROFESSORS" program funded by 'Scientiae Wratislavienses' of the City of Wroclaw, Poland, Prof. Boccaccini visited Wrocław University of Science and Technology, on 22-24 May 2017. The program of the visit included four lectures by Professor Boccaccini, namely: I) Synthesis and characterization of biomaterials incorporating biologically active ions, II) Bioactive nanocomposites – progress and challenges, III) Bioactive Glasses in Soft Tissue Repair. What Do We Know So Far?, IV) Biofabrication approaches and Bioactive Materials for Tissue Engineering and Cancer Research: Progress and Challenges. The visit involved also meetings with faculty and discussion about collaborative research between our Institute and the Department of Mechanics, Materials Science and Engineering (hosts: Prof. Jerzy Z. Kaleta and Dr. Justyna Krzak, pictured with Prof. Boccaccini) at Wrocław University of Science and Technology (WUST). Prof. Boccaccini also visited the laboratories in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at WUST and discussed topics of overlapping research interest in the field of biomaterials with young researchers and PhD students.
  
  
  
  

• Special issue in J. Mater. Sci. to honor Prof. Larry Hench just published.
  The special issue co-edited by Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini and eminent colleagues in Honor of the late Prof. Larry Hench (1938-2016), the inventor of bioactive glass, has been recently published in J. Mater. Sci. Volume 52, Number 15. The Guest editors’ preface written by Aldo R. Boccaccini, Michael Fenn, Julian R. Jones, Toshihiro Kasuga, M. Grant Norton, Mohammed N. Rahaman, Enrica Verné & Edgar D. Zanotto is available. This is a special collection of 37 papers written by scholars around the world who have been PhD students, colleagues, or academic collaborators of the great scientist Prof. Hench. Larry Hench was an undisputed giant in the field of materials science. His work led to the creation of a completely new family of biomaterials exhibiting strong bonding to human tissues, bioactive glasses. This publication has been prepared as a fitting tribute to Prof. Hench and to recognize his incredible impact and legacy.
  
  
  
  

• Prof. Boccaccini: visiting professor in Wrocław, Poland
  Following an invitation of the "VISITING PROFESSORS" program funded by 'Scientiae Wratislavienses' of the City of Wroclaw, Poland, Prof. Boccaccini will visit Wrocław University of Science and Technology, on 22-24 May 2017. The program of the visit includes four lectures by Professor Boccaccini, namely: I) Synthesis and characterization of biomaterials incorporating biologically active ions, II) Bioactive nanocomposites – progress and challenges, III) Bioactive Glasses in Soft Tissue Repair. What Do We Know So Far?, IV) Biofabrication approaches and Bioactive Materials for Tissue Engineering and Cancer Research: Progress and Challenges. The visit will involve also meetings with faculty and discussion about collaborative research between our Institute and the Department of Mechanics, Materials Science and Engineering (host: Dr. Justyna Krzak) at Wrocław University of Science and Technology.
  
  
  
  

• Visit from TU Berlin
  On 10-12 May 2017 we received the visit of Dr. Franziska Schmidt, work group leader in the Department of Ceramic Materials, (Head: Prof. A. Gurlo), Institut for Materials Science and Technology, Technical University Berlin (TU Berlin). Dr Schmidt visited also our laboratory for biofabrication in Erlangen-West, and discussed our research on hydrogel-bioactive glass composites for 3D printing. We plan collaboration with the group of Dr. Schmidt in the field of bioactive glasses and composites.
  
  
  
  

• Euro BioMAT conference in Weimar
  Our Institute was well represented at the 4th Euro BioMAT conference held in Weimar, Germany, on 9-10 May 2017. Prof. Boccaccini was member of the organising committee and he presented the oral contribution: "Electrophoretic deposition of multifunctional chitosan- bioactive glass composite coatings (on Mg alloy substrates)". Dr. Liliana Liverani presented the oral contribution: "Bioactive multilayered electrospun scaffolds for interface tissue engineering applications", Mr. Kai Zheng presented the oral/poster contribution entitled: "Synthesis of hollow mesoporous bioactive glass nanoparticles with uniform size and shape" and Mr Supachai Reakasame presented the poster entitled: "Development and Characterization of Hybrid Hydrogel Based on Oxidized Alginate and Keratin for Tissue Engineering Applications" (all pictured with Prof. Boccaccini). In the photo also Dr. Katrin Hurle (Mineralogy, FAU). The other photo shows members of the organising committee of Euro BioMAT (Prof. Petra Kluger, Fraunhofer IGB Stuttgart, Germany, Prof. Frank Witte Charité Berlin, Germany) with Prof. Regine Willumeit, Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, and Prof. Boccaccini. He is also pictured with Prof. Klaus Jandt, University of Jena, chairman of the conference.
  
  
  
  

• "NanoHeal" EU School organized by the Institute of Biomaterials (WW7)
  The 5th "NanoHeal" School of the European Training Network (ETN) "Nano-tailoring organo-mineral materials - Controlling strength and healing with organic molecules in mineral interfaces" (NanoHeal) was held on 2-5 May 2017 in Nuremberg, organized by Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini, Head of the Institute of Biomaterials (WW7). The "NanoHeal" network involves collaboration of 6 top European industrial and 6 academic groups, from Norway, Denmark, Italy, France, UK, Israel and Germany, investigating man-made and natural cement materials for a range of applications in an emerging interdisciplinary field spanning from basic sciences (physics, chemistry, earth sciences) to the corresponding engineering disciplines (materials science, civil engineering, petroleum engineering). The project investigates innovative probes and models for nanoscale processes that open novel perspectives in the design and control of organo-mineral materials, e.g. cements. The network aims to educate young researchers at the interface between fundamental science and applications of such nanomaterials. The lecturers were, in addition to Prof. A. R. Boccaccini, Prof. S. Wolf (WW3), Prof. R. Klupp-Taylor (CBI Department), Dr. R. Detsch (WW7), Prof. M. Goecken (WW1), Dr. K. Hurle (Mineralogy, FAU ) and Prof. A. Suncana-Smith (Department of Physics, FAU) (all pictured with Prof. Boccaccini and NanoHeal project coordinator Prof. Dag Kristian Dysthe (University of Oslo). Ms Barbara Myska, PhD student at the FAU Institute of Biomaterials working on "NanoHeal" presented the results of her project "Interfacial interactions in calcium carbonate materials in the context of biomedical applications".
  
  
  
  

• SOLAR ERA.NET project SLAGSTOCK meeting in Erlangen
  The progress meeting of the SOLAR ERA.NET project "Low-cost sustainable thermal energy storage system made of recycled steel industry waste" (SLAGSTOCK) was held at the Institute of Biomaterials, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, on 3rd May 2017, organised by Dr. Jasmin Hum and Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini. SLAGSTOCK is a FP7 funded European network of national and regional funding organisations and RTD and innovation programmes, with academic and industrial participants from Germany, Spain, France and Switzerland. In Germany the project is supported by the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWI). In particular, SLAGSTOCK project aims to develop an innovative thermal storage concept making use of steel slags as storage material. Our Institute is involved in the material characterisation of the new thermal storage systems being fabricated.
  
  
  
  

April 2017

• Meeting of the German Materials Society (DGM) board in Berlin
  Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini attended the meeting of the board of the German Materials Society (DGM), held in Berlin on 27th April 2017, chaired by DGM president Prof. Alexander Hartmeier (Ruhr University Bochum). Prof. Boccaccini reports to the DGM board as member of the Executive Committee of the Federation of European Materials Societies (FEMS). The next European Congress and Exhibition on Advanced Materials and Processes, EUROMAT 2017, will be held in Thessaloniki, Greece, on 17 – 22 September, 2017.
  
