New milestone for the LaserON group. The team, which is part of the Cintecx research center at the University of Vigo and the Galicia Sur Health Research Institute (IIS Galicia Sur), has just published a review article in the prestigious international journal Advanced Healthcare Materials, one of the leading publications in the field of biomaterials and biomedical engineering. The research, which has been selected to illustrate one of the journal’s May covers, analyzes the potential of laser technologies to process and modify bioactive glasses, that is, materials capable of interacting with biological tissue and promoting bone and tissue regeneration.
The paper is titled Laser-Assisted Processing and Modification of Bioactive Glasses: A Review, and the review was coordinated by UVigo researchers in collaboration with the group of Professor Julian Jones from Imperial College London, one of the world’s leading experts in bioactive glasses. The article compiles the main advances in laser techniques applied to these biomaterials, including additive manufacturing, bioactive coatings, surface texturing, and the production of nanostructures.
New possibilities
The authors highlight that the combination of bioactive glasses and laser technology “opens new possibilities for the development of personalized implants, advanced biomedical surfaces, and devices with applications in regenerative medicine.” Among the advantages of laser use are high precision, the ability to manufacture complex geometries, and the customization of treatments and medical devices.
The article also reviews the physical phenomena involved in the interaction between laser radiation and bioactive glasses, as well as the challenges associated with processing these materials, such as thermal stresses or laser-induced crystallization.
The presence of the article on the cover of Advanced Healthcare Materials represents international recognition of the relevance and potential of this line of research developed at the University of Vigo. The study involves researchers Antonio Riveiro, Mario González-Quintas, Mónica Fernández-Arias, Jesús del Val, Félix Quintero, Rafael Comesaña, Fernando Lusquiños, and Juan Pou from the University of Vigo and the Galicia Sur Health Research Institute (IIS Galicia Sur), together with Professor Julian R. Jones from Imperial College London.
A leading national and European research group
The LaserON group has established itself as a national and European leader in the field of laser material processing, with more than 30 years of experience in the development of advanced manufacturing and surface modification technologies. This track record is supported by a highly specialized multidisciplinary team and a unique scientific-technological infrastructure, which includes high-power laser sources and state-of-the-art auxiliary equipment within the European context.
In the field of biomaterials and, in particular, bioactive glasses, LaserON has developed innovative solutions with advanced biomedical applications. These include the production of dressings based on nanometric bioactive glass fibers using a technique patented by the group called Laser Spinning, capable of producing fibrous structures aimed at healing chronic wounds such as those commonly found in diabetic patients. Likewise, the group is working on the development of procedures for manufacturing personalized implants intended for bone regeneration, taking advantage of the possibilities offered by laser technologies to adapt geometries and properties to the specific needs of each patient.
As highlighted by the group, a large part of its research activity has been funded by the Xunta de Galicia through grants aimed at the consolidation and structuring of competitive research units – Competitive Reference Groups.