Cutting-edge Engineering research into custom 3D plates for reconstructive surgery has been awarded funding from the Academy of Medical Sciences.
Dr Alessandro Borghi from our Department of Engineering will receive £125,000 to support his work to optimise the design of custom-built, 3D-printed surgical plates used in delicate facial reconstruction.
The funding is part of the Academy’s ‘Springboard’ programme which supports early career researchers.
Mandibular reconstruction is performed to repair jaw damage caused by trauma or oral cancer.
It often involves replacing the damaged section of the jaw bones with a piece of bone from the lower leg, held in place with metal implants.
Traditionally, surgeons would manually bend the metal plates during surgery, to match the shape of the patient’s jaw. However, this method can lead to complications if the new bone does not heal properly with the existing jawbone.
Smaller ‘miniplates’, can help distribute stress more evening across the healing bone and technology such as virtual surgical planning and 3D printing make custom-made plates that precisely match the patient’s anatomy, a realistic alternative.
However, if these plates are too rigid, bone healing can be hindered.
It is here that Alessandro hopes to make a significant difference. His work is focused on adjusting the shape and stiffness of 3D-printed plates to help optimise bone healing.
Using advanced computer simulations and exiting models, Alessandro will explore how different designs perform in terms of holding the bone in place, distributing stress and supporting long-term healing.
The goal is to develop practical guidelines for creating patient-specific miniplates using 3D printing.
The designs will then be tested in real surgical procedures at partner hospitals to assess their effectiveness and improve outcomes for patients undergoing jaw reconstruction.
Alessandro is an early career researcher in our Department of Engineering and a Fellow of our Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing.
His work focuses on medical engineering, and he has previously worked with the Royal Brompton & Harefield hospitals Heart Science Centre and Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health through his work.
Read Dr Alessandro Borghi’s profile.
Find out more about the Academy of Medical Sciences Springboard programme.
Discover more about our Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing.
Our Department of Engineering is ranked fifth in the UK in the Complete University Guide 2026. Visit our Engineering webpages for more information on our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
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