You are cordially invited to a webinar hosted by the Royal Society of SA and the Academy of Science of South Africa on 18 February 2026 @ 17h00 SAST presented by A/Professor Michael Bodunrin, School of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand on ‘Closing the Longevity Gap: Affordable Metallic Biomaterials for Next-Generation Implants’
Abstract: The World Health Organization reports an 8–11-year gap between life expectancy and healthy life expectancy, underscoring the burden of disease and disability and threatening progress toward SDG 3. With over 2.1 billion people projected to be over 60 by 2050, especially in developing regions, affordable and durable implant materials are urgently needed. While titanium alloys offer excellent biocompatibility, their high-cost limits access; 316L stainless steel is cheaper but prone to stress shielding. This talk presents recent advances from our laboratory on potentially affordable titanium-based alloys and light-density stainless steels, demonstrating up to 100-fold improvements in corrosion resistance, alongside emerging cytotoxicity performance results.
About the Speaker: Michael Bodunrin is an Associate Professor in the School of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. His work spans biomedical and energy materials with a focus on societal impact. A key focus of his research is the development of titanium alloys and low-density stainless steels for biomedical implant applications, with particular emphasis on understanding and improving their corrosion performance in physiological environments. He is also actively involved in research on complex concentrated alloys for hydrogen storage. Michael is a Y1-rated researcher with the National Research Foundation of South Africa and a recipient of the iCANX Young Scientist Award (July 2024). He is a Chartered Engineer (CEng) with the Engineering Council (UK) and a member of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3).
Date: Wednesday, 18 February 2026
Time: 17h00
ALL WELCOME – PLEASE FORWARD TO COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS
– a video of this talk will appear on our website about a week after the event.
Website: www.royalsocietysa.org.za
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