Biomaterials are natural or synthetic materials engineered to interact with biological systems — to replace, repair, or augment tissue — in a therapeutically controlled way. The defining requirement is biocompatibility: the material must not elicit harmful immune or toxic responses in its intended site and duration of use. Beyond biocompatibility, the key design parameters are mechanical match (modulus, toughness), degradation kinetics (resorbable vs. permanent), and surface chemistry (cell-adhesion ligands, protein adsorption, antimicrobial coatings).
The major device classes are: orthopaedic scaffolds (porous ceramics, β-tricalcium phosphate, PEEK composites for bone regeneration); hydrogel matrices (cross-linked polymers for soft-tissue repair, drug release, wound care); bioinks for 3D printing (printable cell-laden gels for tissue-engineered constructs); and implantable device coatings (drug-eluting stents, silicone breast implants, cochlear electrode arrays).
KB companies: Mimetis Biomaterials (3D-printed ceramic bone scaffolds, orthopaedic surgery) and Ferentis (spider-silk-inspired protein hydrogels for drug delivery and regenerative medicine). Related concepts: Hydrogels, Biocompatible Polymers (PLA, PLGA, PCL), 3D Bioprinting Platforms, Drug-Delivery Substrates.
Note — near-duplicate flag: biomaterials and bio-materials are two separate stubs in this KB. See report for which is better referenced.
Frontier
- Can ceramic-polymer composite scaffolds achieve vascularisation rates comparable to autografts without growth-factor doping?
- What degradation kinetics profile optimises load transfer from resorbable scaffold to regenerated bone over 6–18 months?
- Which bioink formulations clear ISO 10993 biocompatibility without reformulation when printed at clinical scale?