Rolando Gittens

"The loss of bone tissue during the aging process increases the number of bone fractures and, in some cases, necessitates the use of implants.

The Panamanian Rolando Gittens discovered that the structure present on the surface of titanium implants promotes the formation of bone tissue at a micrometric level on the surface of the implants, so he developed two methods which accomplish greater bone regeneration.

Gittens decided to modify the superficial structure at a nanometric scale, meaning even smaller than the micrometric scale, and in so doing he obtained better results in the regeneration of bone tissue. He also discovered that by applying heat, the molecular disposition within the layer of rust can be altered to achieve that these molecules position themselves more similarly to the structure of the regenerated tissue.

This young innovator, who works out of his laboratory at the Panamanian Research Institute for Advanced Sciences and High Tech Services, is optimistic that his discovery will reach the market in the form of new implants created using his techniques, and that in future the use of these techniques will extend to other types of structures like hip replacements."