Thilak Gunatillake
  1. Current research activities

    2. Our research efforts are directed to design and synthesize polymers for use in medical implants, and tissue engineered products and therapies. Being part of a multi-disciplinary research team, the polymer chemistry research group designs novel polymers with mechanical properties and biological performance appropriate to the desired end products in cardiovascular, ophthalmic and tissue engineering fields. Our work is supported by a number of strong interactions with collaborators who bring skills for in-vivo evaluation, and prototype device design and fabrication.

    Our current research is focused on the development of biodegradable polymers for tissue engineering in orthopaedic, soft tissue and cartilage fields. We have developed a family of biodegradable polymers that can deliver cells and growth factors for repair of bone and cartilage defects. The polymers are designed to provide the cell delivery techniques and curing strategies such that they minimize the requirement for invasive surgery. This polymer technology has the potential for use in other fields such as drug delivery, soft tissue and organ repair.

  2. Keywords

    3. Biodegradable, in-situ curable, scaffolds, injectable, arthroscopic, polymers, biocompatible, porous.

  3. End-user applications

    • Bone repair,
    • Cell and biological delivery
    • Drug delivery
    • Wound repair
    • Cartilage repair

  4. Key publications

    5. I. Biodegradable Synthetic Polymers for Tissue Engineering”
    PA Gunatillake and R Adhikari European Cells & Materials 2003, 5, 1-16
    II. Designing Biostable Polyurethane Elastomers for Biomedical Applications”
    PA Gunatillake, DJ Martin, GF Meijs, SJ McCarthy and R Adhikari: Aust. J. Chem, 2003, 56, 545-557.
    III. “New Methods for the Assessment of in vitro and in vivo Stress Cracking in Biomedical Polyurethanes” DJ Martin, LA Poole-Warren, PA Gunatillake, SJ McCarthy, GF Meijs and K Schindhelm: Biomaterials, 2001, 22, 973-978
    IV. “Low Modulus Siloxane-Based Polyurethanes: Effect of 1,3-Bis(4-hydroxybutyl)1,1,3,3,-tetramethyldisiloxane (BHTD) on Properties and Morphology”R Adhikari, PA Gunatillake, SJ McCarthy and GF Meijs: J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2002, 83, 736-746
    V. “In-Vivo degradation of Polyurethanes: Transmission -FTIR microscopic characterisation of Polyurethanes Sectioned by cryomicroscopy” SJ McCarthy, GF Meijs, N Mitchell, PA Gunatillake, G Heath, A Brandwood and K Schindhelm:Biomaterials 1997, 18(21), 1387

  5. Outreach activities

    6. None as Yet.

  6. Key organisation membership

    7. Australian tissue engineering interest groups

  7. Early career researcher?

    8. No.

  8. Young investigator?

    9. No.

  9. Skills and expertise

    • Design & synthesis of polymers for Biomedical implants
      • Biostable polyurethanes, Siloxane polymers and copolymers,
    • Development of Biodegradable Polymers for Tissue Engineering Applications
      • Scaffold fabrication
      • Injectable Polymer Systems
    • Understanding interactions of synthetic polymers with biological environment
      • Cell compatibility & proliferation
      • Biodegradation
    • Development of Tissue engineered products/therapies for;
      • Cartilage repair and bone healing
    • Technology Transfer, scale-up manufacture
    • In-vitro evaluation of materials
    • Regulatory issue
    • Product focused research & development
    • Structure property relationship of synthetic polymers (polyurethanes, polysiloxanes)

  10. Specialist equipment and infrastructure

    • Polymer characterization instruments:
      • Gel permeation chromatography (Absolute molecular weight determination-light scattering detection)
      • High field Nuclear Magnetic resonance
      • FTIR spectroscopy
      • Differential Scanning Calorimetry
      • Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analysis
    • Polymer Processing Equipment
      • Microtruder (extrusion of small quantities of polymer)
      • Injection moulding machine(both mini and pilot scale)
      • Compression Moulding
    • Wiped-film evaporator (reagent purification)
    • Karl-Fisher moisture analyzer

© 2004

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