Nano-Biotechnology Laboratory

Fereydoon Namavar, ScD, is the director of the Nano-Biotechnology Laboratory at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation. Dr. Namavar and his team are working with super-small nanostructures that are undetectable to the human eye to make a big impact in the field of orthopaedic surgery. These miniscule structures are being used to create super hard, extremely wettable, "smart" infection-resistant coatings that will prolong the life of orthopaedic implants by reducing wear, thus reducing the need for revision surgery.

In close collaboration with researchers from the UNMC departments of Genetics, Cell Biology and Anatomy, as well as Pathology and Microbiology, these durable coatings are being designed to promote bone marrow stromal cell growth, reducing both the probability of infections and patient recovery time. Because these versatile coatings can be applied to virtually any surface, they potentially have many other scientific and biomedical applications, including extending the life of critical mechanical components in aircraft, watercraft and ground vehicles, by increasing fuel efficiency and preventing corrosion.