The Research Training Group 2901 SYLOBIO funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), analyses the local as well as the systemic response to biomaterials. The central research question is whether the systemic reaction to biomaterials is either triggered by biological factors from the biomaterial environment or whether systemic exposure to degradation products leads to inflammation in organs/tissues distant from the biomaterial.

In order to identify the complexity of material-induced inflammation and the patient-specific diversity of tissue response, a multidisciplinary approach is required to analyze systemic and local mechanisms of action in detail.

One of the subprojects is located at the Institute of Medical Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene and aims to investigate the impact of wear and corrosion products of metallic prosthetic joints on

• formation and composition of biofilms, and
• antibiotic sensitivity

of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus, the most frequent causes for prosthetic joint infections. Furthermore, the primary impact of wear and corrosion products on antimicrobial activity of phagocytes (neutrophils) as well as the secondary impact via potential immune modulatory effects on mesenchymal stem cells, endothelial cells, and osteoblasts will be investigated within this subproject.