Bioceramics are used for the reconstruction of degenerated or damaged parts of the musculo-skeletal system. For instance β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) is an excellent degradable bone graft that has been successfully used as scaffold for bone tissue engineering substitute. ß- TCP acts as an osteoconductive material and possesses the ability to form strong bonds with the host bone. They are used as scaffolds in tissue engineering for bone or dentin regeneration, as coatings on titanium and titanium alloy implants to combine the bioactivity of the calcium phosphates and the strength of the metal or as scaffolds for drug release systems.

Therefore, Anke’s aim is to better understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms of regular bone and cartilage healing. This knowledge is necessary to develop new scaffold for bone regeneration and for new therapeutic strategies. In this context, Anke develops and optimizes thin resorbable bioactive ceramic coatings for implants on the basis of degradable calcium phosphates and bioactive glasses. In these layers bacteriostatic / bactericidal effective metals such as silver, copper, and bismuth are integrated. Also, the importance of micropores for bone formation is evaluated in β-tricalcium phosphate, particularly at early implantation times.