Talk@BCRT: Regine Willumeit-Römer (Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon)

Abstract

Lecture

The Digital Twin for Degradable Mg-Implants 

Magnesium-based implants have found their way into the clinics, and the number of approved products increases. However, we still have not reached a full understanding of all processes during the degradation of such implants and regeneration of the surrounding tissue. In vitro studies with sufficient spatial, temporal and chemical resolution to reach such an understanding are challenging, and longitudinal in vivo monitoring with equally good resolution is typically even impossible. At the same time, extrapolating the in vivo outcome based on in vitro tests remains unreliable. Therefore, we are aiming at the development of a Digital Twin for in silico studies. To calibrate this digital twin, we use not only reliable electrochemical data but also multiscale in vitro and in vivo image data by employing synchrotron radiation-based micro computed micro and nano tomography or transmission electron microscopy for Mg-xGd implant materials (x=2, 5, 10 wt. %). With our model approach we are able to simulate the degradation process for different alloys in vitro and in vivo.

About the Speaker

Regine Willumeit-Römer (Head of Institute of Metallic Biomaterials)

Prof. Dr. Regine Willumeit-Römer obtained a PhD in physics for the structural characterization of ribosomes (University of Hamburg). She used spin-dependent neutron scattering, an approach which gave her the chance also to work at CERN, Geneva, Switzerland. Her habilitation and venia legendi in biochemistry about the structure-function relationship in ribosomes was also obtained from the University of Hamburg. While working at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon (former “HZG”) and teaching structural biology in Hamburg, Regine Willumeit-Römer became Head of the Department ‘Macromolecular Structure Research’ at HZG. Her field of research shifted from structural biology towards implant materials, especially biodegradable Magnesium materials. Since 2014, she is full Professor at the University of Kiel, Faculty of Engineering for the field “Biological interfaces of Implants”. In 2015, she became Director of the Institute for “Metallic Biomaterials” at Hereon. She coordinated several large European projects and is currently the representative of the Geesthacht branch of material science in the HGF. She has published 340 peer reviewed papers (H-Index 56, WoS January 2023).