JFB Webinar | Bioceramics as a Reservoir of Therapeutic Ions and Cell Signaling
the chair
2nd JFB Webinar
Bioceramics as Reservoir of Therapeutic Ions and Cell Signaling
Bioactive ceramics function as tunable reservoirs of therapeutic ions, enabling a controlled, sustained release of bioactive species capable of directing key regenerative processes. In this webinar, Dr. Ahmed El-Ghannam presents the mechanisms governing silicate ion release from bioactive ceramic surfaces and their proposed role in modulating immune response, tissue innervation, vascularization and hard and soft tissue regeneration. Particular attention will be given to the capacity of silicate ions to decompose reactive oxygen species such as hydrogen peroxide, a process proposed to generate molecular oxygen locally and counteract hypoxic conditions at the wound site, thereby supporting the broader wound-healing cascade. Through this ROS-scavenging and oxygen-generating activity, bioactive silicate ceramics demonstrate regenerative potential extending beyond bone, with emerging relevance to soft tissue repair. The relationship between ceramic surface chemistry and ion release kinetics will also be discussed, along with its implications for shaping local cellular signaling environments relevant to immune, vascular, and neural components of tissue regeneration. This presentation positions bioactive ceramics as active biochemical reservoirs, offering a framework for the rational design of next-generation regenerative and immunomodulatory biomaterials.
Date: 28 October 2026
Time: 19:00 EDT
Webinar ID: 818 5592 1927
Webinar Secretariat: journal.webinar@mdpi.com
Meet Our Chair
Department of Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA;Dr. Ahmed El-Ghannam is Professor of Orthopedic Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. His research focuses on bioactive ceramics, orthopedic and dental implants, tissue engineering and additive manufacturing. He holds several U.S. patents covering resorbable bioactive ceramics, bioceramic coatings for titanium and cobalt-chromium alloys, additively manufactured bioactive silicon carbide (SiC) orthopedic devices and SiC space mirrors. Dr. El-Ghannam’s laboratory has received research support from DePuy/J&J, the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, the U.S. Department of Defense, NASA, Siemens Energy and other organizations. Notably, he successfully translated a novel resorbable bioactive ceramic, Shefabone™ SCPC, from laboratory development through FDA clearance and clinical use. Dr. El-Ghannam maintains extensive collaborations with universities, medical institutions and industry partners in the United States and internationally. He has served as a keynote speaker and conference chair at major national and international biomaterials meetings and has served for 16 years as an Associate Editor of the Journal of Biomedical Materials Research, Part A. He has authored and co-authored books, book chapters and numerous publications spanning biomaterials, materials science and engineering, protein–surface interactions, molecular biology, immunohistochemistry, immunology, dentistry and orthopedics. His scientific impact has been recognized by inclusion in Stanford University’s global ranking of the top 2% most-cited scientists in Bioengineering.
Meet Our Speakers
Department of Anesthesiology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, USA;Dr. Michelle Tucci is Professor of Anesthesiology at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) in Jackson, Mississippi. She earned her undergraduate degree from Seton Hill University in Pennsylvania, followed by a Master of Science in Biology from the University of Dayton, Ohio. She completed her PhD in Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in 2000. Dr. Tucci's research spans anesthesiology, pharmacology, biomaterials, bone biology and translational medicine. In addition to directing and overseeing resident research, she has mentored undergraduate, graduate, medical and postdoctoral trainees across multiple disciplines. She has served on more than 80 doctoral dissertation committees and has authored over 300 peer-reviewed scientific publications. A recognized leader in biomedical research and scientific societies, Dr. Tucci has held numerous leadership positions at the regional, national and international levels. She currently serves as Director and Program Chair of the Rocky Mountain Biomedical Engineering Symposium and has served as Program Chair for the Academy of Surgical Research, conference organizer for the Southern Biomedical Engineering Conference and Chair of the Pathology and Implant Special Interest Group of the Society for Biomaterials. She also serves as Editor-in-Chief of Biomedical Sciences Instrumentation and the Journal of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences and has served on the editorial boards of several scientific journals. Dr. Tucci has received numerous awards recognizing her scientific contributions and professional service, including honors from the Academy of Surgical Research, RMBS, the Mississippi Academy of Sciences, the Society for Biomaterials and the Southern Biomedical Engineering Conference.
Department of Oral Rehabilitation, Centre for Bioengineering and Nanomedicine (Dunedin hub), School of Dentistry, University of Otago, New Zealand;Dr. Azam Ali is a Professor and Director of the Bioengineering Program, Centre for Bioengineering and Nanomedicine at the University of Otago, New Zealand. He is a globally recognized expert in biomaterials and biomedical engineering. With over 23 years of experience in teaching, research and leadership, he has made notable contributions to science, innovation and the community. Professor Azam has earned various awards, such as Bayer Innovator of the Year 2010, the Pierre Fauchard Academy 2024 and has been named Otago’s Supervisor of the Year twice (2018, 2024). He has led more than 30 major research projects, secured nearly NZ$13 million in research funding, supervised over 71 postgraduate students (PhD, MSc, PGDips/Honors), produced 24 patents, invented six medical devices now used in 23 countries and published 193+ papers and 14 book chapters. Professor Azam serves on the board of the Centre for Bioengineering and Nanomedicine, contributes to university committees and editorial boards and reviews grant applications for funding agencies (national and international). He has also reviewed over 20 PhD theses, 37 Master’s theses and served as a reviewer for various journals.
This is a FREE webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar. Registrations with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized.
Certificates of attendance will be delivered to those who attend the live webinar.
Can’t attend? Register anyway and we’ll let you know when the recording is available to watch.
