The main expertises of the LIAB is in surface characterization, biocompatibility evaluation, electrochemical processing of biomaterials, design of medical devices and the fundamental biomechanical understanding of rapidly developing areas such as biomimetic systems, smart biomaterials and medical nano- and micro-devices.
Research activities are mostly oriented towards the treatment of musculoskeletal (osteoporosis, osteoarthrosis, scoliosis, ligament and knee injuries, leg amputees), cardiovascular (stenosis, aneurysms) and diabete diseases. Other new and/or challenging health related problems are addressed as well as such as type1 diabetes, minimal invasive surgery, biofilms and prions free-medical devices. The development of new biomaterials for designing nanodevices is also a growing area in the LIAB.
Among the musculoskeletal disease, osteoporois is a major health risk for 28 million Americans. This disease is a skeletal disorder characterized by compromised bone strength predisposing to an increased risk of fracture. It is responsible for more than 1.5 million fractures annually, including 300,000 hip fractures, approximately 700,000 vertebral (spinal) fractures, 250,000 wrist fractures, and more than 300,000 fractures at other sites. In the presence of osteoporosis, fractures can occur from normal lifting and bending, as well as from falls. Of all the fractures, hip fractures have the greatest morbidity and socioeconomic impact. One in five patients is no longer alive 1 year following an osteoporotic hip fracture. This means people can and do die as a result of hip fractures. Fifty percent of those people experiencing a hip fracture will be unable to walk without assistance, and 28 percent will require long-term care. The burden of health care costs due to osteoporotic fractures is estimated to be $10 to $15 billion per year.
Cardiovascular diseases have a significant impact on Canada healthcare costs. It is the most expensive disease category accounting for $7 to $8 billion. The sources of the direct costs of cardiovascular diseases include hospital expenditures, medical care, drugs and research. We envision that the application of smart biomaterials will reduce the burden of cardiovascular diseases and improve survival rate and the quality of life of Canadian population.
Diabetes is a condition that affects the production of a hormone, insulin. Patients with type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus cannot achieve normal metabolic control, despite intensive insulin therapy, thus long-term health complications persist with a high prevalence. Alternative treatments, particularly pancreatic or islet transplants are currently high-risk and are generally inaccessible to younger patients. Approximately 2 million Canadians have diabetes and the cost of this disease is estimated to be up to $9 billion annually.
The research program of the LIAB is therefore developed in various areas :
- Bioperformance analysis and biomaterials characterization (surface characterization, electrochemical behaviour, biocompatibility).
- Smart Biomaterials.
- Development of medical micro- and macro-devices.
- Tissue regeneration and cell-surface interactions.
