PhD in 3D Printing Mechanically Adaptive Regenerative Interfaces for Improved Bone Screw Fixation University of Exeter in United Kingdom

[Studentship provides funding of fees plus a stipend per annum for 2026/7; funding amount listed as £21,805.]

The University of Exeter is offering a PhD studentship in 3D Printing Mechanically Adaptive Regenerative Interfaces for Improved Bone Screw Fixation at the Penryn Campus. This project addresses an important clinical challenge in spinal surgery: screw loosening and pull-out, especially in patients with poor bone quality such as osteoporosis. These complications can undermine pedicle screw fixation, reduce stability, and lead to revision surgery.

The studentship focuses on developing bioresorbable, regenerative scaffolds that engineer the screw–bone interface to improve both primary and secondary fixation. The research will combine biomaterials, tissue engineering, additive manufacturing, mechanobiology, and advanced pre-clinical testing. The aim is to design scaffolds that enhance immediate fixation while also promoting osseointegration and progressive load transfer to newly formed bone.

A major part of the project is the development of functionally graded and anisotropic scaffold architectures using additive manufacturing/3D printing. The work will investigate how scaffold structure, material composition, bioactivity, and degradation influence interfacial stress distribution, micromotion, and resistance to screw loosening. Bioactive and mechanically responsive strategies, including potentially piezoelectric biomaterials, will be explored to determine whether physiological loading can help stimulate regeneration at the implant–bone interface.

The project will also use Exeter’s six-axis bioreactor to test candidate designs under complex loading conditions that better reflect activities of daily living than conventional uniaxial tests. This will allow the student to assess load transfer, micromotion, and biological response in a more realistic environment, supporting iterative design optimisation.

Industry and clinical input will strengthen the translational relevance of the work. COSA Ltd will contribute expertise in medical imaging, anatomical modelling, and multi-material 3D printing, helping to create reproducible bone-mimicking models for in vitro mechanical testing. Clinical guidance will ensure the scaffold concepts remain aligned with surgical practice.

The studentship is based at the University of Exeter, Penryn Campus. Funding is available for fees and a stipend for 2026/7, with the funding information listing £21,805. The application deadline is 8 December 2026. This PhD will suit candidates interested in orthopaedic biomaterials, regenerative engineering, additive manufacturing, and biomechanics, especially those aiming to develop next-generation fixation technologies for challenging bone conditions.