  
  
  

• Darmstadt-Erlangen collaboration on bioactive glasses: DFG project meeting in Erlangen
  The progress meeting of the DFG funded project on ion-doped bioactive glasses with outstanding high temperature crystallization resistance took place on 25th April 2017 at the Institute of Biomaterials, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, hosted by Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini. This project is a collaboration of the FAU Institute of Biomaterials with the Institute for Materials Science, Dispersive Solids of TU Darmstadt (Head: Prof. Ralf Riedel). Researchers Mr Fangtong Xie (TU Darmstadt) and Mr Kai Zheng (FAU Institute of Biomaterials) and principal investigators Dr. Emanuel Ionescu (TU Darmstadt) and Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini (FAU Institute of Biomaterials) (pictured) attended the meeting. This new 3-year project is developing a new family of multifunctional therapeutic-ion-containing bioactive glasses. The glasses are synthesized at TU Darmstadt are characterized for their intrinsic bioactive behavior and cytocompatibility at the Institute of Biomaterials in Erlangen.
  
  
  
  

• Prof. Boccaccini visited National Univ. of Technology (UTN) FR San Rafael, Argentina
  On 19th April 2017, Prof. Boccaccini visited research laboratories at National Univ. of Technology (UTN) FR San Rafael, Argentina, where he held meetings to discuss the establishment of new research collaborations in the field of nanomaterials with our Institute. He visited the research group on Complex Systems (SICO) led by Prof. Dr. Fabricio O. Sanchez Varretti. Prof. Boccaccini also visited the laboratory for research on stable isotopes, led by Dr. Adolfo Gil. In the photos: Prof. Boccaccini with Prof. Paola Torres, Ms Gisela Quiroga, Mr Javier Juri, Mr Ignacio García and Prof. Dr. Sanchez Varretti. In the second photo, Prof. Boccaccini with Dr. Adolfo Gil, Ms Gisela Quiroga, Mr Marcos Sarome and Mr Armando Dauverne.
  
  
  
  

• Our new review paper published in Advances in Colloid and Interface Science
  Our review paper entitled: "Sol-gel processing of bioactive glass nanoparticles. A review", authored by Kai Zheng and Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini, has been published in Advances in Colloid and Interface Science. In this review [1] the different sol-gel based techniques for bioactive glass nanoparticle (BGN) synthesis are described and compared, discussing the effect of processing parameters on size, shape, porosity and composition of BGN. Biomedical applications of BGN are also focus of the review.
  
  [1] K. Zheng, A. R. Boccaccini, Sol-gel processing of bioactive glass nanoparticles: A review, Adv. Colloid Interf. Sci. (2017) in press.
  
  
  
  

• Prof. Boccaccini visits educational establishments in his home town in Argentina
  During his holiday visit to his hometown San Rafael in Argentina, on 19th April 2017 Prof. Boccaccini visited the technical secondary school No. 4-117 Ejército de los Andes Ejercito de Los Andes" (ex ENET N°1). Prof. Boccaccini finished his secondary education (1975-1980) and earned the title of Technician in Electromechanics at ENET N°1 school back in 1980. Prof. Boccaccini was invited to give a presentation to all pupils of this secondary school telling about the path of his career since finishing his studies there in 1980 and he shared with pupils and teachers personal life experiences as researcher and professor in Germany. Prof. Boccaccini visited also National Technological University (UTN), FR San Rafael, where he started his university career and studied the basic courses of electromechanical engineering in the years 1981-1983. At UTN FR San Rafael, Prof. Boccaccini met different colleagues to discuss research collaborations in the field of nanomaterials (informed separately).
  
  
  
  

• Prof. Boccaccini invited speaker in San Rafael, Argentina
  Invited by the students' associations of National Technology University (UTN) FR San Rafael, and Faculty of Applied Sciences in Industry (FCAI) at National University of Cuyo (UNCUYO), San Rafael, Argentina, Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini presented the lecture: "New Bioactive Materials for Medical Applications: Advances and Challenges" at the Main Lecture Theatre of FCAI on 17th April 2017. In the photos Prof. Boccaccini with UTN and FCAI engineering students who organised the event and with academic staff and researchers of FCAI, including Ms Gisela Quiroga (PhD student), Dr. Alicia Ordonez de Yapur, Dean of FCAI, Dr. Silvina Cabeza, Science and Technology Secretary of FCAI, Dr. Cecilia Flores and Ms Silvia Clavijo (PhD student). Our institute has currently research collaborations with both UTN and FCAI in the fields of biomedical materials and electrophoretic deposition. Prof. Boccaccini was also interviewed in the local press in San Rafael.
  
  
  
  

• Prof. Boccaccini visits FCAI, National University of Cuyo, San Rafael, Argentina
  Prof. Boccaccini visited the Faculty of Applied Sciences in Industry (FCAI) at National University of Cuyo (UNCUYO), San Rafael, Argentina, where he met Ms Silvia Clavijo (pictured with Prof. Boccaccini), PhD student working in the field of electrophoretic deposition of composite coatings for orthopedic applications, under the supervision of Dr. Maria Jose Santillan (UNCUYO) and co-supervised by Prof. Boccaccini. The last paper with Dr. Santillan and Ms Clavijo has been recently published in Ceramics International [1].
  
  [1] S. Clavijo, et al., Electrophoretic deposition of chitosan/Bioglass® and chitosan/Bioglass®/TiO2 composite coatings for bioimplants, Ceramics International, 42 (2016) 14206-14213.
  
  
  
  

• Prof. Boccaccini in Buenos Aires
  During his visit to Argentina, Prof. Boccaccini met Prof. Viviana Mourino, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology University of Buenos Aires, a research collaborator of our Institute for many years. Prof. Boccaccini and Prof. Mourino discussed current and future research collaborations in the field of bioactive glass-polymer composites for tissue engineering and drug delivery. The last joint publication in collaboration with the group of Prof. Mourino has been recently published in Biomedical Materials [1].
  
  [1] Cattalini, J. P., et al., Nanocomposite scaffolds with tunable mechanical and degradation capabilities: co-delivery of bioactive agents for bone tissue engineering, Biomedical Materials 11 (6), 065003.
  
  
  
  

• We welcome our visiting students and researchers
  Several students and young researchers have chosen our Institute to carry out research during the next months. We welcome Ms Aleksandra Wajda, visiting PhD student from AGH Krakow, Poland, Ms Serena Miglietta, Polytechnic of Turin, Italy, visiting Master student, Mr Hassan Warraich, Polytechnic of Turin, Italy, PhD student in EU ITN project CoACH, Mr Jesus Rodriguez Sanchez, University of Oslo, PhD student in ITN EU project NanoHeal, and Mr Ranjot Singh Virk, research visitor from India. They will work on topics as varied as ion doped sol-gel derived bioactive glass powders, polymer coated bioactive glass scaffolds, electrophoretic deposition of nanomaterials, mechanical properties of calcium carbonate materials and electrophoretic deposition of organic-inorganic coatings, respectively. Welcome to Erlangen !
  
  
  
  

• Our Biofabrication activities featured in the webpage of BioScaffolder manufacturer
  Two examples of our results in the field of biofabrication are featured in the webpage of the manufacturer of the bioplotting system available in our Institute: "BioScaffolder", namely i) our approach to the engineering of hard-soft constructs for tissue engineering and ii) the processing of cell-loaded alginate capsules for scaffold production. Our Institute is closely collaborating with the manufacturer of "BioScaffolder" to develop additional improvements in 3D bioprinting. Our latest research results in the biofabrication field have been recently published [1-3].
  
