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UCL Division of Surgery and Interventional Science

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Materials Research

Our translational work combines biotechnology and biomaterials science, with strong input from orthopaedic surgeons and clinicians. The team comprises bioengineers, material scientists, biochemists, and surgeons. Our research is directed toward biomedical devices innovation for enhancing the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders.

Our work

Our goal is to address clinically relevant challenges related to tissue engineering of the musculoskeletal system.

Key research

  • Scaffold innovation for musculoskeletal tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
  • Customized medical devices for intervention of musculoskeletal disorders.
  • Biomedical device surface processing for regulate protein adsorption and cells attachment.
  • Biomaterials and additive manufacturing innovation early treatment of orthopaedic disorders.

Work in progress

  • Developing osteochondral scaffolds for early intervention in osteoarthritis.
  • Simulation and modelling of tissue-implant interactions.
  • Development of new biodegradable polymeric drug delivery systems.
  • Additive manufacturing and biomaterials innovation for treatment of orthopaedic disorders.
  • Surface modification of orthopaedic implants for regulating protein adsorption and cells growth.
  • Customised implants for reconstruction of large bone defects

Core research projects

  • Osteochondral scaffold innovation for early intervention of osteoarthritis
  • Personalised porous implants for reducing stress shielding and aseptic loosening. 
  • Orthopaedic applications
  • Titanium/PEEK reinforced collagen hybrid scaffold for large bone defect reconstruction.
  • Biomimetic bone-tendon tissue connector for repair of irreparable rotator cuff
  • Implant surface processing for regulate protein adsorption and tissue-implant interactions.

Nanosurface diagram, with nanoconcave and nanoconvex

Professor Chaozong Liu

Professor Liu’s research is directed toward biomaterials innovation for orthopaedic applications with particular emphasis on the early treatment of musculoskeletal disorders and improving musculoskeletal tissue repair and regeneration. His research in this area is supported by Versus Arthritis UK, Innovate UK, Horizon2020, NIHR, EPSRC and MRC. Research from the Orthopaedic Group has led to several patented inventions, including the osteochondral scaffold technology for regeneration of bone and cartilage for early intervention of osteoarthritis.

This scaffold was demonstrated by Professor Noel Fitzpatrick of the Channel 4 TV series Supervet. It was implanted in a pet dog shoulder to treat a large osteochondral defect. In 2017, the Versus Arthritis UK treatment sub-committee deemed the osteochondral scaffold "an exciting technology with the potential to provide a novel intervention for a large number of patients and potentially provide good value for money for the health services". It was awarded a grant for first-in-man clinical trials which began 01 October 2019 in the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital.

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Chaozong Liu

Chaozong Liu's Research Group

Chaozong Liu

Prof. Chaozong Liu (Principal Investigator)

Dr Changning Sun

Dr Changning Sun

Dr Anfu Chen

Dr Anfu Chen

Dr Farnaz Ghorbani

Dr Farnaz Ghorbani

PhD Students

Tina Varma

Tina Nath Varma (2020-)

Haoyu Wang

Haoyu Wang (2019-)

Ying Gu

Ying Gu (2018-)

Weizhe Xiao

Weizhe Xiao (2019-)

Seyed Naghavi

Seyed Ataollah Naghavi (2018-)

Liqi Ng

Liqi Ng (2019-)

Tao Nan

Nan Tao (2022-)

Mingjing Zhang

Mingjing Zhang (2022-)

Mo Zhou

Mo Zhou (2020-)

Changchou Zhang

Changchao Zhang

Alumni
Visiting scientists
  • Dr Zaida Cristina Ortega Medina (University of Las Palmas)
  • Dr Ruben Paz (University of Las Palmas)
  • Noella Diaz (University of Las Palmas)
  • Maria Elena Aleman (University of Las Palmas)
  • Dr Lingling Zhao (Ningbo University)
  • Lei Gao (Zhejian University)
  • Dr Narjes Rashidi (Tehran University of Medical Sciences)

