SMSE Professor Conferred Prestigious International Honorable Title
SMSE Professor Conferred Prestigious International Honorable Title
On December 11-15, 2020, the 11th World Biomaterials Congress was held online. At the opening ceremony, Professor Zheng Yudong from the School of Materials Science and Engineering (SMSE), University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB), was awarded the lifetime honorary title of “Biomaterials Science and Engineering Fellow” by the International Union of Societies for Biomaterials Science and Engineering (IUSBSE). The honorary status not only demonstrates Professor Zheng’s international status and academic influence in the research into biomedical materials, but appreciates her outstanding academic achievements in biomaterials science and engineering.
The International Union of Societies for Biomaterials Science and Engineering (IUSBSE) is a non-political and non-profit academic organization. The honorary status of “Fellow, Biomaterials Science and Engineering” (FBSE) established by IUSBSE is given to internationally recognized biomaterial experts nominated by biomaterials societies of member states and approved by worldwide top scientists every four years. This honorable title is only awarded to individuals who have made outstanding contributions in the field of BSE. It is the highest lifetime award conferred upon the world-renowned expert in biomaterials, and the Fellows are all scientists with outstanding academic status and achievements in BSE.
During this congress, the honorable status was conferred upon 17 experts including Zheng Yudong, Chen Hong, and Fan Yubo, showing that China’s biomaterials experts and scholars have stepped onto the international stage of biomaterials and play an increasingly important role in international society. The efforts made by such biomaterial experts have created more opportunities for international academic exchanges and cooperation in related fields for China.
Profile of Zheng Yudong
Zheng Yudong is the chair professor and doctoral supervisor of the Biomedical Materials Research Office under SMSE, and serves as Deputy Director of the Research Center of Biomedical Materials under USTB. Her research focuses on functional modification of biocomposite materials and relevant research into medical application. As the project leader, she directed and completed eight projects from Natural Science Foundation of China and the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) - National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) international joint project scheme. She also undertook and completed several projects from National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program), National High-Tech Research and Development Project (863 Program), The National Science and Technology Support Project of China, Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Plan Projects and Industrial Development Projects. A series of research results have been achieved in nano bacterial cellulose, nanocomposite hydrogels as well as their applications on regeneration of skin, cartilage and nerve, winning a number of scientific research incentives awards. She has published over 120 papers in SCI-listed journals, as well as some textbooks and monographs, and obtained more than 30 national invention patents. Many of her academic research have been applied to practice. She currently serves as member of Medical Device Classification Technical Committee of the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), a review expert of medical devices for NMPA, member of the Medical Device Professional Committee of the Beijing Municipal Medical Products Administration, council member of Chinese Society of Biomaterials (CSBM), the Vice Chairperson of the Committee of the CSBM-Biocomposites Branch, member of the Committee of the CSBM-Nano Biomaterials Branch, member of the Committee of the CSBM-Cardiovascular Materials Branch, committee member of Chinese Society of Biomedical Engineering-Biological Material Branch, council member of Chinese Society for Composite Materials (CSCM), and Vice Chairperson of CSCM-Biocomposites Branch. She won the lifetime honorary title of “Biomaterials Science and Engineering Fellow” of IUSBSE
Introduction to the Research Achievements of Zheng Yudong-Led Team
Recently, the research team led by Zheng Yudong has made great progress in the application fields of cartilage microtissue, materials used for functional recovery after nerve repair, new bioelectrodes and rapid hemostatic materials.
1. Tissue Engineering Microcarriers- Research into Modular Microtissues Damage Repair Materials
Tissue engineering is an effective method for treating cartilage defects, but in conventional tissue engineering method, the scaffolds cannot be integrated with cartilage defects with complex shapes. Using porous micro-carriers and injecting modular microtissue to repair defects is a brand-new treatment approach that can reduce surgical trauma and relieve patients’ suffering. Based on the existing research at home and abroad, the research team led by Professor Zheng Yudong of the Biomedical Materials Research Office and the team led by Academician Lu Shibi and the team led by Professor Peng Jiang, both from the 301 Hospital, have carried out cooperative research. Using natural fibers and polysaccharides as the matrix, peptides were successfully compounded by chemical cross-linking and electrostatic adsorption, and a porous microcarrier with dual bionic structure and composition could be made. Co-cultured with stem cells in a bioreactor, a “modular tissue microunit” - “microtissue” was constructed in vitro, and the formed functionalized microtissue is applied to the defected cartilage model, which can repair cartilage defect within a shorter period of time. This research result has been so far published in the top academic journal Biomaterials.
2. Design and Research of Novel Self-Powered Nerve Catheter
The Biomedical Materials Research Office has also made new progress in the use of electrically active nerve conduits for nerve repair. Traffic accidents, work-related injuries, and natural disasters can all cause nerve damage, and the repair of large-scale nerve defects has always been a big headache besieging worldwide researchers. Electrical stimulation can promote nerve regeneration. However, currently most doctors tend to use inserted metal electrodes to give electrical stimulation and such treatment will bring about great pains and the infection risks. In order to address such a concern, Professor Zheng cooperated with Academician Lu Shibi and Professor Jiang Peng. They combine implanted fuel cell with a conductive nerve scaffold to prepare a conductive nerve scaffold that can spontaneously exert electrical stimulation in vivo using the redox reaction of glucose and oxygen. The stent avoids inserting electrodes into the humans’ bodies, and at the same time can concentrate electrical stimulation on nerve defects, which can effectively promote nerve regeneration. This research result so far has been published in the well-known journal “Advanced Healthcare Materials”.
3. Research on Bacterial Cellulose Conductive Composite Material and Relevant Multifunctional Bioelectrode
The research team led by Professor Zheng combined cellulose and polydopamine to prepare an electrocardiogram detection electrode as good as commercial electrodes. On the special three-dimensional network structure of nanocellulose, polydopamine is self-polymerized in situ to form a uniform nano-conductive network structure, so as to realize the “electron-ion” double conductivity of the composite material and improve the mechanical properties of the composite material; the new composite material is further made into a physiological electrode to detect human Electrocardiogram (ECG) signals. The test results show that the composite material has the same sensitivity and stability as commercial electrodes, and has excellent antibacterial properties, thus enjoying great application value. Related research results have been published in the internationally prestigious academic journal “ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces”.
4. Research on New Self-Adaption Rapid Hemostatic Agents
Uncontrollable massive hemorrhage is responsible for the deaths from war injuries and disasters on most occasions, with the fatality rate standing at around 80 percent Especially, injury-caused excessive blood loss within 5-10 minutes is one of the leading causes of death. At present, there are three commonly used hemostatic materials in the world: QuikClot®, HemCon® and CELOX™, but none of them is ideal hemostatic agents for severe bleeding, and it is very likely to cause excessive blood loss or secondary bleeding. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new hemostatic materials that can quickly stop bleeding and buy time for wound healing and further treatment. Based on the previous research, Professor Zheng-led team and the team led by Professor Chao Yong from First Affiliated Hospital of the 301 Hospital came up with solutions, and conducted in-depth research into the application of new multifunctional hemostatic materials. They prepared natural polymer double cross-linked porous hemostatic material, and it has a good hemostatic effect on the irregular wounds of massive bleeding. Related research work has been published in the internationally renowned journal “Applied Materials Today”.
The above-mentioned research work has been funded and supported by the NSFC, the National Defense Science and Technology Innovation Special Zone Project of the Central Military Commission Science and Technology Commission, and the National Key R&D Programs and the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Project.