University of the Sunshine Coast researchers from left: Associate Professor Tianfang Wang, Hejie Li and Associate Professor Damon Kent. Credit: UniSC Australia
A team of scientists from the University of the Sunshine Coast and around the world has developed a promising way to reduce the risks from biodegradable medical implants. Scientists from UniSC’s Center for Bioinnovation and advanced materials and manufacturing scientists from the School of Science, Technology and Engineering collaborated with Foshan’s First People’s Hospital in China and the University of Tokyo to develop a new coating for medical magnesium implants.
The implants are coated in bioactive peptides, which are small, naturally occurring protein fragments that can support health and well-being.
The new coating combines advanced metal processing with biomolecular science to improve compatibility with the body, reduce inflammation and boost antibacterial activity, enabling the implant to degrade safely as the bone heals.
The promising results have been published in Biomaterials Research.
Associate Professor Tianfang Wang said the technology could be most beneficial for orthopedic implants such as plates, screws and pins used to repair fractures, as well as certain dental implants.
“Our ultimate goal is to create self-absorbing implants that support healing, then naturally disappear once no longer needed. This would reduce the physical and emotional burden associated with implant removal, giving patients greater confidence and comfort in their recovery.
“It may also be suitable for cardiovascular stents or other devices where antibacterial protection and immune compatibility is essential in the critical early stages after implant,” he said.
Traditionally, metallic implants are made from stainless steel or titanium and remain permanently in the body or sometimes require surgical removal after healing, which can cause pain, anxiety, and added costs.
Magnesium alloys are among a new generation of degradable implant materials currently being developed based on naturally occurring trace elements in the body and designed to degrade naturally over time in unison with healing, so that they don’t require removal.
“While the magnesium alloys are biodegradable, these implants may still need to be removed if they degrade too rapidly, or cause infection,” said Professor Xiaosong Liu, the lead Chinese collaborator from the First People’s Hospital of Foshan.
“Degradable, biocompatible magnesium implants with built-in antibacterial activity could eliminate these issues, reducing patient distress, surgical risks, and health care costs while promoting more sustainable medical practices,” said AMM materials scientist Dr. Hejie Li.
Associate Professor Damon Kent, leader of AMM, said the next step is to move the alloy to production for early pre-clinical trials, while exploring partnerships with biomedical companies to support the scale-up.
“We are also exploring the use of the coatings on other suitable metals and 3D metal printing options. There are a lot of possibilities,” he said.
More information
Xiaosong Liu et al, Degradable Magnesium Implants with Caerin 1.9-Polycaprolactone Coatings Provide Extended Antibacterial Resistance and Outstanding Biocompatibility, Biomaterials Research (2025). DOI: 10.34133/bmr.0257