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 and cartilage 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.

Publications

M Bohner,  G Baroud, A Bernstein, N Döbelin, L Galea, B Hesse,  M Heuberger , S Meille, P Michel, B von Rechenberg, J Sague,  H Seeherman. Characterization and distribution of mechanically competent mineralized tissue in micropores of β-tricalcium phosphate bone substitutes. Materials Today 20(3) · April 2017

Bernstein A, Niemeyer P, Salzmann G, Südkamp NP, Hube R, Klehm J, Menzel M, von Eisenhart-Rothe R, Bohner M, Görz L, Mayr HO.. Microporous calcium phosphate ceramics as tissue engineering scaffolds for the repair of osteochondral defects: Histological results. Acta Biomater. 2013 Jul;9(7):7490-505.

Seidenstuecker M, Ruehe J, Suedkamp NP, Serr A, Wittmer A, Bohner M, Bernstein A, Mayr HO. Composite material consisting of microporous β-TCP ceramic and alginate for delayed release of antibiotics. Acta Biomater. 2017 Mar 15;51:433-446.

Bernstein, A.; Gadow, R.; Killinger, A.; Mayr, H.O.; Suedkamp, N. and Stiegler, N. Investigations on vitro behaviour of ceramic coatings deposited by high velocity suspension flame spraying (HVSFS). Key Engineering Materials 493 – 494, pp 530 – 534, 2012.