June 30, 2009
Amrita Center for Nanosciences, Kochi
 
Nanotechnology is one of the world’s premier journals on nanoscale science and technology. It disseminates research from the engineering, fabrication, optics, electronics, materials science, molecular manufacturing, chemistry, biological and medical communities. The Amrita Center for Nanosciences regularly publishes its research work in this journal. A recent paper titled, The design of novel nanostructures on titanium by solution chemistry for an improved osteoblast response, was downloaded from the journal website over 250 times this past quarter.
 
“To put this into context, across all IOP journals, 10% of articles were accessed over 250 times this quarter,” stated an email from the publisher. “The paper is part of a student’s PhD work,” stated the Center Director, Dr. Shanti Nair. “We have developed a unique process to make nanostructures on titanium surfaces by hydrothermal treatment and we have shown the enhanced attachment and proliferation of osteoblast cells on these surfaces. This discovery provides a new process for surface modification of titanium implant surfaces for orthopedic applications.”
 
Titanium is a popular material for implants such as those used for joint replacements. For these orthopaedic implants to be successful however, the bone must meld to the metal (in this case, titanium) that the artificial hips, knees and shoulders are made of. Currently, the bone doesn’t always properly meld to the implants. The challenge is that the bone-forming cells, also known as osteoblasts, don’t grow or don’t grow fast enough. The new method uncovered by the Amrita team could significantly promote cell growth and function, thus solving this problem.
 
“We report an interesting cell response to novel nanostructures formed on a titanium surface by a simple non-lithographic bottom-up method,” states the research paper abstract. “The surface topography of bio-implant materials dramatically influences their cell response. The aim of this study was to modify the surface of a titanium implant by a simple and cost effective processing technique and to determine its suitability for osteoblast attachment …” (Read complete paper abstract) “Thus, based on our results, we suggest that this study may present one of the best designs and systematic syntheses of biocompatible nanostructures on metallic Ti for orthopedic implant applications.”
 
This research paper from Amrita was the second paper this quarter to have received the distinction of being among the top 10% of all papers published in terms of download times. (see earlier news) We congratulate the Amrita team for this unique distinction.