[Kuki Health] "Bone defects occur more often than we think in our daily lives, and there are many patients who suffer from them. If we develop artificial bones and supports tailored to the individual's body condition and create bones that fit the patient's body, we can reduce the possibility of reoperation and live a much more enjoyable life." Dr. Song Hae-ryong, Director of the Bone Defect Disease Convergence Treatment Center at Korea University Guro Hospital (Orthopedics, pictured), emphasized the importance of bone defect treatment. Bone defects commonly occur due to traffic accidents, fractures, sports injuries, or surgery due to other diseases, and affect the quality of life. Director Song said, "The center is conducting detailed research on bone defects, including basic research, bone regeneration, and drug administration." He added, "The basic direction of the research conducted at the center is to secure national health and global competitiveness in bone defect technology." ◇Complementing the shortcomings of existing surgical methods, customized artificial bone implantation When a fracture occurs due to a traffic accident or trauma, part of the bone is inevitably lost. In the case of brain surgery, a portion of the skull is removed for surgery, so after the brain surgery is completed, the empty space in the defective bone is replaced with cement or a steel plate. Bone cement surgery, which mainly uses cement to create artificial bones, has been performed for bone defect treatment. However, it has the disadvantage of affecting the human body when it comes into contact with fractured areas or lesions, and it takes at least 6 months to see results after the fracture. In addition, cement or steel plates can generate heat, which makes it difficult to select antibiotics, and a secondary surgery to remove the bone cement is also inevitable. Currently, the center's goal is to compensate for these shortcomings of bone grafting by manufacturing and transplanting a three-dimensional artificial support loaded with antibiotics, tailored to the size of the patient's defect. The support is inserted after accurately measuring the area where the bone has been lost. This is similarly applied to patients with bone deformities due to neurofibromatosis, rheumatoid arthritis patients, and sports injury patients, in addition to simple traffic accident patients. Director Song said, "The core of the center's technology is the ability to insert an artificial support that is perfectly tailored to each individual patient." He added, "We are currently conducting preclinical trials on a technology that complements the limitations and disadvantages of existing surgical methods by loading antibiotics into the support and releasing them naturally, and we expect it to be commercialized soon." ◇Leading new medical technology research supported by the government and corporations The Korea University Guro Hospital Bone Defect Disease Convergence Treatment Center has been selected as an implementing organization for the 'Healthcare Project for National Competitiveness Development' supported by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and is developing related technologies. A total of 7 billion won will be invested over 5 years, including funding from Samjin Pharmaceutical, Genoss, and BNC Korea. It is the second largest project among the projects implemented by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and transparent research is conducted by receiving annual evaluations on research results and progress each year. In particular, the third sub-research project, bone defect reconstruction surgery using functional cells containing adipose stem cells, is a field of interest to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Strategy and Finance, the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and is also a matter of national interest. The center has secured a dedicated animal laboratory where various experiments are possible for smoother research. Spaces have been created to raise small animals such as mice and medium-sized animals such as rabbits, allowing the center to directly raise more than 100 animals. Research Professor Kim Seong-eun (Orthopedics) explained, "It is not easy to have such facilities within a university hospital, but it is a support project conducted by the government, and the hospital is providing full support because the goal is to have exclusive technology for bone defects and stem cells." ◇The goal is to achieve global competitiveness by developing proprietary technology The center's ultimate goal is to promote national health and commercialize developed medical technology. In the first year of research, technology was developed that can replace existing products. Preclinical trials are currently planned in orthopedics for products that can replace the cruciate ligament during knee joint surgery, and preclinical trials for artificial supports loaded with antibiotics will begin in December of this year. Once medical technology is developed, the center plans to generate revenue through technology transfer and reinvest it in research. Through this, it aims to develop advanced bone disease treatment technology and attract overseas patients with Korea's unique bone defect treatment technology by 2020. Director Song said, "It is not easy to restore a person with a rare disease or a broken bone to its original form." He added, "If the technology is developed and commercialized, hundreds of millions of people around the world who have suffered bone damage due to traffic accidents and various surgeries will live new lives." He emphasized, "The center's competitiveness must become the competitiveness of Korea University Medical Center, and furthermore, the competitiveness of Korea through overseas technology transfer." He added, "The pain of bone defect patients is more severe than we think, but it has received less attention than cancer or other diseases because it does not immediately endanger life. However, from now on, we must compete with the world by having our own technology through research for them." Kookmin Ilbo Kuki News Reporter Kim Seong-ji ohappy@kukimedia.co.kr