News

James Smith Wins ISTA HAP Paul Award for IRC Publication

This annual honor of the International Society of Technology in Arthroplasty Conference recognizes outstanding contributions to science and technology related to joint arthroplasty. The 2024 award was given to Dr. James Smith for his work entitled "Investigating the Effects of Porous Geometries on the Interfacial Adhesion of UHMWPE-PEEK Structural Composites for Orthopeadic Implant Applications".

Abigail Tetteh Receives Recognition Award for FDA Fellowship Research

During her fellowship with the FDA, IRC Ph.D. student Abigail Tetteh received the Office of Science and Engineering Laboratories Quarterly Recognition Award for demonstrating distinguished and methodical research ability while also crafting novel NSF/FDA grant material. Abigail's work with the FDA Center for Devices and Radiological Health focused on understanding the mechanical performance and variability in additively manufactured materials for medical applications.

Details of the 2024 Combined UHMWPE, PEEK, & Polymer Implant Additive Manufacturing Conference Announced

The IRC, in collaboration with the University of Torino, is pleased to announce the Combined UHMWPE/PEEK Conference, which will take place in Barcelona, Spain on June 20-21, 2024. The purpose of the meeting is to bring together engineers, scientists, regulators, and clinicians from academia, industry, and government to present leading edge research on advancements in medical grade UHMWPE, PEEK, and the rapidly growing field of polymer implant additive manufacturing technology. In addition to UHMWPE and PEEK, the Combined Meeting will also broadly showcase point-of-care additive manufacturing of implantable polymers.

To learn more about conference, submit an abstract, register, or view the proceedings of previous meetings, please visit: biomed.drexel.edu/peekandpoly.

Abigail Tetteh Awarded CDRH ORISE Fellowship for Research Participation at the FDA

IRC student Abigail Tetteh has been awarded an appointment as Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) fellow for the FDA Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH). Her research will focus on variability in additively manufactured titanium alloy: This project involves research and characterization of wrought and additively manufactured titanium alloy material variability. An objective is the development of methods and best practices for accommodating mechanical performance variability for medical applications. Activities include testing and understanding the intrinsic structural and mechanical properties of titanium alloy and how they relate to a medical device benchtop performance.


Hannah Spece Receives ISTA NEWS Best Presentation Award

In November 2020, the International Society for Technology in Arthroplasty held the New Early-Career Webinar Series (NEWS). Hannah was one of four recipients of the Best Presentation Award for her work "Customizable 3D Printing of PEEK Implants With Porosity Based on Triply Periodic Minimal Surfaces". To learn more about ISTA NEWS, visit: The ISTA website.


British Orthopaedic Research Society Travelling Fellows Visit IRC

In January 2020, the IRC was visited by the BORS Travelling Fellows. During the two-day visit, fellows learned about the research performed at the IRC and shared presentations shared detailing various orthopaedic research projects. To learn more about the BORS, visit: The British Orthopaedic Research Society website.



The 9th International UHMWPE Conference Proceedings are Now Available

In October 2019, the 9th International UHMWPE Meeting convened at the Union League in Philadelphia, PA. The purpose of the meeting was to bring together engineers, scientists, clinicians, and regulators from academia, industry, and FDA and present leading-edge research on advancements in medical grade UHMWPE technology and clinical applications.

To view the conference proceedings and learn more about UHMWPE, visit: The UHMWPE Reference Site. Photos from the event can be viewed in The Gallery.


Cemile Basgul Receives the ON/ICORS Travelling Fellowship

In October 2019, Cemile received the ON/ICORS (Orthoregeneration Network/International Combined Orthopaedic Research Societies) Travelling Fellowship stipend to support research in 3D printed PEEK abroad. Cemile is studying with the University of Basel in Switzerland as a part of this fellowship.

To learn more about the society and fellowship, please visit i-cors.org.


Hannah Spece Receives Philadelphia Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE) Scholarship

In July 2019, Hannah received the STLE Scholarship for her work on 3D printed porous PEEK. To learn more about the scholarship and STLE visit: The Tribology & Lubrication Technology November Magazine




Drexel IRC Wins TruPrint 1000 Consignment Contest Held by TRUMPF

In April 2019, Drexel University was selected to receive a TRUMPF TruPrint 1000 3D printer for a one-year consignment. The TruPrint 1000 uses TRUMPF's Laser Metal Fusion (LMF) technology and will be housed at the Drexel IRC laboratory.


Genymphas Higgs Wins People's Choice Award at Drexel Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Competition

On April 11, 2019, Drexel University hosted a Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Competition as a part of the Emerging Graduate Scholars Conference. Following the competition, Genymphas Higgs was named winner of the People's Choice Award for his presentation "Real World: Medical Device Edition".

