• Tissue Engineering
• Bioactive polymeric surfaces
• Chemical modification of polymeric surfaces
• Ion-donor ceramics

Session Chair: Creating a Biomaterials Curriculum (2011), Society for Biomaterials, Orlando, FL
Session Chair: Scaffold Assisted Bone Defect Repair/Regeneration, 2011 Society for Biomaterials, Orlando, FL
Committee Member: Institute of Medicine’s Committee on the Public Health Effectiveness of the FDA 510(k) Clearance Process
Session Chair: Adipose Tissue Engineering and Biomaterial-Guided Stem Cell Behavior (2010), Society for Biomaterials Annual Meeting,
Seattle, WA
Vice Chair: Orthopaedic Biomaterials Special Interest Group, Society for Biomaterials
Vice Chair: Biomaterials Education Special Interest Group, Society for Biomaterials Member: American Society for Testing and Materials, Secretary, Tissue Eng. Med. Products
Member: LCME Task Force University of CT Health Center (2008)
Calhoun Fellow: Drexel University (2000-2005)

The treatment of musculoskeletal defects, particularly bone defects, due to trauma, congenital defects, or other anomalies is dominated by the use of autografts and allografts. Autografts are tissue that is harvested from a donor site within a patient and re-implanted at the defect site. Allografts are tissue harvested from a cadaver. Each solution, however, has limitations and presents a need for suitable alternatives.

Our research interests lie in finding solutions to these problems through tissue engineering. The development of biocompatible and biodegradable scaffolds capable of sustaining cellular migration, proliferation, and differentiation is central to my work. Through the use of biodegradable polymers alone and in combination with ceramic materials, we are investigating strategies to synthesize scaffolds that are also capable of delivering proteins and growth factors essential for complete and adequate healing of bone defects.

Specific work includes design and synthesis of novel scaffold structures capable of sustaining substantial mechanical loading while having a 3-dimensional structure conducive to substantial cellular migration throughout the structure interior. Scaffolds are evaluated through extensive physical, chemical, and mechanical testing, cell viability and protein expression, and finally with in vivo bone defect models that test the overall healing potential of the constructs.

Other laboratory interests include development of bioactive polymeric surfaces to encourage bone ingrowth and bone-implant interface strength. Studies in this area included the chemical modification of polymeric surfaces and the incorporation of ion-donor ceramics, both of which initiate a calcium phosphate deposition on the surface of materials, ultimately leading to enhanced healing and bone formation. Additionally, methods to incorporate scaffolds into minimally invasive healing modalities is also underway.

Tissue-engineered matrices as functional delivery systems: adsorption and release of bioactive proteins from degradable composite scaffolds. Cushnie EK, Khan YM, Laurencin CT. J Biomed Mater Res A. 2010 Aug;94(2):568-75.

Biodegradable polyphosphazene-nanohydroxyapatite composite nanofibers: scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. Bhattacharyya S, Kumbar SG, Khan YM, Nair LS, Singh A, Krogman NR, Brown PW, Allcock HR, Laurencin CT. J Biomed Nanotechnol. 2009 Feb;5(1):69-75.

Functionalization of chitosan/poly(lactic acid-glycolic acid) sintered microsphere scaffolds via surface heparinization for bone tissue engineering. Jiang T, Khan Y, Nair LS, Abdel-Fattah WI, Laurencin CT. J Biomed Mater Res A. 2010 Jun 1;93(3):1193-208

Tissue engineering of bone: a primer for the practicing hand surgeon. Taylor ED, Khan Y, Laurencin CT. J Hand Surg Am. 2009 Jan;34(1):164-6.

Induction of angiogenesis in tissue-engineered scaffolds designed for bone repair: a combined gene therapy-cell transplantation approach. Jabbarzadeh E, Starnes T, Khan YM, Jiang T, Wirtel AJ, Deng M, Lv Q, Nair LS, Doty SB, Laurencin CT. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008 Aug 12;105(32):11099-104. Epub 2008 Aug 4. Erratum in: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008 Dec 23;105(51):20558.

Fracture repair with ultrasound: clinical and cell-based evaluation. Khan Y, Laurencin CT. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2008 Feb;90 Suppl 1:138-44.

Tissue engineering of bone: material and matrix considerations. Khan Y, Yaszemski MJ, Mikos AG, Laurencin CT. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2008 Feb;90 Suppl 1:36-42.

In vitro and in vivo evaluation of a novel polymer-ceramic composite scaffold for bone tissue engineering. Khan Y, El-Amin SF, Laurencin CT. Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2006;1:529-30.

Apatite nano-crystalline surface modification of poly(lactide-co-glycolide) sintered microsphere scaffolds for bone tissue engineering: implications for protein adsorption. Jabbarzadeh E, Nair LS, Khan YM, Deng M, Laurencin CT. J Biomater Sci Polym Ed. 2007;18(9):1141-52.

Amorphous hydroxyapatite-sintered polymeric scaffolds for bone tissue regeneration: physical characterization studies. Cushnie EK, Khan YM, Laurencin CT. J Biomed Mater Res A. 2008 Jan;84(1):54-62.

Human endothelial cell growth and phenotypic expression on three dimensional poly(lactide-co-glycolide) sintered microsphere scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. Jabbarzadeh E, Jiang T, Deng M, Nair LS, Khan YM, Laurencin CT. Biotechnol Bioeng. 2007 Dec 1;98(5):1094-102.