Chaozong Liu's research group

Funding / Partnerships

  1. Engineering plant-based extracellular vesicles for anti-inflammatory and regenerative treatment of early osteoarthritis. UCL Regenerative Medicine Tin Pilot Data Fund 2022.
  2. Novel hydrogel for cartilage regeneration. Shenzhen Science & Technology Community International Collaboration Grant. 2021. 
  3. Novel hybrid bone matrix for repair of irreparable rotator cuff tears. NIHR UCLH BRC Therapeutic Acceleration Support (TAS) Fund. 2021
  4. Development of a smart scaffold for monitoring the cell invasion. Royal Society. 2020
  5. Biotechnology of Jellyfish collagen scaffold. Jellagen Ltd. 2020.
  6. Titanium-Collagen Hybrid Scaffold Innovation for Large Bone Defect Reconstruction Following Osteosarcoma. EPSRC Doctoral Training Partnership - CASE Conversion Award. EPSRC. 2019
  7. Super elastic NiTiNb porous implant innovation for enhancing in vivo performance of joint reconstruction, Royal Society 2019. PI
  1. 3D Printing Technology of Integrated Material & Structure for Medical Application (材料结构一体化3D打印技术与医学应用), MoST China (National Key R&D Program of China). 2019 
  2. First in man clinical trials of novel osteochondral scaffold technology, Versus Arthritis Research UK. 2019
  3. Establish technical files for novel osteochondral scaffold, HEIF UK2018.
  4. Osteochondral Scaffold Innovation for Early Intervention of Osteoarthritis, Innovate UK-MoST  2017
  5. Biomaterials and Additive Manufacturing: Osteochondral Scaffold innovation applied to osteoarthritis, EU – H2020-MSCA-RISE-2016 2017.
  6. Temperature and pH dual-responsive injectable rtPA-integrated nano-hydrogels for thrombolysis, Shenzhen International Collaboration Grant 2017.

Select publications

  1. Bakhtiary, N., Ghalandari, B., Ghorbani, F., Varma, S.N., Liu, C. (2023) Advances in Peptide-Based Hydrogel for Tissue Engineering. Polymers. (In press)
  2. Jindi Lai, Anfu Chen, Jing Li, Yameng Pei, Seyed Ataollah Naghavi, Caihong Lei, Chaozong Liu, Lijia Huang. (2023). Bio-inspired Mechanically Robust Superhydrophobic Polypropylene Surfaces Embedded with Silicon Carbide Whiskers for Enhancing Bactericidal Performance. Journal of Materials Research and Technology.
  3. Seyed Ataollah Naghavi, Maryam Tamaddon, Pilar Garcia-Souto, Mehran Moazen, Stephen Taylor, Jia Hua and Chaozong Liu. (2023). A novel hybrid design and modelling of a customized graded Ti6Al4V porous hip implant to reduce stress-shielding: An experimental and numerical analysis. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology-Biomechanics.
  4. Zhang Qiliang, Zhou Jian, Zhi Peixuan, Liu Leixin, Liu Chaozong, Fang Ao, Zhang Qidong. (2023). 3D printing method for bone tissue engineering scaffold. Medicine in Novel Technology and Devices, 2023. 17: p. 100205.
  5. Deng, Shuhua, Anfu Chen, Weijia Chen, Jindi Lai, Yameng Pei, Jiahua Wen, Can Yang, Jiajun Luo, Jingjing Zhang, Caihong Lei, Swastina Nath Varma, and Chaozong Liu. 2023. Fabrication of Biodegradable and Biocompatible Functional Polymers for Anti-Infection and Augmenting Wound Repair. Polymers. 2023. 15(1): 120.
  6. Jingfu Jin,Yiying Chen, Tingkun Chen, Yingchun Qi, Qian Cong, Chaozong Liu. (2023). Formation mechanism of freezing interface strain and effect of different factors on freezing interface strain. International Journal of Thermal Sciences. 2023. 185: 108090.
  7. Elena Giusto, Gordon Blunn, Roberta Ferro de Godoy, Chaozong Liu, Catherine Pendegrass. (2022). Optimising soft tissue in-growth in vivo in additive layer manufactured osseointegrated transcutaneous implants. Biomaterials Translational. 2022. 3(4): 243-249.
  8. Hamidreza Tolabi, Negar Bakhtiary, Shaghayegh Sayadi, Maryam Tamaddon, Farnaz Ghorbani, Aldo R. Boccaccini, Chaozong Liu. (2022). A critical review on polydopamine surface-modified scaffolds in musculoskeletal regeneration. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology. 2022. 10:1008360.
  9. Tingkun Chen, Lin Wang, Jin Xu, Tianyu Gao, Xiuzhang Qin, Xiaobin Yang, Qian Cong, Jingfu Jin, Chaozong Liu. (2022). Effect of groove texture on deformation and sealing performance of engine piston ring. Machine. 2022. 10:1020. 
  10. Seyed Ataollah Naghavi, Churun Lin, Changning Sun, Maryam Tamaddon, Mariam Basiouny, Pilar Garcia-Souto, Stephen Taylor, Jia Hua, Dichen Li, Ling Wang, Chaozong Liu. (2022). Stress Shielding and Bone Resorption of Press-Fit Polyether-Ether-Ketone (PEEK) Hip Prosthesis: a SAWBONE Model Study. Polymers. 2022. 14, 4600.

