Dr. Hamdy Ibrahim, a mechanical engineering assistant professor at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC), has received the National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development Program’s ‘CAREER’ award. This annual award, given to promising early-career faculty members, includes a $556,776 grant. The grant will be distributed over five years, starting in May, to support Ibrahim’s research on coatings for biomedical devices like vascular stents and bone fracture repair.
Ibrahim’s research aims to understand how coated magnesium, used in biomedical devices, interacts with certain substances. This understanding is crucial for implants that are designed to degrade naturally after use. The research is part of a broader initiative to improve biomaterials and create more devices that can be safely absorbed by the body.
In his proposal, Ibrahim noted the growing need for healthcare services due to the aging U.S. population. He stressed the importance of improving the clinical use of biodegradable, magnesium-based metallic implants. According to McGraw Hill AccessScience, magnesium alloys are promising for use in orthopedic and cardiovascular implants as they biodegrade in six to 15 months.