The Biometals, Coatings, and Devices Group – BCD Group is dedicated to the research, development, and evaluation of materials within the field of biomedical engineering, with a particular emphasis on metallic materials. With personalized medicine as a guiding principle, the BCD Group aims to create medical solutions (materials, implants, or biomedical devices) tailored to each patient’s specific needs. This involves selecting the appropriate material (an alloy, composite, or multimaterial), and determining the optimal manufacturing technique. The BCD Group strives to investigate at the intersection of fundamental and applied research. The goal is to generate foundational knowledge for the design and production of innovative materials that achieve optimal biological performance. This can be achieved by controlling the composition, degradation, and tissue interaction of the material, which in some cases may require advanced coatings.

The group’s research scope encompasses various forms of materials, including scaffolds, meshes, particles, and dense bodies. The purpose is to address the entire production chain, from the rational material design, including composition and structure, to comprehensive validation and characterization at microstructural, mechanical, and corrosion resistance levels. Additionally, this process will be validated through an in vitro biological evaluation at the cellular and molecular levels, facilitating the transition to preclinical in vivo evaluations in collaboration with other research centers and hospitals.

• Materials: Magnesium, Zinc, Titanium, Polymers (such as PLA, PCL, PGS, PCEC), Carbon Nanotubes, Nitinol.
  Manufacturing Techniques and material characterization: 3D Printing (Laser Powder Bed Deposition (LPBD), Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), 3D Printing Pellet Extruder), casting, dynamic and mechanical loading bioreactor, advanced microscopy (SEM, EDS, Confocal), molecular cells testing (western blot, PCR).
• Coatings: PEO, Electrodeposition, Hydrothermal coating, Nanoparticles.
• Applications: Cardiovascular Stents, Bone Implants, Osteochondral Replacement, Treatment of Brain Tumors, Treatment of Tropical Diseases (Leishmaniasis and Chagas).