My research activities focus on biomaterials, i.e. artificial materials used in reconstructive surgery, which may have huge clinical impact in terms of usage and diversity. The associated research topics span from applied research to basic. The activities are designed to involve biomechanical, biological and chemical effects of artificial materials used on humans. 
 

Biomatlab is located in the laboratory building at Haukeland University Hospital and Department of Clinical Medicine, UiB. Our research activities focus on biomaterials, i.e. artificial materials used in reconstructive surgery. The associated research topics span from applied research to basic. The laboratory has an analysis centre for retrieved orthopedic implants (retrievals) and associated tissue biopsies and blood samples. Moreover, Biomatlab are involved in biomechanical studies and assessment of exposure and bioresponse (biocompatibility). Combining the information from the Norwegian Arthroplasty Register with a clinical retrieval centre allows the performance of orthopedic implants, mainly knee- and hip prostheses to be tracked and analysed, providing new information on underlying causes of failures.

I have extensive experience in clinical and biological issues, which started with the analysis of trace metals in lung tissue in the Master thesis and continued with my PhD work on the chemical analysis of a large clinical material taken from patients with dental amalgam fillings.
The activities that were started in the postdoctoral period, was further developed under my stipend from Bergen Medical Research Foundation (2010-2013). My project deals with the clinical and biological effects of implants that remain in the body. This is performed by characterize the degradation products in tissue and blood from patients with different types of implants, and correlate with clinical analysis, such as effects on bone cells and immune system.

The ongoing activities will broaden the knowledge of biological and clinical consequences of artificial biomaterials, which can be used in developing new and safer materials.

 

2025

• Hougen, Marit; Mondragon, Ivan Rios; Cimpan, Mihaela-Roxana et al. (2025). Roughing It: Topography and Surface Chemistry of Hierarchical Diamond Coatings Modulate Protein and Cellular Interactions. (external link)
• Johannessen, Håkon Greve ; Hallan, Geir; Kadar, Thomas Istvan Edelsvärd et al. (2025). Early cup migration and wear as predictors for later aseptic loosening: a secondary evaluation of a randomized controlled RSA trial on cemented hip arthroplasties with 18-year follow-up. (external link)
• Skåden, Øystein; Furnes, Ove Nord; Lygre, Stein Håkon Låstad et al. (2025). Radiostereometric measurement of implant migration in robotically assisted vs conventional bi-cruciate stabilized cemented total knee arthroplasty: secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial. (external link)
• Khan, Michelle; Lygre, Stein Håkon Låstad; Badawy, Mona et al. (2025). Association of tourniquet use on short-term implant survival after primary total knee arthroplasty: a study of 24,249 knees from the Norwegian Arthroplasty Register. (external link)

2024

• Silva, Maya Maya Barbosa; Gjertsen, Jan-Erik; Moldestad, Irene Ohlen et al. (2024). Effects of implant precoating and fat contamination on the stability of the tibial baseplate. (external link)
• Sellin, Marie-Luise; Seyfarth-Sehlke, Anika; Aziz, Mahammad et al. (2024). Isolation of TiNbN wear particles from a coated metal-on-metal bearing: Morphological characterization and in vitro evaluation of cytotoxicity in human osteoblasts. (external link)
• Johannessen, Håkon Greve; Hallan, Geir; Kadar, Thomas Istvan Edelsvärd et al. (2024). Polyethylene wear and cup migration of cemented total hip arthroplasty with femoral heads made of oxidized zirconium, steel, or cobalt chromium: a 10-year secondary analysis from a randomized trial using radiostereometry. (external link)

2023

• Khan, Michelle; Lygre, Stein Håkon Låstad; Hallan, Geir et al. (2023). Bruk av blodtomhet ved totalprotese i kne- 3 års oppfølging (2018-2021) med data fra Nasjonalt register for leddproteser. (external link)
• Khan, Michelle; Lygre, Stein Håkon Låstad; Høl, Paul Johan et al. (2023). Does precoating of the NexGen Option tibial component lower the risk of loosening? 10 years follow up from the Norwegian Arthroplasty Register 2012-2021. (external link)
• Khan, Michelle; Gjertsen, Jan-Erik; Fenstad, Anne Marie et al. (2023). Cementing techniques for total ktnee arthroplasty in Norwegian hospitals; a questionnaire-based study. (external link)