To learn more about the competition, visit: The Drexel Emerging Graduate Scholars Conference Website


Genymphas Higgs Named Finalist for Johnson & Johnson Engineering Showcase

Every year, Johnson & Johnson hosts an engineering showcase at the global headquarters in New Brunswick, NJ. After the day-long judging session on February 28th, Genymphas was named one of three finalists selected for the university award based on: Innovation & Novelty, Feasibility & Capability for Implementation, Impact to Business or Humanity, and Presentation Quality.

     

Drexel IRC Joins Women in 3D Printing

In January 2019, the Philadelphia chapter of Women in 3D Printing had their first meet-up led by ambassador Cemile Basgul. The mission of the group is to connect, promote, and inspire women who are using Additive Manufacturing technologies.

To learn more about Wi3DP, visit The Women in 3D Printing Website


Registration for the 4th International PEEK Meeting is Now Open!

The 4th International PEEK Meeting, organized in part by the Drexel IRC, will be held in Washington, D.C. April 25-26th 2019. The purpose of the meeting is to bring together engineers, scientists, regulators, and clinicians from academia, industry, and government agencies and present leading edge research on advancements in medical grade PEEK technology and clinical applications.

To find out more or to register for the meeting, please visit: The Medical PEEK Lexicon


Apium Features Visit with Dr. Steve Kurtz on LinkedIn

Apium, a leading manufacturer of high performance PEEK for 3D printing, recently published an article highlighting PEEK, an upcoming printer launch, and the AM work being done at the IRC.

To read the article, visit: LinkedIn


Genymphas Higgs Receives ISTA 2018 London Young Investigator Scholarship

Genymphas received this honor for his research on the electrochemical characteristics of THA taper corrosion.

Higgs G, Siskey RL, Rimnac CM, Mihalko WM, Gilbert JL, Kurtz SM. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy as a Method to Distinguish Corrosion Severity and Damage Modes in Retrieved Femoral Heads. 31st Annual Congress of the International Society for Technology in Arthroplasty, London, UK, October 10-13, 2018.


Drexel IRC Featured in the Philadelphia Inquirer

The Inquirer Daily News published an article spotlighting the research and day-to-day work of the Drexel Implant Research Center.

To read the article, visit: Philly.com


Daniel MacDonald Receives 2014 Heinz-Mittelmeier Research Award

Daniel MacDonald received this award for investigating the role of ceramic materials in reducing the amount of corrosion observed in modular junctions in total hip arthroplasty. He is invited to present his research at the German Congress For Orthopaedics And Traumatology (DKOU) in Berlin, Germany, October 28-31, 2014.


Alex Sevit Receives 2013 Goldwater and Whitaker International Scholarships

Alex Sevit first became interested in biomedical research when he began a co-op position at Drexel’s Implant Research Center under Prof. Steven Kurtz. There, he helped initiate a multi-center cardiac pacing lead retrieval program that characterizes the biodegradation of the wires that connect the pulse generator of the pacemaker to the heart wall. Alex presented his research at the 2013 annual meetings of the Heart Rhythm Society and the Society for Biomaterials. His research has since shifted towards development of a novel antibacterial coating on the surface of orthopedic implants to prevent infection.

For more information, visit: Drexel University Fellowship Office

Josa Hanzlik Receives 2013 Whitaker International Scholarship

Josa proposes to work with the researchers of The Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, Netherlands, to create mathematical models determining the implant or patient factors that increase the amount of bone ingrowth into porous implants. Beyond Mechanobiology, she also hopes to investigate which factors contribute to the low number of women in STEM fields both in the Netherlands and the US. She has also been a Fulbright Alternate and Fulbright Finalist.

Originally from Rochester, NY, Josa is a member of Professor Steven Kurtz’s Implant Research Center. She was also President of Drexel Graduate Women in Science and Engineering and is actively engaged in science outreach activities, especially those targeting girls and women.

For more information, visit: Drexel University Fellowship Office

IRC Publication Receives James A. Rand Award, American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, for Most Outstanding Paper in Arthroplasty Surgery, 2012

Higgs G, Kurtz SM. Hanzlik JA, MacDonald DW, Klein G, Parvizi J, Mont M, Kraay M, Martell J, Gilbert J, Rimnac CM. Is increased modularity associated with increased wear debris in metal-on-metal total hip arthroplasty devices? James A. Rand Award, 22nd Annual Meeting of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, Dallas, TX, November 1-3, 2012.