Bioceramic Laboratory

FacultyServices Projects PublicationsResearch Staff

Faculty

• Dr. Harikrishna Varma P. R.
  Engineer 'F' & Scientist-in-Charge
• Dr. Manoj Komath
  Scientist 'E'

Facilities

1. X-Ray Powder Diffraction
2. Scanning Electron Microscopy and EDS analysis
3. Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy
4. Microhardness Measurement
5. Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy ( ICP-AES)

Product Development and Technology Transfer activity

The know-how of technology developed in the Bioceramics Lab, has been given to Four Companies. They have introduced in the Indian market, clinically useful products for orthopaedic and dental application. Some of their product currently available in the market in the trade name PERIOBONE G and ORTHOGRAN (TopNotch, Kerala), B-Ostin (Basic HealthCare, Chandigarh), Grabio Glascera (Dorthom Medidents, Coimbatore), BioGraft-HABG Active (IFGL Bioceramics, Calcutta).

Projects

1. "Biomimetic Processing of inorganic –organic composites for biomedical applications", DST (INDO –Japanese S&T Cooperation Joint Project) ( PIs. Dr.H.K.Varma and Prof.Y.Yokogawa, City University of Osaka, Osaka, Japan)
2. "Pilot level production of Bioactive Composite Granules for Dental Application" (PI: Dr.H.K.Varma), as a consultancy for DORTHOM Medi Dents Pvt Ltd., Coimbatore
3. "Testing and Optimization of Bioactive Ceramic Products" (PI: Dr.H.K.Varma), as a consultancy for Basic Healthcare Products Pvt. Ltd, Chandigarh
4. "Pulsed Laser Coating of Bioactive Ceramic Composite on Titanium Bone Implants" (PI : Dr.H.K.Varma, Co-PI : Dr.Manoj Komath), SRS Project of Kerala State Council for Science, Technology & Environment.
5. "Development Of Calcium Sulfate Based Injectable Bone Substitute" (PI : Dr.Manoj Komath, Co-PI : Dr.H.K.Varma) SERC Project of Dept of Science and Technology.
6. Synthesis of oxide based magnetic nanoparticles for biocompatibility studies, magnetic hyperthermia and MRI applications (PI at SCTIMST : Dr.H.K.Varma and PI at IIT Chennai : Prof.Ramachandra Rao) , SERC Project of Dept of Science and Technology, with IIT Chennai collaboration.

Publications (last 5 years period)