  [1] Zehnder, T., et al., Fabrication of Cell-Loaded Two-Phase 3D Constructs for Tissue Engineering, Materials 2016, 9(11), 887
  
  [2] Leite, A., et al., Bioplotting of a bioactive alginate-dialdehyde-gelatin composite hydrogel containing bioactive glass nanoparticles, Biofabrication 8 (2016) 035005.
  
  [3] Zehnder, T., et al., Biofabrication of a co-culture system in an osteoid-like hydrogel matrix, Biofabrication (2017) in press.
  
  
  
  
  

• One year in our new building in Erlangen-West
  To mark the one year anniversary of moving to our new building (Building II) in Erlangen-West, a seminar and get-together of the whole Institute took place on 3rd April. Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini (Head of the Institute of Biomaterials) highlighted the excellent environment and modern experimental facilities for research work on cell biology, tissue engineering and biofabrication available in Building II, emphasizing that our Institute is leading several international collaborations that depend on such high quality facilities and equipment, while Dr. Rainer Detsch (pictured with Prof. Boccaccini), who is group leader there, remarked the very good team work of the research group based in Building II, which includes senior post-doctoral researchers, PhD students, academic visitors and Master and Bachelor students.
  
  
  
  

March 2017

• Visit and seminar of Dr. Gary M. Gladysz
  On 3rd April 2017 we received the visit of Dr. Gary Gladysz, Empyreus Solutions, LLC, USA. Prof. Boccaccini has collaborated with Dr. Gladysz since 2004 in the organization of the international conferences on "Syntactic and Composite Foams", a series of conferences supported by Engineering Conferences International (ECI). The latest conference of the series "Syntactic and Composites Foams V" was held on March 26-31, 2017, in Siracusa, Italy. During his visit to our Institute, Dr. Gladysz presented the seminar: "Voids in materials: Building functionality", in which he discussed also details of his book: "Voids in Materials - From Unavoidable Defects to Designed Cellular Materials", written in collaboration with Prof. Krish Chawla (University of Alabama, Birmingham, USA).
  
  
  
  

• "Syntactic and Composite Foams V" Conference in Italy
  The 5th International Conference on Syntactic and Composite Foams was held in Siracusa, Italy, on March 26-31, 2017. Prof. Boccaccini acted as Co-Chair of the conference, which was sponsored by Engineering Conferences International (ECI). Dr. Liliana Liverani and Mr Lukas Gritsch (PhD student) attended the conference representing our Institute. Dr. Liverani presented the talks: "Keynote: Composite foams as tissue scaffolds: past, present and future", and "Proteins as coating materials on bioactive glass-based composite foams". Lukas Gritsch's poster presentation was: "Antimicrobial chitosan foams as tissue engineering scaffolds". In the picture Dr. Manabu Fukushima (Japan) (Co-Chair), Dr. Gary M. Gladysz (USA) (Chair), Prof. Krish Chawla (USA) (Co-Chair), Dr. Liliana Liverani (FAU), Lukas Gritsch (FAU).
  
  
  
  

• Annual meeting of the German Ceramic Society in Berlin
  Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini was co-organizer of the symposium "Bioceramics and Biocomposites" at the 92th Annual Meeting of the German Ceramic Society (DKG) held in Berlin, Germany, on 19-22 March 2017, together with Dr. Franziska Schmidt (Department of Ceramic Materials, TU Berlin). Professor Boccaccini co-chaired the sessions and presented the oral contribution "Bioactive glass-based composite scaffolds with polymer coatings for bone tissue engineering and drug delivery". Barbara Myska and Nicoletta Toniolo, PhD students of our Institute, presented the poster "Development and characterisation of amorphous calcium carbonate for biomedical applications" and the oral presentation "Geopolymers incorporating silicate waste", respectively. In the photos, Prof. Boccaccini with Dr. F. Schmidt, Prof. Antonio Salinas (UCM Madrid, keynote speaker), Ms Barbara Myska and Ms Nicoletta Toniolo (both FAU), Dr. Guido Falk (University of Saarland and DKG), and Prof. Aleksander Gurlo (TU Berlin and Chairman of the conference).
  
  
  
  

• Visit from Japan
  Dr. Tan Wai Kian, of the Centre for International Education, Toyohashi University of Technology (TUT), Japan, visited out Institute in the framework of our research collaboration with TUT, in the project "Development of nano-scale artificial magnetic lattice (AML) and application for controlling light and electromagnetic wave". We collaborate with TUT researchers in the field of electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of functional nanomaterials to develop new, low-cost and large-dimension AML. In the picture Dr. Kian, Prof. Boccaccini and Dr. G. Kawamura, from the Department of Electrical and Electronic Information Engineering, TUT, currently academic visitor in our Institute.
  
  
  
  

• Doctoral thesis success: Yuyun Yang
  On 23rd March 2017 Yuyun Yang successfully defended her doctoral thesis in the field of bioactive and protective composite coatings on Mg substrates, which was carried out under the supervision of Professor Aldo R. Boccaccini at our Institute in close collaboration with Prof. Sanna Virtanen (Chair for Surface Science and Corrosion). In addition to Prof. Boccaccini and Prof. Virtanen, Prof. Wolfgang Goldmann (Biophysics Group, FAU), and Prof. Dirk Schubert (Institute for Polymer Materials, FAU), were the members of the doctoral defense committee. Prof. Boccaccini highlighted Yuyun's challenging research project, the first comprehensive research effort in our institute focused on developing advanced coating systems for Mg substrates, which should exhibit functionalities such as bioactivity, antibacterial effect and corrosion protection, being relevant for a variety of biomedical applications in orthopedics and cardiovascular devices. Yuyun was recipient of a scholarship of the China Scholarship Council (CSC) and during the period of her doctoral studies she collaborated strongly with the research group of Prof. Virtanen. Yuyun received the 2015 Frans Habraken Best Paper Award of the journal Appl. Surf. Sci. for her paper: "In vitro study of polycaprolactone/bioactive glass composite coatings on corrosion and bioactivity of pure Mg” (Applied Surface Science, Volume 355, 2015, 832-841). Other papers resulting from Yuyun's doctoral thesis are in advanced stage of preparation. We congratulate Yuyun on achieving her doctoral degree and wish her all the best in her future career.
  
  
  
  
  

• Visit of Prof. Antonio Salinas, Complutense University of Madrid
  On 21-22 March we received the visit of Prof. Antonio J. Salinas, Department of Inorganic and Bioinorganic Chemistry, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), Spain. Professor Salinas is a member of the research group led by Prof. Maria Vallet-Regi at UCM. We are collaborating with Prof. Salinas in the field of mesoporous bioactive glasses with biologically active ion delivery. A paper resulting from this collaboration has been recently published [1]. Prof. Salinas visited also our Building II in Erlangen-West (pictured with Prof. Boccaccini) and informed himself on our research capabilities in the field of biofabrication.
  
  [1] A. Philippart, et al., Novel ion-doped mesoporous glasses for bone tissue engineering: Study of their structural characteristics influenced by the presence of phosphorous oxide, Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids 455 (2017) 90-97.
  
  
  
  
  

• Doctoral thesis success: Kai Zheng
  On 22nd March 2017 Kai Zheng successfully defended his doctoral thesis in the field of bioactive glass nanoparticles for biomedical applications, which was carried out under the supervision of Professor Aldo R. Boccaccini at our Institute. In addition to Prof. Boccaccini, Prof. Antonio Salinas, Department of Inorganic and Bioinorganic Chemistry, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain, Prof. Robin Klupp-Taylor (Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, FAU), and Prof. Stephan Wolf (Institute for Glass and Ceramics, FAU), were the members of the doctoral defense committee. Prof. Boccaccini praised Kai's pioneering research focusing on the synthesis of bioactive glass nanoparticles (BGNP) with added functionalities by adapting the Stoever sol-gel method, which has led to several new ion doped BGNP of interest for a variety of biomedical applications, from bone tissue engineering to imaging and drug delivery. The attachment of biomolecules on the BGNP surfaces was also explored. Kai was recipient of a scholarship of the China Scholarship Council (CSC) and during the period of his doctoral studies he collaborated with research groups in other FAU Departments, TU Munich and AGH Krakow, Poland. Several publications have resulted from Kai's results (see for example refs. [1-3]). We congratulate Kai on achieving his doctoral degree with great success and wish him all the best in his post-doctoral career.
  
