Korea University · Engineering
Professor Hyung-Seop Han's research lab specializes in the development and optimization of biodegradable metallic materials for biomedical implant applications, with a primary focus on magnesium-based alloys. The lab investigates surface engineering strategies—such as laser patterning and hydroxyapatite coatings—to enhance biocompatibility, control corrosion rates, and promote tissue integration. Key research directions include improving implant-bone bonding through bioactive surface topographies, evaluating cytotoxicity using innovative zebrafish models, and integrating advanced imaging and bioreactor technologies to study vascularization and cell behavior in skeletal tissues.
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
During the last decade, translational research on biodegradable metallic materials has shown the feasibility of these novel materials for use in the fields of cardiology and orthopedics. Implants prepared with biodegradable metals are significantly stronger than their polymer counterparts, and there is now convincing evidence demonstrating that these materials fully biodegrade in vivo, thus reducing the need for secondary surgery. Clinical trials of such novel materials show significant potentia
Biodegradable metallic materials represent a potential step-change technology that may revolutionize the treatment of broken bones. Implants made with biodegradable metals are significantly stronger than their polymer counterparts and fully biodegradable in vivo, removing the need for secondary surgery or long-term complications. Here, it is shown how clinically approved Mg alloy promotes improved bone repair using an integrated state of the art fetal mouse metatarsal assay coupled with in vivo
During the past decade, there has been extensive research toward the possibility of exploring magnesium and its alloys as biocompatible and biodegradable materials for implantable applications. Its practical medical application, however, has been limited to specific areas owing to rapid corrosion in the initial stage and the consequent complications. Surface coatings can significantly reduce the initial corrosion of Mg alloys, and several studies have been carried out to improve the adhesion str
Hydroxyapatite, an essential mineral in human bones composed mainly of calcium and phosphorus, is widely used to coat bone graft and implant surfaces for enhanced biocompatibility and bone formation. For a strong implant-bone bond, the bone-forming cells must not only adhere to the implant surface but also move to the surface requiring bone formation. However, strong adhesion tends to inhibit cell migration on the surface of hydroxyapatite. Herein, a cell migration highway pattern that can promo
Mg has received much attention as a next-generation implantable material owing to its biocompatibility, bone-like mechanical properties, and biodegradability in physiological environments. The application of various polymer coatings has been conducted in the past to reduce the rapid formation of hydrogen gas and the local change in pH during the initial phase of the chemical reaction with the body fluids. Here, we propose femtosecond (fs) laser-mediated Mg surface patterning for significant enha
The cytotoxicity of alloying elements in newly developed biodegradable metals can be assessed through relatively low-cost and rapid in vitro studies using different cell types. However, such approaches have limitations; as such, additional investigations in small mammalian models are required that recapitulate the physiological environment. In this study, we established a zebrafish (Danio rerio) model for cytotoxicity evaluations that combines the physiological aspects of an animal model with th
Developing a universal culture platform that manipulates cell fate is one of the most important tasks in the investigation of the role of the cellular microenvironment. This study focuses on the application of topographical and electrical field stimuli to human myogenic precursor cell (hMPC) cultures to assess the influences of the adherent direction, proliferation, and differentiation, and induce preconditioning-induced therapeutic benefits. First, a topographical surface of commercially availa
Wound healing involves a complex series of coordinated events throughout the inflammatory, proliferative, and maturation phases of tissue repair. Current treatment modalities lack a device catering to all wound healing stages for tissue recovery, angiogenesis and epithelialization. Herein, we developed an integrated wound healing system with multiple functions of self-electrical stimulation (ES), reactive oxygen species (ROS) regulation, and bioactive metal-releasing patch (ERMP) to address all
Medical stents are vital for treating vascular complications and restoring blood flow in millions of patients. Despite its widespread effectiveness, restenosis, driven by the complex interplay of cellular responses, remains a concern. This study investigated the reactions of vascular cells to nano/microscale wrinkle (nano-W and micro-W) patterns created on laser-textured nitinol (NiTi) surfaces by adjusting laser processing parameters, such as spot overlap ratio and line overlap ratio. Evaluatio
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