Flinders University researchers are launching an innovative surface-engineering technology that could help to raise the performance of implantable medical devices in people with diabetes and other metabolic diseases.
People living with diabetes face increased risks of complications following medical implantation procedures, including impaired tissue integration, persistent inflammation and delayed healing.
The new advanced material coating aims to open opportunities for a new generation of safer, more effective implants – starting with orthopaedic implants such as hip and knee replacements, and potentially dental implants, cardiovascular stents and other medical devices.
The international research team, led by scientists at the Flinders Biomedical Nanoengineering Laboratory , has based the technology on an advanced implant coating designed to counteract the biological mechanism which contributes to common complications in diabetic patients.
Published in the prestigious journal Advanced Science, the research reveals that ‘advanced glycation end-products’ (AGEs) – or molecules that accumulate in diabetes and other metabolic conditions – can attach to implant surfaces and trigger harmful responses to implants.
Lead author Matthew Flinders Professor Krasimir Vasilev, Professor of Biomedical Nanotechnology at Flinders University, says the discovery challenges conventional approaches to implant design.
“Medical implants are typically developed and evaluated under conditions that do not adequately reflect the biological environment of patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes,” says Professor Vasilev, Director of the Flinders Biomedical Nanoengineering Laboratory.
“Our research demonstrates that the accumulation of AGEs on implant surfaces trigger inflammation that promote fibrotic tissue formation and interfere with the formation of new blood vessels and health tissue integration. Importantly, we have shown that these detrimental responses can be substantially reduced by engineering the chemistry of the implant surface.”
The new approach to implant design uses advanced plasma-based surface-engineering techniques to develop specialised coatings that resist AGE accumulation and promote a more favourable biological response.
In experimental models focused on diabetes, the modified implants reduced inflammatory responses and fibrotic encapsulation while promoting blood vessel formation and stronger integration with surrounding bone.
The findings come ahead of World Diabetes Day on 14 November, highlighting the importance of improving healthcare outcomes for the rapidly growing number of people living with diabetes.
The prevalence of diabetes is rising globally, with WHO reports that the number of people living with diabetes increased from 200 million in 1990 to 830 million in 2022 – and as populations age, growing numbers of these patients require orthopaedic, dental and other implantable medical devices.
The global implantable medical devices market size was valued at more than $US 104.48 billion in 2025, and projected to exceed $US 179.38 billion by 2034.
Up to 20 per cent of this market was linked individuals with chronic conditions such as diabetes, where implant failure rates are markedly higher, says Professor Vasilev, defining a possible market exceeding $US 20 billion for advanced biomaterials-enabled devices capable of performing in hostile biological environments.
“Rather than simply developing materials that perform well in healthy patients, we are engineering implant surfaces to function in the challenging biological environments associated with disease.
“This represents a fundamentally different approach to biomaterials design, with the potential to improve implant performance in patient populations that are particularly vulnerable to complications.”
Researchers say the technology could also be used for implantable devices used in patients with chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease and other conditions associated with elevated AGE levels and altered tissue responses – including tissue engineering constructs and other devices where long-term performance depends on successful interaction with surrounding tissues.
The plasma-based technology, which is supported by intellectual property protection, can be used on existing implant materials without changes to the underlying device.
“One important advantage of this approach is that it has a strong foundation for commercial translation,” says Professor Vasilev. “Manufacturers could potentially incorporate the specialised surface treatment to existing devices rather than redesign the entire implant.”
The research – ‘ Rational surface engineering reduces Advanced Glycation End-product adsorption and improves implant integration ’ (2026) by Thien Ngoc Le, Wenhao Chen, Tengxiao Huang, Tien Thanh Nguyen, Markos Negash Alemie, Xuan Duy Do, Giles Best, Jordan Li, Jitraporn Vongsvivut, Vi-Khanh Truong, Weiwei Li, Yunpeng Zhao, Richard Bright and Krasimir Vasilev – has been published in Advanced Science (Wiley). DOI: 10.1002/advs.78507.
Advanced Science
Experimental study
Lab-produced tissue samples
Rational surface engineering reduces Advanced Glycation End-product adsorption and improves implant integration
27-Oct-2026