  [1] Zheng, K., et al., Bio-templated bioactive glass particles with hierarchical macro-nano porous structure and drug delivery capability, Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces 135 (2015) 825-832.
  
  [2] Zheng, K., et al., ZnO quantum dots modified bioactive glass nanoparticles with pH-sensitive release of Zn ions, fluorescence, antibacterial and osteogenic properties, J. Mater. Chem. B, 4 (2016) 7936- 7949.
  
  [3] Zheng, K., et al., Timing of calcium nitrate addition affects morphology, dispersity and composition of bioactive glass nanoparticles, RSC Adv., 6 (2016) 95101-95111.
  
  
  
  
  

• New international research projects at the Institute of Biomaterials
  Two new projects funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) have been approved at the Institute of Biomaterials. One of the projects will investigate borosilicate sol-gel derived biomaterials in collaboration with researchers at the Department of Materials & Ceramic Engineering at University of Aveiro (Portugal) (group leader Prof. Mª Helena Fernandes). The second project involves collaboration with two research groups in Argentina in the field of cell interaction with nanostructured surfaces, namely with researchers at Lab. Integración de Señales Celulares, Instituto de Embriología e Histología de Mendoza, National University of Cuyo, Mendoza (head of group: Dr Diego M Bustos) and at INTEMA, National University of Mar del Plata (head of group: Prof. Gustavo Abraham). Prof. Boccaccini said: these projects add to our wide range of international collaborations and they will enable our PhD students and young investigators to travel to Portugal or Argentina to carry out research activities benefiting from such international network of collaborators, equally, we will be delighted to receive our colleagues from Aveiro, Mendoza and Mar del Plata for conducting part of the planned research activities in our laboratories.
  
  
  
  

• Visit from Japan
  In the framework of our research collaboration with Toyohashi University of Technology (TUT), Japan, in the project "Development of nano-scale artificial magnetic lattice (AML) and application for controlling light and electromagnetic wave", we are hosting Dr. G. Kawamura, from the Department of Electrical and Electronic Information Engineering, TUT. We collaborate with Dr. Kawamura in the field of electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of functional nanomaterials to develop new, low-cost and large-dimension AML.
  
  
  
  

• EU Teaming Project "FunGlass": Kick-off meeting in Trencin, Slovakia
  The kick-off meeting of the EU project "FunGlass" which has received funding from the TEAMING Horizon 2020 call "Spreading Excellence and Widening Participation" took place in Trencin, Slovakia, on 7-8 March 2017. These large projects funded by the European Commission are established to support research infrastructure in EU countries which are weak in their science/technology basis. The project "Centre for functional and surface-functionalized glasses (FunGlass)" is funded with 15 million Euro and it will establish a new Centre of Excellence on Advanced Glass Materials linked to the Alexander Dubček University of Trenčín. The role of the Centre, which will be led by Prof. Dusan Galusek (pictured with Aldo R. Boccaccini), is to carry out R&D activities in the area of glasses with special functional properties for a range of novel applications. Prof. Boccaccini is one of the 4 international partners of the Centre, together with Prof. Lothar Wondraczek, Otto Schott Institute of Materials Research, University of Jena, Germany, Prof. Enrico Bernardo, Centre for Mechanics of Biological Materials, University of Padova, Italy, and Prof. Alicia Duran, Institute of Ceramic and Glass, Madrid, Spain.
  
  
  
  

• Spreading Excellence and Widening Participation: New EU project at the Institute of Biomaterials
  The Institute of Biomaterials (Head: Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini) has been successful as partner of a large EU project in the TEAMING Horizon 2020 call "Spreading Excellence and Widening Participation". These large projects funded by the European Commission are established to support research infrastructure in EU countries which are weak in their science/technology basis. The project "Centre for functional and surface-functionalized glasses (FunGlass)" is funded with 15 million Euro and aims at establishing a new Centre of Excellence in Trencin, Slovakia on Advanced Glass Materials. The role of the Centre, which will be led by Prof. Dusan Galusek, Alexander Dubček University of Trenčín, is to carry out R&D activities in the area of glasses with special functional properties for a range of novel applications. Prof. Boccaccini is, together with Prof. Lothar Wondraczek, Otto Schott Institute of Materials Research, University of Jena, Germany, Prof. Enrico Bernardo, Centre for Mechanics of Biological Materials, University of Padova, Italy, and Prof. Alicia Duran, Institute of Ceramic and Glass, Madrid, Spain, one of the 4 international partners collaborating in this new Centre of Excellence.
  
  
  
  

• Visit from Bangalore, India
  On 3rd March 2017 we received the visit of Dr. Sivaranjani Gali, Associate Professor, Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dental Sciences, M S Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences, Bangalore, India. Dr. Gali presented the seminar: "Zirconia toughened mica glass ceramics for dental restorations". Dr. Gali discussed new glass-ceramic compositions with enhanced combination of mechanical properties. The machinability of new glass-ceramics is described also using the concept of the brittleness index, contributed by Prof. Boccaccini in a previos research project [1]. Dr. Gali is associated with Prof. Bikramjit Basu at Indian Institute of Science Bangalore under a Welcome Trust DBT India Fellowship for clinicians.
  
  [1] A. R. Boccaccini, Machinability and brittleness of glass-ceramics, J. Mater. Proc. Technol. 65 (1997) 302-304.
  
  
  
  

• Professor Fernando Bresme, Imperial College London, visits the Institute of Biomaterials
  On 2nd March 2017 we received the visit of Professor Fernando Bresme, Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, UK. We collaborate with Prof. Bresme and his research group in the framework of the Marie Sklodowska Curie European Training Network (Horizon 2020): "Nano-tailoring organo-mineral materials - Controlling strength and healing with organic molecules in mineral interfaces (NANOHEAL)"
  
  
  
  

February 2017

• First exchange visit to Northwestern Polytechnical University in China
  From 15.2. until 8.3.17 two PhD students of our Institute (Ms Yuyun Yang and Ms Svenja Heise) and one PhD student of WW4 (Mr Juncen Zhou) visited the School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University in Xi'an, China. They worked in the Laboratory for Biomaterials and Pharmaceutical Technology and the visit was in the framework of the DAAD/CSC funded project in the field of bioactive coatings for orthopedic applications. On the Chinese side Dr. Qiang Cheng, former PhD student in our institute, Ms Hongfei Qi (PhD student), Dr. Kai Dong and Prof. Liting Lu are involved (pictured). Ms Qi and Prof. Lu will visit our institute in the summer. In the photo, from.left to right: Dr. Kai Dong, Hongfei Qi, Svenja Heise, Yuyun Yang, Prof. Liting Lu, Dr. Qiang Chen, Juncen Zhou （WW4）
  
  
  
  

• DFG project "Bioadaptive Coatings on Mg alloys": new publications
  Two new publications have resulted recently from our DFG funded project "Bioadaptive Coatings on Mg alloys" in collaboration with the research group of Prof. Sanna Virtanen, Institute for Surface Science and Corrosion at FAU. The paper of Hoehlinger et al. [1] presents innovative surface pre-treatments to enhance the electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of bioactive glass-chitosan coatings on a WE43 Mg alloy, while the publication of Heise et al. [2] presents the EPD of a new family of chitosan-bioactive glass composite coatings including also a complete characterization of the coatings in terms of mechanical stability and anticorrosion properties. The project is carried out also in collaboration with the research group of Prof. Frank Witte at Charite, Universitätsmedizin, Berlin.
  
