NanoMaterials and NanoTechnology for Innovative Biomaterials and Health Applications

Diego Mantovani

Laboratory for Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Laval University, Canada

Abstract
Over the last 50 years, biomaterials, prostheses and implants saved and prolonged the life of millions of humans around the globe. The main clinical complications for current biomaterials and artificial organs still reside in an interfacial mismatch between the synthetic surface and the natural living tissue surrounding it. Today, nanotechnology, nanomaterials and surface modifications provides a new insight to the current problem of biomaterial complications, and even allows us to envisage strategies for the organ shortage. Advanced tools and new paths towards the development of functional solutions for cardiovascular clinical applications are now available. In this talk, three distinct but complementary applications will be targeted. They aim to provide short, medium and long-term solutions for cardiovascular clinical problems, respectively. First, how to improve the adhesion and stability of functional nano-coatings for medical devices will be addressed. The adhesion and the stability of nano-coatings (thickness less than 100 nm) are a major concern, and a recognised main short term challenge in blood-contact applications. In one hand, nano-coatings bring functionalities and provide unconventional properties to devices, tools and medical technologies. In the other hand, the assessment of the adhesion of nano-coatings onto metallic or polymeric substrates is not trivial, especially in reason of their low thickness. Second, the potential of nanostructured metallic degradable metals to provide innovative solutions at medium term for the cardiovascular field will be rapidly depicted. Finally, a new approach for processing materials and cells directly into scaffolds rather the incorporating cells into porous scaffolds will be described. The potential of dynamic cell culture in 2D and 3D will be discussed. The intrinsic goal of this talk is to present an extremely personal look at how nanotechnology can impact materials, surfaces and interfaces, and how the resulting unique properties allowed biomedical functional applications to progress, from the glory days of their introduction, to the promising future that nanotechnology may or may not hold for continuing improve the quality of the life of millions worldwide.