2.9 Million for PD Dr. Peter Wahl and Dr. Ferda Canbaz on their SNSF Project
Led by Peter Wahl, a multidisciplinary team has secured an SNSF research grant for the project “Comprehensive analysis of determinants of polyethylene wear and the related tissue response to improve outcomes in total hip arthroplasty.” The initiative—co-led by Ferda Canbaz (DBE), Markus Fürstner (Inselspital, Bern), Roman Heuberger (Robert Mathys Stiftung) and Robin Pourzal (Rush University Medical Center)—was awarded CHF 2.9 million in funding to be spent over four years.
The project seeks to analyse how polyethylene sockets used in hip replacement age and wear, with a particular focus on the most common highly‑cross‑linked variants. By studying the material properties and the body’s response to the wear debris, the team hopes to refine the selection of existing implants and guide the design of future, more durable materials.
To that end, an international network is collecting thousands of explanted sockets from routine reoperations and applying novel analytical techniques to both the implants and surrounding tissue. The expected outcome is a significant improvement in prosthesis choice and performance—potentially cutting the rate of revision surgeries by up to 50 %, thereby easing patient suffering and reducing healthcare costs. The effort is supported by partners in Switzerland, Germany, Austria and the United States.