  [1] Hoehlinger, M., Heise, S., Wagener, V., Boccaccini, A. R., Virtanen,S., Developing surface pre-treatments for electrophoretic deposition of biofunctional chitosan-bioactive glass coatings on a WE43 magnesium alloy, Appl. Surf. Sci. 405 (2017) 441-448.
  
  [2] Heise, S., Höhlinger, M., Torres Hernández, Y., Pavón Palacio, J. J., Rodriquez Ortiz, J. A., Wagener, V., Virtanen, S., Boccaccini, A. R., Electrophoretic deposition and characterization of chitosan/bioactive glass composite coatings on Mg alloy substrates, Electrochimica Acta, (2017) in press.
  
  

• Governing Council and General Assembly meetings of European Virtual Institute KMM-VIN in Brussels
  Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini, member of the Governing Council (GC) of the European Virtual Institute on Knowledge-based Multifunctional Materials (KMM-VIN), attended the GC and General Assembly meetings of KMM-VIN that took place on 21st February 2017 in Brussels. Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini is coordinator of the Working Group Biomaterials (together with Prof. C. Hellmich), Technical University of Vienna, Austria). KMM-VIN is a single legal entity with a supranational character to offer integrated basic and applied commercial research, educational and innovation activities in the field of knowledge-based multifunctional materials. The aim of KMM-VIN is to foster the creation of a platform for research and development and industrial application of advanced multifunctional materials in order that Europe may become a global power in this field, thus contributing to enhancing the quality of life of European society. In the photos, Prof. C. Hellmich, TU Vienna, Prof. M. Basista, Institute of Fundamental Technological Research (IPPT), Warsaw, Poland, and CEO of KMM-VIN, Prof. M. Ferraris, Polytechnic of Turin, Italy, GC member, and Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini. In the framework of his activities within KMM-VIN, Prof. Boccaccini is organizing the Industrial Workshop "Biomaterials: Key Technologies for Better Healthcare", in collaboration with InnoPlanT/Medical Valley EMN and FORM Laboratory-UK Erlangen, to be held on 27-28 September 2017 in Erlangen.
  
  
  
  

• Kick-off meeting of collaborative project in Japan
  The kick-off meeting of the project "Development of nano-scale artificial magnetic lattice (AML) and application for controlling light and electromagnetic wave" led by Toyohashi University of Technology, Japan, took place on 17th February 2017 at Toyohashi University of Technology, Tempaku, Toyohashi, Japan. Our Institute is one of the international partners in this project, which is receiving funding from the Japanese Program for Advancing Strategic International Networks (Japan Society for the Promotion of Science). We collaborate with the group of Prof. Atsunori Matsuda, from the Department of Electrical and Electronic Information Engineering, in the field of electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of functional nanomaterials. The video message of Prof. Boccaccini is available.
  
  
  
  

• EU project ReBioStent: final project meeting in Brussels.
  Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini attended the final meeting of the project "Reinforced Bioresorbable Biomaterials for Therapeutic Drug Eluting Stents (ReBioStent)", held in Brussels on 15th February 2017. Prof. Boccaccini was the leader of the work package (WP) 3 in this project and he presented a summary of the WP achievements in the field of functional composites with drug delivery capability. ReBioStent developed materials, designs, and manufacturing processes to produce a state of the art therapeutic medical device, for the treatment of cardiovascular disease, more specifically, reinforced, resorbable therapeutic biodegradable coronary stent. In the pictures the participants at the final meeting and Prof. Boccaccini with Prof. Ipsita Roy, University of Westminster, UK, scientific coordinator of the project.
  
  
  
  

• Prof. Boccaccini in the Advisory Committee of iMEDITEC conference in Malaysia
  Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini will serve in the Advisory Committee of the International Medical Device and Technology Conference (iMEDITEC 2017) to be held on 6-7 September 2017 in Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor, Malaysia. The call for abstracts for presentations at the conference is available.
  
  
  

• Highly cited review paper on bioactive glass scaffolds
  Our review paper "Bioactive Glass and Glass-Ceramic Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering" written by Dr. Lutz-Christian Gerhardt and Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini, published in the Open Access journal "Materials" [1] is listed as one of the most cited papers published in the journal. The paper presents a comprehensive review of the field with emphasis on fabrication technologies for bioactive glass scaffolds and with a discussion on the microstructural-mechanical properties of scaffolds in relation to human bone.
  
  [1] Gerhardt, L.-C.; Boccaccini, A.R. Bioactive Glass and Glass-Ceramic Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering. Materials 2010, 3, 3867-3910.
  
  

• Dr Liliana Liverani interviewed at Industrial Dialogue meeting in Munich
  A video with a recent interview of Dr. Liliana Liverani at the Smart-Map Industrial Dialogue meeting: "Responsible research and innovation (RRI) in 3D printing in the medical sector", held on Feb. 6-7 in Munich, is available. Dr Liverani speaks about 3D printing in biomedicine as an interdisciplinary field covering many different aspects of this topic including the materials science perspective.
  
  
  
  

• ITN EU project "CoACH" mid term review meeting in London
  The mid-term review meeting of the H2020 ITN "CoACH" (Advanced glasses, Composites And Ceramics for High growth Industries) took place in London on 7-8 Feb. 2017 coupled with the Second Year Workshop. The meetings were held at Nanoforce Technology Ltd. organised by Prof. Michael Reece. Ms Francesca Ciraldo, Ms Nicoletta Toniolo and Ms Rocio Tejido Rastrilla (PhD students on the project supervised by Prof. Boccaccini) attended the meeting and gave presentations about the progress of their projects. Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini chaired the session: "Glasses and composites for healthcare industries" and participated in the academic board meeting. The project is coordinated by Polytechnic of Turin, Department of Applied Science and Technology, DISAT, Italy.
  
  

• Emerging Fields Initiative: Molecular Communications project kick-off meeting
  Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini attended the kick-off meeting of the project "Molecular Communication", funded by the Emerging Fields Initiative (EFI) of the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. The meeting took place on 3rd Feb. 2017, organised by project coordinator Prof. Robert Schober, Chair for Digital Communications, Department of Electrical, Electronics, and Communication Engineering (EEI), FAU. Prof. Boccaccini presented the lecture "Hydrogels for biomolecule and cell encapsulation", in which he introduced the planned contribution of the Institute of Biomaterials to the project, developing biocompatible hydrogels for encapsulating biomolecules and cells and highlighting the contribution of materials to testbed systems.
  
  
  
  

• Professor Boccaccini visits University of Saarland
  On 1st Feb. 2017 Professor Aldo R. Boccaccini visited the Chair for Functional Materials of University of Saarland, Saarbruecken (Head: Prof. Frank Muecklich, pictured with Prof. Boccaccini and Dr. Flavio Soldera, Functional Materials Saarbruecken). FAU and Univ. of Saarland are partners with National University of Mar del Plata, Argentina, in the I.DEAR (Ingenieure Deutschland-Argentinien) program funded by the German-Argentinean University Centre (DAHZ). The program enables master students of Materials Science and Engineering from the two German universities (FAU and Univ. of Saarland) to spend one year in Argentina. The same offer have Argentinian master students from Mar del Plata who can spend one year in Germany. In addition, the "Materials Science and Engineering " 2018 (MSE 2018) conference, organised by the German Materials Society (DGM), was discussed, including also the participation of Argentina as guest country in MSE 2018.
  
