JFB Webinar | Development of Biocomposites for Bone Tissue Engineering
the chair
Join us for an insightful webinar on the Development of Biocomposites for Bone Tissue Engineering, where experts will explore how innovative material combinations are transforming the future of bone repair and regeneration. The session will highlight the growing need for alternatives to traditional bone grafts and implants, emphasizing how biocomposites, hybrids of polymers and bioactive ceramics, are designed to mimic the structure and function of natural bone. Participants will gain an overview of design principles, cutting-edge fabrication techniques such as 3D printing, and the role of material properties in enhancing osteogenesis and healing outcomes.
This webinar will also showcase recent advances in scaffold development, in vitro and in vivo testing, and emerging solutions to key challenges such as balancing mechanical strength with porosity and promoting vascularization in large defects. Whether you are a researcher, clinician, or student, this session offers a unique opportunity to explore how biocomposites are shaping the next generation of therapies in bone tissue engineering.
Date: 13 November 2025
Time: 10:00 am CET | 4.00 am EST | 5.00 pm CST Asia
Webinar ID: 859 2900 4742
Webinar Secretariat: journal.webinar@mdpi.com
Meet Our Speakers
Prof. Dr. Susana Sousa
i3S-Institute for Research and Innovation in Health and Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Portugal;
Prof. Dr. Susana Sousa graduated in Chemistry from the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto (FCUP) in 1986. In 1988, she started to work as a researcher at Instituto de Engenharia Biomédica (INEB), and she obtained her Master in Materials Engineering from the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP) in 1992. in July 2007, she obtained her PhD in Materials and Metallurgical Engineering at FEUP. She has been a Professor at Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto (ISEP, IPP) since 1993. Her major research interests are focused on the adsorption of extracellular matrix proteins/peptides on 3D matrices to be used in tissue regeneration, and on target molecule-delivery systems for metastatic bone tumours’ study, and bone infection control. This includes the following topics: the design of 3D scaffolds of nanohydroxyapatite/collagen nanofibers; in vitro development of co-culture models to mimic bone tumour or bone infection microenvironments; surface characterisation of biomaterials.
Prof. Dr. Nuno Alegrete
i3S-Institute for Research and Innovation in Health and Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Portugal;
Prof. Dr. Nuno Alegrete graduated in Medicine from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto (FMUP) in 1993 and received his Doctor of Medicine from the same faculty in March 2024. He has specialised in Orthopaedics and Traumatology since 2002.
Prof. Nuno Alegrete was a hospital assistant in Orthopaedics in the Pediatric Orthopaedics Unit at Hospital de S. João between 2003 and 2017, and a visiting Assistant Professor in the Orthopaedics department of the Medical School during the same period. He is currently the Coordinator of the Pediatric Orthopedics and Spinal Deformities Unit at CUF Porto Hospital and an Affiliate Professor at FMUP. He is a member of the Portuguese Society of Orthopedics and Traumatology (SPOT), the Portuguese Society of Pediatric Orthopedics (SPOP), the Portuguese Society of Pediatrics (SPP), the European Pediatric Orthopedic Society (EPOS), and the Pediatric Orthopedic Society of North America (POSNA).
Prof. Dr. Eduardo Henrique Backes
Graduate Program in Materials Science and Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil;
Prof. Dr. Eduardo Henrique Backes has been a Professor in the Department of Materials Engineering at UFSCar since July 2022. He holds a doctoral degree in Materials Science and Engineering and a postdoctorate from the Paulista School of Medicine (UNIFESP), where he worked on the 3D bioprinting of neural models. His research encompasses additive manufacturing, bioprinting, biomaterials, polymer composites, and the development of bioactive filaments for regenerative medicine applications. He has a solid academic track record, including international partnerships, publications in high-impact journals (over 35 publications in International Journals), and an h-index of 22 (Google Scholar).
The webinar was hosted via Zoom and required registration to attend. The full recording can be found below. In order to learn about future webinars, you can sign up to our newsletter by clicking “Subscribe” at the top of the page.
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025