1. Sailaja GS, Ramesh P and Varma HK, Swelling behavior of hydroxyapatite-filled chitosan-poly(acrylic acid) polyelectrolyte complexes, Journal of Applied Polymer Science 2006; 100: 4716-4722.
2. Sailaja GS, Kumary TV, Yokogawa Y and Varma HK, In vitro mineralization and cell adhesion on surface modified poly(2-hydroxy ethyl methacrylate-co-methyl methacrylate), Key Engineering Materials 2006; 309: 493-496.
3. Sailaja GS, Ramesh P, Kumary TV, and Varma HK, HOS Cell Adehesion Behaviour on Hydroxyapatite Integrated Chitosan-Poly (acrylic acid) Polyelectroyte Complex, Acta Biomaterialia, 2006; 2: 651-657.
4. Fernandez AC, Mira Mohanty, Varma HK and Manoj Komath, Safety and efficacy of Chitra-CPC calcium phosphate cement as bone substitute, Current Science 2006; 91:1678-1686.
5. Shiny Velayudhan, P. Ramesh , H.K. Varma , S. Schmitt , K. Friedrich, Stamp forming of hydroxyapatite filled ethylene vinyl acetate co-polymers: Process optimization using a right angle V-mould, Composites: Part A 2007; 38: 1621–1629.
6. AnilKumar PR, Varma HK and Kumary TV, Cell patch seeding and functional analysis of cellularized scaffolds for tissue engineering, Biomed. Mater. 2007; 2: 48–54.
7. Sailaja GS, Ramesh P and Varma HK, Hydroxyaptite Mouldable Formulation Using Natural Rubber Latex as Binder, J Biomed Mater Res: Part B - Applied Biomaterials, 2007;82B:231-238.
8. Easwer HV, Rajeev A, Varma HK, Vijayan S, and Bhattacharya R N, Cosmetic and radiological outcome following the use of synthetic hydroxyapatite porous-dense bilayer burr-hole buttons, Acta Neurochirgia , 2007;149: 481–486.
9. Manitha B. Nair, Suresh Babu S., Varma HK, Annie John, A triphasic ceramic-coated porous hydroxyapatite for tissue engineering application, Acta Biomaterialia 2008; 4: 173–181.
10. Acharya N K, Kumar R J, Varma H K, Menon KV, Hydroxyapatite-Bioactive Glass Ceramic Composite as Stand-alone Graft Substitute for Posterolateral Fusion of Lumbar Spine: A Prospective, Matched, and Controlled Study. Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques 2008; 21(2):106-111,
more...
Manitha B. Nair, Varma HK, Menon KV, Shenoy S and Annie John, Tissue regeneration and repair of goat segmental femur defect with bioactive triphasic ceramic-coated hydroxyapatite scaffold, J.Biomed.Mater.Res. 2008; 91: 855-865.
Manitha B. Nair, Varma HK and Annie John, Biodegradation and Cytocompatibility Studies of a Triphasic Ceramic-Coated Porous Hydroxyapatite for Bone Substitute Applications, International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology 2008; 5(1) 11-19.
Manitha B. Nair, Varma HK and Annie John. Platelet-Rich Plasma and Fibrin Glue–Coated Bioactive Ceramics Enhance Growth and Differentiation of Goat Bone Marrow–Derived Stem Cells Tissue Engineering Part A. July 2009; 15:1619-1631.
Sailaja G S, Sreenivasan K, Yokogawa Y, Kumary T V, Varma H K. Bioinspired mineralization and cell adhesion on surface functionalized poly(vinyl alcohol) films. Acta Biomaterialia 2009; 5(5):1647–55.
Calcium Phosphate Cement as a “Barrier-Graft” for the Treatment of Human Periodontal Intraosseous Defects JB Rajesh, K Nandakumar, HK Varma and Manoj Komath Indian J Dent Res, 2009; 20: 471-479.
Sailaja G S, Mohanty M, Mohanan PV, Kumary TV, Ramesh P and Varma HK, Tissue engineering, 2009;15: 3061-3069.
Manoj Komath and H.K.Varma, Synthetic bone graft materials, Kerala Dental Journal, 2009; 32: 193-198.
Manitha B. Nair, Varma HK and Annie John, Triphasic ceramic coated hydroxyapatite as a niche for goat stem cell-derived osteoblasts for bone regeneration and repair, J.Mater.Sci.mater.Med , 2009;20: 251-258.
Manitha B. Nair, Varma HK, Menon KV, Shenoy S. and Annie John, Reconstruction of goat femur segmental defects using triphasic ceramic-coated hydroxyapatite in combination with autologous cells and platelet-rich plasma, Acta Biomaterialia 2009; 5:1742–1755.
Manitha B. Nair, Varma HK, S.Shenoy and Annie John, Treatment of Goat Femur Segmental Defects with Silica-Coated Hydroxyapatit – One Year Follow-Up, Tissue Engineering Part A. 2010;16: 385.
Sailaja GS , Ramesh P and Varma HK, Ultrastructural evaluation of in vitro mineralized calcium phosphate phase on surface phosphorylated poly(hydroxy ethyl methacrylate-co-methyl methacrylate), J.Mater.Sci.Mater.Med., 2010;21:1183-1193.
Ajeesh M , Francis BF, John Annie and Varma HK, Nano iron oxide–hydroxyapatite composite ceramics with enhanced radiopacity, J.Mater.Sci.Mater.Med., 2010; 21: 1427-1434.
Acharya NK, Mahajan CV, Kumar RJ, Varma HK and Menon KV, Can Iliac Crest Reconstruction Reduce Donor Site Morbidity? A Study Using Degradable Hydroxyapatite-bioactive Glass Ceramic Composite, J Spinal Disord Tech. 2010; 23: 266-271.

Patents

1. 1 Japanese and 10 Indian patents

Research

1. Micro and nano porous bioceramic substrates having capacity to carry drugs and biologics for the treatment of refractory osteomyelitis and osteonecrosis.
2. Bone filler cements based on calcium sulphate and calcium phosphates, which are superior in resorption characteristics and having the capacity for drug delivery.
3. Coating of hydroxyapatite layers on to titanium implant surface using Pulsed Laser Deposition technique, so as to increase the integration with bone.
4. Silica-based biosensors for the detection of markers in blood for diagnostic applications.
5. Magnetic nanoparticles for radiological and therapeutic applications.
6. Biomiemetic materials as bone implants.

Supporting Staff