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The discoverer of the Piezoelectricity of Bone visits Queen Mary
Friday 15th March 2013
On March 19th Prof. Eiichi Fukada (Kobayasi Institute of Physical Research, Tokyo, Japan) visited Queen Mary University of London, upon an invitation by Dr. Carpi from the School of Engineering and Materials Science. Prof. Fukada gave a seminar entitled “Piezoelectricity in Biopolymers and Electrical Stimulation of Bone Growth”.
The piezoelectric effect consists of the electrical polarization resulting from mechanical stress applied to a material. Piezoelectric materials also display the inverse effect: mechanical deformation upon application of electric charge. More than 50 years ago, Prof. Fukada et al., found that the piezoelectric effect shows up in bone too. With his pioneering paper “On the piezoelectric effect of bone”, published in 1957, Prof. Fukada has later gained the title of ‘Discoverer of the piezoelectricity of bone’.
After the discovery of the piezoelectric effect in bone, many studies were conducted to investigate how electrical stimulation can be used to induce bone growth. As such, it was noticed that implantation of pieces of piezoelectric polymers, such as poly-L-lactic acid, arranged in contact to bone produced the formation of bone callus.The effect is thought to be due to electrical stimulation of the connective tissue, exerted by the piezoelectric polymer under cyclic stress. This has led to numerous studies trying to stimulate bone fracture healing using DC and AC electric current, electromagnetic pulses and ultrasound.
Prof. Fukada’s research on piezoelectricity has inspired generations of students and researchers to understand fundamental biophysical problems and use the results to conceive new medical devices. Indeed Prof. Fukada’s seminar was highly inspiring for many students studying Medical Engineering at Queen Mary University of London.
Anna Varone (Medical Engineering student)