MediFrei Stent

In the course of this project functional coatings based on polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEM) are developed for the application on implant materials. The functional coating shall reduce innate immune response and reduce the risk of Restenosis (vascular constriction) when applied on stent materials. By controlled surface properties of PEM-coatings such as nano-stiffness, nano-roughness, viscoelastic properties and surface energy, materials can be masked and improve the reaction of cells when in contact with the implant. By construction of these defined parameters on the surface the risk of restenosis can be reduced, at the same time the utilization of drug-free coatings is not increasing the risk of in-stent-thrombosis (which is the case of drug-eluting stents). This project is financially supported by Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

BioDeg Stent

The aim of the project is the development of a new degradable polymer-coatings on magnesium-based stents for improvement of interactions with biological systems. The coating enables the controlled retardation of the degradation process of the magnesium materials and consequently reduce the burst release of healing-process-interfering breakdown products. In addition the coating improves cell-surface interactions and enables endothelialization. The advantageous properties of the surface modification is effective in the lifetime of the magnesium stent, after that, the coating degradates simultaneously with the stent. This project is financially supported by BMBF: Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Germany.

PolyAntiBak

Toxic microorganisms can be killed by conventional surface coating of implant materials, however their breakdown products are neither removed nor separated from the healing tissue. A current issue in medical engineering is that these breakdown products can cause severe infections and inflammation reactions of the surrounding tissues. As a solution in the course of this project a surface coating is developed, which has antibacterial property and the property to catch released degradation products by assembly of spatially separated antibacterial compartments (developed by MPI IS, Stuttgart). This project is financially supported by BMBF: Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Germany.

InSeL

The project InSeL („Innovative Schaumstrukturen für effizienten Leichtbau“) is financially supported by EU with a total of 1.5 million Euro. Intelligent Surfaces, in cooperation with Pforzheim University, KIT Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute at the University of Tübingen, are developing innovative lightweight construction-materials based on metallic foams for applications in medical-, mechanical-, automotive- and aerospace-engineering. Foams of different properties, such as bubble-size, -distribution and thickness of lamellas, are developed for later translation in metallic structures with optimal supporting properties by nature of foam structure.