  
  
  

January 2017

• Prof. Boccaccini visits University of Rostock
  On 26-27 Jan. 2017 Professor Aldo R. Boccaccini visited the University of Rostock. We plan collaboration with the research group of Prof. Hermann Seitz, Chair of Fluid Technology and Microfluidics (pictured with Prof. Boccaccini), in the field of additive manufacturing and characterisation of 3D scaffolds for bone regeneration. We also started collaboration with the research group of Prof. Rainer Bader, Head of the Biomechanics and Implant Technology Research Laboratory (FORBIOMIT) at Univ. of Rostock, focusing on the cell biology evaluation of biofabricated tissue engineering constructs.
  
  
  
  

• "Jung DGM Erlangen-Nuremberg" organized Materials Science Colloquium
  
  Motivated by Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini (Head, Institute of Biomaterials), the Erlangen branch of the Young Members Section of the German Materials Society (DGM) ("Jung-DGM Erlangen-Nuremberg") was founded in November 2016. The current speaker of the Jung-DGM Erlangen-Nuremberg is Ms Svenja Heise (Institute of Biomaterials). In addition to organizing frequently "Stammtisch"-Meetings for its members, last Tuesday 24th January the Jung-DGM Erlangen-Nuremberg presented the 10th lecture of the Materials Science Colloquium (WW-Kolloquium) in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at FAU. Dr. Achim Kuhn, former FAU student of materials science, now at Wieland Werke AG, was invited and he gave a talk about recent developments on copper-based functional materials and provided insights into industrial research. After the presentations the audience had the possibility to ask questions and discuss with the presenter while enjoying "Beer and Pretzls", sponsored by the DGM. The colloquium was actively attended and was met with great approval by undergraduate students, PhD students and research staff of the Department. it is planned that the Jung-DGM Erlangen-Nuremberg will continue organizing invited presentations as part of the Materials Science Colloquium each academic term. In the pictures the current leaders of Jung DGM Erlangen-Nuremberg with Dr. Kuhn and the audience. Students and young researchers at FAU willing to join the Jung-DGM Erlangen-Nuremberg should contact: erlangen-nuernberg@jungedgm.de or the Facebook page
  
  
  
  

• Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini interviewed at German Materials Society (DGM)
  Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini was interviewed by Ms Theresa Hanemann (Jung-DGM Karlsruhe) at the MSE conference held in Darmstadt in September last year, organized by the German Materials Society (DGM). Prof. Boccaccini speaks about his activities in the DGM, having been a member of DGM for more than 20 years, and as FEMS (Federation of European Materials Societies) Executive Committee member, he also highlights the quality of the MSE conferences, in particular the biomaterials sessions at MSE 2016, which he co-organized. He also comments on the organization of the next MSE conference to be held in 2018 (Darmstadt, 25.09. - 27.09.2018), of which he is a member of the organizing committee. Prof. Boccaccini also anticipates that the partner country of MSE 2018 will be his native country, Argentina. The full video of the interview is available in the DGM YouTube channel.
  
  
  
  
  

• Highly cited review papers
  Some of our publications (review papers) are listed as "highly cited" in Elsevier journals (considering papers published since 2012). These are for example:
  
  Highly cited in: Current Opinion in Solid State & Materials Science
  Magnesium-containing bioactive polycrystalline silicate-based ceramics and glass-ceramics for biomedical applications
  Current Opinion in Solid State & Materials Science, Volume 18, Issue 3, January 2014, Pages 147-167 Mani Diba | Ourania Menti Goudouri | Felipe Tapia | Aldo R. Boccaccini
  
  Highly cited in: Acta Biomaterialia
  Biomedical coatings on magnesium alloys - A review
  Acta Biomaterialia, Volume 8, Issue 7, July 2012, Pages 2442-2455 H. Hornberger | S. Virtanen | A. R. Boccaccini
  
  Highly cited in: J. Non-Cryst. Solids
  Review. Functional glasses and glass-ceramics derived from iron rich waste and combination of industrial residues
  J. Non-Cryst. Solids, Volume 365, Issue 1, February 2013, Pages 63-74 R. K. Chinnam | A. A. Francis | J. Will | E. Bernardo | A. R. Boccaccini
  
  
  
  
  

• New international projects at the Institute of Biomaterials
  The Institute of Biomaterials (LS Biomaterialien, WW7) has been awarded a number of international research projects in 2017. In addition to being an international partner in the project "Development of nano-scale artificial magnetic lattice (AML) and application for controlling light and electromagnetic wave" led by Toyohashi University of Technology, Japan, three new bilateral research projects for collaborations with partners in Australia, China and Poland have been approved by the PPP scheme of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), to investigate bioactive glass scaffolds for bone regeneration, bioactive coatings for orthopedic applications and electrospun scaffolds for soft tissue engineering, with colleagues at University of Melbourne (Australia), Northwestern Polytechnical University (China) and West Pomeranian University of Technology, Szczecin (Poland), respectively. In addition, a new project with the National University of San Martin (UNSAM), Argentina, entitled: "Development of 3D biological scaffolds for bone regeneration" has been awarded by the CONICET-BAYLAT scheme. Prof. Boccaccini, Head of the Institute of Biomaterials, said: "We are very happy with the success of our applications and the award of such a high number of international bilateral projects, which in addition to our numerous EU projects, increase notably the international visibility of our Institute and indeed of the WW Department. Even if such collaborative projects do not involve huge research funding, the important positive aspect of these projects is that they offer the possibility that members of our team, specially young researchers and PhD students, can travel to other countries to participate in research activities in the collaborating institutes, thus gaining valuable international experience for their future careers."
  
  
  
  
  

• Prof. Uwe Gbureck, Univ. Hospital Würzburg, visits the Institute of Biomaterials
  Prof. Uwe Gbureck, Department for Functional Materials in Medicine and Dentistry, University Hospital Würzburg, visited the Institute of Biomaterials on 17th January 2017. We discussed with Prof. Gbureck collaboration in the field of biomaterials for bone regeneration, in particular following our common interest on inorganic matrices with biologically active ion releasing capability, namely calcium phosphate and bioactive glasses. We have previously collaborated with Prof. Gbureck in the field of ion doped bioactive glasses [1]. In the framework of the "Materials Science Colloquium" of the FAU Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Prof. Gbureck presented the lecture "Reinforcement strategies for mineral bone cements".
  
  [1] S. N. Rath, et al., Bioactive Copper-Doped Glass Scaffolds Can Stimulate Endothelial Cells in Co-Culture in Combination with Mesenchymal Stem Cells, PLoS ONE 9(12) (2014): e113319. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0113319
  
  
  
  
  

• Prof. Boccaccini, session chair at German Glass Society Annual Meeting
  The Annual Meeting 2017 of the German Glass Society (DGG) will be held in Weimar, Germany, on 29 – 31 May 2017. The program includes several sessions devoted to glass science and glass technology. Prof. Boccaccini serves as co-chair of session S4: "Glasses in Healthcare" together with Prof. Delia Brauer (University of Jena). The flyer and call for abstracts is available.
  
  
  
  

• Prof. Boccaccini, invited lecturer at Waldkrankenhaus Erlangen
  On 16th January 2017, Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini presented an invited lecture entitled: "Biointerfaces in Bone Regeneration Applications" at Waldkrankenhaus St. Marien Erlangen, following an invitation of Dr. med. Stefan M. Sesselmann, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (pictured with Prof. Boccaccini).
  