2022

• Høl, Paul Johan; Hallan, Geir; Furnes, Ove Nord et al. (2022). Similarly low-blood metal ion levels at 10-years follow-up of total hip arthroplasties with Oxinium, CoCrMo, and stainless steel femoral heads. Data from a randomized clinical trial. (external link)
• Zalieckas, Justas; Mondragon, Ivan Rios; Pobedinskas, Paulius et al. (2022). Polycrystalline diamond coating on orthopedic implants: Realization and role of surface topology and chemistry in adsorption of proteins and cell proliferation. (external link)
• Wolf, Susann; Johannessen, Anne Christine; Ellison, Peter et al. (2022). Inflammatory tissue reactions around aseptically loose cemented hip prostheses: A retrieval study of the Spectron EF stem with Reflection All‐Poly acetabular cup. (external link)
• Johannessen, Håkon Greve; Kadar, Thomas; Hallan, Geir et al. (2022). Polyethylene Wear In Total Hip Arthroplasty; Comparing Oxinium And CoCr Femoral Heads Using Radiostereometry With 10 Years Follow-Up. (external link)
• Khan, Michelle; Moldestad, Irene Ohlen; Ellison, Peter et al. (2022). Initial Stability Of Surface vs Full Cemented Tibial Components Under Cyclic Loading. (external link)

2021

• Johannessen, Håkon Greve; Kadar, Thomas; Hallan, Geir et al. (2021). Polyethylene wear in total hip arthroplasty; comparing Oxinium and CoCr femoral heads using radiostereometry with 10 years follow-up. (external link)
• Høl, Paul Johan; Hallan, Geir; Indrekvam, Kari (2021). Metallionenivåer i blod fra pasienter med metall-mot-metall-hofteprotese. (external link)

2020

• Khan, Michelle; Gjertsen, Jan-Erik; Refsum, Anders Myhre et al. (2020). En spørreundersøkelse om sementeringsteknikker som brukes ved total kneprotesekirurgi ved norske sykehus. (external link)
• Strandenes, Eivind; Ellison, Peter; Mølster, Anders et al. (2020). Strength of side-to-side and step-cut repairs in tendon transfers: biomechanical testing of porcine flexor tendons. (external link)
• Høl, Paul Johan; Hallan, Geir; Furnes, Ove Nord et al. (2020). Metallionenivåer i blod etter 10 år med hofteproteser med ulike hodematerialer. (external link)

2019

• Jonitz-Heincke, Anika; Seyfarth, Anika; Fabry, Christian et al. (2019). Impact of TiNbN wear particles on osteoblastic differentiation capacity and induction of inflammatory reactions. (external link)
• Høl, Paul Johan; Gjerdet, Nils Roar; Jonung, Torbjörn (2019). Corrosion and metal release from overlapping arterial stents under mechanical and electrochemical stress - An experimental study. (external link)
• Høl, Paul Johan; Ellison, Peter John; Wolf, Susann et al. (2019). Mekanismer for aseptisk løsning av sementert Spectron EF hoftestamme med Reflection kopp - en retrievalstudie. (external link)
• Strandenes, Eivind; Ellison, Peter; Mølster, Anders et al. (2019). Strength of Pulvertaft modifications: tensile testing of porcine flexor tendons. (external link)
• Refsum, Anders Myhre; Nguyen, Uy Viet; Gjertsen, Jan Erik et al. (2019). Cementing technique for primary knee arthroplasty: a scoping review. (external link)
• Høl, Paul Johan (2019). Metals in orthopaedic implants: Mechanical, chemical and biological properties of titanium and stainless steel implants. (external link)

2018

• Høl, Paul Johan; Kristoffersen, Einar Klæboe; Vindenes, Hilde Kristin et al. (2018). Novel titanium antigens and assessment of immune activation. (external link)
• Jonitz-Heincke, Anika; Tillmann, Jenny; Ostermann, Melanie et al. (2018). Label-free monitoring of uptake and toxicity of endoprosthetic wear particles in human cell cultures. (external link)
• Høl, Paul Johan (2018). Metallnivå i blod hos pasienter med hofteprotese. (external link)
• Høl, Paul Johan; Kristoffersen, Einar Klæboe; Gjerdet, Nils Roar et al. (2018). Novel nanoparticulate and ionic titanium antigens for hypersensitivity testing. (external link)

See a complete overview of publications in Cristin.

Publications on Google Scholar

Publications under Nasjonalt vitenarkiv

 

The overall goal of our projects is to improve the performance and safety of orthopedic and other surgical implants by a clinic-laboratory interaction.

Clinical performance of artificial materials can be predicted and improved by investigation of the retrieved devices that have been in clinical use, by a translational research approach, addressing biocompatibility and assessment of physical behavior.

Biomatlab has long experience in trace element and wear particle analysis of clinical samples, mainly related to quantification of degradation products from orthopedic implants. We offer ICP-MS analysis of elements such as: Co, Cr, Zr, Mo, Ni and Ti. 

Read more about our research lab: Biomaterials in surgery: Biomatlab