  1. Li DP, Liu CZ, Jeremy M, Li X, Wang JC, Nath Varma S, Gai TT, Tian WQ, Zou Q, Wei YM, Wang HY, Long CJ, Zhou Y. (2022). Myeloid sarcoma with ulnar nerve entrapment: A case report. World Journal Clinical Cases. 2022. 10(28): 10227-10235.

  2. Seyed Ataollah Naghavi, Maryam Tamaddon, Arsalan Marghoub, Katherine Wang, Behzad Bahrami Babamiri, Kavan Hazeli *, Wei Xu, Xin Lu, Changning Sun, Liqing Wang, Mehran Moazen, Ling Wang, Dichen Li, Chaozong Liu. (2022). Mechanical Characterization and Numerical Modeling of TPMS-Based Gyroid and Diamond Ti6Al4V Scaffolds for Bone Implants: An Integrated Approach for Translational Consideration. Bioengineering. 2022. 9(10):504.

  3. Changning Sun, Huiyu Zhao, Lei Wang, Jinghua Zhang, Jibao Zheng, Zijian Yang, Lijun Huang, Ling Wang, Chaozong Liu, Dichen Li, Qingchu Li. (2022). Additive manufactured polyether-ether-ketone composite scaffolds with hydroxyapatite filler and porous structure promoted the integration with soft tissue. Biomaterials Advances. 2022. 141:213119.

  4. Narjes Rashidi, Maryam Tamaddon, Chaozong Liu, Jan Czernuszka. (2022). Polymerization of chondroitin sulfate and its stimulatory effect on cartilage regeneration; a bioactive material for cartilage regeneration. Polymer Testing. 2022. 116: 107796.

  5. Huanxin Wang, Xiangsheng Gao, Boxu Wang, Min Wang, Yunan Liu, Tao Zan, Peng Gao, Chaozong Liu. (2022). Evaluation of temperature distribution for bone drilling considering aging factor. Medicine in Novel Technology and Devices. 2022. 16: 100174.

  6. Peixuan Zhi, Leixin Liu, Jinke Chang, Chaozong Liu, Qiliang Zhang, Jian Zhou, Ziyu Liu, Yubo Fan. (2022). Advances in the study of magnesium alloys and their use in bone implant material. Metal. 2022. 12(9), 1500.

  7. Changning Sun, Jianfeng Kang, Ling Wang, Zhongmin Jin, Chaozong Liu, Dichen Li. (2022). Stress-dependent design and optimization methodology of gradient porous implant and application in femoral stem. Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering. 2022.

  8. Changning Sun, Enchun Dong, Jiayu Chen, Jibao Zheng, Jianfeng Kang, Zhongmin Jin, Chaozong Liu, Ling Wang, Dichen Li. (2022). The Promotion of Mechanical Properties by Bone Ingrowth in the Additive Manufactured Titanium Scaffold. Journal of Functional Biomaterials. 2022, 13(3): 127.

  9. P.F. Jiang. X.R. Li, X.M. Zong. X.B. Wang, Z.K. Chen, C.Z. Liu, N.K. Gao, Zhihui Zhang. (2022). Microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti basic bionic gradient heterogeneous alloy prepared by multi-wire arc additive manufacturing. Journal of Alloys and Compounds 2022. 926: 166813.

  10. Luo Jiajun, Zhao Shudong, Gao Xiangsheng, Nath Varma Swastina, Xu, Wei, Tamaddon, Maryam, Thorogate, Richard, Yu, Haoran, Lu, Xin, Salmeron-Sanchez, Manuel, Liu, Chaozong. (2022). TiO2 Nanotopographies-Driven Osteoblasts Adhesion through Coulomb’s Force Evolution. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. 2022. 14: 34400-34414.

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How to reach us

Centre for Materials Research
Division of Surgery & Interventional Science 
Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital
Brockley Hill
Stanmore
HA7 4LP

Tel: 0208 954 9427

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