  
  
  

• Bioadaptive Coatings on Mg Alloys: DFG project meetings in Regensburg and Berlin
  Two meetings of the DFG funded project "Bioadaptive Coatings on Mg Alloys" were held in January. On 10th January the meeting took place at Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule Regensburg (OTH Regensburg), hosted by Prof. Helga Hornberger (former at FAU). The second project meeting took place on 13th January at the Julius Wolff Institute and Center for Musculoskeletal Surgery, Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, hosted by project partner Prof. Frank Witte. The project investigates the development and characterisation of novel protective coatings for Mg alloy substrates based on natural polymers [1]. In the picture, at the meeting in Regensburg, Prof. H. Hornberger, and the members of the FAU team: M. Hoehlinger, Dr. V. Wagener, Prof. A. R. Boccaccini, Prof. S. Virtanen and S. Heise.
  
  [1] Heise, S., et al. Tackling Mg alloy corrosion by natural polymer coatings - A review, J. Biomed. Mater. Res. Part A 2016:104A:2628–2641
  
  
  
  

• Prof. Stephan Wolf visits the Institute of Biomaterials
  On 12th January 2017 we received the visit of Prof. Stephan Wolf, Junior professor for Biomimetic Materials and Processes at the Institute for Glass and Ceramics, FAU. Prof. Wolf presented the lecture: "Nature doesn’t follow text books: nonclassical crystallization pathways in biomineralization". We currently have a project in the field of calcium carbonate biomaterials (Ms Barbara Myska) in the framework of the EU ITN project "NanoHeal". This and other areas of overlapping interests were discussed and we plan collaboration with the research group of Prof. Wolf in this field.
  
  
  
  

• Conference "Reliability of Implants and Biostructures" in Berlin
  Prof. Boccaccini has been named member of the organizing committee of the conference "Reliability of Implants and Biostructures" ("Zuverlässigkeit von Implantaten und Biostrukturen") which will be held on 23-24 October 2017 in Berlin, Germany. The conference will be chaired by Prof. Claudia Fleck (TU Berlin) and Prof. Rainer Franke (IMA GmbH, Dresden) and it is organized in the framework of the working group of the same name of the German Association for Materials Research and Testing (DVM). More information and the call for abstracts is available here.

• New collaboration with Japan
  The project "Development of nano-scale artificial magnetic lattice (AML) and application for controlling light and electromagnetic wave" led by Toyohashi University of Technology, Japan, in which our Institute is one of the international partners, has been approved in the context of the Japanese Program for Advancing Strategic International Networks (Japan Society for the Promotion of Science). The other international partners are Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA, University of Stuttgart, Germany, and The City College of New York, USA. We will collaborate with the group of Prof. Atsunori Matsuda, from the Department of Electrical and Electronic Information Engineering, Toyohashi University of Technology, in the field of electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of functional nanomaterials. In particular, the program involves exchange of scientific personnel and collaborative research in the field of new chemical and colloidal processing technologies, involving EPD, to replace physical processes for new, low-cost and large-dimension AML. In the picture, Prof. A. R. Boccaccini, Dr. L. Liverani (Institute of Biomaterials), Prof. A. Matsuda and Dr. G. Kawamura (Toyohashi University of Technology) during the recent visit of the Japanese colleagues to our Institute.
  
  
  
  

• New International research project with Australia
  The project "Assessment of vascularisation potential of 3D Bioglass scaffolds for tissue engineering of large bone defects using a mechanobiological approach" ("Mechanobioglass"), which is a research collaboration with Prof. Peter Pivonka's group at St. Vincent’s Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, Australia, has been approved for funding by DAAD within the Australia-Germany Joint Research Cooperation Scheme. In this project we will investigate relevant properties of novel bioactive glass scaffolds affecting their vascularisation potential. Scaffolds fabricated by the traditional foam replica method and incorporating innovative porosity designs [1] will be considered. The project includes a combination of modeling and experimental approaches to characterize permeability and diffusivity of scaffolds. This joint research project will offer the opportunity to young and senior scientists of both Institutes to visit each other and to foster research links in complementary fields.
  
  [1] Boccardi, E., Philippart, A., Melli, V., Altomare, L., De Nardo, L., Novajra, G., Vitale-Brovarone, C., Fey, T., Boccaccini, A. R., Bioactivity and mechanical stability of 45S5 bioactive glass scaffolds based on natural marine sponges, Ann. Biomed. Eng. 44 (2016) 1881–1893.

December 2016

• End of the Year Meeting at the Institute of Biomaterials
  The end-of-the-year meeting at the Institute of Biomaterials took place on 19th December 2016 in our new building in Erlangen-West. Professor Boccaccini gave a presentation summarizing the achievements of the year 2016. He put some of such achievements in numbers, stating for example that during the year, 6 doctoral students achieved their Dr.-Ing. degree, 47 Master, Bachelor and Project students carried out their research projects or theses in our Institute. In 2016, also 5 new PhD students started their doctoral projects in our Institute and we received 34 international visitors this year, including academic visitors and visiting undergraduate and graduate students, e.g. Erasmus exchange students. We were also successful in receiving prizes and awards, 6 in total, including two awards for PhD students (Lukas Gritsch and Yuyun Yang). We gave more than 25 presentations at conferences around the world, many of them invited or keynote presentations. Our publication activity was also superb, our Institute published 68 papers in scientific journals during 2016. Last but not least, as Prof. Boccaccini emphasized, other highlights of the year were the inauguration in July of our new building and experimental facilities in Ulrich-Schalk Street, and the very successful international symposium we organized in November. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year !
  
  
  

• Doctoral thesis success: Elena Boccardi
  

  On 19th December 2016 Elena Boccardi successfully defended her doctoral thesis in the field of bioactive glass scaffolds for bone tissue engineering, which was carried out under the supervision of Professor Aldo R. Boccaccini at our Institute. In addition to Prof. Boccaccini, Prof. Enrica Verne (Department of Applied Science and Technology, Polytechnic of Turin, Italy), Prof. Wilhelm Schwieger (Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, FAU), and Prof. Dirk Schubert (Chair for Polymer Materials, FAU), were the members of the doctoral defense committee.

  Elena pioneered the development of bioactive glass (BG) scaffolds using marine sponges as templates, these novel scaffolds exhibit high pore interconnectivity and improved mechanical properties in comparison to conventional (PU sponge derived) scaffolds, as highlighted by Prof. Boccaccini. The incorporation of mesoporous BG particles as drug delivery carriers was also explored. During her research activities in our Institute, Elena was involved in three European research projects, namely GLACERCO, ReBioStent and MOZART. Several publications have resulted from Elena's thesis (see for example refs. [1-3]). We congratulate Elena on achieving her doctoral degree and wish her all the best in her future career.

  [1] Boccardi, E., Philippart, A., Bortuzzo, J., Beltran, A., Novarja, G., Vitale Brovarone, C., Spiecker, E., Boccaccini, A. R., Uniform surface modification of 3D Bioglass®-based scaffolds with mesoporous silica particles (MCM-41) for enhancing drug delivery capability, Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol. 3 (2015):177.

  [2] Boccardi, E., Belova, I. V., Murch, G. E., Boccaccini, A. R., Fiedler, T., Oxygen diffusion in marine-derived tissue engineering scaffolds, J. Mater. Sci. Mater. Med. 26 (2015) 200.

  [3] Boccardi, E., Philippart, A., Melli, V., Altomare, L., De Nardo, L., Novajra, G., Vitale-Brovarone, C., Fey, T., Boccaccini, A. R., Bioactivity and mechanical stability of 45S5 bioactive glass scaffolds based on natural marine sponges, Ann. Biomed. Eng. 44 (2016) 1881–1893.
  
  
  
  
  

• Visit of Prof. Enrica Verne (Polytechnic of Turin, Italy)
  On 19th December 2016 we received the visit of Prof. Enrica Verne a senior member of the Department of Applied Science and Technology at Polytechnic of Turin, Italy, led by Prof. Monica Ferraris. We have been collaborating with the research group of Prof. Verne for more than 12 years. Previously we have investigated the surface functionalization of bioactive glasses [1], more recently we have collaborated in the field of Zn and Sr doped bioactive glass based coatings for metallic materials [2].
  
  [1] Verne, E., Vitale-Brovarone, C., Bui, E., Bianchi, C. L., Boccaccini, A. R., Surface functionalization of bioactive glasses, J. Biomed. Mater. Res. 90A (2009) 981-992.
  [2] Miola, M., Verné, E., Ciraldo, F. E., Cordero-Arias, L. and Boccaccini, A. R., Electrophoretic deposition of chitosan/45S5 bioactive glass composite coatings doped with Zn and Sr, Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol. 3 (2015) Article 159.
  
  
  

• Prof. Boccaccini visits Imperial College London
  Prof. Boccaccini visited the Department of Materials, at Imperial College London on 14-16 December 2016. Prof. Boccaccini is Visiting Professor in the Department of Materials and he lectures in the Composites Centre a course on Fibres and Ceramic Matrix Composites belonging to the MSc Composites: the Science, Technology and Engineering Application of Advanced Composites.
  
  
  
  
  

• Kickoff meeting of DFG funded project on cardiac tissue engineering
  The kickoff meeting of our new DFG funded project on fibrous biomaterials for cardiac tissue engineering, in collaboration with the group of _Prof. Felix Engel (Experimental Renal and Cardiovascular Research, University Hospital Erlangen) took place on 12th December 2016 at the Institute of Biomaterials (BioMat). In the photo Prof. Boccaccini (BioMat), Florian Ruther (BioMat), Lena Vogt (BioMat), Kaveh Roshanbinfar (Experimental Renal and Cardiovascular Research), Jana Petzold (Experimental Renal and Cardiovascular Research) and Prof. F. Engel. The project will investigate a new family of electrically conductive biopolymer patches for cardiac regeneration. Our previous work in collaboration with Prof. Engel's group has been published [1, 2]. [1] M. Tallawi, et al. Novel PGS/PCL electrospun fiber mats with patterned topographical features for cardiac patch applications, Materials Science and Engineering C 69 (2016) 569–576. [2] M. Tallawi, et al., Poly (glycerol sebacate)/poly (butylene succinate-butylene dilinoleate) fibrous scaffolds for cardiac tissue engineering,Tissue Eng. Part C: Methods 21 (2015), 585-596.
  
  
  
  
  

• Visit from Japan
  Prof. Atsunori Matsuda, Assist. Prof. Go Kawamura, and Dr. Reiko Matsuda from Toyohashi University of Technology, Department of Electrical and Electronic Information Engineering, Japan, visited the Institute of Biomaterials on 28th Nov. - 2nd December 2016. We are collaborating with the group of Prof. Matsuda in the field of electrophoretic deposition of nanomaterials. In the photo (l. to r.): Prof. A. R. Boccaccini, Dr. L. Liverani (FAU), Prof. A. Matsuda, Dr. G. Kawamura and Dr. R. Matsuda.
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• Highly cited paper in Surf. Coat. Technol.
  Our paper "Electrophoretic deposition of chitosan/45S5 Bioglass® composite coatings for orthopaedic applications", published in Surf. Coat. Technol. [1], co-authors: F. Pishbin, A. Simchi, M. P. Ryan, is listed as one of the highest cited articles in the journal (papers published since 2011). The paper is based on the research project of Dr. F. Pishbin during her PhD studies under supervision of Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini and Prof. Mary P. Ryan at the Department of Materials, Imperial College London (UK), and it was the first study to investigate in detail the electrophoretic deposition of the chitosan-bioactive glass system, a combination which has become a popular choice for bioactive coatings since then.
  
  [1] F. Pishbin et al., Electrophoretic deposition of chitosan/45S5 Bioglass® composite coatings for orthopaedic applications, Surf. Coat. Technol. 205 (2011) 5260–5268.
  
  
  

• Yuyun Yang receives Frans Habraken Best Paper Award in Amsterdam
  Yuyun Yang, PhD student at the Institute of Biomaterials, supervised by Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini and co-supervised by Prof. Sanna Virtannen (Institute of Surface Science and Corrosion), received the Frans Habraken Best Paper Award of the journal Applied Surface Science in Amsterdam. The paper “Yang, Y., et al., In vitro study of polycaprolactone/bioactive glass composite coatings on corrosion and bioactivity of pure Mg” (Applied Surface Science, Volume 355, 2015, 832-841) was selected from close to 40 nominees. The news are also in the Elsevier social network. In the photo, Yuyun with Elsevier publisher, Ms Arasa Cid Carina, and with the Editor-in-Chief of Appl. Surf. Sci., Prof. Henrik Rudolph.
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• Our visiting researchers in this winter semester!
  We welcome our visiting researchers from Turkey (Fatih Erdem Baştan, Sakarya University), Spain (Julia M. Urena Alcazar, Universidad Carlos III, Madrid and Eugeni C. Recacha, Inst. of Ceramics Technology, Castellon), Italy (Mariangela Curcio, University of Basilicata, Daniela Trapani, Polytechnic of Milan), Argentina (Maria Laura Dittler, National University of La Plata) and China (Yongcong Fang, Tsinghua University), who are working on a variety of projects, including bioactive coatings by electrophoretic deposition, hydrogel scaffolds for soft tissue engineering, bioactivity tests on nanostructured surfaces, bioactive glass scaffolds, magnetic nanoparticles and biofabrication techniques.
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• Kick-off meeting of new DFG project on bioactive glasses in Darmstadt
  The kick-off meeting of the new DFG funded project on ion-doped bioactive glasses with outstanding high temperature crystallization resistance took place on 30th November 2016 at the Technical University of Darmstadt (TU Darmstadt), hosted by the Institute for Materials Science, Dispersive Solids (Head: Prof. Ralf Riedel). The principal investigators Dr. Maria Isabel Gonzalo de Juan, Dr. Emanuel Ionescu, research student Mr Fangtong Xie (TU Darmstadt) and Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini (FAU Institute of Biomaterials) (pictured) attended the meeting. This new 3-year project will develop a new family of multifunctional therapeutic-ions-containing bioactive glasses synthesized at TU Darmstadt which will be characterized for their intrinsic bioactive behavior at the Institute of Biomaterials in Erlangen.
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• Our new paper on nanocomposite scaffolds in collaboration with our Argentinean colleagues published in Biomedical Materials
  The paper entitled: "Nanocomposite scaffolds with tunable mechanical and degradation capabilities: co-delivery of bioactive agents for bone tissue engineering" [1] has been just published in Biomedical Materials. The paper presents results of our collaborative project with the group of Prof. Viviana Mourino, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, with participation also of Dr. F. Pishbin of the Department of Materials, Imperial College London, UK, and of the group of Prof. A. Gorustovich, Interdisciplinary Materials Group-IESIING-UCASAL, Salta, Argentina. The paper introduces a new technology to develop multifunctional nanocomposite scaffolds based on nanobioactive glass and alginate crosslinked with therapeutic ions (calcium and copper) and loaded with alendronate. The novel nanocomposites are an exciting new class of therapeutic carriers with tunable mechanical and degradation properties for bone tissue engineering applications.
  
  [1] J. P. Cattalini, et al., Nanocomposite scaffolds with tunable mechanical and degradation capabilities: co-delivery of bioactive agents for bone tissue engineering, Biomed. Mater. 11 (2016) 065003
  
  

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